The Japan Blue Jeans Tenth Anniversary Capsule Collection
The Kojima-based powerhouse Japan Blue Jeans started doing business in 2011 and is now celebrating its tenth anniversary. The brand, which started as the fabric portfolio of the namesake parent company Japan Blue, and the brother of Momotaro Jeans, made a name for itself by continuously pushing the boundaries of denim production, and with great success. Even though Japan Blue Jeans isn’t just the fabric portfolio of the parent company anymore, it has never lost its will to create unique product and its ambition to be a denim trailblazer. For more information about the past ten years of Japan Blue Jeans, you can read our interview with Mr. Kishimoto here.
To celebrate their 10th birthday, Japan Blue Jeans are treating us to a limited capsule collection, which reflects the brands journey in the last decade and reflects its core values, approach and denim offering.
Photo courtesy of Koen Kuik.
The Garments
The brand has designed a jean and a jacket in which they’ve emphasized the modern heritage of the brand as much as possible. Both garments reflected the Japan Blue’s well-balanced fit, contemporary shapes and unique details. More than just a denim tuxedo, the two items are a fantastic ode to the brand who has accomplished so much in such a short space of time. They will be available for pre-order only, for a very limited time.
Both the jeans and jacket feature brass branded donut buttons, copper rivets, a custom developed cowhide leather patch, and utilize the brands’ key-fabrics (but more on that later…)
The anniversary jeans have been with reference to the CIRCLE collection, which is a contemporary take on a classic five pocket jeans, with wearability being central to the design. The jeans feature a curved waistband, original jacquard pocket bags and a zipper instead of a button fly. The jeans have clean back pockets and use the brand’s signature blue stitch on the inseam. They will be released in the four bestselling CIRCLE silhouettes including the Classic Straight, the Straight, the Tapered, and the Skinny fit.
For the jacket, Japan Blue chose to use their type II pattern, which has been a hugely successful silhouette for the brand since its inception (and is a notable style in the history of modern denim). The jacket features a textbook pleated front but has a contemporary update in the form of hand-warmer pockets at the hip. It’s an undoubtedly classic design with all the usual Japan Blue accents and details. There’s also a notable detail by way of the seam on the back panel, but keep reading to find out why…
All in all, we feel that the items form a well-balanced and high-quality collection which is fitting for a brand celebrating a decade in denim. Both the jeans and jacket have incorporated the details, the durability and high-quality craftsmanship Japan Blue Jeans have become known for. But what makes this release extra special – as you might have guessed – is the fabrics.
Photo courtesy of Koen Kuik.
The Fabrics
If you own a Japanese denim brand and the parent company of that brand is a denim mill that is responsible for manufacturing some of the most beautiful fabrics on the planet, which fabric will you choose to mark a decade in the denim industry? It’s a tough choice, no doubt.
In order to avoid making a seemingly impossible decision, Japan Blue Jeans came up with a brilliant solution. They have designed the garments in the capsule collection so that it is possible to offer them in four very different fabrics. Each fabric is woven by the brand and have played a significant role in its history. Due to the varying characteristics of the cotton and the weight of the denim, each fabric will age differently and provide contrasting results. It’s a fun, ambitious and innovative way to mark the occasion and will undoubtedly result in some interesting (fade) results!
The 16.5oz Côte d’Ivoire Monster Selvedge Denim
The 16.5 oz. Côte d’Ivoire Monster Selvedge Denim is one of the brands’ heaviest fabrics and was recently used for one of its bestselling jackets, the J386621 (which was introduced in 2019). The use of Côte d’Ivoire Cotton quickly became a cornerstone for the brand and is now being used for the majority of their custom-made fabrics. Côte d’Ivoire Cotton isn’t genetically engineered and is, according to the brand, closest to the ‘original’ cotton. The cotton is cultivated without pesticides and is harvested by hand. Due to the low-tension weave, the fabric has an uneven surface, is comfortable and breathable. Next to the J386621, the 16.5 oz. Côte d’Ivoire Monster Selvedge Denim is currently available in the J266, J366 and the J466.
The 14.8 oz. Texas Cotton Selvedge Denim
The rough and firm 14.8 oz. Texas Cotton Selvedge Denim is one of the signature fabrics of the brand and has been offered by Japan Blue since the beginning. The spinning of the cotton has been adjusted in order to give extra strength to the fabric and an uneven, slubby, texture. The 14.8 oz. Texas Cotton Selvedge Denim is currently available in the J201, J301 and the J401.
12.5 oz. African Cotton Selvedge Denim
Next in line is the soft and supple 12.5 oz. African Cotton Selvedge Denim, which includes 12% brown cotton in order to recreate an ‘old-fashion blue’. It is reminiscent of the color of jeans in the early 1900s, when synthetic indigo was just being invented. Due to its weight, the fabric can be worn for all seasons and in all climates, making it a very versatile and popular fabric. The 12.5 oz. African Cotton Selvedge Denim is currently available in the J104, J204, J304 and the J404.
12.5 oz. Stretch Selvedge Denim
The fourth and final fabric used for the capsule collection is the 12.5 oz. Stretch Selvedge Denim. At first glance the fabric looks like a 100% cotton denim fabric, but due to the 5% polyurethane fiber it provides some stretch too. The fabric is made from a mixture of American and Australian cotton which has been specifically developed for ‘good discoloration’. The low-tension weave almost feels like a hand-woven fabric and provides a three-dimensional unevenness to the surface of the denim. The 12.5 oz. Stretch selvedge denim is available in the J105, J205, J305 and the J405.
Photo courtesy of Koen Kuik.
The (Limited) Availability
We love the innovative approach that Japan Blue Jeans have adopted for their tenth anniversary capsule collection. It’s fun, unique and plays to the strengths that the brand have built in the last decade. The fabrics are completely different in terms of the origin of the cotton, the weight, the weave and will wear, evolve and fade differently. Also, the shrink percentage of each fabric is different, and that’s why the garments will come in a one-washed version. We feel like a fading project with a pair of jeans or a jacket from the Tenth Anniversary Capsule Collection is going to be like a vacation without knowing the destination – exciting, fun, and adventurous!
So, how do you get hold of them? Well, both items will be available for pre-order from 1st – 30th April for €265 / €350 on the Japan Blue Jeans webstore. If you decide to pre-order a pair of jeans or a jacket, you will also receive a mini version of the chosen garment in the form of a keyring as a special token of appreciation. There will be a very limited stock available via Japan Blue Jeans stores, but these will come without the special keyrings and you’ll have to act fast!
Head over to the Japan Blue Jeans webstore to learn more about this unique collection or to place your pre-order.
Photo courtesy of Koen Kuik.
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