Edwin or often capitalized, EDWIN, is a Japanese clothing brand founded in 1947 as 'Tsunemi Yonehachi shop'. Edwin Co. Ltd., (株式会社エドウイン) mainly focuses on jeans manufacture. Their most popular line of clothing is the 503 jeans model which was first sold in 1997. Actor Brad Pitt has been an official spokesman and model for the brand, appearing in many of its advertisements in the past. The company has flagship concept stores in Japan in Harajuku, Tokyo and Minami-Horie, Osaka. History Established in Tokyo, Japan, in 1947, the EDWIN brand is known for its authenticity, innovation and craftsmanship. Founder Tsunemi Yonehachi was amongst the first merchants to bring vintage American jeans to Japan in the postwar era, setting off a national obsession with denim. In 1961, inspired by a growing demand, EDWIN (whose company name comes from a creative rearrangement of the letters found in the word "denim") debuted the first made-in-Japan jeans. By the 1970s, EDWIN had established itself as a pioneer in denim manufacturing, experimenting with wash techniques in the EDWIN Wash House that impacted denim wash processes around the globe. Innovations included ONE WASH, a prewash process to eliminate shrinkage prior to purchase, and OLD WASH, a precursor to stone wash that reproduces faded colors through careful abrasion techniques for a lived-in denim look. Today, EDWIN continues to set the gold standard in Japanese denim production, priding itself on the use of exclusive fabrics, revolutionary production technologies, state-of-the-art finishing and advancements in design and fit. Owned Brands EDWIN SOMETHING C17 Ladiva by EDWIN Licensed Brands Lee (jeans) Wrangler (jeans) Alpha Industries Maui and Sons References External links EDWIN Official site EDWIN EUROPE EDWIN USA Clothing companies of Japan Clothing brands of Japan Jeans by brand Itochu Japanese companies established in 1969 Manufacturing companies based in Tokyo Retail companies based in Tokyo