U-Jean

An experiment in user-generated design

August 6, 2007—User-generated content can take many forms, but denim isn't usually one of them. Styleforum jeans, created by collaboration between the titular forum and New York label 5EP, were born in January when a user known as "LA Guy" proposed the idea to the company's co-owner, Christine Rucci. Her resulting post requesting suggestions elicited both keepers (shorter front pocket bags to keep the silhouette clean) and nonstarters (stitching around the fly to enhance the wearer's package). And despite the volume of input—the initial post had more than 400 replies—the results are commendably straightforward: a lower-rise, slimmed out version of 5EP's boot-cut jeans, handmade from raw Japanese selvage. Only 200 will be made—eight have extra-long inseams for taller wearers—with all but 60 earmarked for forum members and Denim Bar, who helped produce them. "They can even tell when I've made the slightest variations in fabrics," Rucci says of her new codesigners. "Those guys are up on everything." Gentlemen, sounds like a challenge.

5EP Styleforum pant, from $250, available in September at Denim Bar, 1101 South Joyce St., Arlington, VA, (703) 414-8202, www.denimbaronline.com; Oak, 208 North 8th St., Brooklyn, (718) 782-3632, www.oaknyc.com; and Hollywood Trading Company, 7383 Beverly Blvd., Los Angeles, (323) 964-0080, www.htcretail.com; www.5ep.com