Self Edge

Self Edge is a real diamond. I came in with a vague desire to upgrade my style, and felt quickly overwhelmed by their exotic selection. Thankfully, the staff here are deeply knowledgeable and eager to help (s/o to Shawn). In the end, I came away with several pieces I love to wear and that will last a lifetime. Also, Kiya, the owner, personally replies to all emails with speed and attention. Its clear these folks really care about what they do and the quality of the customer experience.

Shop is immaculate, they have some very interesting merchandise there . If you are on Japanese jeans this is the store . They carry some of the best the best brands in market , such Iron Heart ( on of my favorite) , sugar cane , samurai And list goes on and on . I advise research online before going In cus each one of these brands has a diff cut and size , so for example a 36 samurai might feel like more a 34 . Same goes with denim jackets some are cut more for normal body style and some are made for a model look ( wide shoulders skinny arms ) . First day I was helped by Paolo ? And he was very helpful and not pushy at all , second time in unfortunately do not remember his name ( but will find out ) and he also was very helpful and zero push . Quality of these jeans is top notch ( this not an alibaba express store or some fancy dancy “designer store like dolce and such with useless jeans “ I have plenty of these ) . You buying a character, you buying a unique price ( in most cases when you buy a pair or two here ) . Btw I noticed some reviews mentioning something like sales staff seems cold and not welcoming , my two cents you are not going on date here or a cuddling session . Do your research on merchandise they carry , ask relevant questions and you def will get a real help . On my case staff was chatty and very welcoming , but even if was not , I’m going here to buy jeans not for a hug . Will add some photos of what o got after I “ break em in “ Here we go again , visit the store again today ( when you go Japanese selvedge jeans you can’t go back to usual jeans :) Another top notch service from staff . Paolo as usual was great . Today my sales guys was Ricardo , Ricardo def knows his denim , jeans , and such . Super knowledgeable, left with pocket lighter by few hundred but with zero regrets. Top notch quality products top notch service from the whole staff here . You want some real jeans stop on this place . 💯 you will not regret it !

A casual admirer of quality denim for the last three years, I decided to visit this infamous location often talked about in high regard by many of my favorite influencers. I came in with a look and feel in mind, and was immediately greeted by David. An exceptional maestro of Japanese denim, David spent the next hour narrowing now his recommendations. During this hour I was given a master class on the selection of denim he had as well as learning the differences between the various construction and loom types. I was never upsold or did I ever feel pressured into buying anything, which I totally have been in similar higher end retailers. When all was said and done we landed on what I’d consider the best pick for my body type and lifestyle. Highest regards to David, I hope this is not the last time we cross paths. Self Edge is a premium retailer that absolutely crushes any online denim shopping experience. They welcome denim enthusiasts of all knowledge ranges and I could not more recommend this spot.

Incredible selection of japanese americana brands that are often hard to get hands on with. the staff is really friendly and accommodating and they even have a tailor onsite for hemming/repair services. this place is a real gem and i will definitely be supporting them with future purchases.

The store is too cool for you, but I guess that’s why we shop here. It’s got all of the denim bells and whistles you could ask for, but getting service is usually an adventure of its own. Not for the onlookers so go in with intention!

Incredible selection of denim and general workwear - loads of rarities and oddities from brands like Iron Heart, Studio d’Artisan, Pure Blue Japan, etc etc. Do not miss it if you’re into denim or workwear - one the best places I’ve been to globally. Staff are deeply knowledgable and friendly; could not recommend enough.

Regarding hemming services specifically - I brought in a pair of selvedge jeans with a distressed hem to be hemmed. Got them back with a fresh hem. It looked horrible and they would have known it. At least they retained the original hem and gave them to me with the jeans, so I could take those to a skilled tailor to reattach them. They should have mentioned if that's not something they're willing or capable of doing when they took measurements.

I happen to be in town and thought I would stop in to check out what they had. I told the gentleman the jeans I currently wear and the different type of fit I would rather have. He was able to go in the back and bring out a few pairs to try on which were the exact thing I was looking for. These guys really know their stuff!

Self Edge is hands down the best spots for premium denim and heritage menswear in the west coast. Their selection is amazing. From rare denim to standout pieces like the Iron Heart leather jacket I picked up, which is easily one of the best jackets I've ever owned. What really made the experience memorable was the customer service. The staff was great and knowledgeable, but I especially want to shout out Michael, the manager. He was patient and clearly knows his stuff. He guided me through the different fits and details, and made sure I left with something I truly loved. Great job! I'll definitely be back.

Pretty cool shop with lots of premium Japanese knits! They had a lot of interesting t-shirts. I liked a couple of the chestnut brown ones but unfortunately the sizing wasn't quite right for me on the ones that were available. The prices skew toward the higher end so you might have a bit of a sticker shock if you're used to Uniqlo t-shirts. I didn't see any attitude problems with the employees that were mentioned by other Yelp reviewers, so not sure/can't comment on what might have happened there.

Best denim selection, excellent denim repair, super knowledgeable staff, overall great retail experience!

Brought my son Julian to look at Ironheart and Samurai jeans.. last time we bought Japanese denim was a few months ago when we had a family trip to japan.. We were at Koenji and went thrifiting and went to Momotaro and the service was impeccable!! Was not expecting too much when somebody mentioned that we should visit Self edge in SF.. as soon as we got to the store Ricardo and sorry forgot the name of the Lady were so helpful and knowledgeable!! we ended up buying the Ironheart whipcord Olive drab jacket! My son was so happy we'll definitely come back to try ironheart and samurai jeans that i had my eyes on on this visit!!

I just don't feel welcomed, I damn near have to get the pants in the back for myself I guess the employees are there for decoration

fairly new to the denim scene and recently discovered this shop. There is what I call a "culture of excellence" in the shop where everyone goes out of his/her way to be helpful. When someone is helping someone else, other employees jump in and seamlessly take over, folks immediately notice when you need help with someone, no one is on their phones or chatting away - feels like this place is very well managed. Highly recommend.

Amazing customer service. Very kind and helpful employees. They take their time with you to find the perfect fit. Very large selection of quality clothing and accessories.

Meh clothing, and shit "customer service" a simple welcome in or head nod would of sufficed.

Great customer service and selection. They had exactly what I wanted. Awesome shop!!!

I want to really like this place I really do... the selection is great, prices are fair especially for what you're getting. But every time I go it's really 50/50 I get good service. One half it's great vibe with talkative and enjoyable workers who really seem to care, while on the other hand it feels like they just don't want to be there, I get this super shrug and "too cool for you" feeling sometimes that just rubs me off the wrong way. When the service is great I feel comfortable and want to be there and buy everything, but when it's weird it just kills the experience and really does not feel welcoming at all. I've bought maybe 700 dollars worth of stuff and will go back, but man I always get uncomfortable walking in not knowing what it's gonna be like. To wrap it up. -Service is spotty at best. -Selection is amazing. -The fitting room curtains being denim makes it too stiff and leaves big uncomfortable gaps in the rooms that people can easily see through while one is changing... I really wish I could give this place 5 stars.

Just a short up-to-date review of Self Edge. Over the past year I have taken about 4 pairs of denim jeans (not purchased at Self Edge) to get them hemmed. The guys are super helpful and always pleasant to work with. I had some measured by them and for others I used a measurement based on trousers I own. In all cases, their work is exceptional, quick, and rates are very affordable ($25). Highly recommend for this, but also note their extensive clothing on offer, including many hard to find denim brands from Japan.

I forgot who helped me, but dude was very passionate and knowledgeable about denim. I got my first raw denim (Okinawa selvedge denim) and the quality of it is amazing and comfortable. This review is from my November visit and my jeans are holding up pretty well. You get what you pay for! I'd definitely come back, but parking and location kind of sucks, except that there's a good coffee shop next door. If you're lucky, there's street parking meters in front of the store. They offer hemming in the store and you can request to pick up or have it delivered to your place with USPS and it comes with a tracking code. I'd love to get more jeans, but I'm from San Jose and the drive to SF sucks.

Self Edge's selection is excellent as always. The attitudes of the workers are otherwise. The demeanor of the tall Asian guy with shoulder length hair and glasses can use some work. Bro you literally work retail. Buy online or prepare to deal with snobs

Great jeans, horrible service. I placed an order online for jeans that do not fit. Requesting a refund, Kiya said they do not offer refunds and to consult the sizing chart. The jeans measure 2 inches shorter than the sizing chart indicates. Telling him to expect a review of this on my social accounts, he replied: "Drew, I've been answering these emails for 16 years and your email stating your stupid achievements for leaving business reviews takes the cake. Good job Drew, i'm sure people love reading your reviews. -kiya" I will be filing a dispute with AMEX to recover the funds. I would implore anyone in the market for designer clothes to find a more honest business.

I feel so bad I forgot now but I think his name was David who helped me. Amazing customer service! He came up to me as soon as I walked in and helped find everything above and beyond what I was looking for! He gave me a bunch of jeans to try on till I found the right ones. They also do hemming in the store on the spot so I was able to get them hemmed while I was there! Super happy love the jeans! Thank you guys!

I went in to get some recommendations for some selvedge denim and Ry was great at recommending some Sugar Cane 1966s. They have a great selection of jeans and other accessories. They even offer in store shipping if you're from out of town so that was great. Definitely worth going if you are looking into buying denim.

I really went into a rabbit hole when I dabbled into researching Japanese Raw denim back in 2022. After doing some research I finally pulled the trigger and went into the store to see them in person. There's a bunch of brands to choose from but I decided to go with Pure Blue Japan and Iron Heart. The associates that I worked with took their time to go over different options with me, showed patience as I tried on multiple pairs and was helpful sharing best practices for raw denim care. When you purchase a pair of denim with them, they're able to have your jeans hemmed with a vintage Union Special Chainstitching Machine complimentary. This place is a gem, don't be afraid to ask questions!

Insanely rude people work at this store. The vibe inside is one of stuck up people who don't want customers. Don't bother walking inside they are overpriced, rude, and don't even know what they have in stock.

Got 2 pairs of jeans hemmed by Self Edge recently. They do excellent high quality work in a very reasonable timeframe and are always friendly and cool to deal with. For alterations I highly recommend!

Best denim head shop in the Bay Area. Also now stocks some Rick Owen's, great staff, great selection, great customer service.

I accidentally burnt a huge hole, about the size of a credit card+, in my jeans by leaving them on a gas heater after they got wet in the rain, rendering them unwearable - went through both the back leg and the back pocket - sorry forgot to take a before pic. The tailor was able to fix em flawlessly by removing a temporary patch I had in place, replacing with a new patch and darning over it. They did a great job and saved my 2 year old, 25oz jeans...!

I have tried to give this place the benefit of doubt multiple times since 2006. Maybe someone is having an off day, maybe their coworker is being an ass and they're taking it out on me. Nope. I've wanted to buy something from them because I do like the brands they carry and I like to support local businesses but every time I have been in the store the clerk has been rude, dismissive and "too cool for school". This has been multiple people over the years. Not the same employees. There must be a guideline handbook that when you're hired you should be arrogant and dismissive like the customer has no idea what they are talking about. I'm not sure why that's the case considering you can go online and buy anything they sell without the attitude. They have fooled a mass of people though into thinking they are the go to place considering they have multiple stores. If I were a potential customer of this store I would just go showroom their spot and see what the fit is like and then just go buy it online. Save yourself the hassle of unwarranted and needed b.s. Self Edge more like Self Indulgent

Staff is relentlessly obnoxious. Luckily there are a lots of good alternatives.

Eugene was really helpful. He greeted us right away and answered all of our questions without a problem. Although it did get busy, and it was only him working, he kept it together and was able to help and greet everyone with no problem. He was able to help me find my first pair of denim with ease. He was very informative and detailed when answering my questions also. Very nice guy in a very nice store. I left with a pair of 3sixteen 77BSP jeans. It was the skinniest pair they had for women's. I'm very happy with my choice. Although my boyfriend didn't leave with anything, Eugene was still very helpful with him. My boyfriend tried on 5 pairs of jeans and I didn't see any annoyance, if there was any, in Eugene's customer service. He was either really cool about it or really good at hiding it... Haha. Stop by and say hi! Eugene (& I'm sure the other employees) won't disappoint.

One of the best shopping experiences I've had. Danny helped me out and gave me tons of information to find exactly what I was looking for. The store is well curated and has a huge selection of denim. Really excellent customer service. I'll be a returning customer for sure.

I brought a pair of jeans into the store and the employees seemed less than thrilled. Even so, they helped me get my jeans hemmed. They let me put them on and rolled up the excess cloth, measuring out where to cut. It took them over a week to finish the jeans and I had someone pick them up, but when I tried them on at home they were clearly too long. I was underwhelmed by the way the hem looked and they were over an inch too long; the leftover cloth with the hem was shorter than it was supposed to be as well. I gave them a call and asked if I could get them re-hemmed but they said I would have to pay again to correct their own mistakes. They told me sometimes it's hard to cut where I want exactly, but they measured it out with me wearing them and weren't even close. Maybe I'm missing something but the whole experience with Self Edge has been less than great.

Good place if you're a newbie at Japanese selvedge denim. Iron Heart is a decent starter brand. Their selection is pretty good. (I personally fly to Japan once or twice a year to do my jeans shopping.)

Just returned from a wonderful family trip to San Francisco and would be remiss if I didn't leave a review for this establishment. My experience was a real treat and would recommend it to anyone looking for a quality pair (or two) of jeans. Prior to this I'd taken the time to look through their website so I had a good idea of what I was getting myself into including price points. Be advised the sizing on Japanese selvedge jeans can be a bit tricky and doesn't always align with ours. In fact I had a heck of a time with at least one pair of jeans and had to go up a size. Anyway, the highlight was Paolo's customer service. One of my favorite things to do is to hand over control to the "advisor" and let them do their magic. He took the time to understand what I was looking for and never made me feel like I was an inconvenience which seems to be the case with many shops nowadays. In the end I came away with my new favorite pair of jeans and some pretty sweet plain white T-shirts. Well done Paolo and Self Edge team! Now be advised, these jeans are not for the faint of heart. You really need to commit to making an investment instead of cheap fast fashion. If you're not ready to drop some coin go elsewhere. Again, quality over quantity but well worth the price. I don't get to the Bay Area very often but I can say it's not my last visit to this establishment. Thanks again and cheers!

I have to give Self Edge credit, just for being daring and opening a store carrying high-end, hard-to-find denim. The owners really know their blue, having sought out brands like Okinawa, Sugar Cane, and Samurai. The price tags might make you wince, but last time I checked we only have one lifetime on this planet. Take the spiral staircase upstairs to find a smattering of hipster hoodies and tees. Some styles spoke to me more than others, but again, I like when people attempt to shake up our sometimes drab fashion sensibilities. Special props for carrying one of my favorite lines Mama, and as well as Married to the Mob, makers of the somewhat infamous t-shirt with the "Man is the New Woman" tagline on it.

I accompanied a friend here that had scoped out the store online and was looking for very specific items. They unfortunately didn't have the jacket anymore. They do have a nice selection of jewelry so my friend spent some time with an associate trying on different pieces (all of the jewelry is kept in a locked display case). The associate was patient since my friend tried on a lot of different pieces. He was also able to look up different prices on different lengths and widths of necklaces. He also offered suggestions on adding pendants to get a better feel for how the necklace would sit. You can spend a long time at these higher end stores trying on different outfits so I do suggest maybe adding some more chairs or a couch for customers to sit in. They had some right in front of the check out desk but you couldn't really sit there and not interfere with other customers completing their transactions.

First time posting a Yelp review, and I've been meaning to do this for a while. My visit to this store was a while back at this point, but I feel it's important to get this out there. Key takeaway: Be sure you know what you're doing if you purchase denim here. The sales reps will help, but mistakes happen, and they will NOT stand behind their advice. Raw and unsanforized denim is a little more complicated than the usual stuff, and if you're new to it there's some risk that things won't work out the first time around. There's a chance you might even end up with an entirely unwearable pair of extremely expensive jeans. So, for your first time, it's better to have a store that'll be there to help you out at least a little if things go wrong. And you'd think they'd do this, especially if you relied on their expertise to make your purchase. In my experience, that is 100% NOT Self Edge. I bought a pair of unsanforized jeans for nearly $400, and went with the size recommended by the sales rep. Unsanforized denim is a little finicky: you soak it when you get it, and it shrinks during this process, so when you buy you're supposed to size up. The question is, by how much? When I showed the rep how the jeans I was trying fit in the waist, he looked from across the room and immediately, confidently said, "That's your size." It was my first time buying unsanforized denim, and I figured he knew what he was talking about, so I trusted his advice. I made the purchase, took them home and soaked them in the tub, and they shrank... but not by nearly enough. I tried soaking in hot water and for a longer period of time - still no luck. I called Self Edge and asked for advice, and the rep suggested putting them through the wash on high heat, and if that didn't work, putting them through the dryer. I tried these steps, spent some time reading internet forums for other ideas, etc. but was still unsuccessful: the jeans were simply too big. What bothered me was not that these jeans didn't work out. Mistakes happen. The rep should've looked more closely at the fit before making a recommendation, but that's not the end of the world. What really irritated me was that they didn't offer ANY compensation OF ANY KIND - not so much as a discount on a new pair! This was despite my having relied on their advice in choosing the jeans, and my having been entirely courteous throughout the process. It was $400, and a great deal of time, that I essentially had to write off. The jeans ended up sitting unused at the top of my closet for months simply because I couldn't bring myself to throw them out. I love the idea of Self Edge, and I love the kind of stuff they sell. This should've been the first of many purchases over the years. Instead, it culminated in a terrible experience and a terrible review. Would not shop again.

I guess I'm a big fan of this place, having come here enough to become Duchess (haha...) but overall I have my ups and downs with Self Edge. I first discovered the niche unique world of Raw denim when my bf and I hit up Blue and Green in New York's trendy SoHo district. I was definitely pulled into the unique-ness of the washes as well as fading that could potentially occur had I worn mine enough times to drop said $250+ on a pair of Japanese denim. Surprisingly one day I was asked at work about it by a guy who apparently was into raw denim, kind of cool since I thought perhaps no one would even notice what kind of jeans I was wearing. Either way, at Self Edge, the women's selection is slimmer than most other places like APC and Blue and Green. You will find a helpful staff here, and a lot of cool guys who run the shop or just come to hang out. I got my tattoo parlor recommendation here and it worked out great for me. The staff remembers a fair amount of customers and always ask how the fit and style of something you purchased was which I find to be a nice personal touch. Their men's selection is ... enormous. My bf always finds himself here buying yet another pair of $400+ Sugar Canes. Now he can't complain about my shoes! Either way, this is a nice place, just make sure you know what size you really are and repeatably try on until you are positive it is that size or you will have a very difficult time in exchanging... I see several gripes here about service, I have to say the service is very subjective ... sometimes great, sometimes downright terrible, just depends on who you happen to run into.

I can't wait for Self Edge to open on Nov 1st! SF *badly* needs a place like this. From their webpage they will have quite a few Japanese denim such as Iron Heart, Sugarcane, and Samarai. I don't think anywhere else in SF stock those. I'm hopeful that they will be adding more Japanese brands, I am really hoping they will have PBJ. :) Looking forward to the opening party and the SuperFuture parties. Oh and it would be nice if they could cop a union special chainstitch machine!!

I love everything about this store! The staff is the most knowledgeable people I have ever met when it comes to everything denim. They teach you how to take care of your investment and most importantly they take care of you with their customer service and very friendly and approachable personalities. Also, the product that they carry in this store is amazing. Though it may be a little pricey for those that aren't used to paying for some jeans at this price, I promise you that it some of the GREATEST jeans you could ever spend money on. I've been a fan of Japanese denim for quite some time now, and Self Edge has always been my go to for questions and acquiring product. Keep up the amazing work SESF!!!

We've been coming here for a while. The boyfriend is into the whole raw denim thing. Since the very first time we met Gino, he has been nothing but nice and helpful. Great guy. Sure, the bf and him can get into some pretty long convos about jeans and jackets and well, clothes, but it's ok. I can be pretty patient when I want to be. He's bought a few pairs from here, and I bought him one or two, and they've all been his favorite. Yes, it's expensive, but you get what you pay for. Yes, it's gross that they wear this stuff for a year or longer without washing, but whatever gets 'em off. What I don't like, is the lack of parking. We've circled the block for what seemed like hours for parking. AND all the bicyclists that expect you to be responsible for their lives. Reckless hipsters.

Had 3 pairs of jeans that all needed some heavy repair for what they call "crotch blowout" (no better term for this?). After having gotten several prior pairs repaired at local dry cleaner/reparations places I decided I'd try going to a place that offered more specialized services specifically for denim. Searched on Yelp for "denim repair" and lo and behold, found myself at Self Edge. I'll admit, while the 40 dollar per jean price tag wasn't crazy to me, I was pretty shocked at the 4 week turnaround time. A month seemed rather ridiculous to me, but when I got my jeans back I was very, very impressed with the quality. The stitching was clearly done by someone with great skill and attention to detail. Unlike previous "patch jobs" this time actual denim was sewn back into the jeans themselves through this "darning" process. Whatever it is, I'm a fan. The jeans look fantastic! If you have the patience to wait up to 5 weeks for your stuff, I highly recommend. Prob the last time you'll need to get them fixed!

It's been months planning of buying a denim jacket. So, i decided coming to this store and bought one. Staff are nice and helpful. Beautiful denim jacket. Iron Heart jacket of Japan. which fit well, good quality and comfortable. Love it so much. No regret. Recommendable.

A place filled with knowledge and beautiful denim and leather goods. Kiya's the man if you have questions regarding leather, denim, food, bmx, beer, liquor, etc. A store fully stocked with some of the hardest to obtain goodies from Japan. One of the only places in the states where you can get your grubby little paws on hella cool stuff. Even if you don't buy anything, just drop by and give them a "Hello!" If you're lucky, you won't run into the ferocious Diesel Truck.

Self Edge is San Francisco. Derek and Clay hold down the ship and Diesel handles all alterations. Free Fernet Branca with every $300 purchase. BOOM TIME. Check out the new display window that was put up on July 1st, 2008...Sidney Lo x Self Edge.

Great shop. I must've tried on 10+ pairs of pants and the staff was very helpful and patient the entire time. I ended up buying two pairs of pants that I'm extremely happy with. I really appreciate great service and quality products - Self Edge has both.

They don't stand behind the product that they sell. I bought a pair of jeans for almost 300 bucks. After one wash per instructions, they shrank in every dimension and are not wearable. They are willing to give me 30 percent off the next pair I buy I won't be spending another dime here.

Came in to get some repairs on my jeans. They did a great job and they were back in a few weeks. The folks working here are pretty nice. They are all a lot younger then me, but I didn't get that "what do you want for led man" vibe I get from other places.

In life, I've joked, their are a few things one should avoid buying at a discount; plastic surgery, sushi and now according to my husband; denim. Self Edge is not cheap, nor does it claim to be. What it is, is a place to buy the best Japanese denim, sold in an environment that caters to its customers needs with meticulous attention to detail. The sales team works hard to remember their customers preferences, and every time we have shopped at Self Edge, they never fail to deliver. Shopping at Self Edge is like a strange cross between visiting a high end custom tailors and hanging out in a friends living room. It's comfortable and relaxed, no pressure to purchase, a fun experience, and you leave with garments that you will love for a lifetime that fit your body. That's the thing with buying quality - quality lasts, and it's always worth it.

In a span of two years, Self Edge has become the place where I buy most of my clothes. I hesitate to call the clothes I buy here the finest clothes I've ever owned. Although there is an artisanal quality to many of the goods, everything I've bought here is more than just quality. They are clothes that bring me joy. Every item I have purchase is one I look forward to wearing. My experience has been purely online as I do not have the luxury of being able to drop by any time I want. Despite this, my interactions with the staff and the way they have handled any issues I have had have been with a proper amount of courtesy and promptness. I cannot speak highly enough about my customer service experiences. For many people, the elephant tin the room is going to be the prices. I will not speak to the idea that a pair of jeans is a pair of jeans or that a flannel shirt is a flannel shirt. At these price points, what is being bought is not just "a pair of jeans" or "a shirt" but all of the details. They are the little things which I do not expect anyone to notice... but I do. And I'm the one who paid for them. My pair of jeans is now "a pair of single needle sewn unsanforized jeans made with Zimbabwean cotton... with rounded pockets." You may ask "Who cares?" I did. And I'm glad there's a shop out there that cares just like I do.

I had a bad experience with their employee. He was super unhelpful and generally seemed totally annoyed by me. No thanks.

This place is awesome and here's why. I own a Buzz Rickson's MA1 bomber jacket. I purchased it several years ago. It is a meticulously made reproduction of the of the original and is of the highest quality material and manufacture. It was originally issued in 1949 or 1950 to United States Air Force and Navy pilots and flight crews. Mr. Gibson, it's told, describes the jacket as being black, which, as it's told is a mis-remembering of the jacket. The original jacket, was only ever made in green. The jacket I have is Black, an exclusive feature of this jacket from Buzz Rickson's. It is also worth mentioning. The jacket was hideously expensive and worth every penny. The Jacket is from the William Gibson Collection (again my favorite Science Fiction write) and the store I purchased the jacket from has locations in San Francisco and New York. Living in San Diego, I could wear it, perhaps 3 times a year, as it is insulated with a very heavy wool lining, think the heaviest wool blanket. I see it's rotation in my daily life increasing greatly. I went to the store (Self Edge) in SF today and was able to pick up the hang tags that were excluded from my order. The gentleman behind the counter was nice enough to give me a full set of tags so I now have some official Provenance on the Jacket. Not that I think I will ever sell it. My interest in the MA1 stems from its featured heavily in William Gibson's novel Pattern Recognition. The female protagonist Cayce Pollard, employed as a cool hunter, some uniquely skilled to find fashion trends before they become fashion trends and other similar industries. She has a specific allergy to logos so severe she is compelled to sand logo of the rivets in jeans. This allergy also helps her catch non-trends as well. Things so singular and unique they exist in only the smallest pockets of space and time or things so ubiquitous their manufacture date is indiscernible and timeless that it cannot be said if it was manufactured in 1917 or 2017. Think Levi 501s jeans, a Dickies cotton work jacket or a simple collared shirt. The jacket is purposely damaged with a cigarette burn by the antagonist in the book and serves a constant reminder of her allergy. She later gets a replacement from her employer Hubertus Bigend. The series of 3 novels is considered the "Bigend Books" trilogy as he is the key character that others are generally forced to orbit around, whether they like it or not. He is the owner of Blue Ant and is a bit of a business magnate. "Bigend's appearance is compared by the protagonist of Gibson's Pattern Recognition to that of actor Tom Cruise "on a diet of virgins' blood and truffled chocolates"" - I didn't right this bit... It's my understanding that Nylon fabric production machines were brought out of moth balls for the production of the Buzz Rickson's product line. They appear to use it across many of their jackets. I currently, cannot walk more than a few hours with in San Francisco without seeing a $50ish spring jacket knock off and that is my allergy. Needless to say; I love this jacket and picking up the hang tags makes me very, very happy. Anyway, here is my book report/dissertation on Pattern Recognition. You should read it or better yet listen to it on Audible. I have listened to this series at least 3 times and I have eleven of his books... That is all... The Shop. http://www.selfedge.com/ Buzz Rickson's Site - I'm going to try and get some of their gloves.. https://www.buzzricksons.com/stockists.php?osCsid=9fc5f93b3c66d2f1a3a94143c04b138a History https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MA-1_bomber_jacket #selfedge #williamgibson @williamgibson

Jeans: The staff kind of expects you to know what you are looking for, and their inventory can be a little cryptic (they pull a lot of pants from cabinets). Here is what I recommend: find your favorite pair of jeans, wear them to the store and tell them what you do and don't like about them. That will be a good starting point. If you walk in not knowing whether you want skinny or regular fit they may not know how to help you. I would also recommend having a favorite brand in mind (I love Flat Head, Iron Heart and ThreeSixteen). These two things will help out the staff a great deal. Another recommendation is to size up and incrementally shrink them to the correct size, and don't over hem. The staff can (and will) give you advice about this, but at the end of the day it's your responsibility to do it correctly so you don't waste $400. Overall: I'm really glad this shop exists. They carry brands that no one else does. The show room is a bit small so they often will need to head to the back to find your size. They carry a lot of unique items so you can never be sure they aren't sold out. The staff is very knowledgeable about each item, including the size which varies from brand to brand and depending the fabric and dying process. Be prepared to spend $250-$400 per item.

Probably the worst service I've ever experienced. Knowing that they are one of the few denim stores in San Francisco, I took my favorite pair of jeans here to be repaired. Before I was greeted, which never happened, I was asked at least 7 times if my "...jeans stink?". I understand the reason behind the question of the smell of worn, raw denim, but there are better ways to go about asking that question. Aside from the nasty attitude, I was given 3 different rates for the repair of the jeans, each time getting more expensive. Again this was done in a poorly manner, telling me the cost with a "you sure you got money for this?" attitude. By this point I was ready to not fix my jeans, but they are my favorite pair of jeans and the options to get them fixed properly are limited in this city. To top off the awful service and nasty attitude, I was told my jeans would be ready in one week. It has been a solid 2 weeks and I have not received a phone call or email in regards to my jeans. I am a big fan of denim and willing to pay any amount of money for the right garment, but it sure wont be going to this place.

I will not apologize for my dinkiness. H o w e v e r, thank you Self Edge, for hemming my jeans with your clean, flattering Chain Stitching; doing it with a comfortable greet and smile; and for 15 measly bucks. I will not apologize for my deficient coolness, albeit half-eyed expected, walking in. I mean, how could I not? Self Edge, On the Corner of 18th & Valencia, Exclusive U.S. carrier of tony denim brands, Written up as a travel destination in the NYT, Yet hovering under stuffwhitepeoplelike radar. Sort of. Stuffwhitepeoplelike: #91 San Francisco #84 T-Shirts #73 Gentrification #58 Japan #50 Irony #49 Vintage #46 The Sunday New York Times #19 Traveling #11 Asian Girls