Good denim is like a second skin. A good pair of jeans age with you, getting better with every wear. They go with suiting just as well as t-shirts. They go with oxfords just as well as sneakers. You can wear them year round and they're probably the only clothing you can wear every single day and no one will think anything of it. So having a few — or more than a few — reliable pairs of jeans in your closet is a necessary as owning underwear. The only problem is knowing where to get them. Most clothing brands make jeans and there are dozens of denim dedicated brands out there so it can be a challenge to sift through. Fortunately, we did the denim clad legwork for you and put together this roundup of the best mens jeans brands in the world.
AG Jeans
Price Range: $$$$
AG consistently sets a high bar in the premium denim market. After all, the LA-based brand pays attention to every detail in its denim-making process. From subtle fading among washes and unique tapering in each style, AG makes the perfect early-in-the-game date pants (in darker washes, of course). Not to mention, wearing the brand will give you something to talk about, as the company is committed to using only ethical factories and sustainable production processes.
A.P.C.
Price Range: $$$
A.P.C. is a French company that specializes in jeans made from Japanese Denim. They offer a wide range of fits, shades, and textures in their denim so they a look for every body type and style. Their designs are sleek and minimalist with no contrast stitching and no back pocket embroidery. The result is a unisex high fashion look but the quality is second to none. As a favorite among fashion industry professionals, chances are that your favorite fashion designer or writer wears A.P.C. jeans. A.P.C. is probably best know for their collaborations, having worked with brands ranging from Lacoste to BAPE.
DL1961
Price Range: $$$
DL1961 is a family-owned company that has been in the denim business for decades. The brand has dedicated their work to fit, function, and ethics. Through a vertical supply chain, DL1961 is able to control everything in the process of creating great jeans. From ethical factories to water and energy preservation, DL1961’s efforts have paved the way of sustainability in the denim industry. Since the brand creates everything in-house it is able to reduce the amount of emissions needed to produce each garment. In sustainable style, sometimes it’s difficult to get fit and comfort right, but this brand seems to have conquered it all.
Levi's
Price Range: $
Though the company was founded in 1853, it wasn’t until the 1960s that Levi Strauss & Co. would strike fashion gold when its pairs of blue jeans truly hit the everyday fashion scene and became the pant that everyone had to have. Half a century later and the Levi fever has yet to break as guys all over the world continue to purchase their jeans exclusively from the brand. And for good reason! Not only does Levi’s have a wide selection of different styles, washes, and colors available online, but it offers them up at affordable prices that are hard to beat.
Madewell
Price Range: $$
Madewell makes the perfect jeans to wear on a casual Friday. They are known to fit in all the right places, with comfort and fashion-conscious details, like a clean cuff that gives you the perfect pants-to-shoe ratio (yes that’s a thing). A cool, more casual younger brother to J.Crew, Madewell lives above faster fashion but below the premium price point. The solid collection of denim does not overwhelm the shopper and is perfect for all your day-to-day relaxed activities.
Buck Mason
Price Range: $$
Buck Mason is a Los Angeles based menswear brand that reproduces classic American silhouettes for its hip customer base. While the company’s got everything from flannels to jackets and sweaters, the crown jewel remains its selection of denim pants. They use classic denim like Japanese selvedge and modern denim like stretch blends in cuts designed for everyday wear. Most notable in the bunch is the brand’s 3-Month Wash jeans, which ship out with a broken-in feel that’s as comfortable as it would be if they’d been regularly laundered for three months.
Raleigh Denim Workshop
Price Range: $$$$
Raleigh, NC used to be the heart of American denim manufacturing a century ago before the industry moved overseas. Raleigh Denim Workshop is working to return that rich tradition back to American soil by turning some of the best denim in the world into some of the best jeans you can buy. They make small batches so there is a constantly refreshing assortment to choose from. Their jeans are not only great to look at but they are built to last decades with some TLC. These jeans are meant to be patched, stitched up and thrown back into the line of duty again and again.
Wrangler
Price Range: $
If name recognition is an important factor for you in the buying process, then you can’t go wrong with a pair of new jeans from Wrangler. Iconic for its durable, western aesthetic, Wrangler has been churning out quality denim goods since 1947. And while they may have originally been conceived for outdoor work, these jeans have since evolved into stylish pants appropriate for all different types of guys. We like a Wrangler jean for open fires, camping trips, spontaneous road trips with the boys, quick errands around town, and everything else in between.
Kapital
Price Range: $$$$$
Kapital was one of the first Japanese denim brands to become popular worldwide during the denim boom of the 2010s. They have since expanded into a complete clothing brand, becoming one of the most sought after names from Japan. At their heart, they're still a denim company and they make some of the most unique and artistic jeans you can find anywhere. They sell straight forward jeans but their best work comes with their ornately customized jeans. All the work is done by hand with embroidery, patches, paint, and distressing. Every pair looks like it took years of personalization to complete and will make any outfit stand out in the best way.
Todd Snyder
Price Range: $$
Todd Snyder is gifted at taking classic pieces of apparel, like hoodies and blazers, and perfecting all the little details. So the jeans he produces may look pretty common at first glance but upon closer inspection you find that they have been optimized for every day wear and long term durability. Denim is a quintessential fabric for the urban Americana aesthetic Todd Snyder has cornered as a solo act and as creative director for J.Crew before that. His jeans will fit perfectly into any wardrobe, no matter your personal style.
Rag & Bone
Price Range: $$$
Known for quality tailoring and craftsmanship, a pair of Rag and Bone jeans will last you forever, and actually get better with age. If you’re fishing for style compliments and prioritize impeccable fit and edgy details, wear their jeans. The New York-based brand is worth the price point.
7 for All Mankind
Price Range: $$$
7 for All Mankind became popular during the great denim resurgence of the 2010s. They're mostly known for their women's jeans but their men's jeans are equally stylish and well made. Their fits are mostly on the slimmer side and come with a pre-worn look. It's an excellent brand to go with if you want that high end fashion denim look for a moderate and fair price.
Abercrombie & Fitch
Price Range: $
I know what you're thinking but hear us out. The crestfallen mall retailer has become a completely different company from one depicted in the recent Netflix documentary. While they were known for showing little to no clothing in their marketing, they have actually always produced great denim. Not only has their denim quality remained though all the drama, but their prices have become much less inflated. Now A&F has become a low key destination for affordable, great looking denim in a vast range of fits and finishes.
Acne Studios
Price Range: $$$$
Acne Studios is known for producing very specific fits. Their current line features a series of fits based on and named after specific years — 1978, 1991, 1992, 2003, and 2021. Each one is an exaggerated snapshot of what jeans looked like in those years. The Stockholm-based brand has always been satirical with their designs and marketing, making really good clothing while expressing the belief that fashion should be fun and never taken too seriously.
Outerknown
Price Range: $$
Outerknown is a sustainable menswear brand that’s as dedicated to saving the planet as it is to ensuring its customers look great. The company achieves this by being upfront about its supply chain, from the materials it sources to the suppliers it works with. When it comes to denim, this manifests in the brand’s S.E.A. jeans, which are built entirely of organic cotton and guaranteed for life. This means if they rip, break, or tear, you can send them back to Outerknown and they’ll get fixed right up. The idea is that you can then invest in the jeans you really want, knowing they’ll endure season after season. And while this kind of service would normally cost a pretty penny, Outerknown’s denim pants are surprisingly affordable.
A quick history lesson: You may have noticed that most of the brands listed here use Japanese denim, even the brands that aren't from Japan. That is because the Japanese market was going crazy for American denim in the 1970s and 1980s around the same time that American denim manufacturing was shutting down and going overseas. When American factories were closing, Japanese denim enthusiasts bought up the old milling equipment and set up shop in Japan. By the time Americans and Europeans started caring about the quality of their denim again in the late 2000s, Japan was the only place left on the planet making top quality denim on old American equipment. Even though high quality denim production techniques have spread across the globe over the past decade, including coming back to America, Japan is still the king of denim.
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