A MESSAGE TO THE INTERNET AND LEVIS

THESE PAST DAYS

TODAY

TREATING THIS LIKE TWITTER

THE DENIM HOTLINE: LIKES DON’T EQUAL LIFE

I HAVE BEEN DOING THIS ALMOST 20 YEARS.

DENIM. JEANS. SEWING. TEACHING. TAKING THINGS APART. PUTTING THEM BACK TOGETHER. EXPLAINING TO PEOPLE WHY THEIR MACHINE IS SKIPPING STITCHES. WHY THEIR WAISTBAND IS FIGHTING THEM. WHY THEIR FLY LOOKS HAUNTED. WHY THE POCKET BAG IS TWISTED. WHY THEIR “EASY PANTS TUTORIAL” LIED TO THEM.

SO TELL ME OTHERWISE.

I HAVE TRIED ALMOST EVERY METHOD EXCEPT NEURALINK.

BOOKS. FACTORIES. SCHOOLS. YOUTUBE. INSTAGRAM. APPRENTICESHIPS. CLASSES. ONE-ON-ONES. TRIAL AND ERROR. BREAKING MACHINES. FIXING MACHINES. SCREAMING INTERNALLY AT TENSION PROBLEMS. TEACHING KIDS. TEACHING ADULTS. TEACHING PEOPLE WHO THINK THEY KNOW EVERYTHING. TEACHING PEOPLE WHO KNOW NOTHING BUT HAVE RESPECT — AND THOSE ARE USUALLY THE ONES WHO LEARN THE FASTEST.

AND AFTER ALL THAT, HERE IS THE TRUTH:

MOST ONLINE SEWING EDUCATION IS TRASH.

NOT BECAUSE EVERY PERSON TEACHING IS TRASH.

BUT BECAUSE THE FORMAT IS BROKEN.

SEWING IS TACTILE.

DENIM IS TACTILE.

JEANS ARE TACTILE.

THIS IS NOT SOME CUTE LITTLE CRAFT WHERE YOU WATCH A CLEAN EDITED VIDEO, BUY THE SAME FABRIC, PLAY CALM MUSIC, AND MAGICALLY BECOME A DESIGNER.

NO.

JEANS FIGHT BACK.

DENIM HAS WEIGHT. DRAG. TORQUE. MEMORY. SHRINKAGE. BIAS. GRAIN. RESISTANCE. ATTITUDE. IT MOVES DIFFERENT WHEN IT IS RAW. IT MOVES DIFFERENT WHEN IT IS WASHED. IT MOVES DIFFERENT WHEN IT IS DEADSTOCK. IT MOVES DIFFERENT WHEN IT IS CHEAP. IT MOVES DIFFERENT WHEN IT IS 14 OUNCES AND YOUR DOMESTIC MACHINE IS BEGGING FOR MERCY.

A TUTORIAL CAN SHOW YOU THE MOTION.

IT CANNOT GIVE YOU THE HAND.

IT CANNOT LET YOU FEEL THE PRESSER FOOT PRESSURE.

IT CANNOT TELL YOU IN REAL TIME, “STOP. YOU’RE PULLING THE FABRIC. THAT’S WHY THE SEAM IS WAVING.”

IT CANNOT REACH THROUGH THE SCREEN AND SAY, “YOUR NEEDLE IS WRONG.”

IT CANNOT SMELL THE CLUTCH MOTOR BURNING UP BEFORE YOU RUIN THE JOB.

IT CANNOT WATCH YOUR BODY LANGUAGE AND KNOW YOU ARE FRUSTRATED, RUSHING, FAKING CONFIDENCE, OR ABOUT TO BLAME THE PATTERN WHEN THE PROBLEM IS YOUR HANDLING.

THAT IS WHY TUTORIALS SELDOM REALLY WORK.

MOST TUTORIALS ARE ENTERTAINMENT WEARING AN EDUCATION COSTUME.

THEY MAKE PEOPLE FEEL LIKE THEY LEARNED.

FEELING LIKE YOU LEARNED IS NOT THE SAME AS LEARNING.

SAVING A VIDEO IS NOT THE SAME AS PRACTICING.

WATCHING SOMEONE SEW A PERFECT SAMPLE IN 48 CUTS WITH JUMP EDITS IS NOT THE SAME AS SITTING AT A MACHINE FOR THREE HOURS TRYING TO MAKE ONE CLEAN FLY.

THAT IS THE PART PEOPLE DO NOT WANT TO HEAR.

THE INTERNET MADE EVERYBODY THINK ACCESS EQUALS MASTERY.

IT DOES NOT.

ACCESS IS JUST THE FRONT DOOR.

YOU STILL HAVE TO WALK IN, SWEEP THE FLOOR, CUT THE FABRIC, SEW THE SEAM, MESS IT UP, TAKE IT APART, DO IT AGAIN, PRESS IT, TOPSTITCH IT, LOOK AT IT, HATE IT, FIX IT, AND REPEAT THAT CYCLE UNTIL YOUR HANDS FINALLY KNOW WHAT YOUR EYES HAVE BEEN LYING ABOUT.

THAT IS THE GAME.

AND SOME OF THESE YOUNG KIDS ONLINE — MAN.

I DO NOT WANT TO SOUND LIKE AN OLD HEAD.

BUT I AM OLD-HEAD-ISH.

AND MAN, YOU KIDS ARE DIFFERENT.

SOME OF Y’ALL HAVE EGOS BEFORE YOU HAVE TECHNIQUE.

SOME OF Y’ALL LURK, ABSORB, GET INSPIRED, TAKE THE LANGUAGE, TAKE THE RHYTHM, TAKE THE REFERENCES, TAKE THE SAUCE, REMIX IT, POST IT, AND THEN PAY NO RESPECTS.

THAT IS OKAY.

SERIOUSLY.

I SEE IT. I CLOCK IT. I KEEP MOVING.

BECAUSE BY THE TIME YOU DO THE THING YOU SAW ME DO, IT IS ALREADY OLD TO ME.

BY THE TIME YOU UNDERSTAND THE IDEA, I ALREADY BURIED IT, RESURRECTED IT, FLIPPED IT, CUT IT INTO A JEAN JACKET, TAUGHT IT TO A TEENAGER, SOLD IT, TURNED IT INTO A CLASS, AND MOVED ON.

YOU CAN HAVE THE IDEA.

I HAVE MORE.

THAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN COPYING AND BEING A SOURCE.

A COPIER NEEDS THE NEXT REFERENCE.

A SOURCE KEEPS PRODUCING.

BUT HERE IS THE OTHER SIDE.

THERE ARE ALSO PEOPLE WHO COME WITH REVERENCE.

THEY COME WITH KNOWLEDGE OF SELF.

THEY COME WITH RESPECT FOR HISTORY.

THEY UNDERSTAND THAT DENIM IS NOT JUST PANTS.

THEY UNDERSTAND THAT JEANS CARRY LABOR, REBELLION, CLASS, UNIFORM, SEXUALITY, YOUTH, AMERICA, JAPAN, PRISON, COWBOYS, MINERS, SKATERS, RAPPERS, WORKERS, DESIGNERS, FACTORIES, MOTHERS, FATHERS, AND PEOPLE WHO NEEDED SOMETHING STRONG ENOUGH TO SURVIVE THEIR LIFE.

THOSE PEOPLE GET THE KEYS FASTER.

NOT BECAUSE I PLAY FAVORITES.

BECAUSE RESPECT OPENS DOORS THAT EGO CANNOT EVEN SEE.

WHEN A PERSON COMES WITH REVERENCE, THEY ASK BETTER QUESTIONS.

THEY DO NOT JUST ASK, “HOW DO I MAKE THIS?”

THEY ASK, “WHY IS IT MADE THIS WAY?”

THEY ASK, “WHERE DID THIS COME FROM?”

THEY ASK, “WHO DID THIS BEFORE ME?”

THEY ASK, “WHAT AM I RESPONSIBLE FOR NOW THAT I KNOW?”

THAT IS WHEN SEWING BECOMES MORE THAN SEWING.

THAT IS WHEN JEANS BECOME A PORTAL.

THAT IS WHEN THE CRAFT STARTS TEACHING LIFE.

PATIENCE.

SEQUENCE.

ORDER.

PRESSURE.

REPAIR.

HUMILITY.

CONTROL.

RELEASE.

YOU CANNOT FAKE YOUR WAY THROUGH A PAIR OF JEANS FOREVER.

THE GARMENT WILL EXPOSE YOU.

THE MACHINE WILL EXPOSE YOU.

THE STITCH WILL EXPOSE YOU.

THE FIT WILL EXPOSE YOU.

THE WASH WILL EXPOSE YOU.

THE CUSTOMER WILL DEFINITELY EXPOSE YOU.

AND SOCIAL MEDIA?

SOCIAL MEDIA, AT THIS MOMENT IN TIME, IS TRASH FOR DESIGNERS.

TRASH FOR PERCEPTION OF SELF.

TRASH FOR KNOWING WHERE TO PUT YOUR ENERGY.

TRASH FOR UNDERSTANDING WHAT IS ACTUALLY VALUABLE.

IT MAKES PEOPLE CONFUSE VISIBILITY WITH VALUE.

IT MAKES PEOPLE THINK LIKES EQUAL LIFE.

LIKES DO NOT EQUAL LIFE.

VIEWS DO NOT EQUAL SKILL.

SHARES DO NOT EQUAL SOUL.

VIRALITY DOES NOT MEAN YOU ARE BUILDING ANYTHING THAT CAN STAND WHEN THE ALGORITHM STOPS CLAPPING FOR YOU.

A PERSON CAN GET 200,000 VIEWS ON A SEWING VIDEO AND STILL NOT KNOW HOW TO RUN PRODUCTION.

A PERSON CAN HAVE A BEAUTIFUL FEED AND STILL NOT KNOW HOW TO FIT A BODY.

A PERSON CAN HAVE AESTHETIC LANGUAGE, MOOD BOARDS, ARCHIVE REFERENCES, AND ALL THE RIGHT FONTS, AND STILL NOT KNOW WHAT THE HELL HAPPENS WHEN DENIM HITS THE NEEDLE.

THAT IS WHY I AM GOING OLD SCHOOL.

THE DENIM HOTLINE.

NOT ANOTHER FEEL-GOOD EDITED VIDEO.

NOT ANOTHER “WATCH ME MAKE JEANS IN 30 SECONDS” CLIP.

NOT ANOTHER SOFT-FOCUS SEWING FANTASY WHERE THE HARD PART GETS CUT OUT.

A HOTLINE.

A REAL RESOURCE.

FOR PEOPLE WHO ACTUALLY NEED HELP.

FOR THE PERSON STUCK ON A FLY.

FOR THE PERSON WHOSE MACHINE IS BIRD-NESTING.

FOR THE PERSON WHO BOUGHT AN INDUSTRIAL MACHINE AND IS NOW REALIZING IT IS NOT A DECORATION.

FOR THE PERSON TRYING TO MAKE THEIR FIRST PAIR OF JEANS AND SILENTLY LOSING THEIR MIND.

FOR THE DESIGNER WHO IS TIRED OF PRETENDING THEY UNDERSTAND CONSTRUCTION.

FOR THE BRAND OWNER WHO HAS SKETCHES BUT NO SYSTEM.

FOR THE KID WHO REALLY WANTS TO LEARN AND NEEDS SOMEONE TO TELL THEM THE TRUTH WITHOUT MAKING THEM FEEL STUPID.

FOR THE GROWN ADULT WHO FINALLY DECIDED TO STOP WATCHING AND START DOING.

THAT IS WHO I AM HERE FOR.

I AM HERE TO HELP.

I AM HERE TO INSPIRE.

I AM HERE TO GIVE PEOPLE THE GAME — BUT NOT THE FAKE GAME.

THE REAL ONE.

THE ONE WITH THREAD BREAKS.

THE ONE WITH SEAM ALLOWANCES.

THE ONE WITH BAD HABITS.

THE ONE WITH HISTORY.

THE ONE WITH INDUSTRY STANDARDS.

THE ONE WITH “DO IT AGAIN.”

THE ONE WITH “PRESS THAT SEAM.”

THE ONE WITH “SLOW DOWN.”

THE ONE WITH “YOUR IDEA IS GOOD, BUT YOUR EXECUTION IS NOT THERE YET.”

THAT IS LOVE.

REAL TEACHING IS NOT JUST ENCOURAGEMENT.

REAL TEACHING IS CORRECTION.

REAL TEACHING IS STANDARDS.

REAL TEACHING IS KNOWING WHEN TO SAY, “THAT IS NOT GOOD ENOUGH YET,” AND STILL MAKING THE PERSON BELIEVE THEY CAN GET THERE.

AND YES, I KNOW HOW THIS SOUNDS.

IT SOUNDS LIKE SOMEBODY WHO HAS BEEN IN THE ROOM TOO LONG.

GOOD.

I HAVE BEEN IN THE ROOM.

I HAVE SWEPT THE ROOM.

I HAVE TAUGHT IN THE ROOM.

I HAVE BUILT THE ROOM.

I HAVE LET PEOPLE INTO THE ROOM.

I HAVE WATCHED PEOPLE LEAVE THE ROOM AND ACT LIKE THEY DISCOVERED THE ROOM.

THAT IS FINE TOO.

BECAUSE ROOMS ARE NOT SACRED.

THE WORK IS SACRED.

THE SOUL IS SACRED.

THE HISTORY IS SACRED.

THE ABILITY TO ACTUALLY HELP PEOPLE IS SACRED.

AND SINCE WE ARE HERE —

TO LEVI’S:

FUCK YOU.

A BIG FUCK YOU.

AND IF THIS GETS TO YOU, WHICH IT WILL, YOU KNOW WHO I AM TALKING TO.

KEEP COPYING MY ETHOS.

KEEP COPYING THE WORDS.

KEEP COPYING THE ENERGY.

KEEP COPYING THE COMMUNITY LANGUAGE.

KEEP COPYING THE HELPING-PEOPLE AESTHETIC.

KEEP PUTTING A BUDGET BEHIND LOOKING LIKE YOU CARE.

KEEP TURNING SOUL INTO CAMPAIGN LANGUAGE.

KEEP HIRING AGENCIES TO MAKE HUMANITY LOOK ON-BRAND.

YOU CAN HAVE THE SURFACE.

YOU CANNOT HAVE THE SOUL.

YOU CAN BUY REACH.

YOU CAN BUY POLISH.

YOU CAN BUY THE ROOM.

YOU CAN BUY THE LIGHTS.

YOU CAN BUY THE ARCHIVE.

YOU CAN BUY THE PHOTOGRAPHER.

YOU CAN BUY THE COPYWRITER.

YOU CAN BUY THE ACTIVATION.

YOU CAN BUY THE APPEARANCE OF HELPING PEOPLE.

BUT YOU CANNOT BUY WHAT MADE THIS REAL.

YOU CANNOT BUY THE YEARS.

YOU CANNOT BUY THE PAIN.

YOU CANNOT BUY THE KIDS WHO CAME THROUGH THE DOOR CONFUSED AND LEFT KNOWING THEY COULD MAKE SOMETHING.

YOU CANNOT BUY THE NIGHTS I STAYED LATE FIXING MACHINES.

YOU CANNOT BUY THE MISTAKES THAT BECAME CURRICULUM.

YOU CANNOT BUY THE INSTINCT.

YOU CANNOT BUY THE REASON I CARE.

YOU CANNOT BUY THE SOUL.

AND THAT IS THE PART THAT WILL ALWAYS BOTHER PEOPLE WHO HAVE EVERYTHING EXCEPT THE THING.

THE DENIM HOTLINE IS NOT NOSTALGIA.

IT IS NOT ME TRYING TO BE CUTE.

IT IS NOT ME REJECTING THE INTERNET.

I USE THE INTERNET.

I UNDERSTAND THE INTERNET.

I HAVE BENEFITTED FROM THE INTERNET.

BUT I ALSO KNOW WHEN A TOOL BECOMES A TRAP.

RIGHT NOW, TOO MANY DESIGNERS ARE TRAPPED INSIDE PERFORMANCE.

PERFORMING PROCESS.

PERFORMING STRUGGLE.

PERFORMING GENIUS.

PERFORMING HUMILITY.

PERFORMING EDUCATION.

PERFORMING COMMUNITY.

PERFORMING BEING “FOR THE PEOPLE” WHILE NEVER ACTUALLY BEING AVAILABLE TO THE PEOPLE.

A HOTLINE CUTS THROUGH THAT.

A PERSON CALLS BECAUSE THEY NEED HELP.

NOT BECAUSE THEY WANT TO WATCH ME LOOK COOL.

NOT BECAUSE THEY WANT A DOPAMINE HIT.

NOT BECAUSE THE VIDEO HAS GOOD LIGHTING.

THEY CALL BECAUSE SOMETHING IS WRONG, STUCK, UNCLEAR, BROKEN, OR BEYOND THEIR CURRENT SKILL LEVEL.

THAT IS REAL.

THAT IS HUMAN.

THAT IS OLD SCHOOL.

THAT IS USEFUL.

AND USEFULNESS IS UNDERRATED NOW.

EVERYBODY WANTS TO BE ICONIC.

VERY FEW PEOPLE WANT TO BE USEFUL.

BUT USEFULNESS IS WHERE THE SOUL LIVES.

A GOOD TEACHER IS USEFUL.

A GOOD PATTERN IS USEFUL.

A GOOD MACHINE IS USEFUL.

A GOOD SEAM IS USEFUL.

A GOOD PAIR OF JEANS IS USEFUL.

A GOOD LIFE IS USEFUL.

THAT IS WHAT DENIM TAUGHT ME.

BE STRONG.

BE REPAIRED.

GET BETTER WITH WEAR.

HOLD PEOPLE.

CARRY HISTORY.

TAKE DAMAGE AND STILL LOOK BETTER IF THE DAMAGE IS HONEST.

THAT IS THE STANDARD.

SO NO, I AM NOT HERE TO COMPETE WITH TUTORIAL CULTURE.

I AM NOT HERE TO BEG THE ALGORITHM.

I AM NOT HERE TO EXPLAIN MYSELF TO PEOPLE WHO CONFUSE POSTING WITH BUILDING.

I AM HERE FOR THE ONES WHO ACTUALLY WANT TO LEARN.

THE ONES WITH REVERENCE.

THE ONES WITH QUESTIONS.

THE ONES WHO KNOW THEY DO NOT KNOW.

THE ONES READY TO PUT THEIR HANDS ON THE FABRIC AND STOP PRETENDING.

CALL THE DENIM HOTLINE.

BRING THE PROBLEM.

BRING THE MACHINE.

BRING THE PATTERN.

BRING THE EGO TOO, IF YOU HAVE TO.

WE CAN WORK WITH THAT.

BUT UNDERSTAND THIS:

I AM NOT GIVING YOU A FANTASY.

I AM GIVING YOU THE CRAFT.

AND THE CRAFT DOES NOT CARE ABOUT YOUR LIKES.

THE CRAFT ONLY CARES WHAT YOUR HANDS CAN PROVE.