
Since first being introduced to us by French and Italian immigrants denim has long been a staple of American fashion. Whether washed, blasted, treated, beat or raw, it’s a known fact that here in the US, your look is only as good as your jeans. But it seems that while we may relish our inherent dominance of the iconic fabric, our collective cockiness may be unfounded, as it seems that the true masters reside in the “Land of the Rising Sun”. Like most everything else in Japan, crafting denim is considered an art form. With some of the most prestigious mills in the world residing in the islands picturesque countryside, it’s no wonder that Japanese denim is considered by many to be the textile’s holy grail – denim in its purest. With such accolades attached it’s no wonder some of the most reputable names in denim – PRPS, 45rpm, Edwin, to name a few – incorporate wholly the jealously guarded secrets of such perfectly crafted material. Well, we’ve already got PRPS, and Cult of Individuality just recently hopped aboard the wagon. But with the sudden rise of the whole “Skinny” trend we had to bring in something the youth might find a bit more attractive.
And so comes Naked and Famous. Reasonably priced, yet still remarkably crafted, the Canadian label provides a much needed counterbalance to our current denim populace. With some of our selection tipping scales (and wallets) at nearly $350 a pop N&F’s less-than-$150 price tag is a more than welcoming addition. Factor in the fact that these jeans are built exclusively with selvage denim fabric from a highly touted Japanese mill (that will remain unnamed) and one can see why our acquisition was such a lucrative endeavor. Their own story is just as curious as their narrative, as excerpts from their site displays a true reflection of their anti-pop standpoint on denim:
“We keep all our jeans raw and simple. No washes, no embroidery, no gimmicks… just the best fabric in the world combined with modern fits. We have eliminated these costly (and in our opinion unnecessary) after-effects, and have stripped down our jeans to the core essentials. Now true denimheads and newcomers alike can enjoy these special fabrics at a reasonable price.”
Need more?
“The brand name Naked & Famous is a satire of our celeb-obsessed culture. We aim to poke fun at “Hollywood” and “Glamour” brands that sell jeans for $300 and up solely because Jessica Simpson wears them and not because they are higher quality.”
With an ever-expanding denim catalog here at F², we expect Naked & Famous to quickly establish itself as one of our anchoring apparel labels. Hopefully, our dedicated fans catch the wave and hop on just as we have, because we’d just hate to be the only cool kids in town.
More pics after the jump…
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