Blog

The boots featured a tall stiletto heel.

DENIM and PATCHES sourced this post originally published on this site

The sandals featured minimalist straps and a tall block heel.

DENIM and PATCHES sourced this post originally published on this site

More than ever this year, luxury fashion brands are going heavy into denim. And one of them is Chanel.

Considered one of the most classic and established haute couture houses, Chanel now has some interesting denim looks in its Pre-Fall 2026 collection.

And, of course, we love the fact that denim is becoming high fashion, not just casual!

For Pre-Fall 2026, designer, Matthieu Blazy, staged the collection in a New York subway–inspired setting, blending everyday denim with classic Chanel luxury. Pearls, chain bags, tweed layering, and relaxed silhouettes. The result: quiet luxury rather than flashy runway denim.

Chanel is signaling a shift away from exaggerated denim (barrel, ultra-wide, cargo) toward understated luxury denim and wearable silhouettes.

You can shop for the current Chanel collection on the brand’s website. And if you are into vintage clothing, you can find some really great pre-owned Chanel pieces at FARFETCH.

The post Chanel Pre-Fall 2026 – Denim Included! first appeared on Denimology.

DENIM and PATCHES sourced this post originally published on this site

This is a sponsored blog post, one of our paid services. We maintain full editorial independence. Read more here.

Your Chance to Win $900+ of Bags and Clothing

In the early days of Denimhunters, I helped out a bag brand on the wholesale side. I learned what actually makes a good bag—not just how it looks, but how it’s built and how it holds up over time.

Bleu de Chauffe is a brand I’ve followed for years. I don’t own any of their bags, but people I trust do, and speak highly of them.

What Bleu de Chauffe Does Differently

Bleu de Chauffe (pronounced “bleu de shof”, if you were wondering) is built around a simple idea: keep design and production close together.

All their bags are made in-house in Aveyron in the South of France, with a focus on local materials and long-term partnerships. You see it in the details—heavier fabrics, vegetable-tanned leather, and construction that’s meant to hold up with regular use.

The reference point is vintage work bags, but the focus is practical—how the bags are used, how they wear in, and how they fit into everyday life.

Meline Tote Bag

This is the core of the setup—the bag you’ll probably end up using most days.

It’s made from 590 g/m² coated cotton canvas from British Millerain, which gives it structure and weather resistance without feeling stiff. The vegetable-tanned leather details reinforce the areas that take the most wear.

Two front pockets keep smaller essentials within reach, and the size hits a practical middle ground—roomy enough for daily use, but not oversized. Add a laptop sleeve with the SNAP system, and it easily doubles as a simple work bag.

Léon Messenger Bag

Compared to totes, the Léon is the more contained option—better when you’re carrying a laptop and want things to stay where you put them.

It’s made from 475 g/m² (14 oz.) organic cotton canvas from British Millerain with vegetable-tanned leather reinforcement, giving it durability without adding too much bulk. The flap closure, finished with Bleu de Chauffe’s guilloché lock, keeps everything in place without overcomplicating access.

With room for a 13-inch laptop, two external pockets, and a removable zip pocket inside, it’s a cleaner way to carry the same daily essentials.

Melo 48H Tote Bag

If the Meline or the Léon is your daily bag, the Melo is what you reach for when you need space—for travel, work, or just a packed day.

It’s made from a heavyweight 580 g/m² canvas that gives it structure and durability, paired with wide cotton straps and vegetable-tanned leather where it matters. Two front pockets keep essentials within reach, while the main compartment takes everything else without fuss.

Simple, functional, and big enough to replace both your daily bag and your weekend one.

Raw 50 Sweatshirt

This is the kind of sweatshirt that ends up in constant rotation—easy to throw on, comfortable, and built to hold up.

The fabric is thick but soft, made from 99% organic cotton with a bit of stretch. It keeps its shape over time and hits that useful middle ground—warm enough on its own, but easy to layer under a jacket.

Wide ribbing adds durability where it matters, and the visible stitching gives it a bit of character without overdoing it.

Heavyweight Champion T-Shirt

Not every good T-shirt needs to lean on loopwheel or heritage references. This one focuses on getting the fundamentals right.

It’s made from heavyweight organic cotton with an interlock knit, giving it a dense, smooth feel that keeps its shape over time. Soft, but not flimsy, and easy to wear on its own or under a shirt or jacket.

Like the rest of the range, it’s made in France from fabric to final assembly, with a focus on getting the basics right.

This Entire Set Could Be Yours

Bleu de Chauffe is giving away three bags—a Meline Tote for daily use, a Léon Messenger when you want something more structured, and a 48H Tote when you need the space—as well as a heavyweight T-shirt and sweatshirt.

To enter, submit your email on this page before April 27, 2026. You’ll be signed up to all partner newsletters and can unsubscribe at any time. The winner will be contacted by email and has 24 hours to confirm details.

When you enter, you’ll be subscribed to the Denimhunters newsletter, as well as the newsletters from Heddels, Valet Mag, InsideHook, Stridewise, The Bengal Stripe, and Fabricateurialist. You can unsubscribe at any time after the giveaway ends. Full contest rules and details are available on the entry page.

The post GIVEAWAY: Win 5 Key Pieces from Bleu de Chauffe appeared first on Denimhunters.

DENIM and PATCHES sourced this post originally published on this site

Diesel just announced that they have some hot new brand ambassadors! HANA (CHIKA, NAOKO, JISOO, YURI, MOMOKA, KOHARU, MAHINA), a seven-member girl group from Japan, has been appointed as Diesel Japan’s Brand Ambassadors. 

This is a first for the brand: an entire group takes on the ambassadorial role, highlighting Diesel’s commitment to collective energy and a new, dynamic approach to representation.

With their outstanding vocal ability, distinctive personalities, and a strong commitment to self-expression beyond conventional norms, HANA embodies the core values of Diesel – individuality, freedom, and self-expression.

Backed by a wide and passionate audience, especially among Gen Z, HANA are true fashion enthusiasts and genuine fans of Diesel. The brand first connected with the group during the release of their July 2025 single, “Blue Jeans,” providing full wardrobe styling for jacket visuals, the music video, and promotional activities. This collaboration sparked significant buzz and showcased a natural alignment between HANA’s creative vision and Diesel’s iconic products.

What began as a supportive partnership has now grown into a powerful and authentic synergy, highlighting the shared values, style, and energy that make HANA and Diesel a perfect match.

“Diesel has been a brand we’ve admired since we were young. We love how its designs can accompany us on days when we want to feel strong, as well as days when we just want to be ourselves. As HANA, who values staying true to what we love, we hope to share the unique appeal of Diesel with many people.” — HANA

 In the newly released ambassador visuals, HANA showcases iconic looks styled entirely in Diesel’s signature DNA — denim. From jeans and jackets to tops, underwear with denim-inspired details, and the new icon bag, “D-LINE,” the group effortlessly combines a wide range of denim pieces, capturing the versatility and bold spirit that define Diesel’s denim.

With this ambassador appointment, Diesel aims to strengthen its brand presence not only in Japan but globally, partnering with HANA to inspire and shape a new cultural narrative for the next generation.

You can check out what’s new from Diesel here.

The post Diesel Announces New Brand Ambassadors first appeared on Denimology.

DENIM and PATCHES sourced this post originally published on this site

An A–Z Overview and How to Choose Between the Many Japanese Denim Brands

Have you also noticed @amekajihead popping up in newsletters this week?

He was in Blazer on Monday—and then again in Brock McGoff’s weekly newsletter on Wednesday. I sent both to him as soon as I saw them, and from his replies, it sounds like I broke the good news to him on both occasions.

It’s been a busy week on my end too. I spent a day in Amsterdam on Wednesday at Kingpins, where I caught up with a lot of familiar faces from the denim scene. I also closed a couple of new sponsor deals for the site.

But the main story for this issue is something I’ve been working on for a long time: a new guide to Japanese denim brands that turned out to be much bigger than I expected.

The Definitive Guide to Japanese Denim Brands

A couple of months ago, I mapped out a series of new buying guides focused exclusively on jeans—along with updates to some existing ones.

After publishing my guide to the best raw denim brands, the A–Z of Japanese denim brands was next on the list. It’s also one I wish had existed when I first got into raw denim—and one I’ve been wanting to build for years.

Japanese denim is everywhere now. It’s easier to buy than ever. But at the same time, it’s also harder to navigate because there are so many brands and different styles.

It began as a simple idea—an A–Z list of brands—but quickly turned into something much bigger. The more I worked on it, the more obvious it became that the list alone wasn’t enough. You need context. You need a way to group brands and understand what they’re known for and how they compare.

At some point, I also had to make a call. I could keep refining it for another couple of weeks—or I could publish it as it is. I decided it was good enough to publish. I’m already really proud of it, but it’s not static. It will be a living resource, and there are things I already know I want to add—like clearer guidance on which jeans to look for from each brand.

If you’ve ever tried to get an overview of Japanese denim brands—or just wanted a clearer starting point—this guide should help.

If you feel like something is missing when you read through the guide, you can contact me here to share your feedback.

The First Weirloom Shirt Is Here

Last Friday, after about six months of working on it, I finally launched the first shirt from my own brand.

For years, I’ve worn heavyweight flannels (my wardrobe is full of Iron Heart UHFs). They’re some of my most worn pieces. But I’ve always wanted one that wasn’t a check pattern—which is why I was also so excited about that Brund collab UHF from 2024.

This is my take on the heavyweight flannel I’ve wanted for years. It has the softness and warmth of flannel, but it’s indigo-dyed, so it’ll fade and develop character like denim.

It’s cut to fit as a shirt, but you can also wear it as an overshirt. With the warming weather right now, I’m wearing mine more like a jacket, but I know it’ll be my go-to “indoor” shirt when it gets colder again.

Just like when I launched the first Weirloom jeans, this is a pre-order. That means I produce what’s ordered. This ‘First Edition’ is a super limited run, and once they’re all gone, that’s it. Will I make more shirts? Hell yes, that’s the plan! But this is where it starts.

From the Archive: The Origins of Japanese Denim

Inspired by what Wouter is doing in his Long John newsletter—which I encourage you to subscribe to—I also wanted to start bringing more from the archive into DH Weekly.

So for this issue, I’ve uncovered two articles that are worth revisiting if you want to go a level deeper after the Japanese denim brands A-Z.

They were both published on Denimhunters in 2017, shortly after Blue Blooded came out. Around that time, I started adapting parts of the book—and building on the research behind it—to create series of articles here on the site, including some on the denim history.

One is my own piece on how Japan helped shape what we now call heritage fashion—where the focus on quality, detail, and fabric really comes from. The other is a profile of the Osaka Five, the group of brands that played a key role in building the Japanese denim scene.

The post The Guide to Japanese Denim Brands You’ve Been Missing appeared first on Denimhunters.

DENIM and PATCHES sourced this post originally published on this site

Despite the backlash caused by their last ad campaign in July 2025, American Eagle and Sydney Sweeney are back once again.

Months after conversations – and controversy – erupted over Sydney Sweeney’s American Eagle jeans ad campaign, Sweeney is back for a new summer spin on shorts with the retailer.

“What brand am I wearing?” Sweeney asks in the commercial, posing in denim shorts against a blue sky backdrop, while smiling and playing with her hair. “Yeah, that one,” she says, as the words “SYD FOR SHORT” flash across the screen.

From the free-spirits of the 1970s to the trendsetters of today, jean shorts have been the highlight of summer fashion for generations and no one perfects the warm-weather style like American Eagle,” said Jennifer Foyle, President and Executive Creative Director, AE. 

“Summer is defined by a rare kind of magic, an opportunity to live confidently and in the moment. Pairing classic cutoffs with Sydney Sweeney’s signature ease makes AE denim the must have shorts this season.”

“There’s something timeless about a great pair of jean shorts. They’re simple, but they make you feel confident and put-together without trying too hard,” – Sweeney definitely got that right! 

AE shorts destination features over 200 shorts styles and washes, both for women’s and men’s. And this summer 2026 will bring more than 850 new styles, focused on laid-back, wear-anywhere pieces from relaxed denim to versatile tops designed for everyday summer dressing.

You can shop for all the AE denim shorts – and all other denims – on the brand’s website right now.

The post American Eagle x Sydney Sweeney Are Back Again! first appeared on Denimology.

DENIM and PATCHES sourced this post originally published on this site

If you are a denim lover and curious about everything related to your jeans, you will come across the term “Japanese Denim” quite a lot of times.

Japanese denim is considered the gold standard of denim worldwide. Not just because it’s trendy, but because of craftsmanship, heritage, and fabric quality that few other manufacturers in countries match.

Here’s why Japanese denim is so important:

In the 1970s–1980s, American denim brands began modernizing production, including faster manufacturing, the use of synthetic dyes, and cheaper fabrics.

Japanese artisans instead studied vintage American jeans from the 1940s–1960s and recreated them exactly by using old shuttle looms, natural indigo dye and heavy cotton fabrics.

This is how Japan preserved “true” denim craftsmanship. Let us also point out that the Japanese mills revived Selvedge Denim, woven on vintage Shuttle Loom machines.These looms were abandoned in the U.S., but Japan bought and restored them – keeping heritage denim alive.

The most famous denim region is Kojima, the birthplace of Japanese denim. Actually, Kojima became known as “The Denim Capital of Japan”.

Japanese denim represents slow fashion, craftsmanship, and heritage. Let’s not forget the fact that, because of its longevity Japanese denim is also totally sustainable: Instead of disposable fashion, it is meant to age, fade, and last for years.

Japanese denim isn’t just fabric – it’s craft, history, and culture woven into jeans.

Japanese denim examples are

Momotaro Jeans (Okayama, Japan)

Momotaro is one of the most respected Japanese denim brands, focusing on hand-made selvedge denim and traditional indigo dyeing (read more here).

• Signature battle stripes on back pocket
• Zimbabwe cotton and vintage shuttle looms
• Known for clean fades of the deep indigo
• Made in Kojima, Japan’s denim capital

Samurai Jeans

Samurai denim is known for durability and artistic cultural details, making each pair unique as it ages (read here).

• Heavyweight denim (often 17oz–21oz)
• Inspired by the Japanese samurai culture
• High-contrast fades over time
• Rugged and collectible labels

Studio D’Artisan (Osaka Five Pioneer)

Studio D’Artisan helped start the Japanese denim movement and still uses traditional dyeing and weaving methods (read here).

• Founded 1979 as one of the first Japanese denim brands
• Natural indigo dye
• Vintage-inspired construction
• Limited production runs

Our team is working on finding the best Japanese denim jeans to buy right now – so stay tuned, coming up soon!

The post What’s So Important About Japanese Denim? first appeared on Denimology.

DENIM and PATCHES sourced this post originally published on this site