SL: How was it to fold this dynamism into the production of an actual product?

Kiya: It was quite easy. We put out a template for what we wanted to see, and users gave their input, and when we would produce a sample we'd put up photographs and people would comment on what they wanted changed, and we'd make up another sample. The patch itself was designed by the famous JimmyC of Superfuture, which as a design company in Texas. So it was all kept within the forum.

SL: Were there any comments about the denim itself, or the cut, that surprised you?

Kiay: People are very much stuck on a tapered jean right now, so I thought, "Hey, if I'm able to get 300 people to wear a jean that Self Edge made, why not get them to try something new." So we did a jean that was a straight-cut, slightly slimmed down, with a straight leg with little to no taper.

I think it's easy to get stuck on one thing in clothing, especially if you spend a lot of time on forums because you have thousands of people strengthening your perception of what looks good and what doesn't.

There's this look that's missing right now in jeans, the classic slim look. Many forget that there WAS a slim jean look fifty years ago, the badasses wore their jeans very slim by sizing down two or three sizes on their straight fit jeans. The look was strengthened by the motorcycle outlaw look. A "classic motorcycle jacket" in black leather, jeans sized down three, and black leather harness strap boots. What I mean by "classic motorcycle jacket" is the Perfecto jacket..

SL: Totally an outlaw look. Fit is a strange animal in denim. Many of my friends seem to be looking for more of a trouser than a jean when they buy denim, and I often like to ask about the difference between denim and the fashion jean. Is it discernable, is it a completely different thing?

Kiya: It's difference lays in the materials used for production and also the fit and stylings of the jean. It can be argued that there's no difference between a Real Japan Blues straight leg repro jean made of period correct denim in 13.75oz weight and a pair of Diesel jeans.

Then again there's the middle ground, the brands cashing in on the reproduced denim look and feel, but lacking in the actual styling and quality found on a true repro or the original from fifty years ago.

SL: Totally, 18-months or so ago, I was thinking about how the selvedge line is sometimes used as almost a veneer of quality manufacture.

Kiya: Which is completely incorrect, as many have learned