Best jean makers 2022?

[Napolizzi]

Hello

I am looking for some jeans, there are too many options!

I just want a high quality pair of cotton jeans, straight leg and uniform colour that can be worn with a casual blazer or equally well with a hoodie. Mainly a pair that will last.

I am a fan of Italian brands, These are the brands I was looking at
Giorgio Armani Black Label
Emporio Armani
Tom Ford
Loro Piana

I am leaning towards GA, used to love Emporio armani jeans, but the label seems to have turned mainstream and more targeted for kids, they use lots of synthetics now. I love Loro Piana but their prices are quite steep, are their any other lesser known brands who focus on quality and have that effortless relaxed fit that never goes out of style

 

[rjc149]

If someone could also recommend some good "entry-level" selvedged jeans, that would be great.

 

[dieworkwear]

Instead of thinking about "the best," I think you should think about how you want to dress. The idea of "the best" is often overrated in menswear and commonly used as a substitute for taste and style. Many men layer expensive, supposedly "well-made" items on themselves and assume this looks good. But it typically results in bad outfits.

I typically buy raw, selvedge denim jeans and think they look good with work shirts (e.g. chambrays, flannels, and vintage tees). Raw denim means the fabric hasn't been pre-distressed or washed, so it's slightly stiff and even uncomfortable when you get them. However, the nature of the fabric means you get to put in your own fades through regular wearing. I think naturally faded jeans typically look better than pre-faded ones. You can find nice selvedge, denim jeans from shops such as Self Edge, AB Fits, and if you're in the UK, Rivet & Hide.

 

[breakaway01]

If someone could also recommend some good "entry-level" selvedged jeans, that would be great.

Visit Self Edge in New York. So many different styles/cuts to try. I’d personally avoid raw unsanforized denim (shrink to fit). Raw sanforized denim will be easier to figure out. Recognize that it stretches quite a bit with wear, so initially it may feel quite tight in the top block. For “entry-level” I’d suggest 3sixteen and Sugar Cane but I’m not a serious denim aficionado.

 

[ValidusLA]

Visit Self Edge in New York. So many different styles/cuts to try. I’d personally avoid raw unsanforized denim (shrink to to fit). Raw sanforized denim will be easier to figure out. Recognize that it stretches quite a bit with wear, so initially it may feel quite tight in the top block. For “entry-level” I’d suggest 3sixteen and Sugar Cane but I’m not a serious denim aficionado.

Agree on going sanforized to start.

Self Edge (also in LA and SF) has a good selection.

Blue Owl Workshop has a very good ecommerce site (they are Seattle based) that lists all measurements of all pairs, and they will include hemming on orders.

I really like Momotaro.

Also, uh, as someone who ships like.....100k pairs of denim per week minimum....name brand denim has so little intersection with quality its ridiculous. This is not to say that all name brand denim is bad, just that picking "top shelf" brand names out of a hat is 0 guarantee of anything.

 

[Phileas Fogg]

Since we’re talking about NYC, I have to recommend Blue in Green in SoHo. About as good a selection of Japanese denim as you’ll find anywhere.

They’re very helpful as well if you’re unfamiliar with fit and wear.

 

[Napolizzi]

Also, uh, as someone who ships like.....100k pairs of denim per week minimum....name brand denim has so little intersection with quality its ridiculous. This is not to say that all name brand denim is bad, just that picking "top shelf" brand names out of a hat is 0 guarantee of anything.

i agree with you in the main, with many top brands i have been very dissapointed with quality, Hermes, Prada, Gucci, Bottega Veneta spring to mind. Although some brands undoubtedly you get what you pay for, even if it is still overpriced, such as LP.

There are also a lot of cheaper brands which are of the same quality and high standard. I am fortunate now that I am earning more and I enjoy to wear the "luxary" brands. Though I only like to buy the wardrope staples and still expect a pair of jeans to essentially last a lifetime. I do not care for trends or different cuts, I just like straight, widish legs and comfortable jeans which can be worn with a hoodie equally well as a casual blazer.

 

[Phileas Fogg]

i agree with you in the main, with many top brands i have been very dissapointed with quality, Hermes, Prada, Gucci, Bottega Veneta spring to mind. Although some brands undoubtedly you get what you pay for, even if it is still overpriced, such as LP.

There are also a lot of cheaper brands which are of the same quality and high standard. I am fortunate now that I am earning more and I enjoy to wear the "luxary" brands. Though I only like to buy the wardrope staples and still expect a pair of jeans to essentially last a lifetime. I do not care for trends or different cuts, I just like straight, widish legs and comfortable jeans which can be worn with a hoodie equally well as a casual blazer.

price doesn’t always confer quality. Either quality in absolute terms of quality relative to the price point.

It hinges on your standards and what you consider quality.

I wear denim and my go to brand is Rag & Bone. I just like the fit and they have a range of washes. When I see Kiton, Tom Ford and other high end designer brands (I know someone who loves Brioni jeans) I don’t really see anything there, either with fit or feel that would make me want to spend $700-800 on a pair.

 

[Napolizzi]

price doesn’t always confer quality. Either quality in absolute terms of quality relative to the price point.

It hinges on your standards and what you consider quality.

I wear denim and my go to brand is Rag & Bone. I just like the fit and they have a range of washes. When I see Kiton, Tom Ford and other high end designer brands (I know someone who loves Brioni jeans) I don’t really see anything there, either with fit or feel that would make me want to spend $700-800 on a pair.

I feel the same way, thats what I wanted to confirm with the OP.

Some people just fit certain brands very well. I used to love the old Emporio Armani range and still wear my old jeans from years ago, also 7forallmankind. Back then I couldnt afford GA but EA changed it for the mainstream, its mostly synthetic and logo branding now. I am wondering if GA jeans are worth a punt. I just used to love their relaxed fit that seems to extend to the GA range.

I own some Kiton shirts and although the quality is superb, their style is more formal, similar to Brioni. A lot of the designers in Naples seem to be of the same quality. Kiton blazers are crazy money. I also want to know about blazers, I am trying to navigate my way through the forum. I have been looking it Tagliatore and Lardini, also Belvest.

I am entering my 30s so want to dress more formally, but also still be relaxed. I love the Italian style of making blazers casual.

 

[dieworkwear]

My honest opinion is that all those luxury brands make bad jeans (e.g. Armani, Tom Ford, Loro Piana etc). And guys wear them in not aesthetically pleasing ways (e.g. with polos). Think about whether you like the jeans because of the label or because of how they make you look.

 

[HCapLonghorn]

how about RRL?

 

[Daniel Hakimi]

Emporio Armani

Alright, first off, Emporio Armani is not "the best" of anything.

The "best" for you depends on what you want out of your jeans?

Visually: A light wash? A dark wash? Indigo?

It doesn't sound like you're looking for a rugged vibe -- are you sure you want jeans, and not chinos, or five pocket cords, or something else in a relaxed fit?

Do you want them to age with you, or do you want them to stay looking like new? The value of raw denim is that it ages slowly, but stays good when it's old. Washed denim is mor comfortable and just kind of better in a lot of ways, but it might not age as nicely -- are you prepared to buy a new pair in a few years?

You mentioned you want a straight, relaxed fit. That's good.

Practically -- do you want them to last forever? How important is comfort? Should they be light or heavy? How much pocket space do you need? How important is stretch? If they're not skinny fit, stretch can hurt drape and age more than it helps comfort.

You've listed luxury brand names -- have you tried on their jeans, or are you just listing them because they're very fancy?

 

[Napolizzi]

Alright, first off, Emporio Armani is not "the best" of anything.

The "best" for you depends on what you want out of your jeans?

Visually: A light wash? A dark wash? Indigo?

It doesn't sound like you're looking for a rugged vibe -- are you sure you want jeans, and not chinos, or five pocket cords, or something else in a relaxed fit?

Do you want them to age with you, or do you want them to stay looking like new? The value of raw denim is that it ages slowly, but stays good when it's old. Washed denim is mor comfortable and just kind of better in a lot of ways, but it might not age as nicely -- are you prepared to buy a new pair in a few years?

You mentioned you want a straight, relaxed fit. That's good.

Practically -- do you want them to last forever? How important is comfort? Should they be light or heavy? How much pocket space do you need? How important is stretch? If they're not skinny fit, stretch can hurt drape and age more than it helps comfort.

You've listed luxury brand names -- have you tried on their jeans, or are you just listing them because they're very fancy?

Comfort comes first for me, and you correct, I like jeans which fit like chinos but look a bit more casual, I look for 100% cotton, I prefer Dark blue uniform colour, lightweight

Bare in mind, I would only wear jeans 4 times a month, at weekends mostly. I would prefer them to age with me.

In terms of brands, I only have experience with Armani, I know EA is not the best, in fact now I would say it is one of the worst...but the armani style is my favourite, loose fitting, baggy and lots of length.

I list those names because now I do not like to buy often, I would rather have 1 pair of the best quality jeans I can afford and that can be paired with blazer or shirt than 10 pairs of different jeans to make different outfits

 

[Napolizzi]

how about RRL?

never really looked at them, i prefer the european style

 

[Daniel Hakimi]

So in my experience... I look for a good soft twill with my jeans, and even brands like Brunello that are known for luxury comfort can miss the texture I want. That's ultimately personal. Is there a good shopping center near you where you can try on a few brands in person? I'm spoiled, I'm just outside NYC, so I have multiple luxury shopping centers at my fingertips... Maybe just a mall with a Neiman Marcus would be good?

I honestly wouldn't even worry about online reviews, you'll know what you want when you try it on.

never really looked at them, i prefer the european style

What do you mean by "the European style?" Denim is named after a city in France, but besides that, it's historically and culturally associated with America. The European style of denim is to copy America.

You're not looking for Rubinacci-style pleated denim trousers, are you?