denim news

noreply@blogger.com (Henry Wong) — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 01:57:00 +0000

Warehouse x Heller's Cafe New Old Goods

The good folks at Heller's Cafe sent us some pictures to preview a couple of products from the next season of Warehouse x Heller's Cafe. The hand treatments that create the dirty looks seem quite authentic. These are no doubt faithful reproductions of beat up vintage pieces from the Heller's Cafe archive. The denim on the rivetless waist overalls seems to feature a slub that approximates the rough character of vintage workwear fabric that was sold raw and so hid many beautiful, irregular yarn characters that today we call "defects."

Is that a lined belt loop I see? More details as I get them. Stay tuned!

To see images of their previous work see my last post on this exciting brand.

noreply@blogger.com (Henry Wong) — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 22:19:00 +0000

Reinforcing Laps

After Jacob Davis patented his rivets overalls improvement there was an influx of similarly-minded patents. With all these patent requests you would think seam reinforcements was suddenly fashionable after 1873. Rivets and cloth material used to strengthen a seam was of course a utilitarian idea at the time and patent would have been a great marketing tool for workwear brands and manufacturers.

Below is a drawing from an 1874 patent granted to Jacob Greenbaum, apparently for the Greenebaum Brothers outfit in San Francisco. The idea is to reinforce stress points on seams that tend to rip using a material "of any desired fabric." I wonder if using leather, as some vintage overalls have, would have infringed upon this patent.

noreply@blogger.com (Henry Wong) — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 18:16:00 +0000

Billiken Man Jeans Update

In the Billiken Man Jeans post I quoted the "recreation of interlock sewing machines to produce the union special stitches which was considered impossible before." I mistook this to be referring to a chainstitch but "interlock" actually refers to the overlock stitches on the pocket bags and inseam. Below are pictures that show this overlock stitch.

Big thanks to a certain Glenn from NY for the education.

noreply@blogger.com (Henry Wong) — Sat, 29 Aug 2009 03:18:00 +0000

Billiken Man Jeans

The Billiken Man jeans is a beautifully constructed garment. Everything from the beltloops to the button fly facing to the waistband are on point and super playful. The people behind the brand are obsessed with sewing details and offer the mind boggling "triangle" or "three point" ~~chainstitches~~ overlock stitches found on the leg seams, pocketing, and throughout the jeans. As they put it the goal was the "recreation of interlock sewing machines to produce the union special stitches which was considered impossible before." Did they hack their sewing machines?

In line with many Japanese business and craftsman practices they took two American icons, the Billiken Man and jeans, and applied such unique twists and enhancements that the end result is something that reflects pure Japanese artistry. And obsession.

If you have not heard of the Billiken Man you are probably not alone. A quick Google search shows that it was once a popular American pop culture icon that even had popular songs singing its praise. The original Billiken was designed by artist Florence Pretz as a symbol that evoked good luck. Pretz allegedly saw the figure in a dream who told her that good luck can be had by rubbing his feet. It is further believed that Billiken is the namesake of President William Howard Taft. The "ken" part of Billiken is likely a bastardization of the word Can in "Billy Can" as in there are those Billys who can and those Billys who can't. Billiken then is obviously meant to inspire the "can do" attitude that helps a nation get through difficult times.

The Billiken license was eventually picked up by Horsman Dolls, Inc., the American toy company that marketed the Teddy Bear named after President Theodore Roosevelt. Today the Japanese have incorporated the Billiken man into their cast of deities. If you visit the Tsutenkaku tower in Osaka you will find a statue of the Billiken enshrined there.

The makers of these jeans have invoked the good spirit of Billiken to create a jean full of playful details. The orange thread used throughout the jeans are reminiscent of Billiken's hair color and the wavy back pocket stitching reflects the overall features of the smiling, seated character. The company proclaims the jeans "will assure you of the lively and optimistic lifestyles in this challenging moment in our history."

The stitching that appears to be a bartack is actually a zigzag stitch.

If you are ever in need of a shot of luck just rub the Billiken Man's feet wherever you are.

The button holes are beautifully executed with a hand-tied-tail look and a stitch that changes pitch towards the curve.

Billiken Man Website

noreply@blogger.com (Henry Wong) — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 22:17:00 +0000

Continuous Fly

A rather obscure construction detail that is not commonly used is the continuous fly. There are relatively few new jeans that uses this. Certain models of Warehouse Duck Digger and Rising Sun & Co. come to mind (the former uses a selvage continuous fly while the latter's Blacksmith jean does not).

Below is a clipped image from the United States patent granted to David Neustadter on October 30, 1877. It is widely known that the Neustadter Brothers in San Francisco manufactured the "Boss of the Road" overalls. His intention was to patent a fly construction method for overalls that was stronger without necessarily adding bulk.

Because the fly piece itself does not have seams (held by cotton threads) that can rip it is considered to be stronger. On most modern jeans your "first line of defense" is usually the stitches that rise from the crotch seam, which are generally strong enough to obviate the need for a continuous fly construction. But as a denim nerd you may want at least one pair of jeans with continuous fly for bragging rights. If you are interested enough you may want that pair to be a vintage Boss of the Road.

Below print is from the the July 21, 1899 issue of the Victoria Government Gazette, which printed various legal notifications and publicly declared trade mark and patent applications in Victoria (Australia). As you can see Boss of the Road's marketing images proudly indicate "with patented continuous fly."

Victoria Government Gazette

noreply@blogger.com (Henry Wong) — Sat, 08 Aug 2009 02:48:00 +0000

Momotaro Hand Loom

Below is a YouTube video of the hand loom in the Momotaro store in Japan. It would be amazing to see in person and study how all the mechanisms work. The store weaver moves the harnesses (by foot?), beats in the fill yarn, pulls a string system to shoot the shuttle back and forth, and pumps a lever to roll up the greige cloth. Is this a model of the 1890 Sakichi Toyoda patented wooden hand looms?

In the states you can buy Momotaro jeans at Blue in Green in NYC.

Special thanks to Roy Slaper of Oakland, CA for linking me to this video.

Momotaro Jeans Website

Blue in Green Website

noreply@blogger.com (Henry Wong) — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 04:45:00 +0000

Samuel Styles Blue Blood

Our good friend Samuel de Goede checks in from Amsterdamn where he just styled the B.B. for Blue Blood runway show for Amsterdam International Fashion Week. He plays down the responsibility he had of getting all the looks right and says, "Did things like exchanging the buttons on the jackets for bone ones, adding leather elbow patches. That kind of subtle stuff, but fun!" Good job Samuel!

Blue Blood Website

noreply@blogger.com (Henry Wong) — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 01:28:00 +0000

C Q WO OVERALLS

When Jacob W. Davis patented the use of rivets on pants to secure seams from ripping in 1873 he may have opened the flood gates to a barrage of patent filings that aspire to offer similar improvements to workwear. The most curious of these patents awarded was filed by Cheang Quan Wo in late 1874 in San Francisco. It is important to note Levi Strauss's business was and is headquartered in San Francisco.

The drawing accompanying the application shows a man with the front part of his head shaven and the back part tied into a long ponytail to indicate he was a Han Chinese. He would have kept his hair this way so as to be able to return home to China where people of Han ancestry were required by law to wear their hair in a queue.

He is shown wearing suspender waist overalls with pocket openings reinforced with additional material and stitching. The New York Public Library (Mid-Manhattan Library), which catalogs a physical print of the drawing (marked Apr. 24, 1875) suggests the wooden tub behind the subject as a wash tub although I wonder if we can rule out the possibility of it being a rice bucket.

Also of interest in the specific reference to previously proposed methods of seams reinforcements on pants in the section of the application where applicants usually address similar intellectual properties. Wo writes, perhaps through the attorney who filed the patent application, "I am aware that seams have been re-enforced by sewing over them separate and independent pieces to prevent ripping, but this is not my invention. By my device the re-enforcing lap, instead of being a separate and independent piece of goods sewed to the garment, is a part and parcel of the body of the garment, and cut in one piece with it, thus not only avoiding the necessity of a separate re-enforcing piece, but also avoiding one seam, which would be necessary to secure a gusset as usually cut."

In the coming days I will explore various patents related to improvements in workwear and perhaps even attempt to answer if Jacob Davis sparked an intellectual property protection trend in workwear well before jeans became fashion.

noreply@blogger.com (Henry Wong) — Sun, 26 Jul 2009 23:50:00 +0000

Loom Chatter 4

Today is one of those Sundays marked by imperfections. If Sundays were meant to be nurturing waypoints hidden in the thick of the weekday jungle then today was no sanctuary. Being caught in the afternoon's downpour, for example, is nobody's idea of a perfect day. But having run home to a dry towel and seeing those fluffy white clouds pushing out the dark ones with the orange sun and even a huge rainbow emerging you suddenly realize that was the most fun you two had in weeks. It sure beats last week's boring walk home after a sweaty jog around the neighborhood. I guess the point is sometimes a little bit of imperfection makes life more interesting.

That is certainly true for denim. For example what are those beautiful yarn slubs found on vintage jeans but "imperfections" in the yarn spinning process? In the world of efficient and effective manufacturing a "perfect" yarn would have no deviation from the intended outcome and inconsistencies are frowned upon. But one will find that by controlling outcomes you wind up with products looking contrived. In the case of most programmed yarn slubs you wind up with slub patterns that are recognizable as such because they repeat consistently on the fabric. Modern technology trying to capture the look and feel of vintage character, usually marked by imperfections, often fail.

One such gorgeous but mostly unappreciated character associated with vintage shuttle looms is the broken fill (weft) yarn "defect" that pops up every so often. Many workwear companies sold overalls, jeans, and jackets made with denims with broken fill yarns prior to the 70's-- before newer weaving technologies became popular. Especially since industrial fashion washes were not yet in vogue a minor broken fill yarn was not apparent on the raw, unwashed garment. You can find broken fill yarns in as wide a selection as Levi's, Boss of the Road, Carhartt, Lee, Wranglers, etc.

My favorite chore jacket by Carter's (New Hampshire), made of a 2x1 right hand twill with grey weft yarns, has several such distinctive characters. I had purchased it in near deadstock condition and after a few wears and washes these characters have begun to reveal themselves more prominently, exclaiming that this garment was made in a time when workwear were tools. These "defects" proudly say that this garment was made when factories cut cloth without worrying that some fashion brand's designers and production people would scrutinize the garments for problems that can result in expensive chargebacks.

As a result when today's cutting and sewing operations get fabric woven on vintage looms, a gloriously imperfect technology, they do not understand it and consider these characters as "defects" they cut around. Sometimes entire rolls of beautiful selvage fabrics are rejected as seconds because of these loom chatters.

Below are pictures of a broken fill yarn on raw selvage denim. The yarn was likely broken because of the rough "beat up" motion, which is when the shuttle loom pushes in the fill yarn to create cloth. The mechanics of vintage American shuttle looms is quite imprecise and creates many uncontrollable variables during weaving.

Below are pictures of the back of the denim, which shows where the fill yarn is broken and the tail is sticking out.

In the coming days I will review more of these interesting characters that haunt the dreams of vintage denim lovers.

noreply@blogger.com (Henry Wong) — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 03:47:00 +0000

Rising Sun: Part III

In our previous blog post about Rising Sun propreitor Mike Hodis showed off some of the treasured sewing machines he uses to produce his line. I certainly made some very good notes in case I came across any of the apparently impossible to find machines.

To get to the essence of Rising Sun --bluntly, their selling point-- I had to know whether his rare black head machines is the main difference between Rising Sun and other brands inspired by vintage workwear. "Just because you're sewing on old sewing machines doesn't mean much to me," says Hodis.

So what else is there?

It turns out that Rising Sun's philosophy on being "period correct" is more about mindset than replication. While Hodis is a long time student of turn-of-the-century vintage garments he does not show much interest in copying old clothing. Instead he has really gotten under the seams of those vintage pieces and mastered the details that show an article of clothing was made in, say, the 1920's. Just as there are certain methods and machines used for creating authentic keyholes there are nuances for pattern making, cutting, sewing, and every other step necessay up to the point of displaying workwear in the dry goods store.

Hodis explains that Rising Sun's outdoor hunting/fishing vest is sewn on the black head Singer single needle machine. Vintage pieces sometimes have the fabric selvage hidden down the back french seam, as a result of maximizing fabric utilization. I was surprised that this seemingly decadent use of selvage fabric actually minimized waste. The fabric itself is a playful twist to complement the authenticity of the construction. The 10.75 oz canvas has indigo yarns in both warp and weft and a selvage identification that manifests in the form of a ticking stripe of sorts down the center back where the actual selvage is hidden in the french seam.

It is in striving to be as authentic as possible in all these processes that makes Rising Sun so unique. And it seems that onces these constraints (of machines, methods, old timey standards for efficiency, etc) have been established Hodis is actually quite liberated to be as creative as he desires within surprisingly open boundaries.

Rising Sun's Yukon jean is an exciting exercise in being period-correct without necessarily copying a particular vintage garment.

So obsessed with the idea of crafting products as if his workshop were in an era past that Hodis recently shipped a Rising Sun order of jeans in hand-stenciled wooden crates.

Rising Sun uses both USA and Japanese denim and offers both washed and unwashed jeans. It is currently being sold in Japan and Germany with US stores on the way.

Rising Sun Website

Disclosure: The editor of this blog continues to have a business relationship with Mike Hodis.

noreply@blogger.com (Henry Wong) — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 03:36:00 +0000

Rising Sun: Part II

Rising Sun makes their denim pieces in the small workshop behind their haberdashery in Pasadena, CA. To understand the significance of this we should look at the status quo of jeans production. Generally speaking in today's fashion industry designers "create" on paper and rely on factories to deliver a product that hopefully matches their specifications. To have your own cutting and sewing capability means to be empowered to produce a product that satisfies you 100%.

Talking to the passionate propreitor Mike Hodis you will see he not only holds this uncompromising stance but takes it to the next level. His workshop produces garments to his full specs completely on antique black head sewing machines.

There is a wild excitement to knowing the stitches on your jeans were created on the Singer black head single needle sewing machine. The sleek and minimalist appearance of this industrial strength machine offers stark contrast to the other black head machines with their complex, elegant motions. This black beauty was utilized between the late 20's and 50's. It would have been used for operations on Levi's buckle back garments. This would have been one of the machines that created the uneven, single needle arcuate stitches you see on vintage Levi's.

Singer Single Needle:

Next up is the Singer black head lap seam machine. "Easily from the 30's," boasts a proud Hodis. When you look at certain vintage workwear garments and observe a double needle chainstitched fell seam it was likely done on this machine. Those who study the details of vast amounts of vintage garments will notice that some double needle chainstitches have just a tad smaller width between the two stitches than those found on garments produced with more modern equipment. It is this "perfect gauge" that makes this machine so special. A small tidbit: this machine is fondly referred to by machine operators as Cabillo (horse) for its resemblance to a black stallion (where's your imagination?). It happens to also be a workhorse machine for Rising Sun.

Cabillo:

But the rarest machine of them all is surprisingly responsible for one of the most overlooked details on denim garments: the button hole. A beautiful button hole with vintage characteristics is a very tricky thing to create. Rising Sun skips all the modern interpretations and goes straight to holy grail of vintage sewing machines with his black head Singer keyhole machine. By all rights and reason Hodis should really "donate" this majestic creature to a museum to preserve for all time but instead it is in the back of his haberdashery creating keyholes for garments that only the true enthusiast can appreciate. It is nearly impossible to find in operable condition.

The rare black head Singer keyhole machine:

This antique machine is over 70 or 80 years old and creates some of the most graceful keyholes you will see. The stitches are much tighter and does not extend into the garment as much as modern button holes do. After the stitches are put down Rising Sun workers hand cut the holes required for buttons. This is done with an old hand cutting tool.

Hand cutting tool for keyholes, made by Heinisch:

Between listening to Hodis talk about the cams, shafts, and belts of certain sewing machines and studying his garments it became very obvious that it is one thing to design vintage details (hidden rivets, back buckles) into clothes and an entirely different thing to create them using period-correct methods and machines. In the next post we will explore this idea further and look at some of the clothing Rising Sun produces.

Rising Sun Website

noreply@blogger.com (Henry Wong) — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 04:41:00 +0000

Rising Sun & Co.

To say the least: Rising Sun & Co. makes some awe inspiring denim garments. If there exists articles of clothing that makes me wonder my worthiness of their nuances then it is likely that Rising Sun's propreitor Mike Hodis made it. The machine-obsessed genius has spent a lifetime acquiring both knowledge and sewing technology of eras past. Some of his sewing machines are so rare that any other collector in his right mind would condition them for archive grade safe keeping.

But as Hodis puts it his venture to create clothing with some of the most true-to-period construction details was born more of "passion than reason."

My initial encounter with Hodis marked my early foray into the world of sewing machines. While comfortable discussing the workings of a selvage loom's take up motion or fill change mechanism I was not equipped to talk sewing machines at this level of expertise. My proud proclamation of having acquired a 43200G Union Special bulldog hemmer was met with sober declaration that the coveted chainstitch machine is in fact not all that special in his world.

He went on to speak about his much rarer "black head" (for the machine head's color) Union Special used in production for the Rising Sun & Co. line in the workshop behind his store in Pasadena, CA. Of how it is from the 1920's and the fact that it has ornate "Union Special" lettering aligned in an arc sets it apart from the "newer" black head Union Specials.

Months pass before I garner enough courage to trade my ignorance for knowledge and find that the enthusiastic Hodis is in fact very eager to share his love for denim and sewing machines with a fellow denimhead.

In the next blog posts I will discuss important insights Hodis imparts and the philosophies that makes Rising Sun & Co. one of the most important American influence in the denim market today. Stay tuned!

Rising Sun & Co. Website

noreply@blogger.com (Henry Wong) — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 18:43:00 +0000

Self Edge is Coming to New York

Just got confirmation that Self Edge is opening a store in New York's Lower East Side on July 15. It will be on Orchard Street near Rivington Street.

Self Edge is one of the few places in the US to buy clothing made from rare Japanese and American selvage denim.

Updated: Grand opening is now July 24th.

noreply@blogger.com (Henry Wong) — Sun, 03 May 2009 14:16:00 +0000

Did The Stronghold Use the Ecofont in 1904?

I learned about the Ecofont at Friday's WGSN web seminar. By inserting blank circles into the text the free-to-use Ecofont helps save ink and money and aspires to help us be more green.

I could not help but notice how an old ink stamp print from The Stronghold uses similar blank spots. I doubt The Stronghold was thinking about sustainability in 1904 but whether the empty spots were employed to save ink or used as aesthetics is not certain. I vote the latter.

Ecofont Website
WGSN Website

noreply@blogger.com (Henry Wong) — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 20:48:00 +0000

Well Worn Foreman Blues

I have been thinking a lot about the aesthetics of tailored workwear. I am specifically interested in the "dressed up" workwear, both imagined and historical, made of unrefined materials.

In this concept we find inspiration in the often scorned, antihero foreman. His work on the factory floor necessitates clothing strong enough for manual labor in begrimed environments full of potentially hazardous equipment. To earn the trust and respect of the workers he oversees he must be prepared to roll up his sleeves in the trenches. Yet his daily business and frequent reporting to superiors requires him to be presentable in offices dominated by high-waisted jackets, waistcoats, and ties.

The internal alchemy of our protagonist consists of pragmatism mixed with a homebrewed brand of righteousness and a dash of ambition. A life of hard labor has instilled in him a proud work ethic, which has finally earned him a precarious position of comfort. His daily dealings with the politics of both labor and management at once restrains and informs his purchasing decisions.

The act of thoughtfully choosing clothing has cultivated his own sense of style, whether he is cognizant of this fact or not. The options of ready made clothing that fit his needs were limited. Levi Strauss' Spring Bottom Pants in gold back denim were popular among like-minded foremen and factory supervisors. What he could not find in stores he commissioned from a tailor versed in the dandy fashion of local businessmen. And of course he never missed an opportunity to network with other waiting patrons.

The vision of a well outfitted foreman will be an inspiration to my work in the coming months.

noreply@blogger.com (Henry Wong) — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 14:56:00 +0000

The Adventures of Lynn Downey: Guns, Germs, and Machetes

In the latest installment of Lynn Downey's adventuring in Panama we get to see the Indiana Jones side of her job complete with monkeys and machetes. Read on.

She has written the below for the media, employees of Levi Strauss & Co., and this blog.

TALES FROM THE ARCHIVES
"Trains, Boats and Trails: The Final Day"

When we last left Levi Strauss (and me) in Panama, he had taken the railroad partway across the isthmus, and floated for a few hours on the Chagres River. His next stop was probably the town of Gorgona and an uncomfortable trip on the only transport available for the final part of his trip: a mule.

There were two trailheads to get to Panama City from the interior: via Gorgona or Venta de Cruces. The decision on which trail to take depended on the weather. In the dry season (January to April) the Gorgona Trail was quicker, since you didn't have to stay on the river another few hours to get to Cruces. Because he arrived on the isthmus in February, it's likely Levi traveled from Gorgona, probably spending the night in town.

The next morning he had a choice: either walk to Panama City or ride a mule. I expect (and hope) that Levi could afford to rent a mule for this last part of the trip. Firms such as Hurtado y Hermanos kept stables full of the sturdy animals on hand for travelers, and once on his way it probably took him an entire day to get to the Pacific, where he caught a steamship for San Francisco.

When Gatun Lake was created by the construction of the Panama Canal, Gorgona and its trail were inundated. But the ruins of Venta de Cruces and its road still survive. My goal for this historical vacation was to experience every aspect of Levi's journey, so on the final day Hernán and I got into an Ancon Expeditions boat and zoomed across the lake to the beachhead of the Cruces Trail.

The trail is well-maintained, and the river rocks used by slaves to pave the road for the Spanish in the 16th century still littered the ground. We walked about a quarter mile to the ruins of the church of Venta Cruces, and Hernán showed me where the altar and side entrances used to be. We trekked a bit further and the road suddenly narrowed to only about twelve inches across. It reminded me of Hubert H. Bancroft's 1852 trip on the Gorgona trail: "Often we passed through ravines which had been washed out by the rain, and so narrow at the bottom that on entering at either end persons must shout in order to notify others wishing to come from the opposite direction."

As we got back into the boat I asked Hernán where the village of Gorgona used to be. We putted to another part of the lake near a tree-covered peninsula jutting into a small bay. "Most of it is underneath us," he said. Then he and the boatman Jacobo suddenly had a rapid conversation in Spanish. Hernán pointed to the nearby finger of land and said, "Jacobo has friends who've seen some old structures in there."

Well, of course we had to check that out, so Jacobo drove the boat deep into a narrow tributary, where the trees grew tall and forbidding, right down to the water line. We found a small spit of land and beached the boat, jumping off the bow and splashing into ankle-high water. Both men had machetes, and before leaving the boat Hernán slipped a 10mm pistol into his pocket.

I followed them at a cautious distance as they hacked away at the thick foliage. We walked uphill, grabbing at branches and exposed roots for balance, and I kept getting entwined in sharp vines that wouldn’t yield to a machete. The men were out of my sight for awhile, and then I heard an excited yell. I climbed faster and came upon Hernán pointing to a thirty-inch square rock and stone pillar, covered with dead leaves. There were at least six more in the same area and looked like the foundations of buildings or perhaps a bridge.

Had we found the last remains of the village of Gorgona?

The three of us wandered awestruck around the site for a long time. We couldn't get close to some of the pillars because the jungle growth was too thick, but that didn't lessen our excitement. I then noticed that I had a cut on the back of my ankle and a very bloody cut on my right index finger, which was drawing some interested insect life. But neither seemed serious, so we kept on exploring, and soon found a tiny brick arch set over what looked like a dry creekbed. Was it part of a sewer tunnel? A walkway over a rushing stream? We chatted about what we'd found as we walked back to the boat, and Hernan said he would talk to his cartographer/historian father about the site. Jacobo treated and bandaged my finger, I slapped some hand sanitizer on my ankle and we set off.

We sped across the lake for a a few minutes and the boat pulled up to another small island, where huge trees dipped over the water. Hernán and Jacobo pulled out bags of peanuts and cut-up bananas and started whistling. Within seconds the trees came alive with a family of white-faced Capuchin monkeys, who stood on the branches with their paws stretched out waiting for us to throw them some food. When that didn’t happen fast enough they leapt onto the boat, crawling along the edge or climbing onto the awning, running toward Jacobo for bananas, and also taking peanuts from my hands.

Lunch on yet another island, at a table under a thatched overhang, was next on the agenda (though Hernan had to shoo away a large flock of black vultures first). We ended the day at the Miraflores Locks visitor’s center on the Panama Canal, and I went back to the hotel to pack for my journey home.

I traveled to Panama to understand what it must have been like for Levi to make this tropical passage. I went to the same places he did, but I had to use my imagination to grasp what the experience itself was like. I spent my evenings in comfortable, clean hotels, ate delicious meals and rode from place to place in air-conditioned vans or on breezy speedboats, with insect repellant and sunscreen at my disposal. Levi was at the mercy of heat, bugs, bad water and food, and real personal danger, and I could never recreate that.

But being able to put my feet on the ground that he walked, to see the scenery and wildlife that he encountered, even just to smell the same scented air, has been the thrill of a lifetime.

By Lynn Downey

Text by Lynn Downey
Photos by Lynn Downey

Lynn Downey Website

noreply@blogger.com (Henry Wong) — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 22:55:00 +0000

The Adventures of Lynn Downey: Day Two

Lynn Downey sends us the following report from Panama. She has written it for the media, employees of Levi Strauss & Co., and this blog.

"Trains, Boats and Trails: Day 2"

After Levi got off the railroad about midway across the isthmus (as described in Day One), he joined his fellow passengers on a ride down the Chagres River. The Chagres was the lifeblood of historic Panama, for everyone from the indigenous Cueva people to the gold rushers of the 1840s and 1850s.

Until the Panama Railroad began running in 1851, Americans traveling to California via the isthmus had to take a multi-day river journey in small canoes. They stopped for the night at hotels which were sometimes nothing more than bug-infested canvas shacks, and during the day they sweltered in the sun or got soaked by drenching tropical rainstorms. After that was endured there was still a long walk or mule ride ahead of them. But surprisingly, many letters and diaries of isthmus travelers expressed wonder at the beauty of the river voyage and not its horrors.

Joseph Gregory, who published Gregory’s Guide for California Travellers via the Isthmus of Panama in 1850, said of his trip on the Chagres, "I received the greatest pleasure and never beheld more magnificent scenery, or luxuriant vegetation, than I witnessed while upon this river." Hubert H. Bancroft wrote of his 1852 river voyage: “Palm trees of various descriptions line the banks, and gorgeous water lilies dip their fragrant heads as the boat passes over them. Every shower of rain is like the sprinkling of perfume on the vegetation.”

On Day Two of my Panama adventure, I also got to experience the beauty of the Chagres. Early in the morning my guide Hernán and I drove into Chagres National Park outside of Panama City. There, we got into 15-foot long dugout canoes, made by the Embera people, who use them to take tourists up the river to their villages. The boats are long and narrow, with wooden slats for seats. There’s a man at each end; the one in the front has a very long pole, and the one at the back is in charge of something that would have made Levi’s trip a lot easier: an outboard motor.

Levi traveled in a flat-bottomed canoe called a "bungo," rather than the long dugout, maneuvered by native people who used long poles to push the boat along the riverbed. In February, when Levi crossed the isthmus, it was the dry season, so the river was sometimes quite low, making the transit into a crawl. It’s still the dry season in March, and we hit a few shallow spots ourselves, scraping the rocks and almost coming to a stop. When that happened the man in the front of the boat signaled to his partner in the back to cut the motor and he dug his pole into the river bottom, pushing our canoe along until we were free. It took about a half hour to get to the Embera Drua village, which we toured, and then we returned to the starting point the same way.

I thought a lot about Levi as we alternately zoomed or inched through the water. Although I was on a different part of the Chagres than Levi was, Hernán assured me that the scenery would have been the same, a wondrous green landscape which varied in color from emerald to palest jade. We saw fish of varying sizes in the clear water, and overhead flew egrets, herons and Amazon kingfishers. I could have stayed on that river all day.

Next on the agenda was a viewing of Hernán’s personal collection of historic maps of Panama. He is the son of Amado Araúz, a legendary explorer and cartographer, and Reina Torres de Araúz, Panama’s most revered anthropologist, and comes by his love of history naturally. A former diplomat, he is a naturalist and a historian, and was the perfect guide for my trip. He’s currently writing a book about maps of Panama which were published between the 16th and 19th centuries, and has been visiting archives and libraries all over the world.

Our final stop was the National Library of Panama, where the librarian, Nitzia Barrantes, let me view original issues of the Panama Herald. This was an English-language newspaper published for Americans and others making the trip across the isthmus to get to California. It had ads for hotels, bars, restaurants, and the latest news from the United States and Europe. It also – most importantly – advertised when the next steamers were headed to San Francisco.

As I wrote in my first article, Levi was able to travel by railroad about twenty-three miles inland before transferring himself and his baggage to boats on the Chagres River. From Barbacoas, where he got off the train, his boat went upriver to the town of Gorgona, a trip which probably took about four hours. He likely spent the night in Gorgona, to rest up for the final leg of his journey; or I should say, the final four legs of his journey. Details in the final installment.

By Lynn Downey

Text by Lynn Downey
Photos by Lynn Downey

Lynn Downey Website

noreply@blogger.com (Henry Wong) — Fri, 27 Mar 2009 13:45:00 +0000

The Adventures of Lynn Downey: Panama Day 1

After a full day of trekking and exploring Lynn Downey sits at her desk at the Panama House to recount her travels thus far.

But not before I bombarded her with eager questions. I intentionally did not pose the question I most wanted to ask until she had experienced her first day in Panama: What do you truly wish to discover on this trip?

Lynn Downey responds: “I’ve done all I can intellectually to understand Levi’s life by doing research in historical records. But what I want to do is come as close as possible to experience what his journey across the isthmus was like.

For me, history is a sense: a scent, something tangible to hold in my hand or to touch. I want to smell the air and the plant life, touch the water, rumble and rattle in the train and walk a jungle trail so that I can write more powerfully about what it must have been like for him.

He turned 24 years old on the trip to San Francisco. He had lived for 18 years in a tiny town in Bavaria and almost 6 years on the Lower East Side of New York. What must it have been like to see the tropics?”

She shares the below report with this blog, Levi Strauss & Co. employees, and other media.

"Trains, Boats and Trails: Day 1"

On this first day in Panama I did something Levi could never have dreamed of: I crossed the isthmus twice in one day.

My tour guide, Hernán Arauz, picked me up at my hotel in the historic quarter of Panama City and we spent most of the day driving through jungles and tiny towns to get to the Caribbean side of the isthmus. We saw an amazing variety of wildlife along the way: a tree sloth, howler monkeys, and a black and white anteater, which walked across the road right in front of our car and looked like a skunk with a really long nose.

[Photo: A howler monkey in the trees]

We then visited fort San Lorenzo and the town of Portobelo, built by the Spanish in the 16th and 17th centuries, when they were trying not to lose their treasure ships to pirates – a must for any Johnny Depp fan. Then we ended the day the way Levi started his: on a train.

From 1849 until the end of 1851, the only way to cross the 50-mile isthmus from the Caribbean to the Pacific side was in boats on the Chagres River, then by mule or on foot to Panama City over the old Spanish treasure trail. This trip could take days or even weeks, and along the way, travelers encountered bugs, heat and torrential rain, yellow fever, malaria, larcenous boatmen, and violent bandits, who robbed and murdered many a gold rush hopeful. It could also take weeks for a steam ship to show up in Panama City to take the miners and other entrepreneurs up to San Francisco.

But by the time Levi set foot on the isthmus around the second week of February, 1853, he was able to take the Panama Railroad to the town of Barbacoas, about 23 miles from Aspinwall, the landing site on the Caribbean. From there he took a boat on the Chagres to the trailhead for Panama City. Luckily for him, the bandits had mostly been dealt with by this time, thanks to the work of a former Texas Ranger named Randolph Runnels, brought to Panama specifically to handle the highwaymen (which he did by rounding up and hanging most of them without a trial).

The railroad had been conceived as a way to speed the U.S. Mail across the isthmus, but it turned out to be a boon to gold rush travelers, who were happy that they could ride even part way through the steaming jungle. Hubert H. Bancroft, an early historian of California and whose book collection formed the beginnings of the Bancroft Library at the University of California, Berkeley, crossed the isthmus in 1852, and also took the train. He wrote a memoir of his experience and included this comment: “Railway passengers wish the ride was longer, wish they could so ride all the way to San Francisco.”

The Panama Railroad was completed in 1855, and spanned the entire isthmus. This made the trip to California faster and more comfortable, though the Panama route was abandoned after the completion of the transcontinental railroad in the United States in 1869. The train was used by the French and the Americans during the canal building years and is now run for tourists.

We caught the train in Colón, not far from where Levi boarded. But before heading to the station we drove to an nearby area facing the Caribbean waterfront so I could see, out in the distance, where Levi’s ship from New York would have landed. Today’s Colón was yesterday’s Aspinwall, and it wasn’t hard to imagine the sight of a steamship heading toward the distant breakwater.

[Photo: The breakwater in Colon, on the Caribbean, where Levi's boat would have docked in 1853.]

We spent most of the train trip in the enclosed, air-conditioned car, but at one point headed out to a covered, open air platform, so I could come close to what Levi’s experience must have been like: hot, windy, and surrounded by dense mangroves, like being in a tunnel of leaves. Robert Tomes, who rode the railroad in 1855, described the varied scenery: “So we hurry from scene to scene, pushing on through the flood of tropical vegetation, with endless vistas of beauty that come and go like the dreams of a summer’s day.”

Today’s train parallels the old 1855 route, but many of the towns that it used to pass are now at the bottom of Gatun Lake, created by the construction of the Panama Canal. Barbacoas, where Levi got off the train to take the next step on his journey, found “a last resting place in the mud and slime” of the lake (New York Times, December 24, 1911). Hernán, a certified diver, told me that you can dive in Gatun near these places and touch the steeples of ancient churches.

Our trip across the isthmus took about an hour. In 1853 Levi took about two hours to go half as far. When my journey was over, I rode in a comfortable van to my equally comfortable hotel. But Levi still had places to go and things to do, which I’ll share with you next time.

By Lynn Downey

Text by Lynn Downey
Photos by Lynn Downey

noreply@blogger.com (Henry Wong) — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 16:23:00 +0000

The Adventures of Lynn Downey: Panama at Last

We checked in with our traveling historian. She has safely arrived in Panama and stayed the night at the historic Canal House in the old quarter of Panama City.

She sends us warm regards and a message. "I may be tired, but my plane flight and beautiful historic hotel suite are worlds more convenient than what Levi had to face. More on that in the coming days."

Today will be a day full of adventure.

We hope she finds what she seeks. Good luck, Lynn!

Photo from The Canal House

noreply@blogger.com (Henry Wong) — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 02:50:00 +0000

Who is Ande Whall? Part II

Ande Whall is one man who does not need to answer to questions of efficiency and costs associated with factory production. His dedication to giving customers handcrafted products show in the details. The usual construction points denimheads expect are present: hidden back pocket rivets, donut buttons, single needle stitching, hidden selvage on coin pocket with "peek-a-boo" detail, selvage fly, and the newly introduced chainstitched hems.

But there is more to it than meets the eye. My second pair of customized Ande Whall jeans (Raker model) shows some great details.

This jean comes with lined back pockets, which I sorely need.

The special, labor-intensive seams used to put together the back yoke and rise is particularly beautiful. This construction is found on garments from the late 1800's. Ande refers to it as the "late 1800's hand sewn flat felled seam." From inside the jean you will see only one stitch. The outside of the jean will show that two stitches were used. The second stitch is tucked under the felled seam and depending on how the denim shrinks it will cause interesting ridges and valleys inside the seam.

The subtle contrast color threads are very well balanced.

The hidden selvage belt loops were a bonus. There are lavishly extravagant benefits to supplying your own fabric and not caring about the wastage.

Even though I am partial to chainstitches I am particularly enamored with the waistband construction. I am still trying to get a clear understanding of it but it is beautiful.

The denim itself is a 14.75 oz American selvage with a khaki colored weft yarn. Because the denim is not singed it looks particularly hairy.

To get to know a designer through the products he creates is an experience that has become rare to find. Luckily Ande is upholding that tradition.

So what is next Ande Whall? The answer:

Jute twine embedded beltloops? Keep your fingers crossed for beautiful beltloop fades.

Ande Whall Website

noreply@blogger.com (Henry Wong) — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 23:21:00 +0000

The Adventures of Lynn Downey: Preparation

We checked in with Lynn Downey as she prepares for her expedition. In her pack are the essentials of any traveling historian: pen, journey book, and a photo of Levi Strauss. Bon voyage!

Downey begins her trip tomorrow. T minus 1 day. Stay tuned.

noreply@blogger.com (Henry Wong) — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 00:42:00 +0000

The Adventures of Lynn Downey: The Isthmus

Who knew Panama had anything to do with Levi Strauss? Apparently, Levi Strauss & Co. Historian Lynn Downey did. She is about to undertake an epic journey worthy of a Jules Verne novel to recreate part of Strauss's journey to Gold Rush San Francisco via the isthmus of Panama.

In the 1840s a young Levi Strauss emigrated from Bavaria to New York. When the California Gold Rush hit the news he and his family decided to open a west coast branch of their dry goods wholesale firm. Going through Panama was the shortest route but it posed dangers ranging from yellow fever to murderous bandits. Strauss made it out alive and arrived in San Francisco in March of 1853.

Denim News will be tracking Downey's progress as she rides a historic railroad, maneuvers the Chagres River and hikes an ancient mule trail. Watch for live updates and thoughts from the Historian herself.

When asked about the timing of this trip Downey replied, "It is actually my spring vacation. I am undertaking this trek as part of the research for my next book, a biography of Levi Strauss."

The adventure begins on March 25. Stay tuned!

Levi Strauss & Co Website

Written with contributions from Lynn Downey.

Image Credit: Crossing the Isthmus, from "Mountains and Molehills" by Frank Marryat (1855). Courtesy Robert Chandler.

noreply@blogger.com (Henry Wong) — Sun, 22 Mar 2009 21:26:00 +0000

Who is Ande Whall? Part I

When asked who Ande Whall is I usually start with He is a guy in New Zealand with some sewing machines at home (he just acquired a chainstitcher) and some awesome denim. Although that may sound like an oversimplification this usually impresses my audience of the next two minutes since he or she probably works in the industry and knows how difficult it is to put together a quality pair of jeans.

In fact one of the beauties of supporting up-and-coming designers is to see their growth through construction details. Every upgrade in sewing details is a physical manifestation of their passion and talent.

My first pair of Ande Whall jeans showed up about six months ago and the slim Grifter model was an instant success with fashion industry professionals who admired the modern fit. Others were curious about the "Ande Whall" signature I requested to be placed on the backside of the jeans near the hem. Being able to customize the jeans was supremely gratifying.

I even sent in my own fabric, which was an especially light American selvage denim. I decided on this fabric after my many visits to the beach last summer. At 11.25 oz it is the perfect hot weather weight. At the time I was also inspired by designer Thom Browne and so asked Ande to cut the inseam much shorter than I otherwise would have wanted. In this post I share the results after six months of daily wearing plus a home machine wash and dry (the jeans were originally raw).

The back pocket took a beating from holding coins at all times.

This is the first time I have experienced such interesting looking, destructed honeycombs. It is probably due to the combination of a very tight fitting jean and a lightweight denim being worn continuously.

The blue and pink selvage lines are not only appropriate for a lighthearted summer but functional too. If this material is ever bleached (eg, during industrial washing) the blue line disappears since it is not colorfast.

In the next Ande Whall post we will review some of the exciting jeans construction details Ande is working on. Stay tuned!

Ande Whall Website

noreply@blogger.com (Henry Wong) — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 01:28:00 +0000

Scott Morrison Leaves Earnest Sewn

Scott Morrison is no longer with Earnest Sewn. Morrison is one of the original founding members of the company and until now head honcho of design. He will retain his minority stake in the corporation.

There are speculations on why he is leaving his post but the official word is that the designer and management no longer share the same vision about the company's future.

I expect to see their number of doors grow in the next year or two. Nobody is certain if product quality and brand equity will be affected as a result of Morrison leaving.

noreply@blogger.com (Henry Wong) — Sun, 22 Feb 2009 17:47:00 +0000

The Denim Book

Lightning's new "The Denim book" has turned out to be a mighty "Who's Who" of Japanese denim. The editors interviewed and photographed over 70 brand owners and designers and retail managers, giving them the opportunity to present their favorite denim pieces (ranging from vintage garments to the brand's sales samples).

This format of profiling brand owners and designers is a departure from previous Lightning denim-focused publications, which usually amount to little more than glossy catalogs of Japanese denim brands (many of whom are really good advertisers).

I am happy to see some familiar faces as well as learn about more obscure brands and the owners who usually do not see the limelight.

The book is available now. East-coasters can purchase from New York's Kinokuniya and West-coasters can purchase from Self Edge.