The world hasn’t always had jeans. Before the late 19th century, people wore other kinds of pants that were less durable. But that would change when Jacob Davis and Levis Strauss invented the world’s first denim jeans. According to historical records, Davis was a tailor from Reno, Nevada. One day, during the Gold Rush of the mid-1800s, a customer asked Davis for pants that were durable enough to withstand hard work among the rocks. Davis decided to make the pants from denim he purchased from Levi Strauss & Co. This was before Levi Strauss was the jeans brand people know today.
Interestingly, even though jeans didn’t show up until relatively recently, denim is thought to have roots dating back as far as the 1500s. Historians say the material was created in Italy, but the word “denim” comes from the city of Nimes, France — as in “de Nimes,” or “from Nimes.”
In the modern world, jeans are common and typically affordable. But that doesn’t mean jeans are always cheap. From unique luxury designs to intricate diamond details, these are the most expensive jeans in the world.
- The Slogan-Print Jeans
- Japanese Selvedge Denim Jeans
- Ripped Eco Bleached Organic Denim Jeans
- The Water-Painted Denim Jeans
- The Couture Swarovski Crystal Jeans
- Boyfriend Jeans with Stone Embellishment
- Levi’s Dussault Apparel Thrashed Denim
- The Diamond-Encrusted Jeans
Unique Feature: “Coated, cracked” design
Brand: Roberto Cavalli
Materials: 98% cotton, 2% elastane
photo source: robertocavalli.com
Kicking off this list is a unique pair of jeans from Roberto Cavalli. The expensive pants feature a subtle but eye-catching “coated, cracked” design and a slogan printed on the back pocket. The denim itself is made from 98% cotton and 2% elastane, so buyers are getting durable pants with a touch of flexibility.
Like many high-end fashion brands, Roberto Cavalli often produces products in Italy — and these jeans are no exception. According to the brand, the Slogan-Print Jeans are made in Italy and designed by Fausto Puglisi.
If you like these jeans, be ready to spend nearly $700!
Did you know?
According to Roberto Cavalli, these jeans show off the designer’s “creative take” on everyday essentials like denim.
Unique Feature: Stretch denim
Brand: Tom Ford
Materials: Cotton
photo source: tomford.com
Coming in at number seven are these extremely expensive jeans from Tom Ford. The straightforward look offers classic, laid-back denim in a slim fit with room to stretch. Tom Ford calls these jeans Japanese Selvedge Denim, but they’re actually made in the U.S. When it comes to the Selvedge part of the name, Tom Ford is referring to the jeans’ weaving process. The word selvedge references a traditional weaving practice that’s popular among denim fans for its historical importance.
All said, these jeans cost more than $700 per pair. Would you buy them?
Did you know?
Tom Ford has a lot of expensive jeans for sale. These Slim Fit pants go for $620 — which is somehow $100 cheaper than the Japanese Selvedge Denim.
Unique Feature: Made from organic cotton
Brand: Gucci
Materials: Organic cotton
photo source: gucci.com
You’ve heard of Gucci if you’ve ever looked into high-end fashion. The iconic brand is known for unique, eye-catching designs that are as expressive as they are expensive. And these Ripped Eco Bleached Organic Denim Jeans are no exception. The ripped design offers a classic denim look while the light wash is perfect for laid-back style. But the price tag is where things get really interesting. Gucci asks for $790 for these pants, easily ranking them among the world’s most expensive jeans.
Now if we’re talking about reasons for that price, Gucci has a few. Beyond the allure of the Gucci brand, the company says this denim is made from 100% organic cotton that’s produced using cultivation practices excluding “harmful chemicals.” The brand also points out the denim’s interesting take on vintage and contemporary styles, which “blur[s] the line” between aesthetics. Finally, Gucci says all the fabric leftover from producing these jeans is upcycled to construct new materials — so these pants are a popular choice among eco-conscious fashion fans with big budgets.
Did you know?
Gucci says these jeans take influence from grunge fashion of the 1980s and ‘90s.
Unique Feature: ‘70s-inspired psychedelic design
Brand: Versace
Materials: Cotton, water-painted details, and calf leather trim
photo source: versace.com
These jeans are perfect if you love fashion with a retro flair. Versace, the brand behind the pricey denim, calls them ‘70s-inspired, psychedelic pants with water-painted details. And it’s not hard to see why! The unique pants offer a cool, swirling pattern of color that’s super eye-catching — almost as eye-catching as that thousand-dollar price tag.
Interestingly, despite such a unique design, these pants can be washed in a traditional washing machine. That’s pretty different compared to other high-end fashion that needs dry cleaning to avoid damaging the design. Versace does warn buyers to avoid hot water though, which could ruin the pants.
Did you know?
Versace is no stranger to expensive denim. The brand also offers these Couture Regalia Baroque jeans for more than $600. Would you buy them?
Unique Feature: Covered in crystals
Brand: Escada
Materials: Denim and luxury crystals
photo source: gmillietv.wordpress.com
These jeans are a little mysterious. According to reports, the expensive design is covered in crystals and worth an estimated $10,000. That’s a lot! However, there are limited reports describing the pants themselves. We do know these jeans feature Swarovski crystals — meaning the denim is encrusted with some of the priciest crystals in the world — but that’s about it.
Interestingly, the brand behind these jeans decided to make them even more unique by only selling them at the high-end fashion store Neiman Marcus.
Beyond these jeans, Escada offers things like a denim skirt for $425 and wool pants for $695.
Did you know?
If Escada’s crystal denim is a little pricey, you can purchase the brand’s classic Skinny Ankle Jeans for $325.
Unique Feature: Covered in rhinestones
Brand: Dolce & Gabbana
Materials: 100% cotton with embellishments
photo source: us.dolcegabbana.com
In the world of expensive fashion, Dolce & Gabbana is a well-known and pricey brand. The company offers a ton of high-budget clothing, including thousand-dollar shirts, but we’re taking a look at these Boyfriend Jeans with Stone Embellishment.
If these jeans look expensive, that’s because they are. The denim is covered in glistening rhinestones that scream ‘80s fashion. As Dolce and Gabbana puts it, these jeans represent “a leap back into the 80s, a bold decade awash with bright colors.”
Interestingly, unlike some expensive jeans, these Dolce & Gabbana pants don’t feature real precious stones. Rhinestones are made from crystal, glass, or plastic — so the Boyfriend Jeans with Stone Embellishment really don’t compare to the denim at our number one spot.
Did you know?
These jeans are made in Italy.
Unique Feature: These jeans feature more than 1,000 grams of gold
Brand: Levi’s
Materials: Denim, diamonds, rubies, and gold
photo source: pressreader.com
Anyone on the hunt for roughed-up denim should take a look at these Levi’s Dussault Apparel Thrashed Denim jeans. The design features a classic torn look, but things get switched up with expensive details including diamonds, rubies, and gold.
Now if all that sounds exciting, you might be wondering how much these jeans cost. Well, they’re a little pricey at $250,000.
According to reports, these jeans were created for men using Levi’s classic 501 cut. The design was blinged-up with 1,080 grams of gold and countless precious stones, including one-carat rubies. As a final touch, the jeans were also washed more than 13 times to get that rough look.
Did you know?
Reports say these jeans were sold to a wealthy collector from Japan.
Unique Feature: Diamond-encrusted details
Brand: Secret Circus
Materials: Denim and diamonds
photo source: thisisfinerlife.blogspot.com
The Diamond-Encrusted Jeans by Secret Circus are the most expensive jeans in the world.
Coming in at the number one spot are these impressively flashy diamond-encrusted jeans. The crazy design was crafted by Secret Circus and comes with a price tag of more than $1 million!
If you love expensive stones, these jeans are for you. The pricey pants feature 15 diamonds on the back pocket alone, and that’s not even mentioning the countless precious rocks across the leg.
Amazingly, these pants aren’t just worth $1.3 million in theory — someone actually bought the Secret Circus jeans! However, despite such a pricey sale, the Secret Circus brand kept the buyer’s identity private.
Even though these jeans are so expensive, Secret Circus is a pretty under-the-radar brand. As one report puts it, “The company is famous for keeping its activities under-wraps, so that’s probably the reason why you haven’t heard of them before.”
Did you know?
The Diamond-Encrusted Jeans by Secret Circus were auctioned off at London Fashion Week.
