Rarely do you meet someone who speaks so passionately about denim as Jason Denham, founder of the eponymous company denim label Denham. Denim is a lifestyle. And he proves it by continuously seeking collaborations with art, graphic design and other fine brands. For example, a Nike x Denham limited edition have since been ticked off and it is now the turn of an iconic watch...
Text: Karine Bloem
Who is Jason Denham?
I am a jeans maker. I have been for most of my working life. I was born in England and studied Fashion & Business at the University of Manchester. My first job was making jeans for the rock band U2. After that, I was sold! You can know me from my first brand 'Blue Blood', a name that refers to my obsession with jeans. In 2008, I started my own brand Denham. Today, we have 50 shops in Japan, China and the Netherlands and collaborations define a big part of our brand strategy. For instance, we have collaborated with major companies such as Barbour, Montblanc and Nike. Our latest collaboration involves the Pro Hunter GMT Master II (Pro Hunter sells customized Rolex watches under its own label - ed).
I don't work so much in the UK anymore. Before Covid, I travelled constantly between Europe and Asia: four or five times a year to Japan, China, Korea, and I visited jeans factories in Italy and Dubai. The UK let me down with the Brexit and Boris Johnson is a fool. I used to be proud of my British passport, now I'm not so sure about that anymore
If I didn't work in fashion, I would definitely have gone into something creative. I love building brands, architecture, interiors and furniture. I find art enormously fascinating and I like to experiment with food.
One talent I would have liked to have possessed is learning foreign languages. I never made time to learn multiple languages and I should have. I regret that. My daughter speaks fluent Dutch and English and that makes me very proud.
Inspiration
Growing up, I was already a huge fan of Renzo Rosso (founder of Diesel - ed.) and his former business partner Adriano Goldschmied, the 'Godfather' of denim. This man is a legend in our industry. A true denim genius and a great inspiration.
Even before I went to art school, I was also a big fan of British designer Paul Smith. Once, when I was 17, I walked into his shop in Floral Street, Covent Garden, London. I knew Paul's office was above his shop and I told the shop manager I had an appointment with him. They took me into his office and left me there. I sat there super nervous as I had no appointment at all, but I just bluffed myself in. Fortunately, Paul forgave my insolence, offered me a cup of coffee and a 15-minute conversation ensued. He shared wise words with me: "Be the master of one thing before you try to do everything." I will never forget it. And after that conversation, denim became my number one focus.
I am a big fan of street art, print and graphic design by artists like Ben Eine, Karski & Beyond and Anthony Burrill. We have an art programme at Denham where each season we invite a 'guest artist' to collaborate with us. Next spring and summer, we are collaborating with the incredibly talented Hedof as part of our Bonsai-inspired collection.
Clothes make the man
The chances of you seeing me wearing anything other than denim are nil. Denim is my life.
Armcandy
My taste in watches is eclectic. My first was probably a G-Shock. I then traded that in for a IWC Portugieser, then for a TAG Heuer Monaco Steve McQueen and then I started looking into Rolex.
I love the GMT Master. I have one with a black dial from 1970 and I thought it would be great to make a 2021 Denham version with scissor hands. We got in touch with the Pro Hunter team and told them our idea. They loved it and eventually it became a reality. It was a very long development process, but incredibly rewarding.
Other accessories I wear are eyewear by Moscot and sunglasses by Cutler & Gross. And there is always a Montblanc drawing pencil in my pocket.
Wheels
Weather permitting, I like to walk to the studio, or take my bike. As a hobby, I love iconic classic cars. I own a 1978 Rolls Royce Corniche, the dream car I always wanted. I also love the Porsche 356 speedster and Ferraris. They are like works of art to be preserved, restored and maintained for the next generation. In the future, all cars will be made without engines, so we need to cherish history.
An Aston Martin DB5 or an E-type Jag Series 1 are also still on my wish list. I am not a speed freak. I find the aesthetics and design details of classic cars more interesting. I would definitely consider a collaboration between Denham and a car brand.
Leisure Time
Time is the greatest luxury you can have. I used to be a workaholic, a control freak. But the world has changed forever and I have learnt how to delegate and balance my work-life. Time is precious.
The last book I read was The Irishmen by Charles Brandt. I am currently streaming Bonobo's playlists and recommend everyone to watch Abstract Design on Netflix, especially the episode about Tinker Hatfield. He is the footwear guru at Nike, an incredibly inspiring guy.
At home, my wife mainly cooks; she is an exceptional cook. But I share the kitchen more and more often and with pleasure. Making breakfast on weekends is my fortress. We also eat out regularly. I do miss the English pubs here with 'gourmet pub food'. Good fish and chips is always on my list when I return home.
TRAVEL
Japan amazed me on my first visit and I have been in love with it ever since. The first time I was there, I learnt that the Japanese do everything better than others. The care and attention to detail in everything is second to none: architecture, landscaping, food, fashion, service, presentation, ceremony, and so on. Amazing and very inspiring. Tip for a first-time Japan traveller: take your time and travel. Tokyo and Osaka are beautiful, but prefer not to stay too long in the big cities. Take a deep breath and take it all in. Japan is hugely diverse. Whatever you are looking for, Japan has it. And more. You won't be disappointed. One country I would also like to visit is India. I don't know how I missed it so far, but I would love to visit it in the future.
English 
Dutch 
German