Uniqlo: Unique, Cheap and Thoughtful

My first ever and only Uniqlo shirt was sent to me as a gift about a year ago from one of my closet friends who is currently living and teaching English to Japanese children. The shirt was a large Yellow crew neck t-shirt that had a The Freedom Rider printed on it. Even though I appreciated the gift but it took me a year before I even wore it. I had never heard of Uniqlo nor had I seen any storefronts at the time (There are only three stores in the U.S. all in New York). When I finally revisited the T-shirt I realized that I had a Uniqlo shirt in my possession this whole time.  My friend knew my taste well before I did apparently. In the past year have come to favor this brand that I can hardly get my hands unless I ask my friend in Japan to send me more gifts or I can shop through their online store, although I prefer a gift. When I finally decided to wear the shirt, took the tags off and fell in like with this brand even more. There were two tags one with the color, sku number, UPC and size. The other tag was a Blue Note Records folded informational leaflet. The shirt in my possession was paying homage to a selection of Blue Note Records best designs. In this case, The Freedom Rider is the title of a Jazz Album composed of artist Art Blakely & The Jazz Messengers, an influential Jazz group. At that point, Uniqlo made me a fan. Although they are a fast fashion company they slow down just enough to pay homage a to jazz band.  I found that to be an admirable quality in clothing company.

My Own Jean Theory

As I get ready to watch tonight’s episode of the HBO’s series, "How to make it in America," I start to contemplate about fashionistas, hipsters, style, entrepreneurship and of course jeans. Especially, since I recently bought a pair of Diesels and Replays. I love Italian denim and I will admit, I can be somewhat of a jean snob but with a cheap conscious of course, which allows me to sniff out the sales. Anyway, I digress, How to make it in America; a story about two young gentlemen who risk it all to start their own jean company, inspires me to want to create my own brand of jeans just for the love of a good pair of denim with my name on it.

Since Levi Strauss & Co.'s gave birth to the jean in the mid 1800’s, jeans have transformed and transpired throughout the generations. No longer do cowboys and gold miners roam the Wild West carrying saddlebags and wearing dusty denim with patented copper rivets reinforcing the points of strain, touting a Colt 45 pistol, riding horse back. Those days are long gone. Now teens and young adults are wearing all types of rinses, washes, whiskers, distressed, slim, selvedge, baggy, relaxed, straight and skinny. Whether functional or fashionable the seamless design of the jean has evolved. Not surprisingly Levi Strauss & Co.'s original and the first jean, the 501’s denim jeans are stills a staple in the industry.

 Furthermore, they have plenty of competitors with a market that is flooded with every designer’s own brand of denim jeans from the bargain bin to haute couture. Out of that flood I have found a few favorites, one in particular is the denim brand Prps.

Prps was founded in 2002, in New York by Donwan Harrell, a former Nike designers and founder of the urban clothing line Akademiks. The jeans are manufactured in Japan. The denim is woven from African cotton on vintage 1960’s Levi’s looms. Since its inception in 2002, Prps have been a staple among the jean snobs who love luxury jeans from the fashionable elitist to athletes, actors and actresses.  The first pair of Prps jeans I ever bought was quite comfortable, stylish, and soft but had an expensive price tag. However, once again, I got it for cheap because I happen to be working for the urban clothing store, Up Against the Wall and their employee discount for a manager at the time was gracious. The starting price for a pair of Prps can be $180 and up but their jeans cost typically average around $400. 

Honestly, I like jeans that are strong in material, look fresh, fit well, have crazy rinses and have a nice cut. I kept my pair for a good six years until I gave them to my little cousin and he still wears them.  Prps’s denim; have nice cuts, fresh rinses and the denim is amazingly soft, must be that African cotton or something. Furthermore, I love Prps website, www.prpsgoods.com, their interface is rather dope. I feel like unwrapping personal messages to me that say, "Bruised, never broken…our jeans evolve with you". Believe it or not they almost feel like they do.