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    Fall/Winter 2026 - Collection Preview Now Live

    Ask Giles and/or Alex Anything

    The Resource Centre
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    • northsouthdenimguyN
      northsouthdenimguy
      啓蒙家
      Joined:

      Maybe this is common knowledge and I just missed it, but do you/Haraki have any ownership or investment in the mills that produce your fabrics? Or are they all independent partners?

      @selveldgesteps

      last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
      • GilesG
        Giles
        IHUK Crew
        Joined:

        Independent

        "OK face up to it - you're useless but generally pretty honest and straightforward . . . it's a rare combination of qualities that I have come to admire in you" - Geo 2011

        last edited by northsouthdenimguyN 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
        • S
          Slash
          Raw and Unwashed
          Joined:

          Didn't know Levi was in the high-end Japanese denim.
          Looking at their offer, I fail to understand the appeal for 12oz denim priced at 295$...
          Monopolizing the mills for that is a scandal 😛

          last edited by W 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 2
          • northsouthdenimguyN
            northsouthdenimguy
            啓蒙家
            @Giles
            Joined:

            @Giles

            That’s what I thought. As a small business owner, my gut says owning a mill would be one of the last things I’d want to sink millions of dollars into. Seems like you’d have to keep it running at a massive scale and probably make products for a lot more than just the Iron Heart community to make the numbers work.

            @selveldgesteps

            last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
            • W
              will6er
              The Unwoven
              @Slash
              Joined:

              @Slash A "non demim" person was talking to me about Levis Blue Tab. They are advertising is as Japan made and the Japan made is expensive but the collection is probably 10-15% Japan made, similar Japan made denim made up china, rest china / cheap location. I guess they are taking a lot of capacity but there isn't enough for the whole collection.

              TLDR - Blue label looked to me that they are marking up on the perception of a premium product from premium locations but mostly it isn't.

              last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
              • S
                Slash
                Raw and Unwashed
                Joined:

                The ones I looked up were the "vintage" ones where it's stated its "12oz red line selvedge denim".
                For the "Blue tab" ones (priced 250$) nothing is mentioned at all, which is probably like you say because its not that noteworthy, to say the least 😃

                405$ for a trucker jacket with non provided denim weight, provenance, or nice details, except the global "made in Japan" ! 😕

                Please M. Levi, make some room for the real deal 😃

                last edited by Slash goosehdG 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
                • goosehdG
                  goosehd
                  Mod Squad
                  @Slash
                  Joined:

                  @Slash Just like every other fad before (Rolex’s and other higher end watches, Custom Knives (or production knives pretending to be custom), Sneakers, etc.) the denim thing will fade with time and everything will return to normal. Blame the flippers or what not, but I hate the game and wish people only bought what they truly wanted instead of trying to make a quick buck.

                  “our policy of no discussions regarding politics, religion, asparagus, and other controversial issues.” - Andrew

                  last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 2
                  • wjwW
                    wjw
                    Haraki san Expert
                    Joined:

                    Levis also has terrible sizing info. Not good enough for me to want to try their better quality stuff

                    777S-21 |777SST | 634S-ib-c | 634XHS | 634UHR | IHSH-293-OD | IHSH-130-GB | IHSH-337 | IHSH-422

                    last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
                    • jimcordJ
                      jimcord
                      Raw and Unwashed
                      Joined:

                      Giles/Alex, with your long standing relationship with Haraki-san and Iron Heart both personal and professional, what Japanese cultural attitudes or behaviors would you say have changed or been implemented into your way of thinking and life? Do you think your British behaviors or mannerisms have changed Haraki as well?

                      last edited by AlexA 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 6
                      • AlexA
                        Alex
                        IHUK Crew
                        @jimcord
                        Joined:

                        @jimcord that's a tough one - I probably have adopted a few things subconsciously, but im not sure what they are. I try to put myself in the headspace of our Japanese colleagues when communicating with them, which I think helps ease communication and minimise clashes. I am not sure Haraki has adoped much of the british/western way of thinking, but his openess to listen to us is in itself quite unusual.

                        last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 4
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