JELADO Manufacturing ~Vintage Denim~ Vol. 1: "The Genes of the '501XX' Woven with Romance and Science"
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~Vol. 1: The "501XX" Reproduction Project Begins~
"501XX." A well-known legend in men's fashion.
Despite its quality and significance being discussed for over half a century, much about its allure remains shrouded in mystery.
This project literally involves dissecting a deadstock 501XX manufactured around '53-'54. It's an initiative to unravel its mysteries as much as possible using modern scientific methods and the exceptional experience of denim artisans, bringing back the "501XX" as close to its original new condition as possible.
This project will be presented in three parts.
The first part focuses on three points: the inherent appeal of the 501XX, the difficulty of reviving the 501XX today, and why JELADO decided to launch such a project now.
Please enjoy the conversation between Mr. Muroi (hereinafter, Muroi), a craftsman who has been pursuing the reproduction of the 501XX for over 20 years, feeding his knowledge back into the domestic denim industry and serving as the guide for this project, and JELADO's Goto (hereinafter, Goto).
"There is no single correct answer. That's the allure of the 501XX."—Muroi
Goto: First, since people of various generations will be reading this article, I've organized what "501XX" means in the context of this project in the diagram below.
At JELADO, we consider 1954 a turning point when the 501XX reached its perfected form, and we have long offered a 5-pocket jean called the "55 Model," taking the number from 1955 when that model was fully established in the market.
This project is positioned as a renewal of that "55 Model."
Now, getting straight to the point, what is the appeal of the 501XX, in your view, Mr. Muroi, having observed the Japanese denim industry achieve virtually the highest level of 501XX reproduction quality globally for over 20 years?
Muroi: Well, I think the primary answer is that it's the perfected form of 5-pocket jeans as workwear and the origin of modern men's casual fashion. Even designers from major fashion houses around the world still look to the 501XX when it comes to 5-pocket jeans.
Goto: The roots of men's casual fashion—that's exactly right.
It's no exaggeration to say it's synonymous with vintage denim.
To shift the focus slightly, what is its appeal in terms of product quality, from the perspective of a "denim craftsman"?
Muroi: Primarily, since my specialty is fabric, I'll start with that. Even from our modern perspective, the balance as tough workwear is simply excellent.
I can't go into specific numbers as they're proprietary, but it's evident in the yarn count and thread density used. If you investigate, you'll find that even the models manufactured around '53-'54, which are our base, differentiate the characteristics of cotton used for warp and weft threads.
Goto: Is it still different from products by other brands from the same era?
Muroi: Yes, it is.
Levi's seemed to frequently implement measures to improve quality, so you can see subtle specification changes even within pieces from the same era, which suggests a sincere approach to manufacturing.
Compared to other brands, I believe the difference ultimately stems from the overwhelmingly larger history and scale of Levi's as a company, its full commitment to the workwear manufacturing business, and the fact that everything was made in its own factories, which allowed for quick incorporation of feedback from workers on the factory floor.
Goto: I see. Indeed, it's famous that for the "Wartime Model" made under material controls during WWII, prior to the '47 model, they increased the denim ounce count to avoid quality degradation, going against official directives. So, it was a brand with a strong commitment to quality.
By the way, if there were repeated minor specification changes, can we physically define the 501XX, or technically define it as a product?
Muroi: That's a difficult question (laughs).
Back then, quality control was less stringent than today, and there were significant variations in yarn irregularity and indigo color within a single lot, so there isn't one definitive 501XX.
While it's possible to create something very close to a specific individual piece by determining the base piece, given the differences in cotton, various machines used, and dyes across different eras and lots, selecting what to create is crucial in cases like this.
That's why I'm so excited about this project.
Because we're going to cut up and analyze a deadstock 501XX.
Goto: The more I learn, the deeper the 501XX becomes...
It's like there's a correct answer, but there isn't one.
Muroi: Exactly.
For craftsmen like us, it's interesting precisely because there's no single right answer, and it makes us want to dedicate our lives to it (laughs).
"What is the source of the amazing quality of Japanese-made denim?"—Goto
Goto: In a world where there's no clear-cut answer for reproducing something like the 501XX, I imagine it must be incredibly challenging for denim artisans. What's the most difficult part of honing your craft as an artisan?
Muroi: The most important thing is to keep a spirit of inquiry.
This might sound a bit abstract, but it's crucial to continuously absorb new knowledge without creating fixed preconceptions within yourself.
Even if we use the latest technology to analyze a fabric, there are cases where the analyzed part or the fabric itself is an "exception." So, it's sometimes necessary to skillfully correct those discrepancies by combining objective facts with accumulated experience.
Goto: So, while technology helps in gathering objective facts, reproducing the 501XX requires immense knowledge and experience for direction and data analysis itself.
Muroi: That's right.
A while ago, there were some 5-pocket jeans that claimed to reproduce the 501XX using modern science abroad, but they had a strange, liver-disease-like color... (laughs).
It made me realize once again that the 501XX can't be conquered by science alone.
The path to reproducing the 501XX is a continuous improvisation that only experienced individuals can perform.
Goto: To ask a somewhat broad question, what accounts for the high quality of Japanese-made denim?
Muroi: First, I'd say it's the long history of artisans' "love for the 501XX."
In my case, to be precise, I love the "fabric" of the 501XX (laughs).
Also, compared to overseas, the biggest difference, aside from dyeing technology, would be the looms used.
I think Japan is probably the only country that still actively operates the shuttle looms that wove denim fabric in America in the '40s and '50s.
By the way, it takes 10 to 20 years to become proficient in operating those shuttle looms, so having artisans who can handle them is also an advantage.
"Today, we're cutting into a deadstock item."—Goto
Muroi: By the way, why did you decide to launch this project now, in this era?
Goto: Simply put, as a brand, JELADO wanted to try reproducing the 501XX with a realistic logic from our perspective.
Personally, I got into this industry because I love vintage clothing, and I've seen countless real pieces with my own eyes.
And I think this feeling was something consumers shared not long ago, and the keyword "501XX" alone created topicality for products without needing any explanation.
But it's different now.
A kind of blind deification of the 501XX has progressed, and I think it's becoming unclear within the industry what actually makes it good.
Muroi: It's true that more people in this field have never seen a real 501XX, and it's not impossible to simply adopt the "501XX theory" that pioneers of domestic brands have built and apply it to manufacturing today...
Goto: Exactly. That's why we focused on primary sources, on deadstock, to collaborate with modern cutting-edge technology and the experience of people like Mr. Muroi in this day and age, to create JELADO's "answer" and release it to the world.
I see it as a responsibility for a brand that has been captivated by the 501XX and continues to pursue it, to pass down its charm to future generations.
So today, to have a deadstock 501XX fabric analyzed by a certain research institution, I'll actually cut it and have Mr. Muroi take it back (laughs).
Muroi: Oh, you're doing it right here, right now (laughs)!
Goto: Let's get right to it (laughs).
Muroi: I'll take this to a certain research institution and have them examine the yarn count, twist count, thread density, weave structure, fiber length, and dye concentration.
＜Text by Kobotagatta / Photos by Seiji Sawada＞
~Vol. 2: From Spinning Yarn to Fabric~ is here
Delving into the process of actually reproducing fabric based on the scientific analysis results of a dissected deadstock 501XX.
JELADO Original Denim Line Last Resort products arehere