Aoki Tachikage — 青き太刀影, “Blue Blade Shadow” — is the image of a sword cutting through darkness and leaving a blue glint behind it, and the denim is built to do exactly that. On the hanger these jeans read as black-on-black. With wear they turn out to be two colors: the black is the surface, and the blue is what it was hiding.

The fabric works in layers. The warp is a #6 slub yarn that is first rope-dyed in indigo and then overdyed with sulphur black, a three-stage process that leaves black on top, indigo underneath and the natural white core at the center. As the pair breaks in, the sulphur black wears off the high points first, exposing the indigo; the indigo then fades in its own time toward the white core, so every worn area eventually shows three tones at once — black, exposed blue, and the pale core of the yarn. The weft is an uneven #6 yarn dyed sulphur black as well, which deepens the overall tone and fades to grey rather than white. At 15oz, the cloth has enough body to crease hard and hold the contrast, and the silver lamé selvedge — the brand’s nod to the samurai’s blade — runs the outseam.

The 710 is Samurai’s slim straight: a mid rise, a slim thigh and a leg that runs straight with a slight taper to a 19.5 cm (7.7") opening — the trimmest frame in the lineup for a fabric that fades this hard.

The details were drawn for this denim alone: a five-button fly in blue-coated metal embossed with the Samurai name, navy sewing thread throughout, jacquard pocket bags woven with a family-crest pattern, a selvedge-cut coin pocket and the brand’s goatskin leather patch. The denim is unsanforized and one-washed. 100% cotton. Made in Japan.

Fit Notes: This model runs small: the waist measures about 1" under the tagged size. Compared to most global American brands, we recommend sizing up one from your usual size. The denim is unsanforized but has been one-washed, so no further shrinkage is expected; the waistband will stretch slightly with wear. We don’t recommend sizing down, as starting too tight may cause discomfort and alter the intended fit of the garment. As always, we strongly recommend checking our size chart to find your perfect size.