Announcing the Indigo Invitational Y4 Winners
Year Four of the Indigo Invitational began on January 1st of 2024. More than 1,500 competitors started with a fresh pair of raw selvedge, and, after 366 days of fading (2024 was a leap year), they showcased the fruits of their labours.
The competition challenges the world’s best faders to produce their best-ever fades, and the results never disappoint. We saw incredible examples of the fading arts this year, and all of those who managed to complete the full 366 days of the competition deserve commendation, but only a handful of them have earned their place in the winner’s circle.
Three Competitions in One
This year, the competition was split into three arms: SEA, RoW, and Re(Pair). SEA was the Southeast Asian arm, where some of the world’s most obsessive denimheads produce mindblowing fades aided by the hot, equatorial sun.
In the RoW (Rest of the World) conference, the rest of the world showed what four successive seasons of fading could do to their pairs.
Finally, in Re(Pair) competitors who had completed a full lap of the track were allowed to return for a second full year.
We’re ready to announce the winners for all the conferences, but before we do, we want to take this opportunity to thank our judges.
The RoW conference was judged by a stacked panel of denim experts.
From left to right, we’ve got Rain Deslisle, Viktor Fredback, David Shuck, Benjamin Woodhouse, Matthew Wilson, Pey Van Der Wel, Gavin Smith, and Thomas Stege Bojer.
The SEA conference had an equally impressive list of experts and notable enthusiasts.
From left to right we’ve got Edie Lim, Andrea Baburske, Harsri Chie, Rendy Soemadinata, Florian Leikam, Kai Huang, Noenggaling Tjatur, and Gavin Smith.
Huge thanks to all of our judges for their time and their thoughtful judging notes, which we’ve excerpted below.
Now, without further ado, our winners.
Rest of the World Conference Winners
10th: Kyle Knight – Strike Gold 9903 (24.8 oz.)
One of our wildcard pairs, these are a perfect example of what this new super-stiff Strike Gold denim can do when pushed hard.
They arrived on the finish line in a cloud of dust and grime, and they definitely earned their spot in our Top 10.
What the Judges Loved
David: “The perfect fade to accentuate this heavy denim.”
Gavin: “Clearly a daily companion. Worn and lived in.”
Pey: “Look like old miner jeans—straight out of the dusty dark.”
Strike Gold’s 9903 jeans are available at Redcast Heritage.
9th: James Casburn – Iron Heart 555XHS (25 oz.)
For those who appreciate hard-worn high-contrast pairs, James is in a class of his own.
He’s one of the hardest-working guys in the field, and it shows in the incredible fades he’s able to produce in a remarkably short period of time. Hope we’ll see him back again to challenge for a podium spot in Y5.
What the Judges Loved
Pey: “Great wear, and great contrast!”
Benjamin: “Some of the best stack fades I’ve seen.”
Thomas: “Only the most dedicated faders can achieve results like these.
Get a pair of Iron Heart’s super heavyweight 555-XHS jeans here.
8th: Cade Schmutz – Brave Star Mojave (25 oz.)
Our honest-to-goodness cowboy put these Brave Stars through the wringer this year, and, once again, his ability to produce contrast fades and authentic wear patterns is nearly unmatched in this competition. A true-blue lifestyle fader that we’re intensely proud to call one of our own.
What the Judges Loved
Benjamin: “Don’t even get me started on how well the stacks meet the combs then onto the whiskers. Wow!”
Cade: “Repairs that look instant, functional, and honest. These jeans have been loved.”
Thomas: “Stacking isn’t normally my thing, but these results speak for themselves.”
You can pick up a pair of Brave Star Mojave jeans right here.
7th: Charles Stockstrom – Iron Heart 805 (21 oz.)
With his working days filled with dirty and sweaty work, Charles brings so much of that authentic blue-collar fading style into this competition, and we’re grateful for his presence.
One of two pairs of these 805s in the Top 10, his repairs and honest wear pulled him easily into the middle of our Top 10.
What the Judges Loved
Matthew: “Impressive dedication—almost as impressive as the fades. Beautiful repairs.”
Benjamin: “Top notch sashiko.”
Thomas: “Real workwear in all its natural beauty.”
Get your 21 oz. overalls directly from Iron Heart here.
6th: Harry Kasim – Pinion 6th Anniversary (25 oz.)
Two of our judges called this pair “refreshing”. It’s been a great year for Pinion’s remarkable 6th anniversary pair, with multiple faders doing their level best to bring out the best of this eye-catching selvedge. As a past winner of the competition, it’s no surprise that Harry’s come out on top.
What the Judges Loved
Benjamin: “The purple weft caught my eye. Very unique and interesting!”
Viktor: “Daring choice of denim, and bonus points for pulling it off! Refreshing and unexpected.”
Rain: “The purpley-blue hues across the seat are just gorgeous! A great reminder for everybody to have fun with their denim.”
Pinion has a wide selections of fits and denims—find your favourite here.
5th: Hiroki Tanaka – Studio D’Artisan 103 (15 oz.)
One word came up over and over again in the judges’ comments: “marble”. The backside of these jeans is like nothing we’ve ever seen before, and it proved utterly enchanting for our judges. We’d love to hear more from Hiroki about how this effect was achieved. It’s pure denim alchemy!
What the Judges Loved
Matthew: “Looks like marble.”
David: “Never seen a more evolved pair of 103s—a notoriously difficult pair to fade. The overall marbling effect is wild.”
Pey: “Like looking into the arctic sea during a storm. Magical!”
Redcast Heritage will sell you a pair of SDA 103 jeans—get them here!
4th: Jørn-Bjørn Fuller-Gee – Iron Heart 805 (21 oz.)
Making his home near the Arctic Circle in the north of Norway, the Denim Dawg has endeared himself to everybody in this competition with his warm and open heart and his carefree and child-like love of the fading process. He embodies the Indigo Spirit, but it’s not his heart that’s earned his spot here—it’s his beautiful fades.
What the Judges Loved
Benjamin: “Full respect to anybody who puts this much wear into a pair of dungarees.”
Gavin: “My number one pick. A stunning range of shades. Just incredible.”
David: “I’ve never seen a better faded pair of overalls.”
Convinced to try a pair of heavyweight denim overalls? Get yours here!
3rd: Ella Dawn Jenkins – Self-Made (13.5 oz.)
Last year’s Lady Fader of the Year, Ella has been a backbone figure in this community since she joined us. Her passions for crafting, repairing, and fading make her one of the most inspiring figures in our world.
The pair she made for this competition has been loved and repaired with tender and caring hands, and they earned her top marks from three of our judges.
What the Judges Loved
Matthew: “They haven’t been worn for fades. They’ve been worn for life!”
Rain: “The obvious first choice here. No-nonsense and very personal. You can feel the sincerity in every stitch.”
Viktor: “Easily the top choice in the competition. As smooth and beautiful as a harp played in an open meadow.”
2nd: Evan Rutledge – Warehouse 1000XX DSB (13.3 oz.)
Evan’s approach to fading doesn’t feel deliberate or overly fussy. He wears and washes in equal measure, and it’s utterly transparent that his pairs have been lived in—lived long and well. Deeply authentic and true to the spirit of vintage workwear, they make our heart sing.
What the Judges Loved
Matthew: “Wasn’t too precious about washing. I appreciate that.”
Thomas: “The most authentic fades of the bunch. It doesn’t look like he’s trying to fade his jeans. It just happens, naturally.”
Pey: “Look like they’ve been found in an old warehouse. Super sweet vintage fades.”
Viktor: “Would be happy to wear these bad boys myself!”
Hinoya stocks these beautiful Warehouse jeans—buy them here!
1st: Scott Stasiuk – Iron Heart 634S-UHR (23 oz.)
While some pairs produced wild swings in the voting, Scott’s pair was the dependable tortoise, placing on the podium for nearly all our judges. They are a perfect example of the kind of genuine, no-nonsense fades that drew so many of us into the world of selvedge.
Authentic and deeply appreciated by all, we’re proud to crown this pair as our Y5 champion. Take note: this kind of approach is the perfect recipe for those who want to turn indigo and cotton into solid gold.
What the Judges Loved
Matthew: “Jeans that are a part of life, not all of it.”
Gavin: “Every line and every detail falls in the correct spot. Classic fade pattern.”
Thomas: “I love the subtle contrasts, and the brightness of the thighs.”
Rain: “Cool TV static blue, and tons of midtones that makes these jeans special. Worn the right way.”
Viktor: “Reminds me of some 1920s farmer’s jeans in my collection.
David: “An authentic quality that doesn’t look cartoonish.”
Want fades like these? Pick up a pair of these jeans at Iron Heart here.
Southeast Asian Conference Winners
10th: Aditya Setiawan – OldBlue Beast (23 oz.)
Clearly worn for outdoor work, our judges recognized that these had been worked hard out in the open for the duration of the competition.
The fades look accidental and remarkable. A great pair of OldBlues worn earnestly and vigorously.
What the Judges Loved
Rens: “Love the yellowing effect.”
Florian: “The combs look perfect.”
OldBlue has as solid selection of heavyweight jeans—find your next pair here.
9th: Syed Bashira – Strike Gold 9903 (24.8 oz.)
The secret is out. This new 24.8 oz. selvedge from Strike Gold is producing some of the most striking contrast fades we’ve ever seen.
Based on this incredible pair from Syed, we’ll likely see a lot more of this denim in Y5. Just look at those craters and the whiskers that almost reach all the way to the hips! Spectacular.
What the Judges Loved
Florian: “This might be the most appealing fade pattern in the Top 20. I love the grainy look around the upper thighs.”
Hasri: “The ankle fades are particularly eye-catching.”
Noenggaling: “Like watching waves on the ocean.”
Buy these super heavyweight Strike Gold jeans at Redcast Heritage.
8th: Rico Ahmad – Adelaide Kamikaze (18 oz.)
Even our judges who tended to prefer vintage fades couldn’t turn away from this pair of Adelaides and its beautiful range of colours.
The 3D effect is remarkable. You can really see the thigh bones of the fader who wore this pair. The swirling inky tones in the top block draw and hold the eye.
What the Judges Loved
Rens: “Beautiful whiskers and honeycombs”
Gavin: “Amazing! Love the fade lines standing out from the backdrop of consistent indigo loss”
Hasri: “Very refined natural fades.”
7th: Nigon Konkhamrat – Piger Works 20MF (20 oz.)
Our judges loved the way Nigon’s jeans stacked naturally and the way this pair has a distinct “lived-in” look.
Piger Work’s Master of Fades is proving itself as a remarkably good fade foundation, and Nigon is showing that he belongs in our Top 10. We hope we’ll see him come back and challenge for a podium position next year.
What the Judges Loved
Gavin: “My top pick! So contrasted while still being natural and vintage. The denim texture is amazing.”
Andrea: “My top pick. Nothing too sharp, but everything is really well defined.”
You can buy a pair of the 20MF jeans directly from Piger Works here.
6th: Nathaniel Sukardi – Iron Heart 777S-UHR (23 oz.)
We love to see Iron Heart pairs subjected to the heat and humidity in Southeast Asia, and Nathaniel has done complete justice to this pair, brining out the magical blue tones that UHR selvedge is famous for. The blown-out knee really shows that this pair has been worn hard.
What the Judges Loved
Edie: “These would make Haraki-san proud!”
Galing: “Truly magical whiskers!”
Gavin: “Beaten without mercy!”
Want slim-tapered and super heavyweight? Get a pair of 777-XHS jeans!
5th: Steven Cassidy – OldBlue Beasts (23 oz.)
Some of the cleanest fades we’ve ever seen in the competition. What might be most remarkable about the pair is how perfectly symmetrical they are—and yet, somehow, the result doesn’t feel forced.
Steven has magical legs, and the combination of those legs and this pair is absolute dynamite.
What the Judges Loved
Rens: “Very clean! The true blue colour really stands out.”
Florian: “My top pick. The perfect balance of contrast and traditional fades.
Galing: “Perfect balance between the left and right sides”
Check out OldBlue’s has selection of heavyweight jeans here.
4th: Angga Febryan – Samurai 003JP (21 oz.)
Samurais did very well in the Southeast Asian conference this year, with the help of incredible faders like Angga, who have really brought the best out of some of the brand’s most remarkable denims.
The creamy tones he managed to bring out here utterly enchanted our judges. Very nearly made the podium.
What the Judges Loved
Florian: “I like the electric blue ‘70s colour. Very unique.”
Gavin: “An absolutely perfect example of well-worn denim.’
Redcast Heritage has a great selection of Samurai jeans.
3rd: Abdul Latif Ibrahim – Samurai 511XX25oz-YY (25 oz.)
It’s back to back Samurais, with Abdul’s pair getting the nod for the intensity of his fades.
It’s clear that Abdul has put his back into it with this pair, and the heavy Samurais have responded by casting off indigo like crazy. The stacking here very nearly earned Abdul the gold medal.
What the Judges Loved
Rens: “Crazy! Beyond belief. This guy is wearing his pair with maximum intensity.”
Galing: “Worn out, but he’s still managed to preserve all the details.”
Find a pair of Samurai jeans at Franklin & Poe.
2nd: Mohamad Azizi Syah – Pure Blue Japan XX-18oz-013 (18 oz.)
Pure Blue Japan pairs are prized for their texture, and Mohamad has found that perfect tipping point where both the aggressive fading and the denim’s remarkable texture push to the front. Balanced and striking, they received high marks from nearly all our judges.
What the Judges Loved
Rens: “My top choice. Very clean fades on a double-indigo denim that is very tough to crack.”
Florian: “Overall impression is this one’s a winner”
Kai: “Natural and well-worn. Interesting asymmetrical honeycombs.”
Pure Blue Japan is available at Blue in Green and Redcast Heritage.
1st: Al-Aqhsar Ali Baba – Oni Asphalt (20 oz.)
It was a photo finish between the three Malaysian faders, but Al-Aqhsar Ali Baba was ahead by a whisker when he crossed the line. It’s Oni’s first time on the top of the podium, and it’s a remarkable fader that’s helped showcase what this incredible Asphalt denim is capable of producing when pushed.
Compare this pair to Scott Stasiuk’s Iron Hearts, which took gold in the RoW conference. You’ll notice a theme. This year’s winning fades aren’t the most striking contrasts or wildest stacks. They’re just an authentic pair of well-loved jeans. In the eyes of our judges, this is what fading is all about.
What the Judges Loved
Florian: “I would love to see this pair in person.”
Gavin: “Look like they’ve been worn daily for five years.”
Galing: “Remarkably smooth fading.”
You can buy a pair of these winning jeans at Hinoya.
Re(Pair) Winners
5th: Rob Griffith – Realign Tapered Yoshi (16 oz.)
With Realigns only emerging a few years ago, it’s a safe bet that this is the best faded example of Realigns anywhere in the world.
A testament both to the care with which the pair was made, but also to the slow-fading arts of our man Rob, who has, after two years of fading, produced a masterpiece.
What the Judges Loved
Viktor: “Great vintage feeling. Overall, they’re in great condition.”
Get yourself a pair of Realign jeans directly from their webshop here.
4th: Merdeka Hutapea – Wingman Sherman (23 oz.)
The depth of the fading on both front and back give these an unworldly quality. This is what happens when high contrast fades are given more time to develop and mature.
The colour gradient below the knees (terminating in cuffs that are nearly black) helped pull this remarkable pair into the winner’s circle.
What the Judges Loved
Pey: “Fades like these can’t be faked. Like a Kodak negative. Beautiful!”
Viktor: “The consistency is supreme. Great stuff.”
Want to try a pair of Wingman jeans? Get them here!
3rd: Mifflin Mabalot – Samurai 510XX (21 oz.)
Mifflin has long held that he needs two years to produce his best work on a pair, and here’s the proof of that.
Starting with a great pair of Samurais, he’s managed to produce a pair that makes all of us (including our judges) want a pair just like this. Very nearly a silver medalist.
What the Judges Loved
Matthew: “Looks like a gas flame. So sick!”
Viktor: “GREAT! I would buy these jeans myself based on how they’ve faded here.”
Franklin & Poe stocks the 21 oz. 510XX and you can buy them here.
2nd: Jonte Schlenz – Samurai 510XX-25oz-HJ (25 oz.)
A great combination of fades and presentation. Quite a few of our judges noted how nice it was to see the jeans in motion rather than laid flat. The pictures showcased not only the fit, but also the exceptional fades that Jonte produced over the last two full years of wear. A well-deserved silver medal.
What the Judges Loved
Matthew: “No nonsense. Pure and simple. A beautifully faded pair.”
Pey: “Looks like they’ve been worked hard and continuously.”
Viktor: “Top choice for sure. A perfect fit and a great testament to Samurai doing jeans the right way.”
Samurai is availiable at Redcast Heritage and Franklin & Poe.
1st: Martin Cannert – TCB 50s Straight (13.5 oz.)
Vintage fades can sometimes fade into the background, but not these. These elbowed their way to the front of the crowd, demanding to be recognized. And recognize them they did! Receiving a near-perfect score from all of our judges, they sailed into first place.
This is TCB’s first time on top of the podium, and Martin and TCB have both earned this spot by making and fading denim the right way. Nothing fussy here—just true-blue beauties that every denim lover would love to have hanging on their wall.
What the Judges Loved
Matthew: “TCB has the look and feel of old-school Levi’s down pat. This pair proves that.”
Pey: “A kind of calm vintage. Nice machine repairs.”
Viktor: “Perfect!”
You can pick up a pair of TCB 50s Straight right here.
Who Is the World’s Best Deim Fader?
We have winners for each of our conferences, but we don’t yet know who will be crowned the overall winner. With the help of world-class fading expert Ruedi Karrer, we’ll be putting the winners of the RoW and SEA conferences into a head-to-head battle to determine who is our overall winner. Watch this space, we’ll have that announcement for you very soon.
The post The Results Are In: 25 Contest-Winning Raw Denim Fades appeared first on Denimhunters.
DENIM and PATCHES sourced this post originally published on this site