Denim heads needn’t schlep overseas — or even cross state lines — to get their indigo fix. They just need to go to BlackBlue in St. Paul.

At Team Minnevangelist, we’re big fans of raw and selvedge denim. In the last decade, we’ve ogled (and sometimes even bought 🤑😬😵) covetable pairs at Samurai Jeans in Osaka, Blue Owl Workshop in Seattle, Blue In Green Soho and Self Edge in New York City, Imogene + Willie in Nashville, Raleigh Denim Workshop in North Carolina, and Billiam Jeans in Greenville, South Carolina.

Fashion designer Steve Kang opened BlackBlue’s flagship store in 2009, a year after he graduated from the University of Minnesota’s Carlson School of Management. Kang originally planned to sell his own designs in the space, but BlackBlue quickly morphed into a multi-brand menswear store, heavy on the rare denim. His stock includes Orslow, 3sixteen, FULLCOUNT, Rogue Territory, StudioD’artisan, Pure Blue, and Freenote Cloth.

Minnevangelist co-founder Andrew Parks swears by BlackBlue’s Charles Atlas collaboration with Left Field NYC. The high-waisted style, which tapers from the knees down, is made with a durable 17 oz. selvedge denim woven with extra-long staple cotton from Xinjiang, China. What’s better than the sublime fit? The price. The black weft jeans sell for $195 — about $100 less than similar styles from Japan.

If you’re not sure where to start in the mad, mad world of collectible denim, Kang is happy to be your guide. His tightly edited stock appeals to denim obsessives, urban lumberjacks, and anyone else hoping to dapper up their WFH wardrobe. Beyond jeans, he also carries field vests and camp shirts from Engineered Garments and oxfords from Gitman Vintage.

BlackBlue is currently open by appointment only. Email info@blkblu.com or call/text Kang directly at 651-260-5340 to schedule a visit. Hustle those muscles for extra savings; it’s up to 60 percent off in seasonal markdowns right now!

BlackBlue
614 Selby Ave., St. Paul, MN; 651-260-5340.