Jeff Shafer, CEO Agave Denim/BLUER Denim
It's a mind-altering experience when chatting with a visionary person. There is this specific intensity that exudes from them that slaps you thoroughly out of a daze and sweeps you into their gravitational pull whether you want it to or not. Before you know it, you're nodding your head vehemently, taking notes furiously and waiting for the book to come out so you can be the first to buy it.
That's the best way I can describe what happened to me during my recent chat with Jeff Shafer. You've probably never heard of him, but there's a good chance you've heard of his brands. BC Ethic, Agave Denim and most recently Bluer Denim, though vastly different, are all representative of his unique approach to doing business. An approach that's based on the principles of the American dream, a personal philosophy of social change and the desire to produce quality apparel.
Although I describe him as a visionary, and everyone else would describe him as a businessman, Shafer styles himself as a Textile Denim Designer who's job it is to use finishing and washing "to bring out what's already there. [In other words] bring out washes that are natural, organic and compliment the fabric." That's true passion and when speaking to him you get a sense of how intensely he feels about producing quality denim.
This kind of passion is something that has been severely lacking of late in the denim industry. It seems we've become so absorbed with fit, that quality is often overlooked. This is most evident with the latest influx of denim brands. Many of them are just launching pads for full apparel lines. The lack of appreciation for the heritage of the fabric leads to overall quality issues, many of which I've discussed in the past (see QOTD? When Does a Jean Stop Being a Jean?).
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