The first pair of Levi’s jeans made its way to Japan in the ’50s. From there on, the country’s fixation on American workwear evolved and never quite left; birthing the Japanese-English term ‘Amekaji’ that means American casual fashion: of denim, plaid, white T-shirt and leather jackets. Today, we see constant sightings of ‘Amekaji’ in the troves of vintage stores in Tokyo or simply through their stylish locals on the streets. One can too score the best Levi’s in Japan, affirms Levi’s design director, Paul O’Neill, who’s been with the brand for 15 years. Aptly, we’re currently sitting in the heart of it all in Tokyo, as Levi’s celebrates a new era of premium denim—with the launch of its Blue Tab collection.
Denimheads would know this: a specific kind of Levi’s tab represents something of a status symbol. Vintage pulls will reflect Orange tabs and Silver tabs and those lucky or dedicated enough will have got their hands on the Red tab with a capital ‘E’ in ‘Levi’s’, which means jeans manufactured before 1971. The Blue Tab is the label’s most luxurious one yet—made in Japan, alongside longtime collaborator and leading denim exporter in the country, Kaihara Mills.
The impact Levi’s has on Japan is a two-way street. Whilst the style of Americana is deeply embedded in the blueprint of Japanese fashion, the American label has long been influenced by the detail of Japanese craftsmanship. “The Japanese are one of the best denim makers in the world,” remarks O’Neill. “When you buy something in Tokyo, it always feels special. That’s something that really stuck with me because as a designer, I put so much work and effort into creating the product to make it special.”
Fabrication comes first to mind for O’Neill when he thinks about Blue Tab. Most of the pieces in the line feature premium Japanese selvedge denim that are hand-crafted in the Japanese factory. A main signifier of the collection that is delicately peppered in a myriad of ways; whether it be through its construction, its seams along the ends or on the fly. The littlest of details are never too small for Blue Tab and it shows in the make of the premium product. “We’re working with the mills to kind of push things forward to create new and exciting denim. The Japanese have a great understanding of that,” explains O’Neill as he pulls out a utilitarian jacket that’s been washed down a few times in order to achieve its light blue fade.
“You’ll see slow patterns while going through the denim. We create this irregularity that you would have seen in the 1940s. Today we work hard to create these inconsistencies that we love about vintage products. In this perfect digital world, we’re now trying to go backwards and find the faults and incorporate these faults.”
And what of the styles? True to the label’s DNA, they are understated, modern yet each holds a certain Blue Tab touchpoint. Beyond jeans, think jackets with an unexpected raw hem, embroidery that takes reference from a vintage Japanese find and a personal favourite of O’Neill’s—a classic trucker jacket boasting curved sleeves that track the shape of the wearer’s arm. There are other offerings that are dressier than others; like a denim blazer and utilitarian dresses. O’Neill, who’s sharply clad in a yet-to-release oversized denim “suit” drives home the message of Blue Tab: “I want to take it to somewhere more formal, elevated and sophisticated. Denim isn’t only meant for the streets, I want it to be able to be worn to many other places and occasions.”
From 17 February, Levi’s Blue Tab collection will be available exclusively at Levi’s ION Orchard and online.
