Jane Herman

Writer, Designer and Denim Expert Los Angeles, CA

PHOTOGRAPHY
Kate Moore

Jane Herman

Jane Herman is a Los Angeles-based founder, designer, and writer whose career has been shaped by a deep understanding of denim and the emotional connection we form with what we wear. After growing up in a fashion family and spending years as a writer and editor, her knowledge of denim is unmatched.  She founded her own label, The Only Jane in 2020 and is author of Jane on Jeans, a deeply informed and personal exploration of denim, personal style and culture.  Her approach to clothing is rooted in longevity, instinct, and the belief that the best pieces become more meaningful through the lives we live in them. We sat down with Jane to talk about the memories clothes carry, her enduring love of denim, and how personal style evolves with age, motherhood, and experience.

Jane wears the Flex Stretch in Sable Wash
Jane wears the Flex Stretch in Sable Wash Shop Now →

OSSOU: What is your earliest memory of understanding that clothes could carry meaning?

Jane Herman: When I was eight or nine, I had a pair of ballet slippers that had to be dyed green for a costume I was wearing to dance in “A Midsummer Night’s Dream.” I hated that they had to be dyed such an ugly color, but when the show was over I found myself treasuring those ugly green shoes. The memory of the experience I had wearing them gave them meaning way beyond their basic function. 

O: How did your parents' relationship with fashion shape your own?

JH: My mom was the ultimate uniform dresser—she wore a different versions of a consistent look, day after day—and my dad is as sentimental and emotional about clothing as I am. He and I both delight in details and can get very emotional over  the beauty of how things are made. I have a little bit of each of them in me. 

O: What is the most sentimental piece currently in your closet?

JH: The Levi’s 501s I packed when my husband Marc invited me to Montana to meet his family. I call them my Hall Lake jeans because I wore them the day we hiked to a remote alpine lake of the same name. I fell in love with him in those jeans, and still wear them to this day.

O: What do your most-worn clothes all have in common?

JH: They are made of natural fibers (no synthetics, no stretch) and there is a whimsy to them, something unexpected or personally worn-in. Or, they’re just a basic white t-shirt. I wear a white t-shirt 5 out of 7 days a week.

O: Has your definition of personal style changed as you have gotten older?

JH: With age I’ve learned to let my life direct the clothes I wear. Personal style is a reflection of how we live and what we have to do every day. It is not a construct that’s decided on, or curated, or established by three words, or whatever else people try to sell you on. Personal style is authenticity + consistency.

O: Has becoming a designer changed the way you shop — or how critical you are of what you wear?

JH: I found that I’m drawn towards wearing very well-made, but simple things when I’m designing. To get in a place where I can be creative, I need to be wearing things that don’t distract from my personal taste, or eye, or intuition. That means I’m often wearing Levi’s 501s with a white t-shirt. When the slate I have on is blank, so to speak, it’s easier to focus.

O: What is the difference between a good pair of jeans and a truly exceptional pair?

JH: Longevity.

O: Has your eye for denim changed since you began your career?

JH: My eye has changed, sure, but my philosophy has not. I have always believed, and still believe, that we should wear jeans that make us feel good, regardless of trend.

Jane wears the Sweep Jacket in Buff Wash
Jane wears the Sweep Jacket in Buff Wash Shop Now →

O: Can denim still surprise you?

JH: For sure. I was recently surprised by how much Chanel’s Cambon jeans cost ($2,550)!

O: What is your most controversial denim opinion?

JH: That Old Navy jeans are excellent.

O: How has motherhood changed the role clothes play in your life?

JH: Before I became a mother, clothes were very high on the list of my priorities. Now, they’re just a bit lower on the list.

O: What have your kids taught you about getting dressed?

JH: They’ve taught me that what I wear matters very little compared to how much I am loved.

O: What do you secretly hope they'll steal from your closet one day?

JH: It’s no secret. I’ve been saving jeans for my daughter since I was twenty years old! Long before I was ever pregnant or even dreaming of becoming pregnant. I hope she takes them all one day. I also hope she enjoys my extensive collection of vintage bandanas. 

O: What is one thing you hope never goes out of style?

JH: Blue jeans with white t-shirts.

O: If your favorite pair of jeans could talk, what stories would they tell?

JH: They might rat me out for sometimes eating a giant bag of potato chips for lunch. Or lament about how often I stuff them in a suitcase. But at the end of the day, they’d probably say that I work really hard and love my family beyond. 

O: What is usually in your back pocket?

JH: My phone, sadly.

Jane wears the Ridge Shirt in Bone
Jane wears the Ridge Shirt in Bone Shop Now →
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