Designer Q & A - Evisu

This week's Designer Q & A is with Johnny, the Head Designer at Evisu.

1) Why do you think after 200 years jeans are still one of the most popular items of clothing?

Jeans haven't always been popular, but have evolved over time. They were once strictly work wear worn by people who needed clothes that would not fall apart and would withstand physical labor. They were then adopted by American youth as a bold anti-establishment icon, and then later have gone through every conceivable fashion genre from catwalk to grunge and everything in between. On top of all that you can get jeans in countless washes, colors, and finishes. You could argue that its more to do with the versatility of denim as a clothing fabric as oppose to the popularity of the 5 pocket.

2) Last time I counted there were over 50 brands of premium denim jeans, what makes your jeans stand out from the rest?

We have a saying at Evisu which is "Before anyone did anything, Evisu did everything". This refers to our origins in 1988 when our founder Hidehiko Yamane was inspired by the beauty of vintage jeans, but unable to buy new jeans that had the same quality. Since then, Evisu has pioneered countless unique approaches to denim, styles, and washes, and has always remained an important part of the business, which has been done years before any of the other premium jeans brands were started. Evisu stands out for this commitment to quality and innovation, which is something a lot of the other brands are just mimicking.

3) Who do you imagine is a typical customer?

A typical Evisu customer is first of all someone that loves denim. Lines like our Deluxe and Heritage denim are exclusively made using Japanese denim on old shuttle looms that are made in the exact same way as denim being produced in the 1950's, which has a huge appeal to connoisseurs.

Evisu Heritage Jeans

4) Which style and wash of your jeans are flying out of the shops the quickest at the moment?

The new heritage line, unwashed selvedge denim jeans (see above).

5) Where do you get your inspiration from?

Japan is a huge source of inspiration both because Evisu is a Japanese label, and also Japan is an incredibly culturally rich country that takes inspiration from their past but also looks to the future. The country is often about opposites and contradictions, embracing old and new, strength and subtlety, which creates a type of tension that is fascinating. We also hugely inspired by 1950's Americana which is reallly where all this started. Yamane was a vintage collector before starting Evisu and was inspired to start the brand after finding a certain extremely rare pair of vintage jeans!

6) Are there any essential jeans that everyone should have in their wardrobe?

Everyone should own at least one pair of Japanese selvedge raw denim. There is nothing like seeing a pair of beautifully worn jeans with that incredible faded indigo. The denim and indigo take on a life and personality of their own that is unique to every wearer. They should be sure not to wash them with artificial soaps and detergents this ruins the "patina".

7) What are the first pair of jeans you remember?

Levi's created jeans and there is really nothing like the jeans they produced more than a century ago. They still find old versions that have been dug up from coal mines or in cellars in small country towns. Just by looking at the jeans you come to an understanding of what the owner was like as every subtle nuance of their body and personality is expressed through the faded indigo. I recently met some japanese denim maniacs who have been digging up denim scraps in the Nevada desert!

8) What have been your favourite pair of jeans that you have owned?

My Evisu selvedge jeans- I dont wash them and they fade out beautifully- bit smelly but worth it!

Evisu Hank- Dyed Jeans

9) What have been your favourite pair of jeans that you have produced?

There have been so many favorites, but I especially love our hank- dyed jeans (see above) that are hand dipped in indigo in the Kuroki mill in Okayama Japan by one specific technician who has been doing this for decades and is famous in the Japanese denim world. The quality of workmanship that goes into these jeans and the time it takes to make is incredible.

10) How many pairs of jeans do you currently own and which are your favourites?

About 30 pairs of jeans. I have one pair of Evisu deluxe jeans that have been worn to death. I also love the APC New Cures which have a great cut.

11) Are you a "wash your jeans after each wear" person or a "wear your jeans for six months before you wash them" person?

I definitely wait a long time before I wash my jeans. That is what raw denim is all about.

12) Do you own jeans for different occasions (for instance I have work jeans, smart jeans, weekend jeans, holiday jeans, jeans for going to concerts in, jeans for gardening in) if so what have you got?

Depending on which pair that is my current favorite, I'll usually just wear them everyday.

13) Which is your favourite jeans shop?

14) Which celebs are currently wearing your jeans?

I sometimes see or hear about a celebrity wearing our jeans or see some press clippings, but it isn't something I particularly follow.

15) How important big an effect does it have on your sales when a celeb is seen wearing a pair of your jeans?

It doesn't really impact on our sales in all honesty. I get just as much of a buzz when I see some street kids in japan or denim nerds in London wearing our denim. I love the fact that Evisu has such a crazy mix of consumers.

16) Who is your current favourite denim icon (male & female). I am thinking the person who has the most denim style?

I don't tend to look at faces as I am always checking out the denim first.

17) Which character (male & female) from a movie had the most denim style?

Well it's gotta be Steve McQueen- I mean the guy styled denim to another level

18) Which person living or dead would you most like to see in a pair of your jeans

My grandad

19) If jeans had not been invented, what would we all be wearing?

Corduroy pants.

20) And finally, any predictions for denim in 2007

Quality will keep getting better and better as the market expands and seeks out selvedge denim. Japanese denim will become increasingly widespread, with raw denim being particularly sought after.

AndyK: 29/03/07