The Prizes
Naked & Famous
5 Items (Winner’s Choice)
Year after year, Naked & Famous challenge the limits of what is possible with raw denim. From glow-in-the-dark and scratch-n-sniff denim to cashmere blends and ultra-heavy raws, they continually ask those what if questions that make their brand such a distinctive presence in the market.
Wesco
Mister Lou in custom leather
For more than a century, Wesco has proved itself to be one of the world’s most dependable and uncompromising builders. Whether you polish your boots a few times a month or push their breaking point, Wesco’s boots will never let you down.
SOSO
Custom Leather Jacket
Sweden-based SoSo aims to be the world’s largest producer of affordable, custom-made, high-quality denim. They’ve made leaps and strides as a brand over the last decade, and each step along the way, they’ve shown that they are plugged into this community.
Signet
Two Pairs (winner’s choice)
Manila’s Signet has been outfitting stylish denimheads for nearly a decade. Founded by three friends with a shared passion for classic tailoring, Japanese selvedge, and fine leather footwear, the shop is brimming with incredible pieces from the world’s best menswear brands.
Self Edge
$500 Gift Certificate
The backbone of the American scene on both coasts and south of the border, Self Edge offers unbeatable selection, exclusive collaborations, and knowledgeable staff. Look no further if you want the best that the denim world has to offer.
Lost & Found
Real McCoy’s Denim Coat
In Canada, good workwear stockists can be thousands of miles apart. Wet your compass with Toronto’s Lost & Found as magnetic north. Their carefully curated selection of well-made goods make them a North Star in the fashion wilderness.
Redcast Heritage
Denim Jacket (winner’s choice)
Spain’s premier destination for high-quality and vintage-inspired menswear, Redcast Heritage have quickly made a name for themselves as purveyors of some of Japan’s most exclusive and hard-to-find denim labels. Their roster of brands grows more impressive with every passing year.
Rivet & Hide
1 Pair (winner’s choice)
Rivet & Hide have been a pillar of the European scene since 2012. Two year after founding their business online, they planted their feet in central London with their first brick and mortar store, which quickly became a beacon for denimheads.
James Dant
1 Pair of Iron Heart
The impeccably well-dressed people at James Dant have a discerning eye for well-made pieces that are as rugged as they are stylish. Like the well-made goods that they sell (and wear), the 7-year-old shop in Indianapolis, Indiana is just getting better with age.
Brave Star
$350 Gift Certificate
Founded in 2005, Brave Star were the first premium Made in the US selvedge brand. A true classic in the American scene, they boast some of the most loyal customers in the scene thanks to their ability to effortlessly balance value and quality, durability and stylishness.
Proper Cloth
2 Custom Shirts
The positive reviews for this custom shirt maker keep piling up. Their fitting algorithm will help you make sure that your first Proper Cloth shirt (and every one after that) will be the best-fitting shirt you’ve ever had. An unbeatable shirting experience.
Stock Tank
1 Piece
Born in the Canadian wilds but maturing in Los Angeles, Stock Tank produces everything in small batches. This icon in the making has one of our favourite selvedge lines for women, spectacular custom lids, and one of the best-looking Type IIIs.
Obbigood
2 Belts
Singapore-based Obbigood Label has been focusing on crafting hand-made leather pieces that are both unique and useful. Their belts, bags, and wallets can be found in dozens of quality-good stockists around the world, and they are appreciated by those know quality when they see it.
Timeless
Belt + Wallet
Picky leather lovers know that Germany’s Timeless Leather Craftsmanship are Europe’s best belt maker. If you’re looking for the perfect and stylish compliment for your well-made selvedge, you can’t go wrong if you make the Timeless choice.
PigeonTree
Championship Belt
This one-man operation produces a wide range of beautiful leather products, but Isaac has become a household name among denim enthusiasts for his leather belts. For the discerning selvedge enthusiast, no outfit is complete without one.
Okayama Denim
Top-to-Bottom Outfit
Long-time friends of the competition, Okayama Denim continues to impress with their spectacular collaborations with top-shelf Japanese brands and their dedication to world-beating customer service. Truly, the best bridge between East and West.
Route Blue
Make Your Own Jacket
With a top-five finish in Year One, Route Blue started making waves in our little community, and these waves have grown larger with each passing year. A great choice for those looking for fast-fading heavy pairs.
Heaton Knife Co.
Denim Handle Knife
For those who appreciate the artistry of the forge, a piece from Heaton Knife Co. might be the last knife you ever need. From end to end, they’re true works of serviceable art. If you are looking for something sharp and new to add to your EDC, look no further.
Choochai Indigo
1 Pair of Handwoven Jeans
An up and comer in the custom denim scene, Thailand’s Choochai Indigo has only been producing custom garments for a few years, but his attention to detail and his impeccable fits have made his made-to-fade pieces some of the most desirable items for denim enthusiasts everywhere.
Nama Denim
2 Pairs of Jeans
The world is starting to appreciate the depths of Thailand’s passion for denim, thanks in no small part to makers like Nama. The Bangkok-based brand has built a stellar reputation on the back of their fast-fading denims and smart tailoring.
Léon Denim
1 Jeans or Jacket
The pride of Manila, Léon Denim has been producing hand-crafted vintage-inspired workwear since 2014. They are proud to be the first Filipino-made raw selvedge brand, and they are proving with every new release that they belong on the big stage.
Benzak
2 x €250 Gift Certificates
With beautiful collaborations under their belt with Samurai and Japan Blue Jeans, Benzak Denim Developers are making sure that the mark they leave on this scene is an indelible one. A great choice for those who want to fuse Japanese craftsmanship and European styling.
Utilitees
5 x Natural Indigo Tees
The makers of our favourite butter-soft, made-in-Japan, loopwheel tees are leaping from strength to strength. They’ve recently introduced natural indigo, and the results are truly breathtaking. Simple and classic. The perfect tee.
Braves & Co
Fredi Over Shirt
Braves & Company manage to blend old-world Italian tailoring with a thoroughly modern ethos. Their artisanal pieces are made in small batches with complete transparency. Each piece is meant to be worn just like it’s made: passionately and slowly.
Ginger Wood
Kakishibu-Dyed Bowl
Since purchasing his first lathe in 2008, German artisan Franz Keilhofer has been creating functional wood pieces that can stand on their own as works of art. He’s recently started to introduce Japanese indigo and kakishibu to his work, resulting in a breathtaking fusion of colour and craft.
Herzflimmern
Story Portrait
Vienna-born photographer and illustrator Nadine Keilhofer seeks inspiration in daily life and in the colourful blending of the handmade and the nature-made. Nadine works with a wide range of publishers and both corporate and private clients.
Carmine Jack
Belt + Toiletries Bag
With leather artisan Ryan Buonamia at the helm, Carmine Jack specialises in Oak Bark tanned leather from legendary tannery J&FJ Baker & Co. Their 5.5mm thick belts are not just beautiful. They might just be the last belt you’ll ever need to purchase.
Bweiss Leather
2 Super Beast Belts
Every Bweisss Leather piece is hand measured and hand cut. Starting with the absolute best hides, they produce leather pieces that are designed to last a lifetime. Their 19/21oz Super Beast belt, featuring a solid brass made-in-Japan buckle, is the perfect companion for ultra heavyweight selvedge.
Tate + Yoko
Japanese for warp and weft, Montreal’s Tate + Yoko (part of the Naked & Famous family) are one of the world’s premier quality-goods outlets. With a focus on Japanese-made, superior-quality garments, they can outfit even the most exacting denimheads from head to toe.
The Unbranded Brand
Part of the Naked & Famous family, Unbranded offers a no-frills approach to raw denim that appeals to those who couldn’t care less about celebrity endorsements. No embroidery and no ad campaigns. Their denim speaks for itself.
Graph Zero
1 Pair of Jeans
One of the most innovative brands in the Japanese scene, Graph Zero pieces somehow manage to be both vintage workwear and modern design objects. A brand to watch for all those who explore the space where old and new meet.