Among denim fading vocabulary, the most commonly used in conversation is probably atari (literally, “hit”). One of the three big fade patterns alongside whiskers and honeycomb, but its definition is more ambiguous than the others.
“Atari” refers broadly to phenomena where the surface of the fabric loses pigment locally through physical contact. Specifically:
- Where a belt buckle hits (around the belt loops)
- The outline of a wallet sitting in the back pocket
- Marks left from keys or a lighter inside the front pocket
- Repeated contact with chair backs or seats
These are all cases where indigo pigment on the fabric surface has been physically rubbed off.
Whiskers (radial lines from the crotch to the upper thigh) and honeycomb (lattice behind the knees) form fixed patterns from specific body movements. Atari, by contrast, varies considerably with lifestyle. Two people wearing the same jeans for the same period will develop asymmetric atari depending on which back pocket they habitually carry their wallet.
When maisons and overseas brands order “vintage-faithful processing,” processors can pattern-replicate whiskers and honeycomb to a reasonable degree. But naturally formed atari is structurally hard to replicate — recreating the random idiosyncrasies of a particular life through retroactive processing is internally contradictory. This is why the “realness” of vintage garments remains a differentiator, even with modern processing technique.
※ Term note (short column)