Eye Candy: Shots from the New Imogene + Willie Online Shop

Imogene + Willie’s online shop launched this past weekend, to much well-deserved fanfare. It’s really no surprise that the digital extension of Matt and Carrie Eddmenson’s brick and mortar store is stocked with an impressive selection of the duo’s in-house clothing line.

It’s also no surprise that the photos on offer do an exquisite job of capturing the laid back, utilitarian feel of the merchandise itself. No surprise, but well appreciated nonetheless.

—Jonathan

(Images courtesy of Imogene + Willie)

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Eye Candy: Baldwin Fall 2010 Collection

As of this week, Baldwin is expanding beyond jeans and releasing a full on collection of well-executed wardrobe staples. The bulk of the line consists of shirting, chinos, ties, and jackets, as well as jeans (of course). There’s also a shoe, a weekender bag, a suit, and a hat in the mix.

This is all very good news, because the line is both sharp as hell and eminently wearable. And from the looks of it, the fit is spot-on. Bonus: Everything is made in the US.

So yes, I’m pretty damn impressed with what Baldwin’s done here. They idn’t just hit the ball out of the park, they tore the leather off the thing.

I’ll take one of everything and two of the khakis and the olive drab jacket, please.

Take a quick jump over to the venerable Secret Forts to read a great write up and see a list of retailers that will carry the line. If you’re not near any of the brick and mortar spots (like me), hit up the website.

—Jonathan

(Images courtesy of Baldwin via Secret Forts)

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Objects of Affection: Baldwin Denim

Balwin Denim is a Kansas City-based outfit that cuts and sews their line of jeans right here in the USA from American (Cone Mills) and Japanese (Kaihara Mill) denim.

So they’ve got production and materials pretty well locked down. Judging from the shots on their online shop, they nailed it on the fit front as well. And from what I hear from folks who have worn them, construction is spot on, with details like triple-stitched seams keeping things nice and sturdy.

The basic moral of this story then? These are a solid option for your jeans needs. If you’re in the market, be sure to keep Baldwin on your list.

The Henley, pictured here, is the slim option. It’s done in a 12.5 oz. pink line selvage from Kaihara Mill.

If you’re looking for a straight fit or some dropped yoke action, check out the Reed or the 77, respectively. Both feature Cone Mills White Oak selvage denim.

Any which way, they’ll run you $220 and you can grab a pair right from the source online.

Do it up.

—Jonathan

(Images courtesy of Baldwin Denim)

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(capsule) NY: Denime

Denime is a Japanese brand that specializes in high quality jeans, and supplements with jackets, chinos, workwear, sweats, tees, and the like.

Like a lot of Japanese denim companies, Denime is especially appealing to hardcore denim heads because of the quality of the material itself. Japan has some of the best denim mills on the planet, and brands like Denime (and Sugar Cane, Samurai, etc.) are sure to take advantage of this state of affairs. This, along with solid construction, makes for a very sturdy pair of jeans.

Combine the quality in general with a long trek from the other side of the globe, and you’ve got a price around $300 US for stateside fans. Definitely jeans for enthusiasts.

The styling that draws heavily from mid-20th century US blue collar and youth culture, and the cuts are decidedly non-modern. While we’re not talking reproduction level devotion to the originals, some degree of historical accuracy regarding fit is part of the brand’s aesthetic.   So basically: super-specialized Americana, via Japan.

It’s not for everyone, but the quality is undeniable and the vibe of the booth at (capsule) NY was so cool–just check out the huge denim sign they had on display–that I had to snap a couple photos.

Jackets and jeans. So much denim…

Saddle shoes. I believe they were by Standard Issue, but not positive. I do know they’re Japanese made…

Boots. Same manufacturer as the saddle shoes, but made in the US…

—Jonathan

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(capsule) NY: Naked & Famous Denim

Ok. Yes. It’s kind of a gimmick. But 32 oz. denim that can stand on its own all damn day is still pretty neat…

Naked & Famous is a brand that tends to inspire healthy debate amongst the type of people that would actually, you know, sit and debate denim. If you’re reading this, you’re probably one of ‘em.

One the one side: I know that Naked & Famous doesn’t do it for some denim purists. It really has to do with their tendency to do things like 32 oz. denim. While neat, it’s not particularly practical and tends to come off as something they did because they can, not necessarily because they should.

On the flip side, there’s the people like me. I’m definitely pro-N&F, despite the fact that I’ll be the first to admit that some of their more…eccentric…denim options are things that I wouldn’t really wear (though I really do enjoy looking at them).

For a pair of modern jeans with a solid fit, and at a generally reasonable price point, I think they’re a great option. The denim tends to be quality stuff, and the fit, especially, is really on point. I’ve got a pair of Skinny Guys and a pair of Weird Guys, and I really enjoy wearing both of them. For me, fit is king when it comes to jeans, so the fact that N&F pretty much nailed it on that front means that they’ll always get love from me (barring any horrific turns on the fabric/construction fronts).

Another note on the denim: Naked & Famous consistently comes out with new and different options. At (capsule), aside from the 32 oz option and among a plethora of others, they showed an 8 oz cotton/linen blend that felt like it’ll be a godsend come next summer. Gotta give ‘em credit for pushing out something to keep denim freaks from sweating themselves to death in mid-July.

To get down to the stuff from (capsule) NY, the Momotaro denim collab was a standout if you ask me. It had the best hand (in my opinion), and the minor tweaks like modified stitching on the back pockets and Canadian/Japanese flag-printed pocket bags elevated it to a whole other level.

Leather accessories, that linen blend denim, and an indigo warp/red weft option take honorable mention.

Time for more shots:

7mm thick natural and black leather belts. Pretty intense, but these looked solid, wearable, and altogether well done..

Red warp/ white weft. I can’t pull this off, but I like it…

Indigo warp with a red weft. Ever since the Julian Red Nikki Six (pink weft) came out, I’ve been into this sort of treatment…

Indigo print on a red leather patch to match the theme…

N&F’s Citrus denim. Same idea with the indigo warp/colored weft. Already in stores though…

Leather accessories: Wallets, card cases, and lighter cases. And yes, that’s an origami crane done in leather at the top of the photo…

Chino jeans. Dig it…

The Momotaro collaboration jeans. My favorite of the bunch…

The coin pocket has a very subtle selvage detail…

Momotaro stamped buttons…

A dual branded leather patch…

Slightly modified back pocket stitching. I really like this…

Classic red line selvage…

Country flag pocket bags round out the package…

More origami…

Button downs. In chambray…

Oxford cloth…

Gingham, and flannel…

Time for a couple of the more intense denim options. Wearable? Maybe. Maybe not. But definitely interesting.

Ok, let’s see if I get this. I’m pretty sure it’s is an uncorrected alternating twill. Not entirely sure if I got that right, but I’m pretty damn sure it’s 3 inch sections of alternating right hand and left hand twill. The weave also isn’t corrected to prevent twisting, so there’s gonna be some intense leg twist as it’s worn and washed…

I didn’t ask the story behind this bag, and I didn’t open it. But my completely uneducated guess? Denim cooler. Why not?

And just in case you were wondering whether you can score a raw denim yarmulke? Well…yeah. You can. That spool is the stainless steel from a style that I covered earlier…

Altogether, a very nice collection of goods. A little bit of eccentricity, but a whole lot more sensible and solid wares. And I can’t stress enough, the fit on N&F’s jeans is impressive. I’m looking forward to this stuff hitting the shelves so I can start trying things on.

That’s that for Naked & Famous from (capsule) NY.

—Jonathan

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Eye Candy: Wrangler Blue Bell FW 2010 Lookbook

The Wrangler Blue Bell FW 2010 collection is a slightly darker (both in mood and color) take on mid-20th-century Americana of the non-preppy variety. Think rockabilly and motorcycles as opposed to cardigans and khakis (no hate!). Dark denim is paired with plaids, some wool pieces, and one very nice looking leather bomber for a package that’s pretty successful on the whole.

While there are a couple of missteps (namely in the overprocessed jeans department), I’m a fan of most of the offerings, and the collection shines when the Wrangler folks have the good sense to keep things simple.

And it kind of goes without saying, but: I want that jacket.

Some more shots:

Blue Bell is, sadly, a Europe-only endeavor. When will American denim giants like Lee and Wrangler realize that there’s a whole contingent of people in the US that love their overseas lines, despite the…ahem…issues with the local varietal?

Oh well. At least I can give you the heads up that Cultizm has stocked Blue Bell before, and may be a decent spot to look for the new stuff.

For now, go check out the website. It’s highly interactive, and honestly just a fucking blast to play around with. Also, more in-depth looks at the clothes. There’s that, too.

—Jonathan

(Images courtesy of Wrangler Europe, and thanks to Hypebeast for putting this on my radar)

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Eye Candy: Fall Previews from Naked & Famous Denim

Canadian denim company Naked & Famous looks like it has some very interesting stuff coming out for the Fall. At the recent (capsule) tradeshow in Paris, they showed a couple of these projects off, and Hypebeast was kind enough to snap a few photos for the collective benefit of all of us that couldn’t make it to France (read: most of us).

The first project is a collaboration with Momotaro, a Japanese brand creating artisan jeans in the coastal town of Kojima in Okayama. Features include a union special chainstitch at the bottom hem, selvage denim (of course), a lamb leather patch, and some fantastically nationalistic pocket bags.

They’ll hit Barney’s in October.

More pictures:

The second thing in the works is kind of out there, but I’ve got to admit I might go for it come Autumn. It’s a selvage denim with 10% 4 ply stainless steel wire by Japanese wire manufacturer Riken built into the weave. Kinda crazy, but apparently it has the same feel as the 100% cotton variety and just creases harder as it wears in, which is probably great for creating high contrast fades (which I dig).

Only 200 pairs will be made, so the limited edition thing is definitely in full effect for this one.

A few shots:

I’m done with summer. Bring on September so I can actually get my mitts on some of these pieces (and stop fearing that my face will melt off the second I step outside).

—Jonathan

(Photos courtesy of Hypebeast)

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Objects of Affection: Epaulet EP’s Smith in 12.5 oz. Indigo

Just in time for the freaking nicest day of the year (in NYC at least)!  This morning Epaulet announced the drop of the most recent run of their in-house EP’s jeans line.

Aside from introducing a new and slightly looser fit (the Hoyt) the Brooklyn shop is now offering the spot-on, slim-straight Smith fit in a 12.5 oz. Natural Line Selvage indigo denim from Cone Mills‘ White Oak plant in NC. It’s very similar to an APC New Standard fit, but you don’t have to worry about insane stretching issues (bonus!).

The denim is considerably lighter than the first run of the Indigo Smiths (which was 14 oz.), so it’s a good bet for Spring.  This new run is also the first time that the EP’s Smith has featured classic contrast stitching. So for everyone out there that didn’t want to pull the trigger on the original monochrome versions, here’s your chance to get at these jeans.

Some additional details (consistent with the last run, but still great): Gunmetal donut buttons, button fly, riveted front pockets and bartacked back pockets, hickory stripe pocket bags, and a stamped cowhide “EP’s” patch on the back waistband. All made in downtown LA.

More looks:

As a proud owner of a pair from the first run, I can assure you that $145 is a freaking steal for these jeans.

Click over to Epaulet’s online shop to score a pair now if you’re good with a 34″ inseam. Otherwise, contact them to put your pair with a 35″ inseam on hold. That run is arriving around 5/25.

—Jonathan

(Images courtesy of Epaulet)

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Eye Candy: Naked and Famous Skinny Guy Broken Twill Selvage

I’ve already expressed my affection for the Naked and Famous Skinny Guy, so for now I’ll forgo another round of talking up the fit. Instead, let’s just take a look at the the new broken twill selvage version that just arrived at Oak.

I love me some broken twill, and I love the choice to go monochrome on this one. Very clean, very sharp. Like all Naked and Famous jeans, they’re made in Canada from Japanese Denim.

Click on over to Oak to pick up a pair for $142.

—Jonathan

(All images courtesy of Oak)

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Objects of Affection: Naked and Famous Skinny Guy Black Power Stretch Jeans

Slim, overdyed black jeans are a truly crucial element in my wardrobe. I’m relatively young, I live in NY, and I don’t have a particularly burly build. Because of all these factors, I wear them pretty much every day that I can’t wear blue jeans (read: at work).

I know, it’s not a hyper-professional look. But since I work in an industry that allows it, I take full advantage. Paired with an oxford shirt and a nice pair of lace ups, it looks put together  enough. And I love that I can go from the office to a rock show and all I really need to do is put on a tee shirt and stash my button up in my bag.

Because I love them so, I’m always on the lookout for the best of the breed. And I think I’ve found a solid contender for this title: Naked and Famous Skinny Guy black power stretch jeans.

Ignore the shoes. Or at least try…

They’re very slim, but not painted-on-tight. They don’t go so narrow below the knees that you like like you want to be a member of The Horrors. And the somewhat unfortunately titled ‘power stretch’ denim, means that you can actually move around in them and do crazy things like step over small obstacles! (If you’ve worn tight jeans without stretch, you’ll understand that this is an actual problem sometimes.) All in all, a good combo.

They’re made in Canada from Japanese denim, and they’re free of any distressing or washing. In the case of an overdyed black jean, that’s actually pretty difficult to find. Most other options I’ve found are washed to the point of extreme softness. Which is nice and all, but also means they’ll wear out much more quickly. Not a positive in my book.

If you’re in the market for tight, black jeans, give these a shot. They’re very reasonably priced at around $135, and they’re certainly a step up from Levi’s 511s (my staple until I found these).

Another shot:

You can grab a pair online at Neiman Marcus or Azalea Boutique. You can probably reach out to Naked and Famous directly, too. I know they used to sell direct when they were just starting out (not sure if they still do it, though).

—Jonathan

PS – They look great paired with a leather jacket (had to say it)

(All images courtesy of Naked and Famous)

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