The quest for my dream Japanese selvedge jeans

Cover photo credit: Heddels

Hello,

I'm Robin, men's fashion content creator and editor of this third edition of the Minute Selvedge.

When Benoît and David asked me to write it, I already had a pretty clear idea of the subject I was going to choose. I wanted to tell you about the quest that punctuated the beginning of 2025: the search for my first pair of jeans in Japanese selvedge fabric.

Beyond the garment itself, it's the process behind it that speaks to me: the fact that each wear, each movement, each habit, will shape and mold a little more a piece that I'll keep for a long time and that will tell my story.

Obsessive research, multiple fittings, back and forth between Lyon and Paris. If you've been there, you're bound to find yourself in the following lines.

Off to my dressing room, armed with my trusty tape measure and my 501 that fits like a glove. The search for my dream jeans begins.

But why Japanese jeans?

My interest (not to say obsession) with Japanese selvedge denim was born out of a discussion between friends who are passionate about the garment.

We discussed all the issues that define this very special craft: the quality of the end product, the know-how and manufacturing methods, the attention paid to the smallest details. It didn't take long before I wanted to know all about what makes Japanese denim so unique.

Before telling the story of the man or woman who wears it, Japanese denim is a leap back almost 100 years, making the link with the American vintage I'm so passionate about.

With Levi's famous 501 as its muse, the Japanese denim industry exploded after the Second World War. And it was in the 80s and 90s that a real emancipation from Levi's was created, thanks in particular to Studio D'Artisan.

While many manufacturers were content to produce highly treated, smooth industrial fabrics, Studio D'Artisan perpetuated traditional denim know-how, offering unsanforized fabrics, for example, which were less stable but very authentic in appearance, while innovating with cuts, details and the types of cotton used.

How can you not be captivated by this almost artistic approach to garment-making?

I take almost more pleasure in educating myself on the subject than I do in buying my first pair of Japanese denim. But every day of research is a day not spent refining the fading of my future jeans. I've got to step it up a gear.

A shortlist of 5 brands, and 1 unexpected favorite

As the weeks go by, my lunch breaks at the office are subtly optimized to scour the catalogs of all the brands that make up my shortlist.

I know it now: I'm looking for a timeless straight cut that will match the rest of my wardrobe.

The first two honor theOsaka 5 (a group of pioneering brands in the Japanese denim industry): Studio D'Artisan and Fullcount.

• Studio D'Artisan for its heritage as the founding brand of the famous group, but also for its extremely creative approach to craftsmanship, such as the use of the traditional Sashiko embroidery method or a sulfur dyeing process.
• Fullcount because, in addition to weaving a deep link with the American inspirations of the 40's and 50's, the brand differentiates itself by its choice of exceptional raw materials such as Fox Cotton and Suvin Gold for the confection of their jeans.

The next two are recommendations from my friend Didier: Momotaro and Samurai Jeans. Great, fundamentally different alternatives that I can't wait to try: Momotaro with its more modern cuts but also a strong graphic element with its pink stripes, and Samurai with its ultra-heavy, textured canvas. And if they suit me as well as him, I'll already be a long way down the road!

But my search led me to one last option, which seemed to tick all the boxes: Sugar Cane. A blend of cotton and sugarcane fiber to create a neppy fabric. An ode to a Japanese concept I love, Wabi-sabi, which celebrates perfection in imperfection.

There's only one thing left to do: Lyon Part Dieu, towards Paris Gare de Lyon. Almost there.

A weekend in the capital, between fittings and a half-marathon

Weekend of March 8, 2025.

While I'm concentrating on optimizing my intake of pasta and electrolytes in preparation for the Paris half-marathon on Sunday (I'll spare you the details, but I left too quickly, felt like I'd never left the Bois de Vincennes and cramped up in the 18th arrondissement), I've only one desire: to try on ALL the Japanese denim jeans in Paris.

Here I go. The roadmap is ready, the various shops saved on Google Maps, all that's left to do.

First stop: Elevation Store. I knew I was going to be able to try on several of the references I'd noticed, notably Momotaro's 0906-V. The cut is quite loose, perhaps a little too loose. The fabric quality is insane, but a little too thick for me. I took the opportunity to try on a pair of jeans from Resolute, and another from Japan Blue, but I didn't fall in love with them.

Next stop: Royalcheese. I was expecting a huge selection and I wasn't disappointed. I take 2 pairs of jeans into the cabin: the S0510HX from Samurai Jeans and the Garage Denim from F.O.B Factory.

• The canvas of the S0510HX is gorgeous, with a crazy texture, but again, as with the Momotaro, a little too heavy.
• The Garage Denim was a nice surprise, with nice details, notably the martingale (middle back tab) at the back, but unfortunately a cut a little too snug for me.

I then head for Kiliwatch, which stocks THE brand: Studio D'Artisan. I walk through the door, full of hope, find the SD-101 in my size, and head for the fitting room.

It's perfect, well almost. Ifeel like I'm between sizes. My usual 34 is a little too big, while the 33 is a little too tight. I don't want to have to get the jeans resized, and even if the 34 could shrink and end up fitting me like a glove, I can't take the risk.

20,000 steps later (maybe that's where the cramps at the 18ᵉ kilometer came from?) and countless sizes and references tried on, I have to face the facts: I probably won't find my jeans today.

Unless? I still have one address to check. I hop on line 4, direction Rive Gauche.

A last stand at JINJI

The end of the day is approaching and I've got one last chance to find the jeans of my dreams.

Here I am at JINJI, one of the capital's legendary boutiques, but above all the only one to stock one of the brands I absolutely wanted to try: Sugar Cane. I browse the racks and come across the brand's 1966 model, which was one of the cuts that had caught my eye.

I was about to hear the words "I'm sorry but I don't have your size anymore, unfortunately".

Another disappointment, but I put it into perspective. What follows is a few minutes' chat with Julien, the store manager, who takes the time to understand what I'm looking for. I can tell quite quickly from his face that he knows the reference he's going to recommend.

He quietly climbs a ladder to grab a pair of jeans and hands them to me, as if to say "you'll be hearing from me". My eyes land on the leather patch, and I admit to feeling a little foolish at the time: after weeks of research into how to prepare for this fitting day, how could I have forgotten Fullcount?

Hope revived, I headed off to the cabin to try on the 1101XX. That's it, I've found it.

The fit is perfect, and it feels like it was made for me. The leg is straight, the waist a little high, exactly what I was looking for. The fabric is insanely rich, heavy for sure, but super comfortable thanks to the Zimbabwean cotton used by the brand.

All the boxes are ticked, the jeans are carefully packed and the search is over.

Here I am on the TGV back home, my Fullcount in hand, with just one desire: to start the process and see how it will react to my lifestyle, my habits, my card holder in the left pocket and my keys in the back pocket. It took a while, but I finally found my dream jeans.

• If you could choose one pair of Japanese denim jeans (and only one), which would it be?
• Would you opt for a brand with a strong history and heritage, or one with a more creative approach?

I'd love to hear your favorites, your recommendations and your experience if you too own a pair of selvedge jeans, Japanese or otherwise. Let's talk about it, on the Bonnegueule Discord or elsewhere.

You can also explore the Bonnegueule jeans range, with Japanese and Italian fabrics. I'm told that new models will be arriving soon. :)

I hope you enjoyed this third edition of the Minute Selvedge. Stay tuned for the next one!

Robin