The inclusion of Simon Miller Jeans to our assortment has been one of the most exciting additions of the year. As the first retailer to carry the brand, it most certainly holds a special place in our hearts.
Simon already knew the ins and outs of great clothing from buying for his own store. We had the opportunity to meet him a year and a half ago when he showed a select group of stores samples from his forthcoming eponymous jean line, which we fell in love with immediately. The Jean Bar’s always searching for the next great unwashed basic, and Simon Miller has struck gold with his, a straight legged 5-pocket dubbed the "Los Angeles". With a leg opening of around 16”-- not too slender and not too wide -- and practically non-existent branding, the "Los Angeles" jean has a sort of timeless quality that can be hard to find in clothing. We were blown away when we saw his washed jeans, too. The Jean Bar is known to be quite picky about a vintage wash, and Simon's easily passed muster: totally authentic looking and amazing.
Simon was kind enough to provide some in-depth info about the line:
Ron Herman Jean Bar: Tell us a little about the inspiration for your jean
line, and what aesthetic principles guided you in its creation?
Simon Miller: It sounds cliché, but I was really just trying to design myself the perfect pair of jeans. I could never find that one pair that was perfect, fit and wash wise. It got kind of ridiculous; I knew I had to do something.
I’ve always loved vintage jeans and worn-in products, and I really wanted to bring real authenticity to my washed jeans. My jeans are made with integrity. They are all made here in the USA. They are all washed and finished here in LA. We use the best Japanese denim. I am around the design, production and finishing of every pair every day.
RHJB: Tell us a bit about your Japanese denim and jean construction techniques…
SM: All denim used for Simon Miller jeans is imported from Japan. We use a mix of selvedge and non-selvedge denim. The selvedge jeans are made in a traditional way on smaller looms, which is more time consuming – the rolls of fabric are half the width of a regular roll, so it’s a bit more involved – but you get a beautiful finish on the inseam.
The real advantage of using Japanese denim comes in the wash stage. The denim just wears better when we create vintage washes. I wouldn’t use any other fabric.
RHJB: We love the 12oz “LOS ANGELES” raw jean.
SM: The Los Angeles jean is the lightest weight denim we’ve used. It is perfect for LA and wearing a raw jean straight away. It’s intended to be worn without washing, preferably for 3-6 months. The denim is light enough to be aired out rather than washed. Also, it’s dyed with resin when it’s constructed, allowing the beautiful crease marks on the thighs and back of the knees to wear in faster. It creates an amazing look.
RHJB: When you incorporate a wash into the line, what tends to be your goal, as far as the "feel" and overall look of the wash?
SM: Every wash we create is based on a worn in pair of jeans. I don’t do any jeans that are theatrical or outrageously progressive. You won’t see any crazy new age Japanese wash techniques appearing in my line. Not that those are bad, it’s just not my style. I love beautiful product that doesn’t try to be something it’s not.
Below, check out Casey from the Jean Bar wearing his Simon Miller Los Angeles raw jeans (6 months of wear with only ONE machine wash & dry) and holding up a brand new pair for comparison. Lovely!
