Few things are more iconic in the history of American fashion than the denim jean. First assembled for miners in 1853 by none other than Levi Strauss, blue jeans are woven into the fabric of our country, and no other garment is a better fit for US manufacturing than our national wardrobe workhorse. Thankfully, a few labels have started to realize the importance of maintaining denim’s history and integrity within American culture, and have started to bring the industry back home. Raleigh Denim, founded in 2007, is one such brand.

Victor Lytvinenko and Sarah Yarborough are the visionaries behind this Raleigh, NC-based line of jeans, and their men’s and women’s styles are known for impeccable tailoring, thoughtful construction, and durability. On today’s show, Victor shares the story of how he and Sarah became obsessed with denim, the vintage machines they use to create each pair of jeans, what “selvedge” means, some care tips that will help ensure a long life for your favorite jeans, and more.

Plus, I’ve got a great playlist of music featuring new material from Sharon Van Etten and up-and-comers Ancient Warfare, as well as Sufjan Stevens and Arcade Fire. So join us as we celebrate all-American style here on BTR’s Sew & Tell!

Select styles from Raleigh Denim
(Photos courtesy of Raleigh Denim)

NYC Flagship store

*For more Raleigh Denim…
– Watch this great mini doc about the brand & catch a behind-the-scenes look at the making of Raleigh Denim jeans!
– Find their stockists for men and women, or shop the latest styles online directly from RD.
– Find them on Facebook and Instagram, and keep up with all their new designs and developments!

Sharon Van Etten
(Photo by Laura Crosta)
Aug 8 – Nextfest @ Ace Hotel – Los Angeles, CA

Ancient Warfare
(Photo by Ann Sydney Taylor)
July 30 – The Burlington – Chicago, IL
Aug 5 – The Mothlight – Asheville, NC
Aug 6 – Drunken Unicorn – Atlanta, GA
Aug 7 – The Hangfire – Savannah, GA
Aug 8 – Go Bar – Athens, GA
Aug 9 – Crying Wolf – Nashville, TN
Aug 13 – City Grows – Pittsburgh, PA
Aug 15 – Tiny Montgomery – Brooklyn, NY
Aug 29 – The Hungry Otter Fest @ Pilot Light – Knoxville, TN
Sept 5 – Motr Pub – Cincinnati, OH

Sufjan Stevens
(Photo by Emmanuel Afolabi)
July 17 & 18 – Eaux Claires – Eau Claire, WI
July 25 – Newport Folk Festival @ Fort Adams State Park – Newport, RI
Aug 14 – Planet Bluegrass – Lyons, CO
Aug 28 & 29 – The Helix – Dublin, Ireland
Aug 30 – Edinburgh Playhouse Theatre – Edinburgh, United Kingdom
Aug 31 – O2 Apollo – Manchester, United Kingdom
Sept 2 & 3 – Royal Festival Hall, Southbank Centre – London, United Kingdom
Sept 4 – Brighton Dome – Brighton, United Kingdom
Sept 5 – End of the Road Festival – Blandford Forum, United Kingdom
Sept 6 – Colston Hall – Bristol, United Kingdom
Sept 8 & 9 – Le Grand Rex – Paris, France
Sept 10 – Palais des Beaux-Arts (Bozar) – Brussels, Belgium
Sept 12 – Oslo Spektrum – Oslo, Norway
Sept 13 – Gota Lejon – Stockholm, Sweden
Sept 14 – Falconer Theatre – Copenhagen, Denmark
Sept 15 – Mehr Theatre – Hamburg, Germany
Sept 16 & 17 – Admiralspalast – Berlin, Germany
Sept 19 – Colosseum Theater – Essen, Germany
Sept 20 – Theatre Du Leman – Geneva, Switzerland
Sept 21 – Teatro Della Luna – Assago, Italy
Sept 23 & 24 – Royal Theatre Carre – Amsterdam, Netherlands
Sept 25 – La Comedie De Reims – Reims, France
Sept 26 – Grand Theatre De Luxembourg – Luxembourg
Sept 27 – Le Radiant – Lyon, France
Sept 29 – Parc del Forum – Barcelona, Spain
Sept 30 – Teatro Circo Price – Madrid, Spain