My Experience With Aquaman’s Jeans

Anyone who watched 2018’s “Aquaman” probably noticed Jason Momoa’s jeans, and if you are a fan of fine denim, then maybe you Googled where they came from: Schaeffer’s Garment Hotel on Sunset Boulevard in Hollywood. Where else? If their $425 price didn’t scare you away, then maybe you even bought a pair. This is where our story begins.

[Further Reading: The Best Selvedge Denim: 8 Solid Brands for Quality, Value, & Weirdness]

I purchased “The Paloma” Over Dyed Black Tall Slims, otherwise known as “Aquaman’s Jeans.” Evidently, Mr. Mamoa has a passion for them and in the accompanying video, his have achieved a level of wear and patina in a few weeks that would take me decades with my sedentary lifestyle. It’s how these wear that really differentiates them.

These jeans are crafted from 15oz Japanese denim with a “non pigment black over coating,” according to their product description. What this means is that you will not be sitting on any expensive furniture for a while and you have to be careful which clothes you wear with them. Tucking a white shirt into them is not recommended, lest the tails of the shirt will appear to have been left in the wash with a fountain pen.

However, anyone used to dealing with dye transfer will not have a problem and will appreciate the depth of color as the black wears away revealing the blue underneath. The word “patina” is overused in the denim community, but in this case, it is completely appropriate in every sense. Areas of heavy wear reveal patches of light indigo as do the whiskers. The colors range from light blue to midnight black.

The denim itself has a fine weave with no visible slubs and nearly a velvet finish. Brushing them with your hand reveals an indigo sheen in one direction and a black inky gloss the other.

The fit is quite snug when you first put them on, and as you pull them up, you may doubt that you will be able to button and walk around in them. Your fears evaporate once you do and as they stretch with you it becomes increasingly clear that you have finally found a pair of jeans that will not droop in the seat. Finally, these fit.

[Related: The 4 Biggest Misconceptions About Raw Denim]

The hardware is aged copper and pewter and these are sourced from Italy. They are very distinctive. Surprisingly, this was where my dream of the perfect jeans went awry.

After three months of aging them, acquiring some whiskers at the back of the knee and wearing some of the black away from the seat, which is where I am mostly planted, and at the knees, from playing with my daughter; I was getting out of my Jeep when the top button snapped in half. This was at the cooper stem of the metal and so there was no way for me to mend them.

Feeling extreme disappointment, I telephoned them right away. They have a friendly, laid-back California attitude. They seemed surprised that I had ordered online and that I wouldn’t be able to drop by for a repair. They encouraged me to mail them in, which I promptly did, and they mended them and returned them within two weeks.

An issue can happen at any time and it is really in how they solve the problem that define a customer’s experience. They understood how much I like these jeans and how much I was enjoying breaking them in. They were only too happy to repair and return them to me.

I am not a customer of Mr. Momoa’s stature, but they made me feel special and as if they were on this journey with me to make the perfect jeans.