The Denim Guy

THE DENIM GUY Interview with Jeffrey Shafer, Founder of AGAVE DENIM

First, Can you give our readers a little background about the brand? For example…

When it started? LAUNCHED IN AUGUST 2002.

Why you started the company? ALL THE REALLY COOL JEANS WERE CUT FOR SKINNY GUYS.

How did you come up with the name? IT’S A REALLY COOL PLANT (LIVES 100 YEARS AND IS INDESTRUCTIBLE) AND A NATIVE TO CALIFORNIA AND MAJOR LANDSCAPE ELEMENT TO MID-CENTURY MODERN CALIFORNIA ARCHITECTURE.

What inspired you to become a denim designer?

I HAVE ALWAYS LOVED DENIM MORE THAN ANYTHING.  I QUIT MY CORPORATE JOB AT SAN DIEGO GAS & ELECTRIC BECAUSE THEY MADE ME WEAR A MONKEY SUIT.

Now, What keeps you wanting to design?

LOVE OF DENIM, LOVE OF DESIGN, LOVE OF FASHION, VENUE FOR SELF EXPRESSION.

Being a denim designer must be hard. Trying to “re-invent” denim season after season is a challenge in itself. What is your inspiration process like for each season?

MY CAREER AS A DESIGNER STARTED IN 1992 AS THE FOUNDER/DESIGNER FOR WORKWEAR LINE BC ETHIC.  I SHOPPED VINTAGE STORES, SWAP MEETS AND STUDIED VINTAGE AMERICAN WORKWEAR.  IT IS MY BLUE COLLAR DNA.  WORKWEAR, CALIFORNIA RANCHWEAR AND FARM IS THE TREND IN MENSWEAR.  IT’S LIKE A HOMECOMING FOR ME.

What are you denim predictions for the next 18 months for both men and women?

THIS IS A VERY EXCITING TIME FOR DENIM.  EVERYBODY JOINED IN DURING THE BUBBLE.  THE ONLY PEOPLE LEFT IN THE SPACE ARE THE REAL PLAYERS.  THE NEXT BIG MOVEMENT IN DENIM IS GOING TO EMERGE.  JEGGINGS ARE NOT THE FUTURE BUT A CURRENT TREND.  DENIM WILL GO TWO WAYS… 1: CHEAP, CHEAP, CHEAP 2: FANTASTIC, ARTISANAL, TAILORED.  AGAVE WILL PURSUE OPTION #2.

What makes your denim line different from every other denim line out there?

I AM A FIBER DRIVEN DESIGNER.  MOST DESIGNERS FOCUS ON A POCKET, OR A SILHOUETTE, OR A CELEBRITY, OR A WASH. I BELIEVE THAT THE BEST PRODUCTS START WITH THE BEST MATERIALS.  AGAVE DENIM IS A FIBER LEADER AS EVIDENCED BY OUR PARTERHIPS WITH SUPIMA, OUR FROM “DAY ONE” USAGE OF T400, POLYURTHANE, HEMP, LINEN, ZIMBABWE COTTON, ETC.  WE HAVE ALSO ALWAYS KNOWN THAT SHUTTLE LOOM SELVAGE MADE WITH PLANT INDIGO IS THE PUREST FORM OF DENIM.

Where do you see the brand at in 5 years?

WE ARE COMMITTED TO BUILDING THE BRAND ORGANICALLY.  WE DON’T REALLY CARE HOW BIG WE GET BECAUSE OUR GOAL IS TO MAKE THE FINEST JEANS ON THE PLANET.  SIZE IS NOT THE OBJECTIVE.  QUALITY AND CUSTOMER APPRECIATION IS.

Part of what thedenimguy.com is to give readers an understanding about denim and who the denim players are.I would love to share with the readers some things about who YOU are?

1. Where did you grow up?  SANTA MONICA & SANTA BARBARA, SO-CAL.
2. What is a typical workday like for you?  WAKE AT 5:00AM AND WAKE UP SLOWLY DRINKING COFFEE IN BED UNTIL 6:00.  ANSWER E-MAILS AND WORK IN HOME OFFICE UNTIL 7:00.  GYM WORKOUT FROM 7:30 UNTIL 8:30.  ARRIVE AT OFFICE AT 9:00.  MORE MAILS AND COMPUTER UNTIL 11:00.  DAILY MEETING AT 11:00 (I AM ALSO THE OWNER AND CEO OF AGAVE).  LUNCH AT 12:00.  1:00 WORK ON PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT AND MISC OFFICE ISSUES UNTIL 5:00.  6:00 HOME AND DINNER. 7:30 TV AND E-MAILS/COMPUTER UNTIL 9:00.  9:30 LIGHTS OUT.
3. What are you hobbies? Do you like to collect thing? Sports? Traveler?  LOVE REAL FOOTBALL (SOCCER), FLY FISHING, FORMULA 1, MUSIC, TRAVEL, FOOD, SHOES, JACKETS, WATCHES, MOTORCYCLE AND DENIM!!!
4. Favorite book? THE PROFIT BY KHILIL GIBRAN
5. Favorite movie? ON ANY SUNDAY, ANY COEN BROS, ANY QUENTIN TARINTINO, ANY STANLY KUBRIC, ANY MARTIN SCORSESE
6. Favorite Band/Musician? RADIOHEAD, MASSIVE ATTACK, PRODIGY
7. Favorite food?  AUTHENTIC MEXICAN

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