A There There for Denim
A new brand out of Austin and New York, blending grit, precision, and a damn good fit.
You know how most new denim brands pitch you on the romance of the American West or obsess over obscure shuttle looms? This isn’t that.
There There is a new label started by the husband-and-wife duo (and my new friends) Mariah and Paul that doesn’t shout heritage, but still takes the details seriously.
Born in Brooklyn and raised in Austin, the brand’s first release is the High Slim—a raw, unsanforized pair of jeans cut and sewn in New York City from 13.75 oz Cone Mills denim. It’s high-waisted and slim-straight, with the right amount of room in the leg to slide over a cowboy boot and still look good with tennis shoes, loafers, or sandals. The fit feels like a midpoint between Levi’s 505s and Wrangler 936DENs—though the brand’s clean outseam, refined construction, and high back pockets give it a modern edge that feels entirely their own.
The denim itself is stiff, dry, and unwashed—meant to mold to your body, fade with your life, and soften over time. It's the kind of pair that asks something of you. No stretch, no resin, no enzyme wash, no shortcuts. Just pure cotton, ring-spun yarn, and a long-haul mindset.
What I appreciate most, though, is the subtlety in the details: the use of vintage-matched sewing specs, the oversized coin pocket where I now store my AirPods, and the clean white serged seams instead of a flashy selvedge ID. Paul told me he prefers the visual simplicity—it’s cleaner, more intentional. And it allows the brand to deliver quality without inflating the price for superfluous optical markers of authenticity. That restraint says a lot.
Their philosophy—a there, there—is about finding a home in where you are and what you wear. Not nostalgia for a mythic past, but presence. They’re not trying to recreate some arcane history or over-explain their bonafides. It’s just a pair of jeans you can live in, wear hard, and break in with pride.
At just $155, it’s a damn good thing. And one I’m excited to see develop over time.
P.S. If you’re new to raw denim, these are both raw and unsanforized, so don’t go in blind. Expect shrinkage after a soak or wash—about 0.5–1” in the waist, rise, and legs. Sizing advice and FAQs are on their site, and they’re super responsive on Instagram.