Japanese Streetwear

The Japanese are known for their amazing craftsmanship and their attention to detail. It is no surprise then, that Japanese denim is known to be some of the highest quality around and is possibly the most sought after fashion item coming from the land of the rising sun. Today, Japanese jeans have a cult following among streetwear aficionados the world over. From Europe to USA, the Japanese streetwear style is in high demand among an educated crowd that recognizes superior denim.

Japanese Streetwear and The Rise of Evisu

One of the first Japanese denim brands to gain worldwide fame was Evisu. Evisu makes heavy denim that is thickly dyed and painted with their trademark gull pattern. Evisu’s founder, Hidehiko Yamane, bought old and unwanted Levi shuttle looms to produce vintage style denim from the early 1900’s. The type of denim used and the way the jeans were cut, made Evisu an instant hit among trendy Japanese youth, even though the style was a throw back from decades past. This high quality, but expensive and slow to make denim, caught on in popularity, and now Evisu is recognized around the world for their top-notch denim products.

japanese Streetwear: Selvedge Denim?

Selvedge jeans, sometimes known as selvage jeans, are a distinct characteristic featured in many Japanese denim products. This jean material is made with old style shuttle looms that produce superior denim compared to that which is commonly found among the cheaper variety. By rolling up the pant leg and looking at the outside seams, one can examine the telltale vertical stitching that is evident on a pair of selvedge jeans. The word ‘selvage’ comes from ‘self edge’, and refers to the way the shuttle loom finishes a piece of denim.  Because selvedge denim is more costly to produce, it is usually more expensive, but gives superior quality and comfort.

Japanese Street Fashion: Indigo Dye

In addition to the high quality denim manufacturing, that is present in many Japanese brands, Japanese jeans companies are known to use a superior dying process that give the denim a distinct look. The Japanese have a long history of working with indigo dyes, and this skill has been passed on to modern apparel makers. Preferring natural dyes over the artificial variety, the cotton yarn used to make the denim is often dipped dozens of times to produce an extremely deep color. The purpose of this process, which is time consuming and costly, is to provide the jeans with many layers of dye that can be worn down by the wearer over time. Unlike common jeans, Japanese selvedge is often unsanfortized and unwashed. This raw state of denim allows the dye to come off naturally with daily wear. The results are stunning, as the denim is weathered and distressed over time to produce a look that is totally unique to the individual. Without the durability of shuttle loomed selvedge denim, and the deep layered natural dye process, this user-created fashion is simply not possible.

Japanese Street Wear Denim Brands

Currently there are several popular denim brands in Japan, including Samurai, 45rpm, Evisu, Edwin, Pure Blue, Prps, Sugar Cane, and Studio d’Artisan.