There’s something so beautiful about traditional Japanese culture and craftsmanship — each delicate and deliberate flick of a geisha’s wrist in a tea ceremony, the precise folds in an origami piece, the intense training and careful preparation behind a single piece of sushi, best exemplified in the documentary Jiro Dreams of Sushi, and, yes, even Daniel-San’s winning crane kick in The Karate Kid (yes, it was beautiful).
It shouldn’t be any surprise that Japanese jeans are made with the same precision and mastery. Denim enthusiasts know the premium quality of Japanese denim, a result of the unique production methods born and perfected in the Okayama Prefecture after World War II. Japanese youth had become fascinated with the second-hand pairs of jeans left by US soldiers, as well as the image of an impossibly handsome James Dean brooding in a pair of jeans in Rebel Without A Cause. So traditional textile manufacturers in the town of Kojima sought to perfect the knowledge and production of denim, and by the 1970s, the denim industry was flourishing in Okayama for their incredibly well-made jeans.
Imagine my surprise when I learned that Japanese jeans are available in our local department stores and that I didn’t have to pay $2,000 for a pair. And imagine how skeptical I was when I heard that the brand was Bobson.
As a ‘90s kid, I grew up seeing Aga Muhlach’s very pogi mug on the Bobson ads in teen magazines, but as I walked into Sakura by Edo-San restaurant, I was welcomed by a very different brand, as well as two geisha girls at the entrance, smiling demurely at me. There were rows of modern and sleek jeans. Signs with their logo, which is a red dot, just like the one on the Japanese flag. Images of guys and girls dressed in clean, crisp, and minimalist styles. And more importantly, a timeline of their brand’s history. Apparently, Bobson is an authentic Japanese brand, and they’re reclaiming their traditional roots, which trace right back to the birthplace of Japanese denim: Okayama.
Founded by Toshiharu Ozaki in Okayama prefecture in 1969, Bobson has 54 years of Japanese denim heritage, and today, they still use the same traditional construction methods from when they were founded. This means that each pair of jeans is a product of the many years of tradition, training, and craftsmanship perfected by Bobson.
“Bobson is here to redefine the jeans scene in the Philippines,” declared Bobson’s brand director Chris Magnaye as he welcomed us to the brand’s official launch. To celebrate, Chef Edo-San himself came out to show us the careful way he makes his signature sushi by hand, which is the same care that Bobson puts into making their jeans. An interesting video showed a red dot-lipped geisha uttering the traditional and apparently correct way to say the brand’s name from its four-character Katakana spelling: Bo. Bu. So. Nn. But Chris was quick to point out that it wasn’t just about keeping up a Japanese image; Bobson (or Bo-Bu-So-Nn) is the real thing. “A touch of the fabric and examination of the construction reveals that the fine craftsmanship is present in each pair of jeans.” he said, whipping out a pair for us to see and touch.
Most people usually just fit the jeans and check out how they look before deciding to buy them. But as Chris revealed each element in their denim DNA, I realized there was so much more to jeans — or at least, to Bobson jeans. Not a single stitch or thread in their jeans is an accident. Their denim is made with a left hand twill, which is a softer way of weaving that results in a pair of jeans that fits and feels like a second skin. While most jeans are made with seven to nine stitches per inch, Bobson’s jeans are made with 11, for a finer and more refined look. When you fold up the bottom, you’ll see a clean and open outseam finish. I never really noticed the outseam before (after all, it’s inside the pants), but now that I have, it just looks a lot sleeker and more finished, without raw edges and loose threads.The jeans also have unique hang loops for easy and wrinkle-free storage, an extended waist band that folds over the area where the front button goes for more durability, a stronger J-shaped belt loop, and dart stitching at the back of the women’s jeans to follow and enhance those curves back there. Yup, the Japanese really do think of everything, and with their legendary attention to detail and commitment to quality, it seems that Bobson has created the perfect pair of jeans — comfortable, fits incredibly well, and impeccably made.
As I took a closer look at each of the four fits for both men and women, I had to admire the modern and minimalist styles of each one. The boys’ fits range from a slim straight fit (the Okayama) to a skinnier one (Shizuoka), while the girls’ fits are mostly skinny, from the high-rise, regular-waist tube jeans (Ria) to the low-rise jeggings for curvier waists (Juri). You may not see any über trendy cuts or washes, but when you spot the Bobson’s details or its signature crest-shaped pocket (made in the shape of the founding family’s crest) — or more importantly, when you finally wear them — you’ll realize the difference and the beauty of pure Japanese denim. Other brands can say their jeans are Japanese-made, but only Bobson has over five decades of authentic denim heritage and superior craftsmanship straight from Japan’s denim capital.
* * *
For more information, visit bobsonjapan.com or follow them on Facebook (facebook.com/bobsonjapan), Twitter or Instagram (@bobsonjapan).