Welcome to our new sponsor for March and April, Pike Brothers. With roots back to the 1930s when the brothers George and Joseph Pike had a small and exclusive tailoring shop on the Portobello Road in London. Today, their crafts and name live on with German-based Pike Brothers. Real work trousers made of beautiful selvage denim, inspired by the military and workwear wardrobe from the 30s up to the 50s. It still smells a bit of gunpowder sludge, diesel fuel and rockabilly sweat.
Denim is essential to Pike Brothers and in the words of the brand, “one of the most important pillars for our products is the choice of the correct and most authentic fabric,” and adds that, “the jeans we are making are not only made after vintage patterns, but also by using the most authentic denim fabric. For getting the perfect product we have all our denim custom made on vintage shuttle looms.” Therefore, it’s not only the appearance of Pike Brothers’ jeans that is authentic, but also the way in which the fabric is made.
To find out more about the brand visit their website and webshop. Below you’ll find some of the core products of the brand. If you want to see more about the products like click on the images and they will take you to Pike Brothers’ webshop.
The 1935 Mechanics Bib:
The 1937 Roamer Pants:
The 1958 Roamer Pants:
The 1944 N1-Deck Jacket:
1954 Utility Shirt:
New style of this season, the 1936 Chopper Pant:
For the fall 2012 season, the Pike Brothers collection will feature a 23 oz. Japanese selvage version of the 1958 Roamer Pant:
Denim Care of your Pike Brothers jeans:
Pike Brothers uses raw indigo dyed selvage denim for all their jeans. It’s unwashed and deep blue just like when it comes out of the looms. The denim is stiff, sturdy and rich in structure, and as Pike Brothers put it, “like a raw diamond it needs to be worked on and worn in, in order to develop its true beauty.”
The brand suggest several approaches how to wear and care for your denim jeans, but generally they recommend that they should be worn for as long as possible before washing the first time. Only by avoiding water and any cleaning detergents the indigo and the starch will stay in the fabric and help develop your very personal pair of jeans. By wearing them every day they will adapt to your body and get your personal wear marks and over time it will become like a family member or a dear friend.
When you eventually wash your Pike Brothers jeans take them to the dry cleaner. In that way it will keep its sturdiness and the deep blue colour, and furthermore shrinkage is kept to a minimum. Alternatively, a good soak in the bath tub or sink in cold water and with the addition of some biological detergent will clean your jeans. For guide on how to soak your jeans, read more here.
