We were sitting in the press lounge at Denim by PV when Nick nearly dropped his drink–he had spotted these heavyweight beauties a few tables away. In a show where washed denim reigns supreme, natural fades stand out like an oasis in the desert.

You’re looking at Lee’s heaviest pair–23 ounces of Japanese rope-dyed indigo selvedge denim in their classic 101Z cut. This model was only produced for Lee Europe two years ago and it looks like it’s been discontinued. Unfortunate, because the fades they produce are stunning.

This one belongs to King-Yu Yiu, a designer for British high fashion label Vivienne Westwood. King’s been wearing his jeans for going on 15 months now without a single wash. He’s had one crotch blowout that required a recent repair, but otherwise he’s going strong and has many more months left to fade. King also documented his fades every month, which we’ve compiled into a gif so you can see his jeans’s journey to how they look today. Check it out:

Details

Name: Lee 101Z

Fabric: 100% cotton Japanese selvedge denim

Weight: 23oz.

Fit: Slim straight

Unique features: Zip fly Lee spade pockets Branded Lee leather patch

Currently unavailable

Before

During

After

Update

King just sent us the progress pics of his jeans now at 16 months, no washes. We’ll keep you updated as long as he keeps updating us: