Imagine what would happen when two century-old companies both with histories that stretches back to 1889 find each other and decide to work together and create an outstanding product. That’s what happened when Saint James and Lee decided to create a limited collection of high quality knitwear consisting of two pullovers, two beanies and two shawls. The collection was exhibited at the latest Blueprint show in Amsterdam, but Denimhunters’ Jan den Hartogh stopped by the Dutch Lee office to have a closer look.
Known for their high-high quality denim made in America from premium Japanese fabric that retail at very reasonable prices, 3sixteen has in a few years conquered the world with their jeans. The brand has been picked up by leading European denim retailers such as VMC, Burg&Schild and Unionville with many more to come from the fall of 2013. At the last Bread & Butter founders Andrew Chen and Johan Lam had brought along a few news from over there.
Certain brands somehow always seem to excite us and almost no matter what they come up with it seems interesting in one way or another. During Berlin’s Bread & Butter in January we met with Miles Johnson, design director of Levi’s Vintage Clothing to get a brief introduction to what we have in store for next winter. As always, the collection is split into two themes; the Motown theme draws up parallels of car industry and the music industry of 1960s Detroit; the reintroduction of Orange tab collection brings a fresh and youthful alternative to the dusty denim authentics.
The hardworking Norwegians from Livid Jeans has stepped up their business with the introduction of a Retail Line to go along with their Handmade Line. With collections to be launched two times a year, the Retail Line consist on a bigger variety of products in different quantities. It’s produced in a small family owned factory in Barcelos, Portugal where it’s sewn by only five workers and crafted on non-automated industrial machines. It’s good, it’s really good!
On February 21st 2013, Tenue de Nîmes and Levi’s Vintage Clothing celebrated the release of the new Spring 2013 collection. While enjoying their drinks and food, guests could watch British artist Mark MacDonald redraw a hand-painted banner on a fine red selvage denim roll. Besides the banner Mark also drew several custom hand-painted Trucker jackets that were on display in the shop window.
During the last Copenhagen Fashion Week the Monkees had put together their own little “fashion” trade show at the Garage, the Iron&Denim Power Meet their called it. Photographer Mads Stahlschmidt (www.madsstahlschmidt.com) shot these photos from the event. From here on we’ll let them speak for themselves.
Nudie Jeans Co (often just referred to as ‘Nudie’) was one of the frontrunners in the commercialisation of dry denim by making the concept of breaking in your dry denim jeans easily accessible and understandable to the average fashion consumer. Based in Sweden, the no. 1 denim nation of the world, the Swedish sense of caring is vividly visible in every aspect of the company’s conducts. Not only do they care about the details of the products they ship out, they also care about how they’re made. Just 12 years after it’s foundation, Nudie has fully incorporated an environmentally friendly cradle-to-grave philosophy of how they produce and reuse – and even repair – their jeans. This spring Nudie is adding a range of colourful twill jeans to their existing dry and pre-washed denim programmes.
A proud son of the city and the centre of attention of last week’s Copenhagen Fashion Week, Han Kjøbenhavn have launched a collection that may very well be the beginning of a new paradigm in Danish men’s fashion. It’s a fusion of Russian mafia coats, Nicolas Winding Refn’s ‘Drive’, colourful 80s track suits, ruby red wool camouflage, “snake skin” tights and of course funky sunglasses and Japanese denim jeans.
