I’ve collected premium denim for years now, and recently I decided to try a Canadian brand of denim that promises high quality, at a reasonable price. Most of the denim I’ve purchased over the years I’ve imported from Japan, and though the cuts and quality have been top-notch, I wanted to try something a bit more… domestic. I picked up a pair of Weird Guys in Deep Indigo a few weeks ago, and I’ve got to say… they’re awesome.
After having been so impressed by the jeans, I decided to ask Brandon – the owner and founder of Naked & Famous – a series of questions, which he was kind enough to answer for me.
Brandon Svarc
Could you tell our readers a bit about Naked & Famous and your role in the company?
Naked & Famous Denim is a concept brand, created to challenge the bullshit in the denim and fashion industry. I’m the owner, founder, designer, sales, marketing… Whatever you need! My right hand man is Bahzad Trinos. We are nerds who like denim.
Has having the jeans made in Canada been a challenge for you? Most manufacturers are having more and more done overseas.
All our products are proudly Made in Canada. Domestic production is a challenge because there aren’t as many options as there used to be 10 years ago. We are excited to support North American manufacturing!
What process went into creating your current lineup of jeans, and how long did the process take from start to finish?
We are constantly developing new fabrics so there is no real answer to this question. Often we find small mills that have crazy fabric that we can just buy from stock, but other times it can take over a year to develop… Like our stainless steel denim that contains 10% real metal stainless steel yarn!
Most premium denim brands stick with a very traditional looking leather patch. What inspired you to choose “pop art” for Naked & Famous?
We chose a naked lady pop-art logo as satire of our celebrity obsessed culture and to poke fun at Hollywood and “Glamour” brands. Also, I think it’s funny.
At the risk of stroking your ego… Naked & Famous jeans are far less expensive than most premium brands, and yet the construction quality and denim used are top-notch; how did you manage this?
We can make superior products and offer them at a reasonable price because we keep it simple and efficient. We don’t offer expensive washes or distressing, our jeans are only about fabric and not about fancy design. We don’t do any advertising ever, so unlike mass market Hollywood brands we don’t have to factor in multi-million dollar ad campaigns into our product cost. Also, we only work directly with our retailers. We sell to over 25 countries directly from our head office in Canada. While I know that this is highly unusual in the industry, we prefer to cut out the middle-man, and so there is no one in between us and the retailer to make a huge commission and drive up the price-point.
Do you expect denim style trends to change over the next 5 years?
Perhaps. But I don’t really care. We will continue to do whatever we want. Some people ask me if “raw denim” is a trend… I doubt it, brands have been selling raw denim jeans for over 100 years. Is drinking Coca Cola a “trend”?
What got you into the denim and fashion business?
My family has been in this industry for over 58 years. My grandfather founded our parent company, so growing up I always knew I would end up in the apparel industry.
Are there any other Canadian clothing brands (denim or otherwise) that you have in your wardrobe?
Sure! I have an amazing wool suit from a brand called KIN, which is a collection created by Sydney Mamane, tailor extraordinaire and proprietor of Sydney’s in Toronto. I’m also getting an Arc’teryx jacket for the winter.
* You can find pictures, details, and retailers for the full range of Naked & Famous denim by visiting the Naked & Famous website.
2 Comments
Far less expensive?? I’ve seen a pair of jeans for around $450 from Naked and Famous….
Some of them are expensive, yes, but the vast majority are no where near that price point.