Our story
Our vision: No washes. No distressing. Just raw denim from Japan, cut and sewn in Canada, built to last, and fade on your terms.
Nous sommes un peu obsédés par le denim – d'accord, peut-être même beaucoup. Mais c'est parce que nous nous engageons à nous approvisionner et à fabriquer uniquement les denims les plus uniques et exceptionnels auprès de prestigieuses usines japonaises. Ces usines ne sont pas seulement luxueuses, elles sont légendaires. Elles allient héritage traditionnel et méthodes et pratiques modernes. Tant de culture et d'histoire sont intégrées à ce tissu qu'il est apprécié des puristes du denim.
Notre approche est simple : nous privilégions un denim brut, authentique et exempt de fioritures ou de traitements superflus. Autrement dit, pas de pré-vieillissement, pas de broderies voyantes ni de délavages sophistiqués. Nous oublions les publicités de célébrités et les campagnes publicitaires coûteuses, investissant plutôt dans des tissus de qualité et une construction précise pour offrir le meilleur denim à des prix accessibles.
Et voici une chose dont nous sommes très fiers : chacun de nos jeans est coupé, cousu et fini ici même au Canada. Cela a toujours été le cas et cela le sera toujours.
Voilà l’essentiel, mais si vous êtes curieux d’en savoir plus sur notre parcours, nos racines et ce qui nous fait vibrer, continuez à lire.
2008: Launch
We launched to challenge the premium denim industry—no celebrities, no gimmicks, no washes. Just the world’s best Japanese selvedge, made in Canada, and priced honestly. Brandon Svarc, a third-generation garment maker from Montréal, set the tone: obsessive about fabric, allergic to nonsense, and ready to have fun.
2011: First Store
We launched our first store, Tate + Yoko, right here in Montreal—where the garment industry shaped the city and our roots run deep. Our head office stands in the heart of what was once the needle trade’s core. While most of the industry faded, we stayed. Every product is still made in Canada, and this space lets us share the full Naked & Famous Denim lineup alongside other brands we admire.
2012: World Record
We launched the 32 oz Super Heavyweight denim—the heaviest jeans ever produced at the time. Woven in Okayama, Japan, on vintage shuttle looms, it used yarns as thick as those found in carpets or sailboat sails. Production was so demanding that only two pairs could be made per day, each requiring three machine operators. Brandon Svarc joked, “Guaranteed uncomfortable or your money back.”
2015: Nippon Bloom
In 2015, Naked & Famous Denim launched the Made in Japan series and introduced a new logo. Dubbed the “Flower of Carnage,” it is a Japanese manga-inspired interpretation of the original Naked & Famous Denim “Tragic Blond” pop-art logo.
2018: Hello SoHo
We needed a U.S. home that could carry everything we make—every fit, fabric, and experiment—and SoHo was the obvious choice: high traffic, denim-literate customers, and global visibility. We built our New York City flagship store our way, with Japanese raw-denim floor tiles that fade underfoot, indigo-dyed counters, and boro-lined change rooms. There’s even a secret door behind antique Kokeshi dolls.
2025: Heaviest Ever
From the start, we’ve chased heavyweight denim—18 oz, 19 oz, 21 oz, 24 oz, and 26 oz—culminating in our 32 oz record-breaker. When others went heavier, we went all in: the 40 oz Super Heavyweight Selvedge. Woven in Okayama on modified shuttle looms, it was so dense that multiple operators needed days to sew one pair. It was finished with 30 oz cowhide patches, elk-sinew stitching, copper rivets, and WALDES zippers.
Why “Naked & Famous Denim”?
The backstory behind our name
We're a fun, tongue-in-cheek name, poking fun at 'Hollywood' and 'Glamour' celeb brands!
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