Before modern production methods, denim was meticulously woven on shuttle looms, producing a fabric known for its selvedge, or ‘self edge’—sometimes called ‘selvage.’ “In essence, selvedge is the vertical edge of the denim that prevents it from unraveling,” explains Tracey Panek, the resident historian at Levi’s, makers of the first-ever denim jeans, the 501, introduced in 1873. This feature was visible on the leg seam of early Levi’s jeans, revealed only when the hem was cuffed. The 152-year-old 501 jeans of the brand, the oldest denim jacket, the oldest women’s jeans in the world, and Kurt Cobain’s Nirvana *Heart-Shaped Box* music video jeans are stored in a fireproof safe. “The selvedge is visible through the thigh rips,” Panek explains.
In the 1980s, Levi’s shifted from the traditional shuttle looms to more efficient wide looms, allowing the company to double the width of its denim. “That’s when most Levi’s garments lost the selvedge,” Panek notes. Today, Levi’s reserves the use of selvedge denim for select pieces, mainly vintage-style reproductions. If you take a look at contemporary selvedge denim by Levi’s or specialist brands such as Hiut and Nudie Jeans, you’ll generally find it in indigo dark shades. The reason is that the majority of selvedge denim is raw, i.e., unwashed. Although raw denim can indeed be selvedge, not all navy-colored denim is raw—many of them are washed or dyed to obtain a certain shade of indigo.
The comeback of deep-blue denim is also seen on the fashion runway, for example, in spring/summer 2025 collections by Sinead O’Dwyer and Marques’Almeida, and on the streets, by such influencers as Bella Hadid and Kendall Jenner. “Searches for indigo denim have grown 226% over the past three months,” says Net-a-Porter fashion director Kay Barron. She features brands such as Citizens of Humanity and Agolde, which in their spring collections, bring innovation to the dyeing of indigo with regenerative cotton and a fresh eco-friendly bio-based dye.
Barron, with her eye-catching denim lineup, is a double denim fanatic who adores sporting classic indigo jeans with an uncomplicated white tee. “Indigo jeans look more streamlined, more high-end than other washes,” she adds, noting that she likes to wear flared indigo jeans with block heels for a high-fashion look. Likewise, Navaz Batliwalla, Disney Roller Girl founder and author of *The New Garconne*, likes the clean, classic appearance of dark denim. She favors indigo rinse jeans for a sophisticated evening or corporate aesthetic, pairing them with boots and a silk knit top. Batliwalla’s go-to jeans are Levi’s Column style in a saturated indigo rinse, customized for her frame. For taller individuals, she suggests Studio Nicholson’s Ruthe model or Auralee’s Hard Twist Denim 5P jeans.
In the realm of raw selvedge denim, the denim jacket takes on a special status. Panek, for instance, treasures her Type II Levi’s Vintage Clothing jacket in a dark rinse. “It’s made of raw selvedge denim that’s still stiff enough for me to pull up the collar,” she says, noting that depending on her mood, she might embellish it with a gold or silver pin for added flair.
