Background information
The messy side of the make-up industry: «I didn’t want to be part of the problem»
by Natalie Hemengül
The man with 15,000 pairs of jeans: «I never wash my denim»
3.12.2018
Translation: Eva Francis
Pictures: Thomas Kunz
Ruedi Karrer has one of the world’s largest collections of jeans. In this interview, he tells us why he’d never wash them and the rare occasions when he goes without them.
Ruedi Karrer runs up to the fifth floor like a whirlwind, taking two steps at a time. Photographer Thomas Kunz and I can hardly keep up, although he’s virtually twice our age. Once we reach the attic which houses his jeans museum, it’s straight down to business. He launches straight into telling us about his pride and joy: denim. Or, more specifically, «raw denim». The eyes of this self-professed «Swiss Jeans Freak» light up when he talks about his jeans collection, which now includes close to 15,000 pieces.
How do you stay on top of all of these boxes?
Ruedi Karrer, jeans collector: It’s far from easy. The first 2,000 pieces are organised – mainly jeans and jackets. The other 12,000 are a work in progress. I organise my pieces by brand, age and whether or not a jacket is lined. I have now created a database, which helps when I lend pieces to museums, shows or exhibitions.
What makes a piece of denim interesting for you?
I always accept gifts, even department store styles. Many jeans companies send me new products. The difficulty lies in getting hold of used pieces with patina (signs of wear). My passion is raw denim. These pieces are more interesting for visitors to my collection.
What exactly does that mean?
Raw denim is not prewashed or treated, so it’s as stiff as a board. It’s usually grey-blue in colour. The fabric only fits to your body and develops patina – abrasions and creases – with regular wear. This only happens after around 200 wears.
So do you buy two of every piece?
Yes, as much as I can. It’s the only way I can show my visitors the before and after effect. It’s fascinating how denim changes with wear.
How did it all start?
I grew up in a large family in a small village in the Swiss canton of Graubünden. We were so poor that we depended on clothes donations. One day, my brother and I were given two pairs of Levi’s. Up until then, I had only known brown cords. I’ve only worn denim since then. Back then, I had to share the Levi’s with my brothers. As the fourth child, I needed a lot of determination. The fabric gave me strength and represented a kind of rebellion for me.
Were your jeans a kind of Superman costume?
I was very weak. I was born premature and my younger brother was born before my first birthday. On the school photo at secondary school, I still looked like a little boy compared to my pubescent peers. I only stopped growing at the age of 22 – better late than never (laughs). Back then, my jeans were a kind of security blanket. I felt strong in them and they made me look more bold and rebellious.
What happened next?
The collecting developed during my studies, when I moved to Zurich, until my shared apartment and basement were bursting at the seams. So, I decided to open a small private museum. I achieved that in 2001, displaying denims from APC to Zara. My oldest piece is by Carhartt and dates from the 1920s. My collection now comprises over 14,000 pieces.
Why a museum?
There had never been a non-branded denim museum before, just company archives by brands such as Levi’s and Mustang. My jeans museum is open to the public on request. I want to use my knowledge to raise the profile of supposedly-boring raw denim, especially where young people are concerned, and encourage them to choose and rock it. But they are often impatient. They only have to go into a shop and put on a cheap pair of jeans which will develop signs of wear quickly.
How do you finance it all?
I work as a geographer for the canton of Zurich. My budget is 20,000 francs a year, which I take out of my own funds. Half of that goes on rent for the space, while the other half is what I spend on new pieces and exhibitions. Up to now, I haven’t had any sponsors, but I’m working on it. My concept requires a large exhibition space of around 500 square metres (I only have 140 square metres at the moment).
How many pairs of jeans do you personally wear?
I always wear the same two or three pairs, rotating them on a weekly cycle. At the moment, I’m wearing a Nudie pair and a Benzak pair. I’ll have to wear both pairs for around another year before they fade in the relevant places and create vivid patina.
What’s your wear record?
I’ve worn my Iron Heart jeans 1,002 times – obviously not in a row, although I’ve never washed them. It takes several years to reach such a milestone because you don’t wear the same pair non-stop.
When do you not wear jeans?
I always wear jeans, even at funerals and weddings, although I do dust off more prestigious items for special occasions. My friends would think something was wrong if I wore anything else. I don’t wear denim in bed, though, nor when I exercise or swim. I would never get water on my denim.
How do you «clean» your jeans?
Purists like me love the original colour. Even if you wash raw denim just once, the typical indigo tone comes out and turns to a royal blue. You can confidently wash all other treated jeans. However, once a week is too much of a good thing. Once every six months is ideal, unless you sweat a lot.
What do you do about sweating?
I obviously don’t wear my (beloved) denim when I’m working in the garden or around the house. But, as an office worker, this isn’t a problem. Raw denim is also stain-resistant to dry dirt. If you don’t sweat much, you can wear your jeans for 200 days. And if you rotate them with another pair, you can make that one to two years.
What happens when the fateful day comes?
That’s a dilemma, as there’s no solution. Either you wash them and have royal blue jeans or you only wear them in your spare time. The typically strong marks that jeans lovers hype up can only be achieved if you never wash them. Or you could try airing and deep-freezing them. Other tricks to avoid odours include always wearing a larger size so that you sweat less.
«With over 37,000 followers, I’m seen as an influencer. I spend around one to two hours a day on Instagram.»
Do you look people in the eye, or do you look at their jeans first?
I’m not judgemental, but yes: my eye is magically drawn to denim. If I see a cool piece, I talk to the person about it and give them my details, a kind of business card, and say: «Whatever happens, please don’t throw those jeans away». I’m pretty reserved about it, though. My aim isn’t to talk people into giving me their jeans out in the street.
What’s the craziest thing you’ve ever done for a pair of jeans?
I was having lunch in Zurich’s old town one day when I saw a Japanese student wearing a pair of Big Smith jeans. I dropped everything and ran after him. I mimed to explain that he should meet me in Central square at 1pm. I spontaneously took time out, showed him my denim collection and, after three hours of persuasion, was able to get the jeans in exchange for a brand new Levi’s pair.
How much has your hobby cost you to date?
Over the years, I’ve definitely spent around 200,000 - 300,000 francs on it. An expensive passion, I know. Other people would be driving a Ferrari at the age of 59 (laughs).
Whether you’re a raw denim fan or not, if you’ve got the bug, check out our range of jeans here.
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When I’m not exploring the depths of the sea as an open water diver, I enjoy plunging into the world of fashion. On the streets of Paris, Milan and New York is where I keep my eyes peeled for the latest trends. And I’ll show you how to take them from the catwalk to your everyday life.
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