The Relaxed

R by 45RPM Sorahiko – Inspired by the vintage American workwear, R by 45RPM creates jeans for the hardcore denim-head. The Sorahiko is 45RPM’s mid range jean and although they are relaxed through the leg they still retain a sharp classy silhouette. If you care about quality craftsmanship and details these are the jeans to buy. With hidden rivets, chain stitching, and selvedge denim, what more can you ask for? $330 – http://www.rby45rpm.com/

The Straight

Kicking Mule Workshop 2010 – Want a manly jean for a manly build? Then buy a mule! This jean is loose and comfortable and boasts all the hardware of a 45RPM piece – with their trademark selvedge coin pocket to boot. $275 – www.contextclothing.com

The Slim

Dior Homme 19cm/21cm cuts – Being the owner of two pairs of these babies, I can attest to how awesome the fit is. They are slim without being very skinny and you can wear them sagged on your ass and stacked at the ankles for the ultimate in cool. Starting at $330 – www.luisaviaroma.com or www.eluxury.com

The Skinny

Cheap Monday Tight Jean – Sick of jeans being so expensive? Well Cheap Monday is exactly as its name states… cheap! If you want a nice skintight fit and don’t want to pay an arm and a leg, these are right up your alley. Look for the skull logo patch on the back waist band. $65 – www.urbanoutfitters.com

Neighborhood Technical Apparel (more commonly known as Neighborhood) is a Japanese street label that takes influences from punk and street culture and fuses it in their limited edition graphic t-shirts and selvage denim. As of lately, their denim has been the biggest hype in the Asian street fashion scene, spreading to North America. Starting at around $300 retail price and being resold at reseller shops and online for as much as $1500, these jeans seem to validate themselves on the market.

Created by Shinsuke Takizawa, Neighborhood first began in 1994. Their flagship stores can be found in Harajuku, Shibuya, Tokyo and last month their first flagship store out of Japan opened in Central, Hong Kong. Licensed retailers are located around the world as well, in Singapore, Australia, London, Italy, New York, Los Angeles, Boston, and Hawaii.

Check out www.neighborhood.jp for more goodness

> image courtesy of neighbourhood.jp

No teenage angst here, instead we have a denim brand that has entered the market and made huge waves. Why is it exactly that we love these jeans so much? It’s not just in the gimmick of the name, but rather the quality, fit, and personality that the brand presents.

In their words:

Acne Jeans unites innovative jeans styles with a versatile wardrobe for men and women, ranging from basic cotton T-shirts, to tailored jackets to luxurious accessories and shoes. While every collection forms a concept, each piece can be worn separately and effortlessly be mixed with other brands. By designing simple, functional clothes Acne Jeans aims to create a modern framework for individuality.

Founded in Stockholm in 1996, Acne’s ambition was to create and develop their own products as well as helping other people to build their brands. This ambition led to numerous assignments in advertising, graphic design, Internet games and TV production.As a part of the creative collective Acne, the founding stones of Acne Jeans were laid in 1997 when one hundred pairs of jeans were designed and distributed to friends, family and clients. Soon, several stores and boutiques wanted to carry the characteristic jeans with bright-red stitching on raw denim.

The first collection was launched in 1998. Since then Acne Jeans’ Creative Director Jonny Johansson has worked with a skilful design team to create a strong identity for the brand. Acne is today recognized internationally as a creative collective, unique for its corporate diversity such as fashion, graphic design, film production and advertising, as well as product, business and concept development.From these humble beginnings, Acne Jeans has developed into a renowned jeans brand.

Not just confined to the name, Acne jeans also presents a wide fashion line inclusive of an entire lookbook filled with the season’s latest trends. The edgy-borderline-sloppy image projected in the book are a formula for one amazing fashion line, not just reminiscent of teenage skin problems.

> images courtesy of acnejeans.com

ROCKANDREPUBLIC. [www.rockandrepublic.com]

WHO: Michael Bell, CEO and Designer, owned by Andrea Bernholtz

WHAT: Likely the most successful designer jeans brand in the world

WHERE: Sold in Retailers such as Nordstrom, Bloomingdale’s, Neiman Marcus, Saks Fifth Avenue, and Bergdorf Goodman, Aritzia, and Honey

WHEN: Founded in 2002

WHY: Because they Rock.

An esteemed brand, most famous among girls for their collaboration with VB Victoria Beckham signature crown pocket flare jean. This edgy rock/grunge-inspired brand is not only a luxury brand (www.eluxury.com and is sold only in fine denim retailers), but it is able to appeal to a wide demographic through its consistent appeal to celebrities and the average Joe and/or Jane.

The all-inclusive fashion line was created and is influenced by designer Michael Ball.

A biographical look:

Rebellious. Rambunctious. Rocker. Rider. Michael Ball is anything but your average CEO. Passionate and determined, strong willed and confident Michael launched Rock & Republic and in just four short years, has made it the most successful luxury denim brand in the world.
Michael grew up in Southern California. The child of divorced parents, he was always on the move, always in trouble, and always hustling to make a buck. With no real focus, he spent his time and money on fast cars, fast girls, and rock ‘n roll.

Recognizing that Michael needed structure, his mother got him involved in sports. It proved to be the perfect place for him to channel his rebellious. Cycling became his sport of choice, and the key to adding structure, focus and direction to his life.

Cycling taught Michael team skills and the rewards of competition. But it was the bright colors and bold graphics of the team’s uniforms that inspired his sense of design. He taught himself the technique of sublimation, a highly technical process that digitally screen-prints fabric, and he began making all of the team’s race-day wear.

By the late ’80s, Michael was considered one of the fastest, smartest and most aggressive cyclists on the circuit. The avid athlete had discovered he had the stamina to succeed at any task he took on. Michael won the LA Tri-Sprint Series and then went on to the national track rankings where he conquered the Velodrome. But an unfortunate racing crash forced him to put his racing aspirations on hold.
Always the entrepreneur Michael approached Xerox with a business idea. The two forged a partnership called Xerox Colorgraphics, DS Division. Overnight it put the technology giant into the fashion business. Michael’s vision and technical skills built a successful financial model for the company but he was unchallenged creatively. His flare for fashion and affinity for rock music turned his thoughts from process to product and he one again started designing.

Michael, never shy with his opinions, felt his girlfriend’s jeans didn’t properly flatter her figure. They didn’t hug her curves. They were tight where they should have been eased, and gapped where they should have been tight. They just didn’t show off her…assets. So, he decided to design a pair of jeans for her. Everywhere the couple went, people asked who designed the jeans, to which he always responded, I don’t know, but they sure rock!

Source: www.rockandrepublic.com