bespoke denim in DTLA ~ Den.m Bar

[mastrocity]

what's up SUFU!!!

I'm not sure if this has been posted yet, sorry if it has but I thought I'd share my recent discovery as this brand may serve as a linking to fellow SuFu readers. I recently ran across a small DTLA storefront called "Den.M Bar" (yeah just like that). At first I thought it was a variation of a denim bar but I was surprised to find out that they do all bespoke (custom order) work. Every pair is handmade in the very same store!! Haven't seen much of these types of spots in DTLA so it's definitely worth a look. They have several types of denim and rivets to choose from (yes selvedge too) and they make it all according to measurement. I was told the entire process would take up to a week to complete a pair.

Here's the website if anyone is interested:http://www.denmbar.com

As for the pricing, final product runs about $200 which is fair being that $200 is on par with most ready-to-wear products. I've scheduled a fitting and I'll keep everyone updated on my pair!

Edited June 18, 2012 by mastrocity

[unfuccwittable]

thanks for posting this. I really like their bowties. I live nearby and I'd love to ask them some questions about their bespoke process. Specifically, would it possible for them to make jeans with hardware supplied by the buyer. I have a bunch of vintage buttons that I've always wanted to use on clothes, but I don't have the knack for making them. Seems like a good time to use them

[jus schilling]

holy shit.. 200 a pair?? ive had them on my tumblr, and seen a lot of photos of the shop/product.. i think their jeans look pretty nice.. and figured it was way bougie upper- class stuff (not in my price range) based off all of the pictures, and that it being bespoke.. i also liked the skull buttons.. wondering if anyone whos had a pair made could chime in?

[coffeehigh]

I created an account just for this post after realizing there's a whole world of denim head talk outside of rawr denim. I'm looking at my email receipt right now, its actually 282.75 after taxes. I went in for a fitting last week, finally (took 4 weeks). Jeans were long at the hem, the guy there Zack said it's long on purpose so they can take it in afterwards. I got a LHT Swift denim fabric. Fit me solid throughout, although I asked them to take an inch off the leg opening.

The guys there are really cool and supportive. I imagined the bespoke process would be run by know it all assholes but they're the total opposite. Laidback and they take pride in their work. You really get to customize your jeans and they'll walk you through it until you're satisfied. I still need to go back and pick up my finished pair but I would say it's worth the price especially since you're supporting a local business.

[den.m bar]

Happy to hear you like what you saw so far and thank you for the kind words. We'll see you soon when you pick yours up!

I created an account just for this post after realizing there's a whole world of denim head talk outside of rawr denim. I'm looking at my email receipt right now, its actually 282.75 after taxes. I went in for a fitting last week, finally (took 4 weeks). Jeans were long at the hem, the guy there Zack said it's long on purpose so they can take it in afterwards. I got a LHT Swift denim fabric. Fit me solid throughout, although I asked them to take an inch off the leg opening.

The guys there are really cool and supportive. I imagined the bespoke process would be run by know it all assholes but they're the total opposite. Laidback and they take pride in their work. You really get to customize your jeans and they'll walk you through it until you're satisfied. I still need to go back and pick up my finished pair but I would say it's worth the price especially since you're supporting a local business.

[den.m bar]

Hey there!

To answer your question, yes you can bring in your own buttons and even your own pocket lining! We had some customers bring in old plaid shirts which we turned them into pockets. Feel free to swing by our store if you have any questions and check us out as we look forward in seeing you soon!

thanks for posting this. I really like their bowties. I live nearby and I'd love to ask them some questions about their bespoke process. Specifically, would it possible for them to make jeans with hardware supplied by the buyer. I have a bunch of vintage buttons that I've always wanted to use on clothes, but I don't have the knack for making them. Seems like a good time to use them

[jus schilling]

280 is still not bad (awsome name btw, coffee).. that one company in nyc, 3x1 i think, does bespoke for a g spot and their stuff is traaaaaaaash.. or atleast just looks like crap.. their off the shelf stuff is like 500 and looks just like a 100 dollar pair..

too bad im not in LA right now.. but cant wait to see how these wear over time.. and keeping up with yall on tumblr.. wish you guys the best of luck..

[shinobi2000]

i'm surprised there isn't more discussion about 3x1. This is the first I'm hearing about its denim being "trash" They boast of denim from mills in Japan (Kubaro, Collect, Kaihara and of course Cone in usa) but I haven't heard of these mills yet. All the reviews I've read only talk about the customization and make no mention of the denim qualities like weight, dye, fading etc. Den.m.bar is smart to come here and chat with us. A good way for you guys to make this forum salivate is if you give an in depth look at the denim itself and not just on the customization process.

[jus schilling]

im sure the denim they use is good.. i just wasnt feeling the look.. $1,200, with their off the shelf stuff $400-500.. people on rawrdenim didnt seem to be fans of it either..

[coffeehigh]

You guys know the founder of 3by1 is the same guy that launched paper denim and earnest sewn right? So he definitely knows what he's doing. Granted, I'm pretty stoke so far with my bespoke pair but if I had the money to burn, I would definitely want a pair from the guru of denim.

On another note, Kurabo and Kaihara are legit denim mills. But that term is in itself a misnomer. All these guys, Cone Denim, Nisshinbo, etc are large corporations with revenue in the tens of millions, if not hundreds. So the cute idea of a small fabric mill pumping out fabric by the 100 yard bolt is just marketing.

THERE are definitely smaller denim fabric purveyors but all the ones I've seen mention are big dogs. Sorry to rain on the parade, I work in the natural foods industry and a lot of "small" operations are actually owned by larger corporate holding companies.

[mastrocity]

what up SUFU,

been hella busy but was finally able to find time for a fitting. I've added some pics to detail out the process. This is only a fitting, so I was measured and was able to picked out the fabric and materials that will go into my final pair. I want to point out that you should wear a pair of denim coming here so they have something to work off of. I came in bball shorts and had to put on a sample pair of fitting, took a little longer but wasn't an issue. Anyways, enough with the talk, lets see some pics - enjoy ::

PART 1 : The Fitting

1. Filling out the Form.. didn't know jeans required this many measurements but it all starts with this. Depending on the cut, they offer options of more customization.

2. Choosing your cut: They offer 4 templates to work off of. I chose Slim Tapered

3. Choosing Denim Material: this places stocks an impressive rack quality variety of denim, I saw pretty stoked at the selection of Japanese denim. But I ended up going for the 130z Cone Denim... Felt good so why not?

4. Details and accents: wasn't too used to seeing different yarn colors on my denim so choosing yarn color and pocket linings was fun. Theres also a bunch of rivets to choose from. Zipper fly only.. I was also unaware but if you have your OWN pocket-lining material you would like to use instead of theirs, bring it in. I almost rescheduled to go find fabric but their selection worked out... Den.M Bar also has the option for custom engraving on the leather patch on the back, I went with the default. I'll post for yall to see when its done..

5. Taking Measurements: I got measured from calves and hips up to waist area. Using the measurements they draw out a mock scale or template of your fit that will be used to start the bespoke process. I took pics of what they look like...

Bonus pic of the store:

Overall the entire fitting process took less than 30 minutes depending on how picky you are. The staff there were friendly and helpful, I expected snobbier - so thanks. The experience is very much like getting a custom suit. Now that the first part is over, I was told to wait a week or so before getting called in again to try on the work-in progress. From there I'll have the option to alter any measurements before getting the final product. I hope this was helpful SUFU'ers. Stay tuned for PART 2

Edited August 23, 2012 by mastrocity

[coffeehigh]

Yes, I remember that shop well, it was hot as heck in there. Stoked with my jeans, when I get a chance, I'll upload a couple pictures. I do wish my pockets were bigger, I always carry a lot of stuff on me. My next pair I'll add oversized interior pockets.

[boomtime8]

def a cool process...can't wait to see the finished product

[mastrocity]

i'm surprised there isn't more discussion about 3x1. This is the first I'm hearing about its denim being "trash" They boast of denim from mills in Japan (Kubaro, Collect, Kaihara and of course Cone in usa) but I haven't heard of these mills yet. All the reviews I've read only talk about the customization and make no mention of the denim qualities like weight, dye, fading etc. Den.m.bar is smart to come here and chat with us. A good way for you guys to make this forum salivate is if you give an in depth look at the denim itself and not just on the customization process.

agreed, I'll wait on this or till my pair is done to take a better look. but until then, Den.M Bar, the world would like to know..

[dinoo82]

what up SUFU,

been hella busy but was finally able to find time for a fitting. I've added some pics to detail out the process. This is only a fitting, so I was measured and was able to picked out the fabric and materials that will go into my final pair. I want to point out that you should wear a pair of denim coming here so they have something to work off of. I came in bball shorts and had to put on a sample pair of fitting, took a little longer but wasn't an issue. Anyways, enough with the talk, lets see some pics - enjoy ::

PART 1 : The Fitting

1. Filling out the Form.. didn't know jeans required this many measurements but it all starts with this. Depending on the cut, they offer options of more customization.

2. Choosing your cut: They offer 4 templates to work off of. I chose Slim Tapered

3. Choosing Denim Material: this places stocks an impressive rack quality variety of denim, I saw pretty stoked at the selection of Japanese denim. But I ended up going for the 130z Cone Denim... Felt good so why not?

4. Details and accents: wasn't too used to seeing different yarn colors on my denim so choosing yarn color and pocket linings was fun. Theres also a bunch of rivets to choose from. Zipper fly only.. I was also unaware but if you have your OWN pocket-lining material you would like to use instead of theirs, bring it in. I almost rescheduled to go find fabric but their selection worked out... Den.M Bar also has the option for custom engraving on the leather patch on the back, I went with the default. I'll post for yall to see when its done..

5. Taking Measurements: I got measured from calves and hips up to waist area. Using the measurements they draw out a mock scale or template of your fit that will be used to start the bespoke process. I took pics of what they look like...

Bonus pic of the store:

Overall the entire fitting process took less than 30 minutes depending on how picky you are. The staff there were friendly and helpful, I expected snobbier - so thanks. The experience is very much like getting a custom suit. Now that the first part is over, I was told to wait a week or so before getting called in again to try on the work-in progress. From there I'll have the option to alter any measurements before getting the final product. I hope this was helpful SUFU'ers. Stay tuned for PART 2

Very cool concept! After reading your post and seeing how its made, I'm quite interested in checking this place out. Can't wait for part 2!

[den.m bar]

i'm surprised there isn't more discussion about 3x1. This is the first I'm hearing about its denim being "trash" They boast of denim from mills in Japan (Kubaro, Collect, Kaihara and of course Cone in usa) but I haven't heard of these mills yet. All the reviews I've read only talk about the customization and make no mention of the denim qualities like weight, dye, fading etc. Den.m.bar is smart to come here and chat with us. A good way for you guys to make this forum salivate is if you give an in depth look at the denim itself and not just on the customization process.

Thanks for the feed back, and we really appreciate this post. We are currently preparing to launch/post a lookbook to display more vivid photos of our product for the world to enjoy very soon. Also, we only carry UNSANFORIZED denim.

Here is a detailed list of the several different types we offer, more info can be found at our official site, http://www.denmbar.com/

1. Nisshinbo - 100% cotton, 14 ounces (Japanese selvedge)

2. Nisshinbo - 98% cotton, 2% lycra, 13 ounces (Japanese raw denim)

3. Cone Denim (White Oak Mill) - 100% cotton, 13.5 ounces (American blue selvedge)

4. Cone Denim, 71% cotton, 29% elastin, 9.5 ounces

5. Kurabo, 98% cotton, 2% lycra, 10 ounces

6. Kaihara, 98% cotton, 2% spandex, 10 ounces

7. Swift Denim, 98% cotton, 2% lycra, 12.5 ounces

Please feel free to PM DB with any questions and we'll try to get back to you ASAP. Thanks!!

[xchen]

Are you sure you don't mean you only carry sanforized fabric? There's a big distinction there...

Sanforized - doesn't shrink with washing (relatively)

Unsanforized - shrinks to fit

[coffeehigh]

Finally had some time to upload pictures to computer. I've lost 7 lbs since my first measurements so I took my jeans back in to get the waistband taken in another half inch. My roommate got a pair of Cone selvedge. He's getting the leg taken in just a pinch so it falls more straight. He's shown below.

So far, we're happy about:

-It really is badass getting your own custom pair. Having the guy who sewn my pair sign off on the pocket lining is a nice touch.

-Fabric & stitching is better than expected

-The guys in the shop really take care of you and make sure you're satisfied. They reminded us that the jeans will last awhile, hinting we should go with a under-stated clean look.

With that said, I'll probably get one more custom pair to wear for special events and stick with cheaper brands.

Edited October 5, 2012 by coffeehigh

[lance]

Nice lookin pair of jeans and of course, great fit.

edit - coffeehigh, do you know the waist size and other dimensions? The fit is perfect, in my opinion - not too tight or too loose.

Edited October 5, 2012 by lance

[coffeehigh]

Not sure, I know my roomie has a waist 32. It's kind of based on what you want, regarding room. They have a skinny fit & slim tapered sample pairs on the wall but I wanted something in-between and my roomie who's older wanted a more straight leg fit.

[lance]

ok, thanks for your reply

[den.m bar]

Hi All,

Thanks for posting here. We're a tiny little outfit and appreciate all the support & nice comments. Just wanted to let all the supertalk members that our online ecommerce is finally up and running. Now you can score bespoke Japanese or American denim jeans crafted in LA online! www.denmbar.com

[den.m bar]

Hey all,

It's our one year anniversary this week, man time flies. Well, you know what that means, we're going to celebrate! 33% off all bespoke orders in-store or online, good till this Sunday, 3.17. Use "oneyearstrong" for online discount code.

We'll also be giving away one free denim accessory daily to each yelp/foursquare check-in at our workshop (up to $75 worth). On top of that, we'll be popping some bubbly and bourbon all week in the workshop so come on by and say hello!

Edited March 11, 2013 by den.m bar

[Jared_Lee]

280 is still not bad (awsome name btw, coffee).. that one company in nyc, 3x1 i think, does bespoke for a g spot and their stuff is traaaaaaaash.. or atleast just looks like crap.. their off the shelf stuff is like 500 and looks just like a 100 dollar pair..

too bad im not in LA right now.. but cant wait to see how these wear over time.. and keeping up with yall on tumblr.. wish you guys the best of luck..

I would like to say that I worked at 3x1 for a year. I worked at Jean Shop for three. There is nothing trash about what they're doing. It doesn't fit with what people seem to be looking for here. The fabrics are good. They are typically in the 12-15 oz. range and typically sanforized. Their construction from a thread size to stitch-per-inch is unique to the brand. They blend a high-fashion concept in construction with attention to high quality fabrics.

Bespoke is $1,200. Off-the-rack can be obtained for $295, last I knew. The factory for every men's jean from off-the-rack to bespoke is in-house. For the off-the-rack, you can choose all rivets and hardware from a broad selection of 3x1 branded hardware supplied by YKK for your jean. If you go on a weekday, you can actually watch a factory process for manufacturing jeans. It's a beautiful space and a great concept.

That being said, what I love about jeans most is the denim. The denim carried there is great stuff for stock fabrics. You won't find Oni or Samurai style fabrics there with rich texture, heavy weight and wildly inconsistent slub patterns, not a lot of hairy fabrics either. I love that stuff, but it's not common in stock fabrics. I can make the same complaint about the jeans I wore and loved for years at Jean Shop. These are all just preferences we develop over time.

For people who love classic Cone Denim, there are great options. Cone has always focused on consistency and after touring the White Oak Mill and meeting the folks there, I have nothing but good things to say about their devotion to the craft.

I love to see this concept happening on a small-scale in LA and a custom fit being offered at a price-point most of us can afford. I would love to see all brands with attention to detail and desire to deliver a quality product to their customer prosper.

I want to see some more fits from you guys! Pics from customers, please.

[TooAwesome]

They've doubled in price to like $385 minimum now. Somehow that's still considered a price point most of us can afford right? At that price you might as well get some iron hearts or samurai. Why would you go for regular denim? Even if it is bespoke

[TooAwesome]

Yes I called their denim regular but obviously I don't mean department store denim. There are tons of other companies using cone, Kaihara, and kurabo and they're charging much less

[Somar]

They've doubled in price to like $385 minimum now. Somehow that's still considered a price point most of us can afford right? At that price you might as well get some iron hearts or samurai. Why would you go for regular denim? Even if it is bespoke

I see, I think business is going well then.

[coffeehigh]

Interesting, they went up in price...I remember when I got fitted for my denim, they said they were going to raise their prices, no idea it would go to 385. I paid 280ish last year. Yeah the price isn't for everyone but for bespoke denim, definitely the most affordable Made in America game in town. I was in NYC over the holidays and had a chance to check out 3by1, (that was on my bucket list ever since they opened). The moment you step in, you know you're going to hand over an arm and leg. I'm doing well but not that well. However, it's definitely a must see if you ever find yourself in NYC.

Would the 26 year old version of me bought a pair of bespoke? No, because I was just out of grad school with huge loans. I'm in a better place in life and want/can afford my own custom denim. Bespoke (whether its shirts, suits or jeans) is one of those "you get what you pay for". It fits you exactly how you want and this may sound corny but I appreciate the compliments from friends and random strangers, whether I'm at a wedding or at my favorite watering hole. I think these denm bar guys are doing a bang up job and will stick with them for my denim needs for the foreseeable future, pending they don't climb to 3by1 atmospheric prices.

[den.m bar]

Thanks all for your input and comments. We understand that at first glance, the pricing can be offputting. Our ethos this whole time is to provide quality denim jeans that fit really well at a reasonable price. That pretty much is the reason why den.m bar started, when we realize that we shouldn't be paying good coinage for mass produced jeans in a developing country, just because the jean is a popular name brand. Why not make jeans really small batch here Stateside, for all body shapes and sizes, using legitimate denim textiles?

We're not the so called 1% and we're not targeting the 1%. But as you can imagine, making a pair of denim from scratch each and every time is incredibly time and labor intensive. We could offer bespoke denim at maybe $150 if we were making them in Vietnam or Pakistan, where the average monthly wage is $150! But we reward our team well and in return, they design & sew really well crafted jeans. There's no quota system in place, no numbers to hit. We take our time sewing each pair up knowing it's our signature going on that pair.

If you haven't given custom denim a try yet, we promise you'll end up walking out content and happy, with a pair of solid denim that will be part of your wardrobe for years to come.

[ctkim]

I'll come check out your guys' shop soon. I live like 3-4 blocks away. had no idea there was a custom denim shop. really excited to see what you guys have to offer.

Edited March 17, 2013 by ctkim