Denim: History and transition into tailoring

The history of denim jeans started in 1853 when Jacob W. Davis, a tailor in San Francisco, bought denim fabric from Levi Strauss to sew pants for a customer that had requested a pair of ‘sturdy pants that could withstand hard labor’. Davis added rivets to the areas where the pants ripped more often. When David wanted to patent the denim pants in 1873, he asked Levi Strauss to be his partner and the rest is history. Together they opened a factory and began producing denim jeans large scale. The famous 501 style was created in 1890 in an indigo blue that is still today, the most famous denim jean of all time.

A pair of jeans will perhaps always be considered a wardrobe staple and a part of the essentials. But, with a custom made approach, we can see jeans as far more than just a piece of casual clothing. In our eyes, they’re a canvas for self-expression, a love letter to sustainability, and a nod to quality craftsmanship. Making custom made denim, each pair will have the individuality and unique needs and preferences of each client in mind. When this blend with the ageing and unique patina that comes with wear, our view is that a pair of BLUGIALLO jeans can become the most important piece of clothing you own.

Custom made jeans is a rarity when it comes to denim. Blugiallo is one of very few brands that offer this exclusive service and option of creating your own, perfect denims, both according to your unique measurements as well as being able to choose the perfect denim fabric and design. A pair of custom made Blugiallo jeans will last you for years to come and it is one of our most appreciated products.

The Symphony of Measurements

The genesis of your personalized jeans begins with individual measurements. Forget the generic ready to wear sizing. In order to create a unique look and feel (just like the rest of your wardrobe), your jeans need to be custom crafted. For each client, we create a fit profile and adjust measurements like waist height and circumference, thigh, knee and hem widths, of course also the total length of the jeans. Whether you visit our showrooms or opt for our seamless 30-second Online Measurement, you can count on a unique fit. If you feel uncertain on the process, our style maestros are just a chat, call, or digital meeting away.

The Palette of Fabric & Design

To create a truly unique feeling, the choice of , fabric and design plays and important part. From raw selvedge with its authenticity and ruggedness to washed denim that offers comfort akin to your “dad jeans,” we offer a range of options to match your lifestyle and style preference. All of our denims are sourced from the world’s most renowned mills and range from the hallmark raw, selvedge denim to washed selvedge that wears extremely well with tailoring and ultimately the soft denim (with a touch of stretch).

The quality and construction of your jeans plays a very important part in creating a great product. When talking about a pair of high-quality jeans, there are mainly three categories or qualities of denim that you want to know about and that we offer. These are:

• Raw selvedge denim
• Washed denim
• Washed selvedge denim

Selvedge denim is the most premium and exclusive denim fabric available today. It’s produced on traditional shuttle looms with a weaving technique that creates tightly bound, finished self-edging. Selvedge denim jeans are usually produced from a white thread and carries a traditional ‘mark of excellence’ that can be seen with a red and white selvedge tab or styling detail, visible at the back pocket and when rolling up the trouser cuff. Raw denim, means that the fabric itself is unwashed and untreated, giving the wearer that traditional, rugged feeling that jeans had from the start. Raw denim is considered the most exclusive jeans option, especially amongst jeans connoisseurs. The raw denim will eventually fade with time and wash, giving the owner a truly unique patina on the jeans.

Washed denim gives you a very different feel, having been pre-washed and produced with a small amount of stretch is has a softer touch and super comfortable feel to it. We often refer to the washed denim as the ‘dad jeans’, being super soft and comfortable, resistant to wear, as well as still keeping a great look intact.

The washed selvedge denim, perhaps our favourite for wearing with tailored garments, is a mix of the softness of washed denim and the prestige and luxurious feeling of selvedge denim. They are pre-washed in order to create a softer touch than the raw denim. To summarize:

• Raw selvedge denim is the perfect choice for a rugged, authentic denim feeling and will create a unique patina with time.
• Washed denim is a very soft, slightly stretchy quality that works really well for casual occasions and as leisure wear.
• Washed selvedge is a hybrid, keeping the luxurious selvedge construction and mixing it with a pre-wash in order to create a perfect tailored jeans to wear both on and off work.

When we talk about the ‘construction’ of a garment, we refer to the way the product is made, with what materials, methods, and knowledge to create the best possible product. Our custom made, tailored jeans are to us approached the same way we create a beautiful, tailored jacket, with quality and craftsmanship in focus. We like to consider our tailored jeans, the equivalent of a “full canvas suit” considering the elements of historical and sartorial details that goes into making it. Some of the details and production elements that marks the craftsmanship are:

• Regular twin stitch
• Reinforced belt loops
• Chain stitch at the bottom of the hem
• Reece buttonhole
• Extra coin pocket with AMF stitching

To create the best possible tailored jeans, the raw material is extremely important. Therefore we only source the denim from the world most renowned denim makers. These include:

• Candiani denim (Italy)
• Bue Selvedge (USA)
• Kuroki (Japan)