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If you have been curious about raw selvedge denim but did not know where to start, the Weird Guy from Naked & Famous Denim is one of the easiest ways in. It pairs real Japanese selvedge with a modern tapered cut, and it is sewn in Canada by a brand that has built its whole identity around unusual fabrics and no nonsense jeans. Here is what makes it worth a look.
Who makes it
Naked & Famous Denim launched in Montreal in 2008. The brand says it set out to challenge the premium denim world with no celebrities, no gimmicks and no washes, just Japanese selvedge made in Canada. Its founder, Brandon Svarc, is described by the company as a third generation garment maker from Montreal.
The brand opened its first store, Tate + Yoko, in Montreal in 2011, and its head office sits in what was once the heart of the city's needle trade. It still says every product is made in Canada. Naked & Famous is also known for wild experiments. In 2012 it launched a 32 ounce Super Heavyweight denim woven in Okayama, Japan, on vintage shuttle looms, which the company calls the heaviest jeans ever produced at the time, and in 2025 it went further with a 40 ounce version.
What it is
The Weird Guy is the brand's classic tapered fit. Naked & Famous describes it as mid rise and fitted through the hips and thighs, then narrowing gradually from the knee to the hem. The Indigo Selvedge version is the core model, cut from a dense Japanese fabric that the brand says will slowly fade with wear.
Here are the details from Naked & Famous:
- Fabric: 13 ounce Japanese selvedge denim, 100 percent cotton
- Dye: rope dyed in indigo
- Weave: right hand twill, woven on vintage shuttle looms
- Fit: classic tapered, mid rise, fitted through the hips and thighs
- Details: contrast stitching, full grain brown leather patch, red selvedge ID, silver metallic buttons and rivets
- Made in: Canada
Why it is cool
Selvedge is the self finished edge of a fabric, the clean border that keeps it from fraying. Denim maker Iron Heart explains that on denim this edge comes from weaving on a shuttle loom, where the action of the shuttle creates the finished edge. On a pair of jeans, you can see it when you roll the cuffs: that is the red selvedge ID running along the outseam of the Weird Guy.
The fabric does a lot of the work here. Rope dyeing leaves the core of each yarn lighter than the surface, so as the indigo wears away, the jeans develop high contrast fades that follow how you move, sit and carry things. At 13 ounces, the denim is substantial without being punishing, which makes it a sensible first raw jean for most people.
The cut is the other reason it works. A tapered leg looks clean with sneakers and boots alike, and the mid rise is comfortable for daily wear. It is the kind of jean that looks sharp out of the box and gets more personal every month.
How to wear it
Raw denim rewards patience. Wear the Weird Guy as often as you can, ideally every day, so the creases set where your body naturally bends. That is how you get the honeycomb fades behind the knees and the whiskers across the lap that make raw jeans special.
Style wise, it is easy to dress. Pair it with a plain white T shirt and leather boots for a classic look, a chore coat or denim jacket for a workwear outfit, or a knit sweater and clean sneakers when the weather turns. Roll the hem once or twice to show off the selvedge line.
Care
Many denim fans wait as long as they can before the first wash so the fades have time to form. When you do wash, turn the jeans inside out, use cold water and a gentle cycle or a hand soak, and hang them to dry. Skip the tumble dryer, which can shrink the fabric and leave marks. Between washes, airing them out goes a long way.
Who it is for
The Weird Guy is for anyone who wants to try Japanese selvedge with a modern fit. It suits first time raw denim buyers who want an approachable weight, and it is a strong everyday jean for anyone who likes a tapered leg. If you want jeans that tell your story over time, this is a great place to start.
More denim reading: our raw denim beginners guide, our guide to Japanese denim brands, our look at Momotaro Jeans and the Levi's 501. For more, visit our sneakers and style hub.
