Japanese denim, made in Germany, to unite the two worlds together is definitely not a coincident. We all know that Japan produces one of the best denim in the world and is considered part of their heritage. The process of creating a raw denim material is a lengthy process that requires tremendous amounts of patience and dedication, to perfect this craft. Japanese are known for the craftmenship, but what makes Ruttloff Jeans so special is the artist behind the scene, Johann Ruttloff. A japanese denim lover who travelled to Okayama, Japan to visit the factory and learn about the denim making process in Japan. He than brought his knowledge back to Germany to launch his brand, Ruttloff Jeans. ORILABO is very excited to connect with Johann and make this collaboration happen.
As COVID-19 has accelerated our way of working, everyting can be done via online chats and video calls but there is nothing better than meeting someone in person and discussing the project. Visiting Ruttloff Jeans in Dresden was definitely worth the effort and time, to actually see the atelier, feel the fabric and the vibe at Ruttloff Jeans. After meeting Johann in person, we realised that this is the perfect match for our collaboration. With Johann's vision of denim jeans, mixing the two worlds together to create a timeless denim packed with little details was a great success.
Seeing the master at work was an unforgettable experience. The attention to detail and the range of equipment needed to construct a pair of jeans, is something you don't think about when you see denim widely available anywhere by many different brands. If you look into details, there's a lot of differences, creating a deeper appreciation of the denim making craft. Johann talked to us in details about how he started with just one machine to create his first pair of denim and yes, it is doable but to craft something special, he started buying different machines to do specific tasks, from attaching the buttons to single chain stiching for decoration.
The wide range of raw denim fabric that was available at Ruttloff was mesmerising. Dozens of rolls of Japanese denim from various factories and also various patterns of japanese fabric called "Sashiko" were visible in the collection. There were various weights and colours available as well. These raw materials are very special and very valuable since they were made in Japan and only available in Japan. Importing these rolls is not cheap and hard to find in Germany.
Johann's favorite denim is a 17oz H2 model that he created in the past. When you think of a 17oz denim, you would imagine that the denim will have a rough and stiff feel but that is the nature of Japanese denim. The more you wear, the softer the material becomes. Depending on how you wear them, the fading will differ to each person, which makes the denim become a unique and personalised garment. That is the beauty of imperfection and trully reflects the japanese philosophy of "wabisabi". A piece of denim should last you centuries where, wear and tear is fixable and gives another flavour to the denim. It's a piece of garment with a story that is different to each person.
We are very pleased to have met Johann and thankful for his efforts in making our first collaboration come to life. More importantly, bringing a timeless piece to our customers, that will be loved and cherished for the rest of their lives. Although the production will be limited, we are looking forward to revealing our master piece soon! Stay tuned to our social media for more updates!
