In addition to being one of the poster brands for Scandinavian design, Acne Studios has made a name for itself as a purveyor of minimalist denim over the past two and a half decades. Denim is an integral part of what Acne does, with the brand’s founder describing it as “part of [the brand’s] DNA.”

While Acne’s outerwear and knits tend to be billowing and oversized, the Swedish brand’s denim has, traditionally, been a bit more form-fitting. The Ace Ups has been the brand’s standout black slim-fit jean since it was introduced. The combination of the simple, timeless silhouette and the black dye make the Ace Ups the perfect pair of jeans with which to pair with other minimalist pieces—or with one of Acne’s more experimental and colorful garments.

A.P.C. is famous for its no frills approach to denim, garnering a cult following during raw denim’s halcyon days in the early-to-mid 2010s, thanks to its stiff, dark indigo denim and a relatively simple array of silhouettes. The black Petit Standard is, arguably, the brand’s simplest silhouette and definitely its darkest.

For a brand that has made a name for itself thanks to luxurious minimalism, no single pair better embodies it than black straight-leg, low-rise, Japanese denim jeans. While the allure of raw indigo denim is developing a unique pair of jeans over a number of years, the black Petit Standard is A.P.C.’s unwavering sure-fire black denim offering.

It might be seen as a bit odd that Balmain—a luxury house that epitomizes ostentatious luxury—has made denim such a big part of its business and aesthetic. Both [Christophe Decarnin](https://www.grailed.com/drycleanonly/christophe-decarnin-master-class and Olivier Rousteing have succeeded in creating jeans that are popular among the world’s one-percent. Most notably, this includes the Biker Jean, which has been worn by the likes of Kanye West and Kid Cudi.

Balmain’s black Waxed Biker is exemplary of how the house has managed to create the ultimate luxury denim. The Waxed Biker looks the part of a leather pant, with its sheen and a sleek, form-fitting silhouette and articulated lower thigh, albeit without the inconvenience and discomfort that leather pants entail. The Waxed Biker is unmistakably Balmain: luxurious, without being too formal—especially once a rich patina develops after extended wear. This is not the jean for everyone, but if you’re in the demographic for this piece, then you probably already know who you are.

Dior Homme’s denim program is widely-lauded, thanks in large part to the extremely skinny silhouette that Hedi Slimane borrowed from punk culture and brought to luxury menswear in the mid-aughts. As influential as the 19cm was, the Cummerbund might be Slimane’s most interesting jean from Dior Homme.

The Cummerbund featured a blue denim waist overlaid on a pair of black jeans—creating a DIY, grunge-like version of the accessory of the same name that often accompanies tuxedos.

What’s really interesting is that the Cummerbund was considerably ahead of its time. It was introduced as part of Slimane’s Fall/Winter 2006 collection, over a decade before the reconstructed aesthetic was popularized by the likes of Greg Lauren, Kapital and Needles.

It’s fitting that John Elliott comes immediately after Dior Homme on this list. Hedi Slimane’s affection for Los Angeles’ rock n’ roll chic is well-documented. Not only does The Cast 2 follow in the footsteps of Slimane’s greatest hits—it’s a cigarette jean, slim through the thigh and tapered at the knee—but the rich and famous of Hollywood have wholeheartedly embraced John Elliott’s new vision for American luxury. The Cast 2’s 3x1 stretch Japanese denim has allowed John Elliott to gain a foothold in the everyday denim category—it’s comfortable and versatile as they come.

Nobody’s claiming that Elliott has usurped Slimane with respect to LA rocker chic, but it’s worth noting that the American designer is now known for far more than just sweatpants, hoodies and collaborating with Nike.

Levi’s is synonymous with denim and, by extension, with indigo. The brand’s tell-tale red tab and brown stitching stands out particularly well on classic blue. But, that doesn’t mean that the brand only deals in indigo.

While the 501 may be Levi’s classic model, the 511 has proven to be one of its most popular. It’s not quite a skinny jean, but it’s definitely slimmer than the 501 or the 505, a niche silhouette that’s particularly popular in faded black. The 511 exists in a sweet spot where it can be dressed up or down—something that’s not necessarily true of all cuts of denim—including those on this list. Add in the universally wearable black colorway, and this is perhaps the one pair of black denim you’d need in your closet regardless of how you’re building your wardrobe.

Number (N)ine is one of the mythical streetwear brands, building a cult-like following before abruptly ceasing operations in late 2009, with designer Takahiro Miyashita seeking to rid himself of the pressure exerted by investors. From 1996 until 2009, Number (N)ine consistently churned out compelling collections that oozed angsty energy by merging musical, military, Americana and counter-culture influences.

Number (N)ine’s Fall/Winter 2004 “Give Peace A Chance” collection featured black denim with frayed hems, unique zigzag stitching along the inseam, distressed knees, and tonal graphic patches. As is seen in other Miyashita-designed collections, the hippie, free-love patches serve as both an aesthetic choice as much as a message. Overall, it embodies Miyashita’s work—one which he has carried on with under the TheSoloist label—and offers a blueprint for how black jeans can take on a subversive edge with the smallest of details.

Raf Simons’ Fall/Winter 2018 collection was one of his most controversial. Not only was the Belgian designer showing in New York rather than Paris—something he did during his brief stint at Calvin Klein—but a considerable portion of the collection referenced narcotics and the culture of drugs. It raised questions about whether Simons was glorifying drug use and addiction—an interpretation the designer denied.

Take, for example, the black denim with colorful patches on the knees emblazoned with nomenclature like LSD and XTC, or—literally—“DRUGS”. Aesthetically, Simons’ drug-influenced denim channeled traditional work pants—which often feature reinforced knees—while infusing black denim with pops of color. Perhaps most importantly, the jeans are typical of Simons’ visual language, using both typography and graphic patches to create a garment that offered some form of sociocultural commentary.

The Rick Owens universe is largely dominated by the American designer’s ability to play with proportions and the human silhouette. Its his [unique aesthetic approach](https://www.grailed.com/drycleanonly/master-class-rick-owens that’s allowed him to create an entire lifestyle that his most ardent supporters embody from their wardrobes to their home furnishings. Most will likely think of his famed drop crotch pants, but there’s an argument to be that the Detroit Cut denim, from the DRKSHDW diffusion line, is where Owens’ mastery of silhouette is truly on display.

The Detroit jean isn’t radically different from other jeans when laid flat. But, on-body, an ingeniously placed diagonal stitch that curves slightly outward from the crotch to the middle of the knee gives the impression of a jean that is warped, with an almost sculptural quality. When combined with the patina of a well-worn waxed black denim, the appearance is even more dramatic.

RRL was created in 1993 to allow Ralph Lauren to experiment with the aesthetics of heritage Americana—from military uniforms to patterns originating in the brown and orange landscapes of the southwest. But what RRL has really come to be known for is the “feel” of its clothes. Thick, durable and made to withstand the rigors of manual labor, it’s almost like Lauren has designed his RRL line by recreating garments pulled from a decades-old archive.

Inspired by his Colorado ranch of the same name, one RRL’s signature products is its denim. What better testament to RRL’s quality than a pair of black, Japanese selvedge denim slim fit jeans? There are no distractions with these—no distressing or fades or patches or extra pockets. They’re just a pair of old-fashioned jeans and that, alone, is enough to make them stand out.

Another pair of skinny black jeans introduced by Hedi Slimane.

The first thing that Slimane did after assuming creative control of Yves Saint Laurent was to drop the Yves; the second was to infuse his signature rockstar chic-aesthetic and singularly slim silhouettes.

The D02 is now [Saint Laurent’s signature jean](https://www.grailed.com/drycleanonly/best-jeans-brand-for-men—alongside the Crash—with an extremely low rise and skinny leg. While the D02 is available in blue hues, the black versions—of which there are a dizzying number of variations, ranging from ripped knees to waxed to pre-faded—are the ones that adhere most closely to the Slimane aesthetic.

Quick—picture the jeans somebody might be wearing while pushing a skateboard down a New York street. Are they washed, but not quite faded—dusty, almost? With a straight leg and a fairly generous rise? That would be Supreme’s Slim Fit Jean; inspired, one imagines, by Levi’s ubiquitous 501, but equipped with Supreme’s tell-tale “Sup” leather patch on the rear.

While the light wash blue version exudes undeniable norm core vibes and the dark indigo version is a callback to the Americana heyday of the early 2010s, the black iteration is a bit more versatile and evergreen. It’s easy to see that the jean style is not tied to a specific aesthetic—say that of a cool dad wearing New Balances—but instead to an idea of easy-going, effortless cool. Supreme is a skate brand at heart, but the washed black Slim Fit Jean is a great reminder that its long term success is predicated on its ability to produce smart, easily desirable clothing—with or without a box logo.

Remember Takahiro Miyashita, from the aforementioned cult labelNumber (N)ine? After shuttering Number (N)ine in 2009, Miyashita launched an eponymous label, where he would be free of investors seeking to influence his designs.

In the decade since Takahiro Miyashita TheSoloist. was launched, The Jean has become emblematic of the brand’s aesthetic. The Jean features denim panels of slightly different shades, with a flared leg below the knee, and pockets added to the thighs; given that its conceptually designed to look like vintage Levi’s 501s cut up and reassembled, the final effect can be jarring, visually—chaotic, even. It infuses a theoretically simple garment with a post-punk ethos to create a truly unique garment, while also making cultural references—from Evisu’s multi-pocket denim to Levi’s iconic rear pocket stitch.

Jeans are, traditionally, meant to be worn to work. They’re meant to be durable; born from practical and utilitarian concerns.

Undercover’s Fall/Winter 2005 “Arts and Crafts” jeans aren’t necessarily practical, which is precisely what makes them interesting. They give credence to the notion that while most menswear staples are rooted in utility, garments can, sometimes, be thought of as wearable works of art.

The “Arts and Crafts” 85 is one of Jun Takahashi’s most legendary creations, meticulously distressed and sewn in a manner seemingly inspired by both traditional sashiko denim repair and the thrashed aesthetic of punk and grunge subcultures. The black version of the Arts & Crafts 85 is much more nuanced and understated than its indigo counterpart. Whereas the indigo pair features stark contrasts—the white thread against the indigo dye—the black version offers a study in texture and volume.

Jeans and techwear don’t necessarily go hand in hand. Or, at least, they didn’t. That is, until Veilance introduced the Cambre Pant.

Crafted from a 12oz denim blend, the Cambre is a rare quick-drying jean, cut using three-dimensional ergonomic patterning that provides a sleek, contemporary silhouette, but also ease of movement.

It’s a jean created using the same cutting-edge technology and know-how that has made Veilance a force to be reckoned with when it comes to outerwear. One old-fashioned detail remains, though—the jeans have been dyed in a way that will still allow a unique patina to develop with wear.