There's a world of difference between a tailored suit and one that is bought right off the rack. An Earnest Cut and Sew -- a concept store from the design denim line Earnest Sewn in New York's Meatpacking District -- takes the custom/mass-produced distinction and runs with it. Offering custom jeans at two price points, you can buy specially designed blues starting at around $200 (fully tailored pairs go for around $500). Made on site by a process that blends the Japanese technique Wabi-Sabi with traditional American work wear, An Earnest Cut and Sew jeans are as philosophically ambitious as they are stylish.

Even if you aren't in the market for a new pair of jeans, the concept store on Washington Street is worth checking out next time you're in New York. Decorated with quirky antiques, traditional denim manufacturing tools and unfinished hardwood floors, this denim bar offers visitors an educational look at denim's rich American heritage.