Fades, Whiskers & Honeycombs

On raw denim, indigo wears away where the fabric flexes and abrades, producing named patterns: whiskers (radiating creases at the hips), honeycombs (behind the knees), stacks (folds at the hem), and lighter high-wear zones. Enthusiasts chase these because they are a personal record of wear rather than a factory print. Washed and distressed jeans imitate the look chemically or mechanically. Neither is dishonest as long as it is priced honestly — but "authentic fades" take months of real wear, and a brand-new jean showing perfect whiskers made them in a laundry, not on a body.