The Denim Feature

We all love jeans. They’re comfortable, look great, and you can wear them with anything. They have a long, rich, history in clothing where they have fought their way from their workwear origins to becoming probably the most popular clothing item of all time – right up there next to the humble t-shirt. But with so many choices on the market now. How do you decide which ones to go for?

Here at Stuarts London, we only stock brands that we feel are producing some of the best denim out there. Often these are heritage brands with a long history of crafting quality jeans and have built their expertise over the years. Here are the brands we’re excited about at the moment and let us tell you why.

C17 Cedixsept Jeans

The French denim brand began producing jeans in the 1980s and built a small, but dedicated following of denim enthusiasts who wore the jeans for their notable build quality and lowkey, yet distinctive style.

The company ceased trading in the late 90s but has been recently taken under new management. Following a number of successful releases, this SS20 C17 Jeans finally released its first collection of jeans in over 20 years.

The jeans were meticulously researched with the designers not settling for anything less than the very best. The denim is sourced from the famous Cone Denim Mill in America – the same mill that produced the original Levis 501s and is still producing some of the best jeans around. Brass, copper, or metal rivets are used just like the originals giving the jeans an authentic workwear feel.

Coming in a range of washes from raw rigid to acid wash C17 Jeans were designed for denim enthusiasts everywhere. Shop the collection here.

Edwin

Today it is difficult to imagine where denim would be without the influence from Japan. The country has elevated the making of jeans almost to an art form. Japanese denim is well respected and sought after by many seeking high-quality jeans. But at one point in time, quality jeans were not exactly easy to come by. To get good quality denim, it had to be imported from America and the jeans would only come in their unwashed form meaning they would have to be broken in over time. Denim enthusiast and Edwin founder Mr Tsunemi wanted jeans that wouldn’t take months of breaking in to get the look he was looking for and in 1967 he manufactured the first pair of Edwin jeans made in his home country of Japan.

Edwin became known for their range of vintage style washes that they offered in their jeans, giving the wearer a wider selection of denim looks by pre-washing the jeans. Then, in the 1980s Edwin left their mark on denim history forever by producing a pair of jeans with a very unique finish that was seen everywhere in the 80s – stonewashed denim. The technique gives the jeans a very light almost bleached look with variance in colouration throughout and is a technique still used by denim manufacturers today.

The brand is easily recognised by its distinctive rainbow selvedge stitching instead of the classic red, that can be seen with the hems turned up.

Edwin do a whole full range of denim today catering to all kinds of cuts and washes and with quality always guaranteed. You can check out our full range here.

Nudie Jeans

Founded in Gothenburg, Sweden. Nudie jeans started with a clear goal in mind – to bring back the lost appreciation of raw or ‘dry’ denim and to do it with the use organic cotton only. This strong ethical stance has shaped everything the brand does even before their first collection was produced.

The jeans are designed to worn regularly and garner a distinct patina, unique to the wearer. They stand in stark contrast to the fast-fashion jeans that dominate the high streets – Nudie Jeans are designed to be a fully sustainable product.

Nudie Jeans come in variety of fits but generally they are cut slimmer with a more modern cut and a low rise.

You can check out our full range here.

Levis Vintage Clothing

The brand that needs no introduction. They’ve been producing denim jeans since 1853 and have produced the most popular jean of all time – the Levis 501.

Levis Vintage Clothing are a very specialised department of the Levis brand which focus on the utilising Levis vast archive of historical pieces to make stitch by stitch reproductions of pieces from the archive – including jeans.

They have reproduced many jeans, going back as far as the very beginning. Some of the jeans that run from season to season are the original unwashed, rigid 501s. Coming in three main variation of fit based on the said year they were produced including 1947, 1954 and 1955. Each jean comes with a slight variation in fit – 1947 being the slimmest and 1955 being the widest – reflecting the style of the time.

We have been big supporters of Levis Vintage Clothing for a while now and love what they are doing, breathing new life into the clothing that shaped what we wear today. You can check out the full collection here.

A.P.C

The French minimalist label was founded in 1987 but really started to gain popularity outside of France in the early 2000’s with artists like Kanye West, Kid Cudi and others wore their jeans and vouched for the quality of the denim.

Since the beginning, raw denim jeans have been an integral part of their aesthetic focusing on quality of materials and timeless design inspired by everyday life. Today their jeans are as popular as ever coming in a select range of washes and fits that fans of the brand love.

Shop the collection here.

Naked And Famous

Known for their experimental approach to denim – Naked And Famous have really pushed the concept of raw denim to its creative potential. They have made jeans with glow in the dark details, with real gold accents, cashmere blends and even raspberry scratch and sniff jeans!

They are concerned with one thing only – producing the highest quality jean possible and allowing the quality of the jeans to speak for themselves as opposed to relying on celebrity endorsements, expensive advertising campaigns, or other means of showcasing the jeans.

Naked And Famous have been a customer favourite at Stuarts London for some time and we can understand why – they are some of the best quality made jeans out there. You can check out what we’ve got in stock here.

Lois Jeans

Another brand with a rich cultural history are Lois Jeans. The brand began in Spain in 1962 and have an undeniable Mediterranean soul and temperament. One of the first European jeans to ‘conquer the world’ – the jeans reached their pinnacle in the 70s and 80s and were best known for their flared jeans which were worn by stars of the era.

The jeans are designed in the denim capital of the world – Amsterdam – but still made with love in Spain by the oldest tailor family in the country.

The Mediterranean spirit and the influence of the 70s and 80s can still be felt in all their clothing today but with updated interpretations for the modern wearer. Known for their use of a variety of fabrics on their jeans including corduroy alongside their classic denim jeans, Lois Jeans have got something for everyone. Check them out here.   

Tellason

Born out of hard times – Tellason was started by two friends Tony Patella and Pete Searson during the 2008 financial crisis. They decided to double-down on one product that would be ridiculously well made and built to last. They settled on a pair of slim-tapered raw denim jeans and they haven’t wavered much from their original disposition.

Tellason believe that jeans should be personal to the wearer. All their jeans start as unwashed raw denim sourced from Kaihara denim mill in Japan – a legend among denim lovers – each pair is are designed to mold to your body and garner their own personalised patina with time.

You can see the full range right here.

Here at Stuarts London we strongly believe that there is a pair of jeans out there for everyone. We have a wide selection on offer online and in-store of all the denim brands we think you need to know about so you can find the perfect pair for you.