If there is one piece of clothing that everyone really should own, it’s a pair of well-fitting jeans. From cowboys to hippies, indie rockers, to preppy jocks, jeans are that one designer item that has transcended time, gender, and many a fashion wardrobe.
But with such popularity, it means practically every clothing brand under the sun produces its own denim, making wading through the abundance of mid-wash, dark-wash, light-wash, and even black jeans to find the best brands that much tougher.
Buying a pair of jeans for yourself isn’t always as simple as going into a store, picking up a pair, and taking them home. In order to nail the perfect pair you need to understand fit and fabric, as what one brand considers to be a 32-inch waist, or a slim fit, for example, could be the polar opposite to another. And naturally, with anything in fashion, some brands are just more stylish than others.
What our experts say…
We asked Jeff Lack, a leading fashion industry expert who’s been in the business for over 25 years. Jeff tells us;
In the current fashion landscape, denim enjoys stability as it’s not heavily influenced by rapid trends. Skinny jeans are losing popularity, while slim fits remain dominant. Straight, easy, and wide styles are more in vogue, with straight jeans being a versatile choice. It’s essential to find the right fit for your body type.
Consider sizing down an inch for a better fit, avoid excessive stretch, and bid farewell to super skinny jeans. Quality matters, so invest wisely.
Having different pairs for various occasions is recommended, such as dark denim for work, black for events, and washed blue for daily wear. Footwear choice is pivotal for your overall style.
A snapshot of who makes what…
Best Designer Jeans Brands | ACNE, A.P.C. |
Best Japanese Denim | John Elliot, PPRS, orSlow |
Best For Skinny Guys | ASOS |
Best For Bigger Guys | Levis / Hugo Boss |
Best Wide Legged Jeans | ACNE, Nudie |
Best Cheap Jeans Brand | Boohoo Man |
Best Sustainable Jeans Brand | Everlane |
Best Jeans For Work | Bonobos |
Best Quality Jeans | Denham / AG Jeans |
If you’re tired of ill-fitting jeans or jeans that fall apart after a few wears, we’ve rounded up what brands make the best jeans for men that are durable, comfortable, and stylish.
Hugo Boss
Pros
- Good quality
- Italian made
- Reasonably priced
- Work with bigger guys
Cons
- Sensible designs
Founded in 1942, German luxury fashion house Hugo Boss is renowned for their opulent range of clothing, accessories, footwear, and fragrances. Hugo Boss’ designer jeans are tailored to fit you like a glove with the perfect amount of stretch.
Hugo Boss jeans are cut from the best materials available in many colours, from an incredible dark stonewash to classic indigo denim. Crafted with impressive details, their men’s premium jeans are available in skinny fit, slim fit, loose-fit, wide-leg and straight fit styles and will surely become your new favourites in no time.
If you’re a fan of all things Italian, then you’ll love Hugo Boss’ Italian denim they use on their jeans.
Tommy Hilfiger
Pros
- Reliable
- Well-priced
Cons
- For the masses
Founded in 1985, Tommy Hilfiger is one of the world’s leading designer brands renowned for their classic American cool style that they describe as ‘preppy with a twist’. Famous for its signature red, white, and blue stripes, Tommy Hilfiger produces high-quality garments for men, women, and children using only the finest materials.
Tommy Hilfiger has a huge range of jeans for men available in multiple styles, fits, and colours. All expertly crafted, Tommy Hilfiger jeans can easily be dressed up or down and will make an excellent addition to any wardrobe.
Popular Products from Tommy Hilfiger
Everlane
Pros
- Transparent production
- Ethically sourced
- Very well-priced
Cons
- Affordable means they won't last as long
- Slow shipping
Everlane is an ethical clothing manufacturer that makes a particularly good pair of jeans. The company hand-selects all of the materials and manufacturers for every single product it sells to ensure they not only meet quality standards but also its stringent ethical and environmental standards. Everlane is a completely transparent retailer too, telling you, the customer, about how your jeans are made and where your money is going.
Because of its direct-to-consumer sales approach, Everlane is able to charge much less than some of its rivals, yet still provide a high-quality product. Everlane has a comprehensive range of denim, including slim fit, regular, straight, and athletic cuts as well as an array of colours to choose from.
Popular Products from Everlane
Todd Snyder
Pros
- Great quality
- Fashion-forward
- Great masculine styles
Cons
- Hard to fault Todd
Before starting his own label, Todd Snyder was a key designer at the likes of Ralph Lauren, GAP, and Marc Jacobs. The experiences at these powerhouse firms gave him the confidence and ability to start his own label which has become a powerhouse in its own right and is a destination to visit for effortlessly cool style married with top-quality goods.
A fair chunk of Todd’s denim range is made from Japanese selvedge, a benchmark in high quality, and with the main spectrum of colours taken care of (light, mid, dark, black jeans) you can easily stock up a certified-cool capsule wardrobe.
Popular Products from Todd Snyder
Bonobos
Pros
- The perfect work jean
- Well-priced
- Fast shipping
- Good for bigger guys
Cons
- Basic styles
Bonobos was born because founders, Andy Dunn & Brian Spaly, couldn’t find men’s pants that fit (they were either too tight or too boxy) and wanted to fix this common problem men face while shopping. They fixed it with their not-so-secret secret: all Bonobos’ pants (and jeans!) have a curved waistband that conforms to the natural shape of men’s waists.
Bonobos’ selection comprises top-quality stretch denim jeans, high-end selvedge, and soft-brushed jeans. They have a variety of fits no matter how thick your thighs or legs are, and whether you’re searching for a slim fit, straight leg cut, or a tailored feel, Bonobos has you covered. Available in an array of colours such as dark denim, faded medium rinses, or light washes, Bonobos make some of the best jeans for men available.
Popular Products from Bonobos
Mott & Bow
Pros
- Well-priced
- Fast-shipping
Cons
- Quality was a bit shit
Founded in 2013, Mott & Bow is a premium clothing brand who create elevated basics at affordable prices. The brand is mostly known for their extremely comfortable and well-made jeans, as founder Alejandro Chahin spent most of his life working with denim at his family’s denim manufacturing facility. However, Mott & Bow, also make high-quality chinos, tees, shirts, and sweaters.
Mott & Bow’s range of men’s jeans come in a huge range of styles – skinny, slim, straight fit – and many washes and colours. Extremely comfortable and durable, there’s a reason why Mott & Bow jeans are considered as some of the best jeans on the market.
We purchased a pair of Mott & Bow jeans a while back in a faded pink colour. For the price, you get what you get. They’re a budget denim brand so don’t expect anything else.
Popular Products from Mott & Bow
ASOS Design
Pros
- Loads of different styles
- For every shape and size
- Cheap!
Cons
- Quality isn't great
British online retailer ASOS was founded in 2000, and since then they have primarily aimed their clothing at young adults, but they do have clothing appropriate for older adults, too. They are extremely committed to creating clothing that allows people to have total freedom, to experiment, and to feel confident with their fashion choices.
ASOS Design has styles to suit every taste; with everything from all-day-every-day staples in classic washes to men’s stretch jeans for weekend chill, to ripped skinny jeans for ultimate street style.
Popular Products from ASOS Design
Boohoo Man
Pros
- Cheap!
- Loads of styles
Cons
- Quality of course
“Fashion’s best kept secret”, Boohoo Man combines cutting edge design with an affordable price tag. Pushing boundaries to bring you the latest styles but with less of a strain on your wallet, Boohoo Man’s philosophy is to not take fashion (or life) too seriously; and the result is menswear that is playful and trendy yet surprisingly affordable.
If you’re wanting to experiment with your denim, Boohoo Man is the brand for you. They have multitudes of ripped jeans, jeans with modern prints, and essentially very on-trend jeans that’ll take your street-style to the next level.
Popular Products from Boohoo Man
AG Jeans
Pros
- Established brand renown for making great jeans
- Fashion-forward
Cons
- On the more premium end
AG Jeans combines sophisticated, tailored denim and the unbeatable feel of worn-in jeans. Its denim is constructed from high-grade fabric and expertly treated to achieve specific washes that emulate natural ageing, while an innovative stretch fabric retains the shape and ensures comfort.
AG perfectly combines quality and price to ensure you’re getting high-quality jeans without having to pay ridiculous prices. Available in a smaller range of colours and styles, AG doesn’t have a comprehensive range, but what it does offer is superb quality and value.
Popular Products from AG Jeans
Rag & Bone
Pros
- Great quality denim
- Offer a range of different washes and cuts
Cons
- Again, more pricey
Founded in the US in 2002, Rag & Bone offers the very epitome of quality American-style denim. All its denim jeans are manufactured in Los Angeles and are available in fits ranging from extra-slim to a more classic straight-leg cut.
Extra care is taken to ensure any pair of men’s jeans you buy will feel just right from day, and with less common colours such as brown and incredibly light grey available to choose from, Rag & Bone could become your new favourite denim brand.
Popular Products from Rag & Bone
Outerknown
Pros
- Sustainable brand doing good things for the ocean
- Backed by Kelly Slater
Cons
- Very much casual styling
With Kelly Slater, one of the world’s best-ever surfers, responsible for creating Outerknown, it’s certainly one that you should be taking notice of. Kelly was inspired to start his own brand following the expiration of one of his former sponsorship deals, and are we glad he did. With a stupidly heavy focus on sustainability, Outerknown is a brand to invest in if you actually care about the planet you live on.
Each pair of men’s jeans is made at “the world’s cleanest denim facility” and offer incredible quality. Slim, straight-leg, and tapered fits available in a multitude of colours means Outerknown has a pair of denim jeans for everyone.
Popular Products from Outerknown
G-Star RAW
Pros
- Dutch powerhouse that is known for their denim
- Have always found them to be good quality
Cons
- Some designs are really bad
G-Star RAW was born in the Netherlands in 1989 and quickly took the world by storm – it’s often regarded as being the brand to really introduce the idea of luxury denim to the mainstream market.
As its name suggests, G-Star RAW specialises in raw, untreated denim, giving you an incredibly tough and durable pair of jeans and it’s a feature that has allowed it to become popular not just with high-street shoppers, but a raft of celebrities too. Despite its luxurious nature, G-Star RAW jeans are competitively priced, giving you plenty of bang for your buck.
We’ve purchased a number of pairs of G-Star over the past decade. Their jeans are great quality and the design makes them a unique choice for blokes.
Popular Products from G-Star RAW
Nudie Jeans
Pros
- Always a god product
- Loads of different cuts
- Well price for what you get
- Offer repair service
Cons
- Hard to fault them
Nudie Jeans is one of our absolute favourite jeans brands here at DMARGE. How come? The Swedish manufacturer prides itself on producing sustainably made denim from 100 per cent organic cotton and runs on the ethos of every pair of jeans telling its own unique story. The company encourages all customers to refrain from washing their jeans for at least the first six months of ownership so that they can take on a character of their own, and should they ever become damaged or ripped, promises to offer free repairs for life.
We also love Nudie’s transparent approach to business, as a quick look on its website will show you a breakdown of the company structure including its finances. It’s certainly a brand you should respect.
At last count, I think I’ve purchased no less than 10 pairs of Nudie Jeans….. yes, 10. I even purchased a pair of the flared Nudies most recently.
Popular Products from Nudie Jeans
Levi's
Pros
- Always faithful
- Offer more obscure cuts from 70s and 80s
- Very well-priced
Cons
- A bit of a 'dad brand'
Think denim jeans and Levi’s will almost certainly feature in your top three brands – I mean, they invented the denim jean. While the company does now face stiffer competition than what it was used to during its heyday, Levi’s remains a brand to be relied upon for quality denim jeans and select stores will be able to make adjustments to yours on the spot.
Levi’s is known for its wide variety of cuts. You’re probably familiar with the classic 501s, but Levi’s offers a wide variety of colours, cuts and styles to suit every set of legs.
Popular Products from Levi's
Acne Studios
Pros
- Make great quality jeans
- Their wide legged jeans are fantastic
- Make throwback styles from 2000s and 90s.
Cons
- Expensive
For denim with a touch of Scandinavian flair, look no further than Stockholm-based Acne Studios. Not reserved to producing just clothing, Acne Studios’ founder Johnny Johannson also dabbles in the worlds of publications, furniture, and exhibitions. It’s the clothing range you’ll no doubt know the brand for, however, and if not, then you really should.
We’re huge fans of Acne Studios’ clothing range as it exudes a distinctly minimalist flair, yet provides exceptional quality. The denim range comprises a wide variety of fits, from the expected slim fit jeans and straight fit, to more unusual fits such as bootcut and oversized.
Popular Products from Acne Studios
Denham
Pros
- Japanese denim all the way
- Known just for making great jeans
Cons
- Hard to fault those crazy Dutch bastards
DENHAM was founded in Amsterdam in 2008 by English jeanmaker Jason Denham. Jason has an unwavering passion for premium-quality denim and consistently pushes himself and the company to improve on its designs and fits. Denim is sourced from only the finest mills in Italy and Japan and the most sustainable practices are taken where possible.
Each pair of DENHAM jeans bares the company’s scissor logo (crafted from 691 stitches) and the range encompasses numerous fits (such as skinny fit, straight fit, and slim fit jeans, and washes at affordable prices.
Popular Products from Denham
A.P.C.
Parisian brand A.P.C. opened for business in 1987 and quickly became known for its quality denim. Since then, several full clothing collections have come and gone, but the brand has remained associated with quality you can trust and style you want to be seen in.
Jeans are still very much a point of focus for the label, with its range producing a quintessential range of fits and colours that can easily take up space in any modern man’s wardrobe.
Popular Products from A.P.C.
Prps
Americans can thank Prps for spearheading the charge for Japanese luxury-quality denim. Founded in 2002, the brand has remained undeterred in its desire to constantly research and develop its clothing range to ensure the utmost quality. A strong focus is placed on washed and selvedge denim, which can be had in a multitude of fits and styles, ranging from your traditional look jeans through to pairs with rips, patterns or anything style touches emblazoned on them.
If you really want to flash the cash, you can take a look at the Prps Noir range, which offers the absolute last word in premium.
Popular Products from Prps
orSlow
orSlow is a brand that does away with jumping aboard the fast fashion bandwagon. Tucked away from denim-centric Tokyo in the Hyogo Prefecture, the brand’s mission statement is to invest in the garment construction process in a slower, more considered manner that respects the heritage of workwear. This means products are handmade, resulting in items that will last much longer.
With a fantastic range of slim fit jeans as well as classic straight cuts and modern skinny fit jeans, orSlow has pair of jeans perfect for everyone.
Popular Products from orSlow
John Elliot
John Elliott’s eponymous clothing label was founded in 2012 on the basis of creating a line of fashion basics, but with the quality you’d expect from a high-end tailor. The label has since become a favourite among the celebrity world, being seen worn by the likes of LeBron James, Kanye West, and Justin Bieber, so if you consider yourself to be in the same echelon as names such as these, this is a brand for you.
We wouldn’t call the denim range extensive, but the jeans offered are ones that have been meticulously crafted down to the very last detail… Rips included.
If you’re a skinny bloke, like me, then get onto the John Elliot Cast 2 jeans. I’ve purchased more than 5 pairs in a range of washes. These are without a doubt the best jeans I’ve ever purchased. Unfortunately, they’re expensive but worth it IMHO.
Popular Products from John Elliot
Edwin
Edwin has been in the denim game since way back in 1947. While its first pair of jeans didn’t come around until 1969, founder Mr. Tsunemi had spent the previous 20 years importing and mending used jeans, so was well versed to set up his own denim company and help to ignite the Japanese denim industry.
The brand continues to be one of the most influential in the world as it continuously remains on-trend and offers incredible quality for money.
Popular Products from Edwin
Uniqlo
Japanese clothier Uniqlo is one to turn to for simple everyday pieces that really don’t cost the earth. Investing in the affordable Uniqlo brand doesn’t mean you need to scrimp on quality, however, as the company constantly churns out pieces that belies their price.
Uniqlo’s denim range is vast, ticking off a variety of fits that are available in more sizes than you thought possible. They even offer a few styles in selvedge denim – at an unbeatable price (they’re a personal favourite of ours). The company also has its own alterations service which will make any adjustments for free.