California Apparel News

After leaving Mexico for the United States in 1987, Javier Marquez spent 19 years learning about Los Angeles’ local denim industry.

He helped make jeans for companies including Bebe, Strong Hold, Z. Cavaricci, Paris Blue, Von Dutch, Blue Colt, Sanctuary, Rock & Republic and Seven7 Jeans. Marquez eventually opened his own factory, Magic Denim Wash, located in the Boyle Heights neighborhood of Los Angeles.

Following the premium-denim exodus that led brands to move production in recent years from Los Angeles to Mexico and Asia, Marquez wanted to support local manufacturing by making jeans domestically. Three years ago, he developed Xabi Jeans, a premium-denim brand that launched in early 2018.

“This is where Xabi Jeans was born. All these changes in the industry led a lot of brands to move to Mexico, China, South America and Asia to produce their stuff,” head designer Luis Pelayo said. “In Los Angeles, everyone—the bigger factories and the really small ones—started shutting down.”

At the height of the factory’s success, nearly 500 workers were employed to make denim products for other brands. After premium-denim labels moved production overseas or across the border, Marquez was forced to cut more than 300 employees.

“Our goal is to keep employing these families but also create more employment by keeping the denim industry alive in L.A.,” Pelayo said. “As a manufacturing community, we’re really close to losing the industry.”

Xabi JeansJeans employs approximately 150 workers, some of whom have been with Marquez since he opened his factory. The factory has retained a few manufacturing partnerships with other brands including Not Your Daughter’s Jeans, Current/Elliott, Hudson and True Religion.

“We’re fully vertical so we don’t depend on other contractors to manufacture our goods,” said Pelayo. “We do everything in-house. That is the beauty of it—we’re overseeing our own product. We do this with a lot of pride and a lot of hope.”

In its 80,000-square-foot factory, Xabi Jeans relies on a staff of professionals to sew, launder and finish the label’s jeans. An exclusive partnership with Candiani Denim in Milan allows Xabi Jeans to use premium material to manufacture its products.

“The mill that we buy the denim from is really careful about how they make the denim,” Pelayo said. “They’re really green about how they make the denim and cautious about affecting the environment less, creating a really nice denim in a more eco-friendly manner.”

Showcasing its Fall 2019 collection at the Agenda trade show in Las Vegas, Xabi Jeans unveiled color offerings such as crisp whites, hues of cranberry red and shades of olive green. More-traditional blue jeans in the collection range from deep indigo to a light-blue wash.

Small details that set apart the blue jeans from other labels include an overlap fly with snaps, trouser pleats, zippers and slight embellishments on the jeans to create a new take on classic American denim.

Women’s styles include jeans, shorts and skirts, while men’s pants are available in cargo, cropped and more-traditional cuts. Xabi Jeans is considering larger retail partners but is currently working with 45 specialty stores in the United States.

“We are not paying a third party to perform the manufacturing for us,” Pelayo said. “We want to provide a really high-end jean that is made in the U.S., made in L.A., but is more affordable.”

Available through select retailers and online at xabijeansla.com, the brand offers men’s sizes 28–42 and women’s sizes 24–31 with wholesale prices ranging from $79 to $92.