After growing somewhat jaded with the sneaker and wristwatch game, last spring I turned my attention (obsession?) towards the world of fine denim. Much like my hunt for the perfect pair of kicks, my search began in the many boutiques around NYC, looking at and trying on ridiculously over-priced denim.

From there, and as well as online research, I got a sense of the top names in denim. Unlike the sneaker game, which is usually about obscure and/or super limited designs by major companies like Nike or Adidas, the denim game is more about small companies that are for the most part unknown by most people except stylists, fashionistas, and denim-heads. My future posts about denim will spotlight my favorite finds over the last year, but first I feel the need to explain why anyone would want to spend over $100 on a pair of jeans.

So, what makes “premium denim” so special? There are many fine points to consider when discussing denim, but to keep it simple, it’s all about four things: fabric, cut, finishing, and exclusivity.

Get schooled after the jump…
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