On the discussion of Samurai Jeans, for lack of a more accurate description, they seem to be in the business of producing cool shit. At the time of writing, I am currently going on 8 months of on and off rotation for my ‘47 cut S510HK with 3-4 washes excluding the initial soak.
To begin the discussion with the most prominent feature of these jeans, let's cover the denim itself. Texas cotton isn’t necessarily known for being a luxurious long staple fiber (however it's quite the opposite) but then again, that wasn’t the point when developing this fabric. 100% Texas cotton makes up the composition of not only the denim, but the thread used in construction, further exemplifying the commitment of Samurai to produce something worthy of praise and appreciation from those of us in the denim community. Most manufactures dealing with Texas cotton will incorporate a mixture of longer staple fibers to smooth out the hand feel and create a more uniform textile. In typical Samurai fashion, the opposite approach was taken. Instead, a mix of extra short staple fibers were used as well as byproducts of the refinement process including bits of stems, seeds, leaves, etc. The end result is a stunning 15oz, unsanforized denim with all the nep and texture that could be desired. To say that these are smooth and silky off the shelf wouldn’t necessarily be the most honest statement. After the initial soak as per routine with unsanforized denim, these condense down into a tight and rigid fabric that really accentuates the unrefined nature of the fibers used. But rest assured, after a short break in period, these begin to soften up while still retaining the visual texture that initially sold me on these.
To touch on fit, at the risk of sounding biased, these are an ideal fit for me. A straight leg, a high rise, and a slim top block are my holy trinity for an everyday jean. I would also contribute a decent portion of why these fit me (and would also fit you) so well is the fact that they are unsanforized. I prefer unsanforized jeans for many reasons, call me pretentious, but I’m a bit of a traditionalist when it comes to denim. Opinions aside, unsanforized denim just fits better. Why do you think Levi’s “Shrink-To-Fit” was so popular? They will quite literally mold to your body and fit just right in all the right places when done properly. My preferred method is to sit in a tub of warm water for 10-15 minutes while wearing the jeans, then hang dry 75-80% of the way trying to keep them in the same shape of my body so the creases set in better. Once they reach that stage of drying when still damp but not dripping, I throw them back on, and wear them till fully dry to further mold them to my legs. My mind always returns to the same scene in The Who’s 1979 film, Quadrophenia, where the main character, Jimmy, is being berated by his mother for trailing water through the house while waiting for his freshly soaked 501’s to dry.
With the fit and fabric out of the way, let's discuss the small details; just another category that Samurai exceeds in. Every detail on these jeans absolutely surpasses baseline standards. This is to the point where I’m starting to find myself searching for these minute details on various other manufacturer's products, and feeling a degree of disappointment when they don’t live up to that same standard. That is in no way a crack on other manufacturers, but a testament to the thought and attention that Samurai and others like them are putting into their products. From the raised belt loops to the silver lamé selvedge ticker, these check all the boxes. Even the pocket bags are from a selvedge twill! Any place you choose to look on these jeans, you will find a detail that was thoroughly thought out, and purposefully done.
To close my review/overview on these ‘47 cut jeans, how have they aged? Well, as you can see from the photos, pretty damn beautifully in my oh-so humble opinion. These have been relatively fast faders, as I mentioned in my opening, I have about 8 months of on and off wear (probably 5 months of consistent wear) and 3-4 washes if I had to take a guess. With a consistent washing routine, I wasn’t expecting anything super high contrast. Instead, I have more even color loss with certain areas of high fading such as where my knees hit the crossbar under my desk or kneeling while shooting photos for the shop. My combs and whiskers are there, but not too overly pronounced with a fair amount of vertical fades. The denim has smoothed up quite dramatically and the nep has become less visual when compared to the stark contrast on the dark indigo from a fresh pair. The hardware has darkened considerably with the bright copper rivets now oxidized to a warm brown and the iron buttons now more of a grey finish, both of which are a better look in my personal preference. Overall, this has been my first pair of Samurai jeans and I have to say, I’m a bit of a fanboy now. I feel myself being drawn to the brand for their ability to take a plain and unassuming garment, and turn it into a piece that I am unable to stop thinking about until I inevitably end up convincing myself that I “need” it.
All things considered, though this was just as much a brand review as a product review, I am thoroughly impressed and will definitely be adding more Samurai products to my rotation in the (near) future.
