If there is one piece that we associate with Japanese know-how, it is raw denim. And it's been a long time since we last made you new Japanese canvas jeans at BonneGueule! You'll see, it's not Japanese denim for nothing: it may surprise you.
So without further ado, let's talk in detail about these new, somewhat special jeans, starting with their origin...
Here he is, the new kid joining our indigo family!
A confidential supplier... literally!
No, you are not dreaming: contrary to usual, we will not give you the name of the spinning mill behind the manufacture of this denim. It's top secret, and that's how it is!
Well, to tell the truth, it’s already happened once or twice at BonneGueule.
For two of our shirts from the so-called "Essentials" range, we found a little-known supplier whose quality/price ratio was so good that we decided not to talk about it... And this to protect our research work and of product development, and not finding our shirt copied by another brand, a few months later.
We don't always think about it, but the two things that a brand has most valuable in the world of textiles are probably knowledge of the product and contact with its suppliers.
Whether it is the workshops that assemble the pieces or the weavers, without these actors, the brand does not exist...
But on the other hand, without the astute choices of a product manager and the keen eye of a designer, you can have the best suppliers in the world, the basic idea behind the product and its realization will be poorly thought out.
It is these two elements that allow it to offer a slightly unique product each time, and not a clone identical to all the other basics on the market. And when you pay for a product from a good brand, you pay for that too, even if we talk about it less than the material, the manufacturing, or the quality of service.
For all these reasons, we hope that you will understand our approach to protecting our work.
In fact, the first to suggest that we not reveal the name of our supplier were our Japanese contacts themselves, those who helped us find this supplier. They told us bluntly "If we were in your place, we wouldn't communicate about it, because you are really the only ones working with them in France."
Our friend Boras from the blog Borasification has, once again, taken part in the shooting game. Here, it remains faithful to the origins of jeans, worn in a slightly "loose" look with a noragi jacket. (Maison Cornichon tee, Visvim boots, Jinji necklace. For the Noragi, Boras tells us that he has recently been developing his own pieces. His brand is called Borali )
How did we find this Japanese gem?
I can tell you that it was not easy finding this supplier. To achieve this, we called on a Japanese company we met on site, which does “representative” work. His job: to oversee very small independent weavers, who produce rare fabrics in small quantities, in order to offer their materials to brands. Their work is of high quality, but no one knows them apart from local actors.
We are therefore talking about suppliers who are so small and unknown that we cannot even find them at trade shows dedicated to textiles.
As a result, we are not only certain of being the only ones in France to work with it, but it could even be that we are the only ones in Europe...
In a few words: if you one day find the same material elsewhere, from the same supplier, Benoît is ready to shoot a "Let's Talk About Clothes" with a pink faux fur hat and overalls ...we will be truly surprised. This is what you could call a truly exclusive material.
Quick reminder: what are raw jeans, and why do we like them?
I don't want to lose any newbies along the way, so let's give a little refresher.
To summarize very simply, raw jeans are jeans whose fabric has not been washed after its production. Its indigo dye, unstable by nature, is still entirely impregnated in the canvas, which therefore has a dark hue, very saturated in pigment.
What makes raw denim interesting is, on the one hand, this authentic, vintage and robust appearance of the fabric when it is still new. And on the other hand, its particular wash, the patina it obtains over time as the indigo lightens in places, and the jeans "personalize" themselves according to the life and body of its wearer.
If you want more details on this process, I suggest you kill two birds with one stone, and read my article on the care of raw denim . You will understand how it all works. And what's more, you'll know how to take care of your jeans to get the best possible wash.
This time, it is worn with our new Japanese denim shirt, our white sneakers , and a Maison Cornichon t-shirt. An easy outfit in all circumstances, beautiful and simple like raw denim.
Japanese denim that (really) stands out from the crowd
But what exactly does it bring us to look for this material in the depths of a very small, little-known spinning mill?
It's simple: it's probably the most "denimhead" canvas we've ever offered.
Our Kurabo canvas is raw denim of very good quality, but with it, we had chosen classic characteristics, which would appeal to the greatest number of denim lovers.
Whereas with these new jeans, we wanted to surprise you, and show you all the variety that the Japanese are capable of when it comes to denim. We wanted to address those who are looking for paintings that are a little more “special”, more exotic. Basically, this denim is a bit of a consecration of the pilgrimage that Benoît and Geoffrey recently led to Japan .
So if you are sensitive to what the big "purist" denim brands like Momotaro, Oni, Pure Blue Japan, Studio d'Artisan, or even Resolute are doing, we think you will like these jeans.
Here is the "selvedge" edging characteristic of old looms. They are most often red and white, but not always! There are all kinds of varieties, and these are all “signatures” that distinguish the different paintings. This time, ours is off-white, with blue dotted lines! Also note the slightly "brownished" appearance of the white weft thread, which reinforces the vintage appearance of this canvas.
“Low tension denim”: comfort and texture
Its first element of distinction is the “low-tension” weaving. Through a “home” setting
Result: on the one hand the weft thread
Moreover, to talk again about the weft thread, the more perceptive among you will have noticed that it has something different. Its color is slightly browned, rather than being bright white. And this “ecru” appearance reinforces the vintage side of the canvas, recalling the natural color of cotton when it has not been bleached.
What do we notice in this photo, other than our friend Boras wearing our sneakers and our new jeans? Well, note that he is very well installed, in a very comfortable posture, in Japanese jeans that are brand new and have no stretch: this is what this “low-tension” weave allows.
“Non-sanforized” jeans for a canvas of character
The second original point here concerns the treatment of the canvas. Perhaps you have already heard of “non-sanforized” denim?
Sanforizing is a technical process, invented by the American Sanford Lockwood Cluett at the beginning of the 20th century, which allows cotton to remain more stable, not to shrink excessively, and to soften and soften. But as a result, the very first denims were not sanforized.
And as we can learn in the excellent book Ametora (which I highly recommend to anyone interested in Japanese fashion), the pioneers of Japanese denim made it their mission to resurrect the original American garment, and even to be “even more faithful than the original” . With this in mind to push “purism” even further than the source of inspiration itself, they have brought “non-sanforized” denim up to date.
No surprise, raw denim can serve as a basis for all types of outfits. Here Boras wears it with a Dry Bones printed shirt and Universal Works x GH Bass loafers
And in doing so, they noticed that, despite its instability (unsanforized jeans can shrink up to 2 sizes when washed!), they had a unique character, a textural charm even more marked than classic raw ones. For the brands I spoke to you about earlier, “unsanforized” denim is even a production standard.
And there, I can already see your worries coming...
Do not panic. We suspect that it would be complicated for you... And for us too for that matter.
But first, let's quickly get back to what makes this painting so special...
Fluffy like a blue chick
This is the last aspect of these jeans that makes them not look like your average raw jean: small cotton fibers that dot its surface and create a new texture over the grain of the weave.
Well, come on... I'm even going to reveal something to you that I'm not supposed to say here: between us, at the product department, Benoît, Julien, Charlotte and I, we affectionately call it "the hairy jeans" .
So, it's certain that it's not very salesy put like that, and we wouldn't want to shock the customer by making him believe that these jeans are a big bug still alive...
But note that American workwear fans have no trouble talking about "hairy denim" , and without any problem sing the praises of these fabrics with their very marked vintage character.
In fact, it would be more accurate to say that these jeans are "fluffy" . Like a flannel, its surface is covered with small cotton fibers which give it this appearance. Except that unlike this one, this is not obtained by scratching the surface of the jeans, but thanks to the type of cotton selected!
The famous little down: when you look at the jeans from an angle, it is even more visible, and the “snowy” effect is revealed to you.
Did you know that, depending on the piece and the desired effect, we favor different types of cotton?
For dress shirts, for example, we look for the finest and longest fibers, to obtain a very smooth, very soft and luminous final fabric. And if long fibers have the reputation of being “very high-end”, short fibers also have their uses.
Because it is precisely these shortest fibers that interest our supplier here, and exclusively these! Thanks to their thickness and shorter length, they bristle more easily on the canvas, and form this characteristic down. That said, it's not soft like a flannel either, because underneath those little "hairs" you have good old rough Japanese raw denim.
And that's the whole point of this canvas: aesthetically, we find that the contrast looks really good, between the very "soft" and "cottony" down, and the textured appearance of a Japanese canvas. The two mix wonderfully. And from certain angles with the right light, you'll have the impression that this denim is covered in a thin layer of indigo "snow".
A “one-wash” wash to make your life easier
Well, now that we've explained everything to you, we imagine that you want to taste this purist denim.
But as I said above, we also know that not everyone is ready to assume all the disadvantages that come with “unsanforized” jeans. Because jeans that shrink two or three sizes when washed, which are rigid like cardboard (yes, even more so than your usual raw ones) when they are new... Let's say that you have to be at least a little passionate to accept these constraints.
So we found a compromise: we gave these jeans a “one-wash” wash.
This is the lightest industrial wash possible, which keeps your raw denim looking very close to the original, but makes the fabric and dye a little more stable. You can therefore wash these jeans without fear of excessive shrinkage , as is normally found on most "unsaforised" fabrics. But still follow the care instructions for raw denim.
What's nice about the "one-wash" wash is that it's also one of the most aesthetic, in my opinion, when it's done on a beautiful canvas. Because it lightens the indigo very slightly, so as to give it a brighter, more shimmering blue. You can compare it with classic new raw jeans, and you will see the difference in color.
The light one-wash brings out more shimmering shades of blue within the indigo dye.
And last significant advantage, it makes the jeans much more flexible.
And precisely, this wash combined with the natural flexibility of this “low-tension” canvas will make them one of the most comfortable Japanese jeans you will ever try. Especially on 100% cotton like here, without the slightest trace of stretch.
When I put on the jeans for the first time, I was very surprised that they were so comfortable to wear given their very raw appearance. So you have “it’s both butter and butter” as they say: the authenticity of non-sanforized AND the comfort of washed jeans.
Well, on the other hand it still bleeds like real raw jeans. This guarantees you a very beautiful patina over time, but be careful when you wear certain clothes or shoes
The cut and details that have already won you over
To accompany a beautiful canvas, you need a good cut. And you need the right details.
We therefore kept the cut of the Bleach Ozone jeans, fitted in the thigh without being tight, with a fairly tight leg opening, but counterbalanced by enough ease in the pelvis to be comfortable.
You have received good feedback on this cut, and we are delighted to see in store that it highlights a wide range of body types.
On the relaxation side of the fabric, it is similar to that of Bleach. So present, but moderate. Estimate that it will relax about a half size to a size.
You can therefore choose it well fitted or even a little tight, depending on your preferences, and it will become even more flexible over time. Choose the same size as for Bleach and Candiani jeans.
Double lined loops, and vegetable-tanned leather patch... You can't change good habits.
In terms of finishes, we maintain the high-end standards that you have already seen on Kurabo and Bleach Ozone jeans:
- Hidden rivets on the back pockets, so as not to damage your armchairs and sofas when you sit down.
- Double loops, to adapt more easily to different belt widths, and lined with a very solid fabric on the reverse, to hold up better over time, and resist friction against the belt... In short, they are “double-doubles”!
- The interior is fully trimmed. Simply for a prettier finish, and because it's nice to see clean white braids instead of manufacturing threads when you put on your jeans.
Did one of our clothes from Japan catch your eye?
Our low-tension selvedge jeans, the workwear jacket in textured fabric and our light or dark denim shirts are available in our stores in Paris , Lyon and Bordeaux and on our e-shop .
