We got the chance to talk to Sam Ku, the head designer of the gorgeous jeans brand AG Adriano Goldschmied. Carry on reading for this fantastic interview specifically for you DenimBlog readers! Click here for the Fall 09 Look Book.
DenimBlog: So tell us a bit about your brand?
Sam: AG is a brand that is centered on recreating vintage denim washes. We pride ourselves on offering the most beautiful and true vintage washes in impeccable fits.
DenimBlog: Who is your typical customer?
Sam: Our customer is smart and stylish in an understated way.
DenimBlog: What jean has been most popular?
Sam: Right now our Ex-boyfriend Crop in 17 Year Damage wash has been literally flying off shelves. Recently Gwyneth Paltrow, Eva Longoria, Heidi Klum, and Charlize Theron have been seen wearing this fit, so this style is quite popular with the celebs as well. Also, our Tomboy fit in 10 Year wash has been amazing. Basically anything in our ÔÇÿAG-ed’ washes has been amazing.
DenimBlog: So the ex boyfriend crop jeans have been very popular among the celebs, what makes them so different to the other boyfriend crops out there?
Sam: They are the perfect mix of boyishness and sexiness, and the wash is a beautiful medium-light shade with great distress and holes. It’s also a current favorite of my wife. Other boyfriend crops don’t have as nice a wash as ours. Countless brands out there are buying our jeans, taking them to their wash factories and asking them to try and copy our washes. I know this because these laundry factories are friends of ours!
DenimBlog: What inspires you when designing your jeans?
Sam: We always look to vintage jeans when looking for inspiration. As cheesy and clich├® as it sounds, every jean really does tell a story, and no two are alike. There’s always a reason why a particular jeans has a certain wear pattern depending on the wearer’s lifestyle, job, etc.
DenimBlog: Do you keep up with the current trends or like to go your own way?
Sam: If you try and keep up with the current trends, you will always be one step behind. It’s nice to have groups or items that are currently “in trend,” but our focus is to go our own way and figure out what we think our customer will love to wear next season and for seasons after. We like to think our items have a hint of a classic look to them so that our customers can wear our clothing for years and years, rather than just one season. Also, sometimes going your own way helps spark a trend. Our Spring ’08 collection saw the birth of our AG-ed Vintage collection, our most vintage-inspired jeans, and now the vintage trend is a huge story. We like to think that we helped start that!
DenimBlog: What has been your favorite memory/experience since AG jeans was founded?
Sam: Working with people that are excited about the brand and love the product.
DenimBlog: Do you have a favorite AG cut and wash?
Sam: Personally I wear a pair of 50s Slim Selvage jeans in an unwashed, raw state. I like to wear jeans for a couple of years and break them in myself! For the AG girls, I love the Ex-Boyfriend Crop. It is the perfect mix of boyishness and sexiness
DenimBlog: What would be the biggest denim crime to commit?
Sam: Not owning a pair of AGs! Other than that, how about blinged out jeans coupled with a blinged out t-shirt?
DenimBlog: How many pairs of jeans do you own?
Sam: Right now I rotate between wearing two pairs of jeans (yes, only two.) One is the AG 50s Slim Selvage jeans in raw, which I wear at least 6 out of 7 days a week. The other is a pair of vintage Levi’s 501 Big E.
DenimBlog: We all love denim but what is it that makes your brand stand out?
Sam: Our brand stands out because we make the most beautiful vintage washes in amazing fits. Wow, I sound like a broken record…
DenimBlog: Lastly is there anything else you would love to include that we haven’t asked?
Sam: Nothing, you covered everything quite nicely.