Brandon Svarc is the founder of Naked and Famous Denim — a Montreal-based line that proves you don’t have to be a celebrity to own a nice pair of jeans. We met Brandon at a show in New York a few months ago and were immediately struck by the simplicity and quality of his line. There were no flashy logos on the back pockets or crazy washes to speak of; just a solid pair of jeans. The company worked with a mill in Japan to develop their signature “Silk Denim” – a blended fabric containing 30% silk. The rest of the line features eight unique types of Japanese selvedge sewn in Canada and left raw and untreated, allowing you to make the jeans famous all on your own.
We chatted with Brandon over email the other day and got him to spill secrets on what makes his company successful and why Canadians do it better than anyone else.
Who are you? I’m a Canadian denim-nerd.
What do you do? I make jeans out of the most rare and unique denim in the world.
When did you start the company? One year ago! Feb. 2008.
What made you decide to start the company? I started the company because I wanted to challenge the bullshit in the “premium denim” industry. Our philosophy is simple: we use an expensive and superior denim fabric, but keep it raw and simple (no washes, no treatments, no embroidery, no advertising, no celebrity giveaways) so we can sell it for less. We are the only “luxury value” denim brand.
Where does the name of your line come from? The name Naked & Famous is satire. It’s meant to make fun of celebrity-obsessed culture and Hollywood brands that sell inferior jeans for $300.
What are your inspirations for the line? We don’t have “inspirations” or “trends” like other brands. We just try to find the craziest fabric available and combine them with good modern fits.
What did you do before this? I graduated in Finance at McGill University in Montreal… Jeans are more fun than Finance though.
Future plans for the company? More product lines made from rare materials but for good prices: python skin belts, Japanese gabardine suits, oxford cotton shirts, leather boots, 21oz denim underwear…
Tell me something Canadians do better than anyone else. Hockey, eh? (That’s a boring answer… I should have said “Sex in minus-40 degree weather.”)
Finish the sentence: “A good pair of jeans…” Is still not a good as sex in minus-40 degree weather with a lovely Canadian lady.
Anything else? Denim is better than corduroy… oops!
- TC
