Good guide to raw denim.


Raw Denim information

Why I like it: it just fits super well and feels ridiculously comfortable. I also like the way it fades uniquely to each person depending on how they wear it. Everyone should own a good pair of jeans.

The custom jeans I got were made by Ben Viapiana, he lives in Bangkok and makes custom jeans day in and day out. They're about 5000 bhat a pair ($170). He'll take you in for a consultation and answer any questions about denim, and then you take it from there by designing your own jeans. It isnt a big time operation by any means, super small. He has a buncha of world war II era sewing machines, and buys the denim from a market here where all the big guy's fabric ends up.

Check him out here:

VIAPIANA - Home

 

@ gmac

 

This is the sort of denim that interests me......

 

thats awesome. Will check it out for sure. Had some suits made when I was in Vietnam...should have thought to had jeans made.

 

I've got a bunch of Selvege denim. Past few I've bought have all been from Naked and Famous. I will take some pics tomorrow though as I am far too lazy at the moment. The longest I have gone I think was 9 months, but they were regularly put in ziplocs and into the freezer overnight.

 

I'm going to bangkok in 2 weeks.

How do I organize to get some jeans made with this dude?

 

Email him: ben@viapiana.ca

I think he's going back to Canada for the holidays. He'll be gone for Christmas season, but you never know.

He does incredible work.

 

It's funny you bring up denim. Since I pretty much live here, I am always in slacks. When I am not here my favorite jeans are all carpenter style Eddie Bauers I refuse to get rid of. My wife desperately wants to see me in "modern" jeans but I refuse to take the time to try them on..man I DESPISE shopping.....ech.

You have my admiration for being a strong enough man to start a blue jean thread here.

 

This may not matter at all to some of you guys, but nonetheless you are still missing the point of the thread a bit. Don't take that the wrong way, but believe me, it is very satisfying breaking in a pair instead of buying them pre fabbed.

In case any are confused... Selvedge denim is the end or edge of the roll of fabric that is used when produced. It will traditionally have some form of stitching on the edge of the seam, normally in a contrasting colour. Hence why many wearers wear them rolled up in order to show it off and the reason for cpenning's detail pics. You typically pay a nice premium for selvedge denim but it is normally the highest quality stuff you can buy. Particularly that which comes out of Japan.

I didn't bother to take pics of all of mine, but here are some of my two most recent pairs of Naked and Famous. One is an Indigo Selvedge (6 months before a machine wash) and the other is a Black Selvedge (4 months) that is turning grey and getting worn in but still hasn't been put through the washing machine.

Pic quality sucks, but I am running out of my house and tried to get it done quickly as I had said yesterday I would post 'em.

 

Oh, and Cpenning, you know if he does custom stuff when he is back in Canada/where is is from in Can?