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I tried to restore an old denim jacket last year and I started with a good wash in cold water with something gentle, then I assessed the damage - pockets coming apart, seams giving way, broken zipper 😅 Depending on what you need to fix, you can do it by hand for the small stuff (resewing a lining, tightening a seam) or you're going to need a machine for the bigger jobs. If it's really too damaged, a good tailor can work wonders, but it costs a bit more than doing it yourself.
What's your budget and what kind of damage are we talking about - just wear and tear or actual broken stuff like a zipper that doesn't work anymore? Personally I think you should start with structural repairs before cleaning, otherwise you risk making the already worn seams worse by handling them in water. Focus first on the weak points - seams coming loose, detached pockets, the zipper - then after that you can do a proper wash. And honestly, some things like major holes might be better left to someone experienced rather than trying to DIY it.
Before you touch anything, I'd say feel around the whole jacket to spot weak spots - the seams at the armholes, the pockets, the inside of the collar - because you usually just see the wear on the outside but that's where it starts failing on the inside first 😅 One thing nobody does: keep the little scraps of denim lying around if you have to cut out damaged fabric, they can work as reinforcement patches under the seams you're going to resew, it's way more solid than just glue. Only after that should you decide whether to DIY it or take it to someone, but at least then you'll have an actual list of what needs doing.
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