Aviator Press

Nobody makes travel jeans quite like Aviator. The Los Angeles clothing company makes pants that move with you, breathe when you do and fit all your essentials in pockets that make perfect sense. There’s no fumbling around for your passport at the bottom of some over-designed, weirdly deep cargo maze.

I’ve worn Aviators across five continents—from the pampas of Uruguay to the night markets of Hanoi—and what keeps me coming back is the material blend: cotton for structure, Tencel for softness and a touch of elastane for stretch. They hold their shape after long flights, still look clean when you land and dry about a quarter faster than standard denim when you need to do a quick hotel sink wash.

Yes, Duer sells jeans with stretch, Lululemon has its ABC pants, Patagonia offers durable outdoor denim and Vince does elevated casual wear. In other words, those companies make clothing that can travel. Aviator is the only one actually making travel clothing—jeans in particular—and they do it right here in Los Angeles, where premium denim has been made for over a century.

A Shirt That Travels

Aviator's latest is a chambray utility shirt that has that effortless, lived-in quality that makes you want to wear it everywhere. "I've always appreciated a good chambray,” says Colby Kane, Aviator’s founder. “It's been my go-to for years because it tells a story of where I've been and ages with character.” The inspiration came on a trip to Japan last spring. “I was vintage shopping with my two sons and I found a great chambray that sparked the idea for an Aviator version."

Aviator's new Chambray Utility Shirt was inspired by a shirt founder Colby Kane spotted on a trip to Japan last spring.

He took details from that vintage find and updated them with travel-ready features: a pocket sized for a passport, an interior pocket for glasses, and a slightly boxy fit so it works as an overshirt. "It's designed to age gracefully and tell your story," Kane says.

The Los Angeles Advantage

I asked Kane if making clothes in Los Angeles makes Aviator tariff-proof. "The short answer is mostly yes," he says. Los Angeles has been a hub for premium jeans for over 100 years and that ecosystem means many local suppliers keep quality denim in stock. "We prioritize sourcing fabrics that are already stateside when the tariff changes hit."

Kane uses some U.S.-made denim, but most of Aviator's fabrics come from Japan, Italy and Turkey. "Our best-selling men's jeans in dark and vintage indigo use a beautiful Italian denim that's nearly gone—which makes those runs special but also means we'll soon need a replacement," he explains. Even the new chambray utility shirt uses Japanese fabric, sourced locally.

Aviator founder Colby Kane, right, with his wife, Laura, in Ginza, Toyko.

The Return of an Aviator Original

Kane just brought back the Red Eye Hoodie, “the style that launched Aviator,” he calls it—a lightweight pullover in a new merino with nylon filament for added durability. He's also expanding the Non-Stop Pants and Shorts program, Aviator's lightest weight pants made with nylon-stretch. "We have customers who love to wear them golfing as much as they do for travel," Kane says. "Very diverse pant."

The First-Class Hoodie by Aviator has a hood that can double as a sleep mask, sleeves that can worn as fingerless gloves or mittens. Merino Wool keeps it lightweight, wrinkle-resistant and temperature-regulating.

Coffee, Ice Cream, and Mountain Bikes

Kane loves when L.A. cools down. "It's perfect layering weather which I appreciate," he says. He says he’ll throw on the First Class Hoodie with jeans when he and his wife, Laura, take their dog, Jet, for long walks through new neighborhoods, usually with a coffee or ice cream stop.

Among his favorites: Awan serves interesting coconut milk ice cream flavors in West Hollywood and Venice. Millet Crepe on Sawtelle has an amazing crepe ice cream cone with crème brûlée. Kane also mountain bikes the Zuma Ridge Trail in Malibu. "It's a great way to feel miles away in nature while still in the city," he says. "Where else can you do that?"

For coffee, Endorffeine is Kane's pick, located in the Far East Plaza in Chinatown. But it’s only open Monday-Thursday. "I asked the owner, Jack, why he's not open on the weekends and he said 'it's too busy and I feel like I'm making soulless coffee,'" Kane tells me. For date night, Pace is Colby and Laura’s go-to Italian spot in Laurel Canyon. "It's cozy, local, and somehow still feels like a secret."

Aviator Stories From the Road

Even at home in Los Angeles, Kane has his mind on travel. Aviator runs a customer photo contest each year, with customers sending in pics of themselves in far-off places. This year's winner pictured herself in Aviators at the Sacsayhuamán ruins in Cusco, Peru.

The winner of this year's Aviator Jeans photo contest, overlooking Sacsayhuamán ruins in Cusco, Peru.

Sometimes, though, it's the stories of how new customers discover Aviator that stick with Kane the most. “One traveler was in Mexico City and got a fraud alert about a huge charge he hadn't made,” he says. “When he reached into his pocket to check his wallet, he actually pulled out someone else's wallet—and it was completely empty. The pickpocket had swapped it. Magician-level misdirection! That experience sent him looking for clothing with anti-pickpocket features, and he found Aviator.”

I guess that's the thing about good travel gear. You don't think about it until you need it, and then you're grateful it's there.