Portfolio

In the silent Nevada desert, tiny patches of light pierce the dark veil of the night. Viktor, Mike, and the team descend into an old, abandoned mine. Their headlamps sweep across the uneven walls as they breathe through face masks, digging and searching. If luck is on their side, they may unearth a pair of jeans buried for over a century.

From humble workwear in the harshest environments to global fashion icons, jeans have undergone a remarkable transformation. True Fit – A Collected History of Denim tells the story of jeans’ origins and evolution, revealing their place as a key element of both American culture and global fashion history.

Viktor Fredbäck, one of the world’s foremost jean collectors from Sweden, travels to Nevada to unearth 1800s jeans from long-forgotten silver mines. In this book, he unveils his one-of-a-kind collection for the first time, sharing the stories woven into each pair. With newly captured images of models in period settings, the garments come to life. We also meet the people whose lives are tied to denim’s evolution: the miner, the rodeo clown, the sailor, and many more.

I was approached by Johanna, the owner of Graphera Förlag (Publishing), to ghostwrite what would eventually become True Fit. As someone who doesn’t typically wear jeans, I was initially hesitant about taking on the project. However, after meeting Viktor and experiencing his passion firsthand, I was instantly captivated by his enthusiasm.

Eight months later, the book was completed. The research during this time was rigorous. Every sentence in the book was triple-verified. This meant that for every fact presented, I had to find three independent sources to confirm its accuracy. Only then, after this meticulous process, were Viktor and I satisfied with the result.

Looking back, the journey of creating True Fit has been nothing short of remarkable. What began as a project I wasn’t sure I’d connect with turned into a deep exploration of history, culture, and my own craftsmanship. Through countless hours of research and collaboration with Viktor, the book became more than just a collection of facts—it became a tribute to the timeless appeal and cultural significance of jeans.

In the end, Viktor’s passion for denim became my own, and it was a privilege to help tell this story, one that stretches far beyond just fabric and stitching, and to contribute to the preservation of denim’s fascinating history.

True Fit – A Collected History of Denim has sold in over 20 countries and has been met with an overwhelmingly positive reception among jeans enthusiasts, vintage collectors, and fashion lovers, all the way from the USA and Europe to Japan.