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Denim is basically a sport in San Francisco. Blue jean fanatics don't bat an eye at dropping $300+ on a pair of jeans that are as stiff as a board. We'll freeze them to try killing bacterial rather than expose our precious denim to the fading effects of water. We're also the birthplace of Levi's, the most iconic denim brand in the world, so it's no surprise we take our 5-pocket-styles seriously.
It's also no surprise we have some of the best denim shopping in the world. We narrowed the options down to 13 San Francisco stores where we found the best denim merchandise.
How did we do? Did we miss your favorite denim shopping spot? We'd love to hear from you via email or in the comments below.
It's one of the few places in San Francisco where you can find Dope & Drakkar denim, which is made of raw denim made of organic cotton grown in Texas and fabricated on mid-century shuttle looms salvaged from a North Carolina textile plants. Need we say more?
Sidle up to the Blues Jean Bar in Cow Hollow, and a friendly bartender will help you find--among their 40+ brands--your perfect style (bootcut, skinny, straight), wash (dark, light, distressed), and waist size.
Big Star, Current/Elliott, all the Js (J, James and Jones), Koral, Levi's Made & Crafted, Nudie, Paige, Rag & Bone—yup, all the best denim brands can be found at Industrie for both men and women. Look for the "booty cam" in their dressing rooms, so you can get a real good look at how the goods will look in those jeans you're about to spend a couple hundred bucks on.
Known for making you butt look the best it possibly can, Joes will hook you up. The brand is the ultimate cool-girl go-to, and the SF store carries a huge men's selection as well.
Levi's hardly needs an introduction, and the company's flagship store at Union Square is impossible to miss with its dramatic stairway outside. The store carries pretty much any Levi's style your heart desires and has tailors on site. They also host some can't-miss exhibitions and special events.
From A-crotch to dropped crotch, from overalls and cutoffs to vests and jackets, the G-Star Raw brand most likely has your denim tastes covered. You'll find every wash imaginable, and everything from skinny to wide-leg jeans, plus t-shirts, jeans, and even undies.
They've come a long way since being one of the first brands to lure women to spend $100+ on jeans in the '90s with their low-slung bootcut style. These days, you'll find every wash, color and style.
Self Edge is a store for the serious denim connoisseur, with rare brands including including Strike Gold, Dry Bones, Real Japan Blues and Sugar Cane. They pride themselves on providing "selvedge lines made of metallic red silk, rivets made from sterling silver, poisonous python skin tags from Okinawa." They also offer repair service on denim jeans, jackets or shirts.
Mill's big brother sells Raleigh Denim, a hard-to-find line out of Raleigh, NC, that produces extremely limited runs—i.e. about 300 pairs per style, with each stamped with a series number.
It's one of the few places in San Francisco where you can find Dope & Drakkar denim, which is made of raw denim made of organic cotton grown in Texas and fabricated on mid-century shuttle looms salvaged from a North Carolina textile plants. Need we say more?
Sidle up to the Blues Jean Bar in Cow Hollow, and a friendly bartender will help you find--among their 40+ brands--your perfect style (bootcut, skinny, straight), wash (dark, light, distressed), and waist size.
Big Star, Current/Elliott, all the Js (J, James and Jones), Koral, Levi's Made & Crafted, Nudie, Paige, Rag & Bone—yup, all the best denim brands can be found at Industrie for both men and women. Look for the "booty cam" in their dressing rooms, so you can get a real good look at how the goods will look in those jeans you're about to spend a couple hundred bucks on.
Known for making you butt look the best it possibly can, Joes will hook you up. The brand is the ultimate cool-girl go-to, and the SF store carries a huge men's selection as well.
Levi's hardly needs an introduction, and the company's flagship store at Union Square is impossible to miss with its dramatic stairway outside. The store carries pretty much any Levi's style your heart desires and has tailors on site. They also host some can't-miss exhibitions and special events.
From A-crotch to dropped crotch, from overalls and cutoffs to vests and jackets, the G-Star Raw brand most likely has your denim tastes covered. You'll find every wash imaginable, and everything from skinny to wide-leg jeans, plus t-shirts, jeans, and even undies.
They've come a long way since being one of the first brands to lure women to spend $100+ on jeans in the '90s with their low-slung bootcut style. These days, you'll find every wash, color and style.
Self Edge is a store for the serious denim connoisseur, with rare brands including including Strike Gold, Dry Bones, Real Japan Blues and Sugar Cane. They pride themselves on providing "selvedge lines made of metallic red silk, rivets made from sterling silver, poisonous python skin tags from Okinawa." They also offer repair service on denim jeans, jackets or shirts.
Mill's big brother sells Raleigh Denim, a hard-to-find line out of Raleigh, NC, that produces extremely limited runs—i.e. about 300 pairs per style, with each stamped with a series number.
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