SYDNEY ROAD’S LITTLE SECRET: DEJOUR JEANS

Words: Kedda Ghazarian
Photos: Michael Shanks

Being a hipster is getting more and more difficult these days. Everyone seems to be riding fixies, drinking cider, and smoking rollies, which can only mean the next set of trends will be unicycles, moonshine, and chewing tobacco. So, in the spirit of bringing the hipster to the people, SPOOK is about to share their biggest secret, Dejour Jeans. Oh no you didn’t, you might hear a Brunswick share house scream? Oh yes we did.

Dejour Jeans might not be the trendiest denim store on Sydney Road, but walk inside and you will find a plethora of high-rise, low-cut, skinny-leg, dark-wash, light-wash, holy-awesome jeans… just waiting to be fitted.

Yes, that’s right, Dejour Jeans doesn’t just have all your favourites at a quarter of the cost (did someone say $40 a pair?), they are also tailored in-store to fit the junk in your trunk, and one things for sure, (as Shakira would say) your hips don’t lie.

Hailing from the hustle and bustle of Ho Chi Minh City, shop owner, Nam moved to Melbourne in 1981 when acid wash was still in fashion and double denim wasn’t ironic, it was just plain cool.

Having learnt to tailor at just 14 years of age, Nam picked up work in a Melbourne denim factory, where he worked for 7 years, before opening Dejour Jeans in 1989. Yes, that’s right, Dejour Jeans has been around longer than the Internet, Justin Beiber, an elusive and infectious disease affecting stupid, tone-deaf “tweens” known as Beiber-Fever, and Viagra. Holy smokes.

In true Melbourne style, Nam stocked only black denim for many years before branching out into various shades of blue. Still a one-man operation, Nam tailors more than 20 pairs of jeans a day in his sewing room behind the moon-patterned curtains.

Trends might come and go, but one thing’s for sure, Nam doesn’t follow fashion, he doesn’t even care, he’ll make them just the way you want them, he’s even ordering in some burgundy denim next week as a special request.

So, try not to be deterred by the surplus of hipsters exiting his humble shop front; after all, it is Brunswick, and with the money you save, you can grab a coffee and pop down to Savers while you wait. I mean, any denim store that states ‘Good Jeans. $40. We make them fit. For free. You go on hot date.’ as their motto must be awesome, right?

 

THE FINER DETAILS

ADDRESS: 542 SYDNEY ROAD, BRUNSWICK
PHONE: 03 9380 4884
OPENING HOURS: MON – FRI, 9.30am – 5.30pm
WEBSITE: DEJOUR JEANS IN BRUNSWICK

 

ALSO READ: PHONG CHI LAI HAS GREAT SHOES