An OD+PBJ Collaboration | The 18oz. "Aisora" Selvedge Jeans

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The culmination of all of our projects during the past 10 year tenure, is finally ready to hit the ground running in the form of a general release. Thanks to the adept dyeing artisans in Tokushima, we were able to achieve a super slubby 18oz. fabric featuring a Natural Indigo dyed weft - the very foundation of the new "Aisora" Jeans. "Aisora" has been the driving factor behind our pursuit to achieving a fabric that we feel 100% justifies the meaning behind the name. A double entendre of Japanese wordplay, "Ai" can be interpreted as either theAi 藍 inAizome 藍染 (Natural indigo dye) but also asAi 愛 (love). Suffice to say, the love that we have for denim has been paramount for us to bring this idea to fruition. More importantly, we wanted to pay homage to the love that we have continued to receive from Denimheads around the world for 10 years. The second half of the name "Sora" 空, is the Japanese word for sky. Coming in at a more esoteric angle, we felt that the lighter indigo hue of the weft is akin to a blue sky on a clear cast day.

The Aisora Selvedge Jeans - $398 USD
Starting with the fabric, the light indigo hue of the weft yarns are hank dyed in Natural Indigo by the artisans at Rampuya dyeing factory, based in Tokushima. The hank dyeing process to yield the mesmirising "Aisora" blue is no meticulous, with the yarns being dyed by hand approximately 7~8 times. Combining these with PBJ's "Super Rough" 18oz. warp yarns results in the highly slubby and neppy fabric texture.

We are very interested to see how these fade, particularly because Natural Indigo dyed yarns fade much slower than synthetic dyed indigo. Given that the warp yarns will fade quicker, we expect a very electric hue of blue to break out over time, further contrasting with extended wear.
Yet another highly specialized part of the production process, the sewing construction of the jeans is another area we could not ignore when piecing together the puzzle of this pair. While normally reserved for PBJ's "Aizome" Series jeans, we opted to use 0-Ban (0-type) threads (the thickest available in Okayama) to reinforce the construction integrity of the jeans. Given that they are produced in the same factory as the "Aizome" series, this production route was a no-brainer.
The iconic PBJ leaf was yet another stone in the development that we were not going to leave unturned. As a reflection of the proprietary 18oz. "Aisora" fabric that we had produced, we eventually settled on color matching the weft color with the indigo vein, while turning the iconic leaf itself to a deep navy. We felt that this also combined perfectly with the red dotted Selvedge salute which we left unchanged from the classic.
A recurring theme throughout our collaboration projects with PBJ, the custom artwork featured on the natural cowhide leather patch was where we were able to let loose. Enter artist and our good friend Nathan Spoor, who was able to conjure up a superb design tying in all aspects of the Aisora project in a subtle yet tasteful manner.
Regrettably, one detail that did not make it to many of the "Aisora" pairs due to a production error by the factory, were the custom designed pocket bags featuring Nathan's artwork. As such, all of the Aisora pairs making it to the general release will feature Pure Blue Japan's printed black pocket bags.

Model is pictured wearing a size 29, Raw.

He weighs 59kg (130 pounds) and is 178cm (5’11”) tall.

AISR-013 Slim Tapered

PBJ's Slim Tapered -013 cut is aesthetically one of the most eye-pleasing silhouettes, period. Thanks to PBJ's keen eye on client feedback, the cut has seen numerous updates over the years to ensure that the silhouette doesn't cross the border into the "Skinny" realm.

For those of you with thunder thighs and glutes though, you might want to re-direct your eyes a little further down the page and check out the Relaxed Tapered and Regular Straight variants. Trust us when we say the rises are low, there won't be much wiggle room if you are used to a spacious top block.

Sizing - Raw

Sizing - One Wash

Model is pictured wearing a size 34, Raw.

He weighs 85kg (185 pounds) and is 178cm (5’11”) tall.

AISR-019 Relaxed Tapered

We like to call this PBJ's "Best of both worlds" cut.

While don't need to be a weightlifter or a keirin cyclist to appreciate this silhouette, if you do have larger thighs or just fancy extra room in the top block while you're on the move, the -019 has your name on it.

The beauty of this cut is the taper is absolutely still part of the equation and the resulting aesthetic is well and truly clean and modern.

Sizing - Raw

Sizing - One Wash

Model is pictured wearing a size 30, Raw.

He weighs 75kg (165 pounds) and is 175cm (5'10") tall.

AISR-003 Regular Straight

That being said, if you still yearn for that 20th century American workwear look - grab yourself a pair of the -003s.

The true classic of PBJ's silhouette lineup, the Regular Straight combines a roomy and straight leg with a lengthy inseam so you can show off that Supacuff™ with attitude.

Sizing - Raw