More Jeans for Men
Edwin
Right now my favorite all-around jeans company is Edwin (Japan, not to be confused with the Canadian brand also called Edwin). In a nutshell, they are like Japanese Levi's. They have a variety of numbered styles that are based on the various numbered Levi's styles, and they actually use a lot of vintage manufacturing equipment that used to be owned by the Levi's company. They also use the top-notch Japanese selvedge denim made on vintage looms, so the end result is a pair of Levi's with far better quality than actual Levi's. Edwin was also the original pioneer of creative jeans washes and treatments back in the 80s, and to this day they are top-notch at it.
I'm especially partial, though, to their special edition series like SEN and WIN, which are more adventurous and interesting. You get nice colored stitching details on the inside and other neat variations, like my black SENs that have exposed red-line selvedge at the top of one rear pocket, or the WINs with a western-shirt-style yoke under the waist in back and low-slung pockets.
http://www.edwin.co.jp/index.html
Helmut Lang
They're the ultimate way to wear designer jeans without looking like you're wearing designer jeans. No fancy pocket stitching, no logo patches...you'd have to squint at the rivets to know who made them.
(OK, the ones splattered with paint or covered with cloth patches are pretty obviously Helmut Lang, but the more traditional minimalist styles are just good jeans with no identifying markings)
I really like some of the coated styles they put out in recent years, particularly because the coating is generally more subtle than most coated denim. It just adds a sleek sheen to the denim, without giving it a totally plasticized appearance or stiffening the hand of the fabric. I have a pair of the Low Waisted Contour Fit in dark blue coated denim that are my ultimate "dressy" jeans. They look great with a jacket and tie, or just a nice button down shirt. And in case you're wondering, "Contour Fit" does not translate to "skintight", they're just nicely fitted with a straight leg.
Overall, HL jeans are about subtlety...even the ones that seem not at all subtle when you see them are actually quite minimal and functional and no-nonsense. They're about looking and feeling good, not about showing off your designer label branding.
GRN Apple Tree
Comfy fit denim with tasty details. I particularly love their logo patch, which is a piece of burlap with the word "Apples" painted on in an elegant script. It gives them a real indie/DIY flavor...very apropos considering they come from a little indie label.
They do a lot of nice subtle things, like using multiple shades of yellow and orange for the stitching, or adding a faint colored tint to the wash. And I don't mind showing off the branding because these are a zero-prestige brand no one has heard of.
Defining moment: Show them off to someone and ask "How do you like
them apples?" while demonstrating how nicely they fit in the rear.
http://www.grnappletree.com/
Evisu EU ED
I'm a bit of a contrarian where Evisu are concerned. As noted above, I prefer Edwin for the classic selvedge denim, so I'm not really into all the raw denim Evisu styles the way a lot of people are nowadays. And I dislike their very brash branding (massive painted "seagulls" on both pockets). And I find that their fit usually doesn't suit me.
BUT, I have some of the lightweight Evisu EU ED (EU edition) jeans, and they're my new favorite comfy knockabout summer jeans. They have a slimmer fit and lighter wash than most Evisus, and the branding is a subtle grey paint that practically blends into the denim. Superb!
Junya Watanabe Levi's
Classic Levi's cut and fit...Junya Watanabe fabrics and/or treatments. Can't go wrong with that. I really wanted a pair in a wool houndstooth check that I saw on eBay for fall, but alas, it was not fated to be.
them
