Eternal 811 - second wash and repairs

I've been using my experimental clean-by-brushing technique to keep my jeans away from water. It works well, I think you should try it. I think this method has given me more than six months of extra wear out of these jeans prior to each wash.


I had a few repairs to make. My keys wore a number of holes through the front left (my left) pocket, and the fly buttons had the stitching around the button hole coming off.


I used white cotton twill to repair the pocket bag - a combination of hand and machine stitching.

Maybe I'm lazy... I left the repairs badly finished, but it felt appropriate.



I zigzagged the fly button hole edges to re-enforce them (post wash pic).

During the repairs, the close-up work made me realise that I should wash these suckers ie. they stank. So I gave them a decent wash. Hot water, Dr. Bronners, quite a bit of hand agitation.

Some post-wash pics...

Honeycombs


Reverse combs


Yeah.


These are my favourite jeans at the moment. Wish I had a second pair.

2009 Denim Forecast

Defining Mens Fashion has an article titled "2009 Denim Forecast: Eight Trends That Will Shape the Market" by David Lipke

Here are excerpts:

"...G-Star, the brand is offering a line called Raw Listing that features loose-fit, Japanese selvedge denim, priced from $230 to $280."

"... looser fits are also making a comeback, after a few seasons of skinny silhouettes."

"Blue Blood’s Steve te Pas also sees a movement toward anti-fits. “The skinny silhouette is still most modern, yet those who are the trainspotters are now after a more cultivated outline,” he said. “The carrot fit is subtly emerging as an influence, but a lot softer than its initial styling. Dropped crotches, a lengthening of pockets, and pleats are all apparent amongst the cognoscenti.”"

"...George also pointed out that heavily worked jeans tend to be more appropriate to the men’s market—and those kinds of vintage washes and repaired styles are doing best in his stores, despite the higher prices. “The better-grade product is selling better in men’s than in women’s,” he said, pointing to Prps, Double RL and AG Adriano Goldschmied as some of his best performers."

I doubt that the skinny jeans are going out-of-style that quickly. Guys are a bit slow on the trend changes.

As for the loose anti-fit (carrot cut)... I keep dreaming about a picture I saw on the 45rpm site.

Broken dark jeans with short handsewn cuffs. Light white cottons and linen. That picture gives me a nice summer feeling. Australia is warming up and I'm falling into that photo while the rest of the globe moves into winter.

If you're heading into winter... I have two warm words for you... PEA COAT.

Some Denim Articles

Some interesting reading...


Inventor of the Cowboy Shirt
via Design Observer


Henry Wong gets to meet Lynn Downey and get to touch the oldest know pair of 501s.
via Denim News

Denim Pea Coat

The MFSC coat lapels / flaps can be buttoned back on themselves for a more open look.

Denim Distressing Factory

David Freidman posted a photo essay of a denim distressing factory in Kentucky.
I can definitely spy some Double RL (RRL) jeans there.

via Boingboing.

Wayback - Studio D'Artisan c.2001

The Studio D'Artisan site back in 2001.


Some tops.


And some very cool leather patches.

Wayback - Samurai Site c.2001

The Samurai site from back in 2001.


Here's the line-up. Nothing over 15oz back then.


Coloured pants! What's going on here?!!


The classic.


And a gallery, but the enlargements are missing from the archive.

Wayback - Evisu Genes Gold c.2001

As part of Google's 10th birthday they put an old version of their search engine online.
http://www.google.com/search2001.html
I've been using it to view the state of the denim market seven years ago. Things have changed a lot.

A 2001 search on "selvedge denim" (with quotes) gives 8 results. Today, the same search gives 27,800 results. Who's to blame for the selvedge denim mania? Nudie? Evisu?

Here's an expensive find. £1,200 for a pair of jeans.


I'll be posting some more interesting wayback finds soon.