Raw Denim, An Investment worth while......

Denim Dyeing (Photo credit: Clariant International Ltd.)

So Raw denim, what is it? I would consider myself also fairly new to the term as well, but here lately I have been doing my fair share of research. Here's what I found, hope you other newbies find it useful.  If your knowledge is more honed than mine maybe you stumble upon some new brands or styles. In recent years have gained a strong following behind the fashion trend of Raw denim also termed "dry" denim have been all the rave and a growing consumer  base shows the popularity of the item. There are some key fundamentals I would like to go over before I dive off into the deep blue...jean so have you. Lets go over these basics: First, when making a pair of denim ( which is named after the originating city of  Nîmes, France) jeans. The denim, once finally constructed is normally sent through a washing process. After the jeans have been dyed removing any excess dye that may be on the jeans (Note that this wash takes place after the dye has been applied to the denim).

So why do manufactures wash the denim? Most large scale manufactures of denim do this "pre-wash" to give a softer product, while reducing shrinkage to the future buyer of the product by the many months of day to day wear. Basically, creating a technically "pre-set" fit for the consumer for the amount of wears for the jeans wear"ability".  The downside to this feature is the amount of fading the consumer will also get as they continuously wear the merchandise and wash it, versus our Raw denim counterparts.

Since Raw denim or dry denim does not go through the washing process, hence where we get the term "raw" or "dry" from because they never get wet skipping the "pre-wash" I above mentioned. They are virtually left untouched, a blank canvas so have you. The wash of the jeans are in the buyers hands! Possibilities are endless. Meaning longevity of the product since we no longer have to worry about fading and the every day wear and tear of the jeans, due to the raw finish of the material. Which is more sturdier and durable then your "run of the mill" standard denim  product. Your left with a final product that is truly yours from start to finish. They tell a story. Your story. Truly shaping and conforming to you and your body, which makes them genuinely unique and worth the extra expense. Which should make any fashion lover want to cash out on for a pair of one of these artisan crafted statement pieces to add to your wardrobe collection.

So where do I start my collection? Since we have went over our mini Raw denim: 101 lecture lets get to the good stuff....the fashion. Here are a few brands I stumbled upon and one of my go to favorites I became accustomed to while I was working at Dillard's, Joe's jeans. Joe's is a Los Angeles based clothing brand established in 2001. It's very casual and laid back approach to fashion, yet upscale quality of merchandise is what stood out to me personally about the company. I purchased my first pair of Joe's ripped "jeggings" (denim jean leggings) back in 2009, I loved them immediately. Which lead to my second purchase of some more everyday jeans the following year in 2010 (at this time I was employed at Dillard's so my discount was a plus for a college student).

1.Joe's Jeans Dark Indigo Premium Denim.

2. Joe's Jeans Snake Stripe Premium Denim.

I do not know if the jeans I personally purchased are technically raw denim, but they are a premium denim brand. That I would recommend for a beginner. I have had my jeans for going on three years now and after countless amounts of washes, still look and feel just as a good as when I first purchased them.

3.A.P.C. raw denim.

Next on the line up I want to talk A.P.C. denim which is based out of France, since this is the birthplace of denim. I think they know a thing or two about jeans. A.P.C. is a French ready-to-wear brand, founded in 1987 by the Tunisian-Jewish born designer Jean Touitou. A.P.C. stands for 'Atelier de Production et de Création'. The company is based in Paris, which is also the location of its flagship store. The brand has done collabs with hip hop mega lord Kanye West who has branched off into the fashion industry in recent years.

4. Naked and Famous raw Japanese denim.

How can you talk raw denim and not mention Japanese denim right? Here is one of the brands I found appealing, Naked and Famous......catchy name right. Well if that doesn't get your attention maybe their stress free denim will. Naked & Famous Denim uses only the most unique and rare denim fabrics from Japan. Their prestigious mills in Japan, from which they import all of their fabrics, are committed to producing only the best (and most expensive) denim in the world.

Throughout each step in their denim production the mills use a combination of old school and modern methods and practices. So much culture and history is poured into the fabric so that it can be appreciated by the denim purist. They keep all their jeans raw and simple and reasonably priced.

5. Cheap Monday Acid wash tight slim jean in Skin style shown here can be found in highlighted link use rep code: Ak_fourtee7 at checkout for up to 20% off total.

6. Williamsburg Garment Co. raw denim in Union style.

Finally, lets cover Cheap Monday.  Cheap Monday is a Swedish clothing label founded in 2000 by Örjan Andersson and Adam Friberg, originally as a second-hand clothing store, in a suburb of Stockholm. The clothes started selling on March 10, 2004 in only one store called Weekday. The name of the brand originates from the fact that the original store was only open on Sunday, known for their idiosyncratic designs, expanding from their original focus on jeans to include sneakers, flannel, and shirts and most recently acquired by H&M (H & M Hennes & Mauritz AB).

They are recognized by their distinctive logo of a skull, which originally included an inverted crucifix. The designers of the logo, the design group Vår, meant it as an anti-Christian statement, citing the religion as the cause of many wars.^[1] By January 2010, the logo was altered with the inverted crucifix replaced by a single vertical line. So it pays to know the history behind the brands and labels you wear, I sure didn't know that and me personally think the original logo was sort of creepy....I don't think I would have purchased it due to my religious beliefs but that's neither here or there check out their selection of premium denim ladies, as well as the other above listed.

One more thing before class is dismissed. I also noticed on my research for raw denim facts that the men selection is wayyyyyyy better in comparison to ladies wear. So that's something I think should be tapped into just my opinion, but if you have a boo, boyfriend, someone special in mind check  New York based  Williamsburg Garment Company raw denim out. Who carry both men and women styles. I know whoever is on your check list for goodies would enjoy a nice pair of jeans for the holiday season rapidly approaching.

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