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- Fade Friday – Big John R009 (10 Months, 2 Washes, 2 Soaks)
Fade Friday – Big John R009 (10 Months, 2 Washes, 2 Soaks)
/ Fade Friday /
Big John is setting us up for a big weekend with these R009 jeans, submitted by Brandon in Pennsylvania, just in time for Fade Friday. As one of the original Japanese denim brands, we don’t see enough Big John ’round these parts. But Brandon’s pair is here to remind us why the brand is so important with some top-drawer fades.
Brandon has worn these jeans how raw denim should be worn – every darn day. He hasn’t even been wearing them a year yet, and the fades have come thick and fast, with super faded thighs and stacked-up whiskers in the lap. The shots in broad daylight show the rich, varying indigo tones the denim has developed after two washes and two soaks, as well as those well-defined honeycombs in all their carved-up glory. There’s even some subtle stacking towards the hems,
Aside from a crotch repair undertaken by Railcar, these Big Johns are holding up nicely, living up to their burly name. Long live the OGs.
Big John R009 Raw Denim Jeans
Fabric: 100% cotton selvedge denim
Fabric weight: 15.5 oz.
Fabric source: Japan
Made in: Japan
Fit: Slim
Additional Details:
Unsanforized
Button fly
Indigo-dyed deerskin leather patch
Hidden polyester reinforcing stitching
Available at: Franklin and Poe for $380
/ New Releases /
Fed up with tees that only last a thousand miles? Well, turn that Vanessa Carlton down right now, ‘cos Iron & Resin has you covered with an American-made tee that promises a lot more – The Million Mile Tee.
Made in the USA from 9 oz. 100% cotton jersey, the Million Mile Tee offers heft, comfort, and essential style from the jump. That ultra heavyweight jersey is something to behold, with its thicker-than-usual yarns made even more prominent through a garment wash treatment that brings each of the 5 colors to life. This process also softens the gargantuan fabric, improving comfort and allowing it to drape nicely.
Heavyweight fabrics are great ‘n’ all, but you need ironclad construction to match. Iron & Resin has honored this sentiment with a bound neckline that keeps the neck in shape through wear and washing, and bar tack reinforcements keep the chest pocket from sagging.
Whether you go for one of the versatile colorways like Olive or Navy, or keep it classic with Vintage white, each tee is made in the USA and comes with a branded woven label on the chest pocket and a screen-printed inner neck label.
Available from Iron & Resin for $55.
Goodyear welted Tyroleans with GORE-TEX engineered leathers and a lugged Vibram MegaGrip outsole — Toronto’s HAVEN has teamed up with Chiba’s REGAL Shoe & Co. for a mega rendition of an absolute classic.
REGAL has been making shoes in its flagship factory in Kashiwa, Chiba Prefecture, since 1880. They’ve since become a cornerstone of Japan’s shoemaking heritage, so you can guarantee these go through a painstaking process to manufacture the perfect pair of stompers. Their collaboration with HAVEN takes the classic alpine style, the Tyrolean, and gives it a modern, rugged twist.
Their collab shoe all starts with a Goodyear welt construction, which makes the shoes robust and means the sole can be replaced and repaired over time. The upper is then crafted over a wooden last, and combines three cowhide leathers — smooth, shrink, and suede — all of which have been engineered with GORE-TEX to keep your feet safe and dry whatever the weather. The shoes are then put through the process of sole-stitching — or Sokonui in Japanese — to lock the core structure into place and make that Goodyear welt fully functional. Next, the outsole is attached through the Dashinui technique, which gives the Tyroleans a double-welted edge. Last but not least, the outsole edges are sanded and ground, eyelets inserted, and insoles embossed. Oh, and every stage of this is done by the hands of REGAL’s master shoemakers.
The result is a thing of beauty, balancing heritage and modernity with a tactical nous that we only really see from the likes of HAVEN.
Available from HAVEN for $545
If you thought there was nothing quite like the embrace of a fresh towel after a dip in the ocean or pool, you have not been acquainted with The Real McCoy’s Cotton Pile shirting. The Japanese Americana experts have put out a fresh drop of Skipper Polos and Beach Shirts using thick cotton pile inspired by 50s leisure styles.
Made from slubby Terry cloth toweling, these resort-wear throwbacks are like sweatbands for your torso in the best way. The Beach Shirt features a 50s style open collar and Takas shell buttons, and contrasting trims on the sleeves and hip pockets. The Skipper is a pullover style with an open, button-less placket, point collar, and singular chest pocket.
Whether you are packing up the surfboard on the VW bus or just want a fun texture to add to your rotation, there is a range of colors to choose from, each packed with plump cotton texture from the first wear.
Available from $260-$345 at Clutch Cafe.
Like a fish growing limbs and learning to walk the Earth, the Birkenstock Boston grew a heel strap and is ready to take on life past the casual walk. Truly an evolutionary step in the lineage of the German brand’s “it” slip-on, the Tokio is here for the long run. Or the sprint. Or the – dare we say – intermediate hike? Okay, I’ll slow down.
With an upper constructed from supple split leather, adding a pop of texture to your ensemble just got effortless. And thanks to its world-renowned anatomically shaped cork-latex footbed, your feet get to feel as good as they’ll look when they’re encapsulated in the charmingly ugly, bulbous clog silhouette that we all know and love.
Each pair is made in Germany, closed out with the aforementioned heel strap as well as the classic top strap to secure the perfect fit. Strap in, stride off into the sunset knowing your heel is staying put.
Available for $160 from Stag Provisions.
Workwear, westernwear, and modern sensibility combine in Heimat‘s latest button-down shirt. Made from 146g organic cotton and hemp blend, the resulting chambray weave is nothing like Grandad’s old rodeo shirt. As opposed to a raw denim that would need a fair bit of breaking in, the Cotton Hemp Western Chambray is easy and breezy from the first wear. Sure, it will be a little rigid, but the break-in can be measured in minutes, hours, and days, as opposed to months and years.
Featuring pearl snaps throughout the front pockets, placket, and sleeves, whether you just need a new fidget device for your hands or a convenient and oh-so-satisfying way to open and close your shirt, it doesn’t get much cooler than this.
Changing up the pace, the pocket flap is kind of like a saw-tooth pattern, referencing classic denim cowboy shirts of yesteryear, but the shape is – let’s just say – reminiscent of a heavily used, dulled saw – in the best way possible. To close things out, there’s the raglan sleeve situation, which might make you say ‘what in tarnation’ at first but will absolutely win you over the more you look at them.
With warm weather waiting for no one, there is no need to hang up your work shirts, you just need to hop over to Heimat.
Available for $195 from Heimat.
Right on cue, just as we needed them most, they appeared. Malloch’s x John Smedley Cromford Cotton Polo Shirts, that is. Based on a vintage Smedley polo shirt, this luxuriously unassuming summer staple arrives on the scene in a variety of colors and is ready for decades of laying back.
Made from a 30-gauge fine knit Sea Island Cotton — considered to be the highest grade cotton on the planet by the way — you can expect some differentiating qualities that separate this fabric from the pack. From its unmatched breathability and soft texture to its hypoallergenic nature, when we say this is the top-shelf stuff, we mean it. But with this praise comes a warning. You may never be able to go back to another polo. But take that up with the collaborators, not us.
Secured with Corozo nut fisheye buttons from Courtney & Co. which pay homage to the original design reference, the beauty of tasteful, enduring designs like this come not just from the distilled details that you land on, like a perfectly drooped long-point collar and ribbed sleeves, or the shirt’s ever so slight taper — but the distractions you were able to weed out along the way.
Made in England and available for $223 from Malloch’s.
You’ve got your denim, you’ve got your fatigues, but is your wardrobe still missing vital seasoning? Fear not, ‘cos Left Field NYC is here with some of the tastiest pants in the game right now, the Japanese Salt & Pepper Twill Wide Leg Single Pleat 40s Work Trouser.
Also known as covert cloth, this marled yarn twill has a history dating back to the 19th century, but the Salt & Pepper variant you’re seeing here really came into its stride in the mid-20th century, where it appeared on American work shirts and trousers. With vintage American workwear being Left Field’s muse, it comes as no surprise that they’ve tapped up one of their partner mills over in Japan for some 100% cotton S&P for these wide-legged work trousers.
Vintage Sturdy Oak Covert Cloth Work Shirt Ad via Pikelett on eBay
Left Field looked back at 1940s examples to inform the formulation of these pants, which feature two single pleats on the front, a full-leg silhouette, wide patch pockets on the rear, and slash pockets with bartack reinforcements. What sets these apart from other covert cloth pants on the market is the addition of a custom knife pocket on the right leg, which comes courtesy of one of Left Field’s inspiration samples. As well as offering additional storage, this balances the more formal, chino-leaning look of vintage work pants with more rugged workwear styles like painter pants.
Each pair is made in the USA, washed and hot-dried in Queens, and comes finished with hickory pocket bags and period-correct reproduction black painted metal workwear buttons.
Available at Left Field NYC for $230.
/ Weekly Rundown /
Paraboot Factory Tour | Behind the Seams – Son of a Stag
The tip – Don’t use fingers behind the heel to judge fit – Shoegazing
A Puzzle, A Tool, An Experience – WESN
Beneath the Rock – Patagonia Stories
How Trail Sisters Created a Community & Standards for Women’s Racing – Field Mag
Excited to Wear This Spring — Die, Workwear!
Review: ‘The Making Of A Status Symbol, A Business History of Rolex’ Translated To English For The First Time – Hodinkee
The Ingredients Behind a Crown Sneaker – Crown Northampton
Remaking The Future: Real Solutions For A Sustainable Fashion Industry – Forbes
Supreme x GOODENOUGH Spring 2025 Collaboration – Hypebeast
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