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- Fade Friday – Iron Heart 666S (13 Months, 1 Wash, 1 Soak)
Fade Friday – Iron Heart 666S (13 Months, 1 Wash, 1 Soak)
/ Fade Friday /
Fade Friday – Iron Heart 666S (13 Months, 1 Wash, 1 Soak)
The steady march of fantastic fades coming out of Southeast Asia doesn’t let up with this Fade Friday, a marbleized beauty of Iron Heart jeans. Reader Ivander Christian Sihombig didn’t go easy on his pair of 666S jeans over the past 13 months, subjecting them to bike riding, exercise, and day-to-day activities in sweltering heat.
Due to the activity he’s put these heavy beasts through, Sihombig has had to do some repairs to the crotch to fix several small holes, he says. Of particular note is the indigo loss on the back pockets, which has rendered them near white with beautiful, blown-out, concealed rivets. The busted arcuates and near-white back belt loop also belie Sihombig’s active lifestyle.
/ New Releases /
Between jeans and khakis, fatigues are a wardrobe staple nowadays, and one design rules them all: the OG-107. Worn by GIs and hippies alike after the Vietnam War, the ‘107 permeated through culture thanks to its comfortable, durable cotton sateen makeup and simple utilitarian design. Oh, and their mass availability on the cheap, thanks to surplus stores across the US and beyond.
Anyway, orSlow just remixed the classic design by swapping out the signature olive drab color for a coffee brown, updated the cotton construction with a brushed flannel, and well, we thought you should know. The spring-summer darling that is the OG-107 is jumping into newer, cozier territory, and don’t worry, they’re still playing the hits. From their straight cut and roomy patch pockets to adjustable waist cinches, there is a reason this style has endured for so long. And thanks to orSlow, their legacy continues.
Available for $305 from Brooklyn Tailors.
Devium doesn’t do half measures. Meticulously and holistically sourcing all materials from the USA, each of their garments is made with purpose and integrity. The brand’s new Grafton Tee adds to that inventory of truly American garb, offering a super heavyweight t-shirt, made in Los Angeles from 8.3oz/280gsm jersey. If ounces and grams per square meter don’t mean anything to you, just know that’s a beefy tee.
Why would you want a beefy tee? Well, they’re warm, durable, and have a more structured drape. Finer tees have their place, but when temps drop or you want a t-shirt to hold its own as a singular top layer, heavyweight is the way to go. Devium’s Grafton Tee fits the bill by pairing the gargantuan fabric with a relaxed fit and two autumnal colorways to spice up your wardrobe.
The 90s tees the Grafton is inspired by were known for their shrinkage, but Devium has solved this by hot-washing and drying each garment pre-retail. This means that with a cool wash and line dry, you don’t need to worry about your tee cropping up on you. No half-measures, remember?
Every element of each Grafton tee is made in the USA from cotton seed to stitch, forming a burly t-shirt suitable for grafting, grooving, and everything in between.
Available at Devium for $48.
If you thought the A-2 bomber popularized by the USAF during WWII was the first short-cut piece of leather pilot-wear, you’d be wrong – by about 20 years! Known as the A-1, a jacket created to help block out wind at altitude during the 1920s and onwards, this bomber didn’t just revolutionize flight wear but men’s outerwear at the time, thanks to its distinct button-up closure and dual patch pockets.
Most A-1s were made of capeskin (South African sheepskin) but a few contracts brought this jacket to life in horsehide, which was beloved for its durability. However, because of its scarcity, very few examples have survived. And regardless of whether you think you’ll ever find one – be honest – would you really be able to wear it all carefree? Sure! Maybe if you wrapped a layer of bubble wrap around yourself before you walked out the door.
Fortunately, Buzz Rickson’s is coming in clutch once again, this time with a stitch-for-stitch repro of this rare contract of the rare-as-hen’s-teeth horsehide A1. Complete with custom woven cotton lining, knit trim, and scary accurate repro neck tag, this Italian Veg Tanned Aniline Dyed Horse Hide bomber can handle whatever you throw at it, whether you plan on getting within 100 feet of a cockpit or not. Made in Japan in limited numbers, these won’t be available forever, so no horsing around.
Available for $2,300 from Clutch Cafe.
Love knitwear and sportswear? Independence Chicago‘s exclusive Dehen 1920 Full Throttle Moto hoodie brings those two worlds together in a 100% worsted wool hooded sweatshirt. That’s a Venn diagram I’d be very happy to find myself in.
There’s a lot to unravel here, so let’s start pulling the thread with Dehen. Dehen Knitting Company has been producing heavyweight knitted apparel since 1920, when they started producing knitted varsity and collegiate apparel in their hometown of Portland, Oregon. 11 decades later, they’re still knitting all their garments in Portland but have expanded way beyond college athletes, producing a whole range of heavy-duty knitwear, including the Full Throttle Moto Hoodie. It’s made from worsted wool on Dehen’s 1940s machines and comes built to last with reinforced elbows and single welt front pockets. This will stand the test of time, whether you know what a throttle is or not.
Now, Loden — you may look at this handsome hoodie and wonder why the colourway is called loden and not, say, olive green. The colourway is a homage to loden cloth, a thick, water-resistant cloth first produced by Tyrolean peasants in Austria. Loden cloth traditionally has an earthy or olive-green colour. Both traditional loden cloth and Dehen’s knitted hoodie have clear parallels in that they’re both built to be durable, warm, and, most importantly, green — hence why it’s lent its name to this Independence-exclusive colourway.
Available for $460 exclusively from Independence.
Railcar Fine Goods was founded by Steven Dang, a man who knows a thing or two about workwear, having himself spent 13 years pulling shifts on the LA Metro. So it’s no surprise that Railcar’s Type 2 jacket, rendered in a 14 oz. brown wax canvas, is a piece of modern workwear brilliance.
Based on the iconic Type 2 denim jacket, Railcar’s version switches up the usual formula with double-tacked hand pockets for convenience and deep inside pockets for storage, adding a bit of modern practicality to this blouson. They’ve subbed the usual denim fabric for a dry wax canvas, which is tough as nails, drizzle-resistant, and ready to harvest patina with its slightly mottled appearance.
As you can tell, an insane attention to detail on these things is a given. This is because each jacket is handmade to order by Dang and his team at Railcar’s El Monte HQ, which features a cutting room, two-storey factory, screen printing shop, a shipping and receiving room, and public retail space. This is Made in USA greatness with little outsourcing, style, and substance to boot.
Available from Railcar Fine Goods for $425.
/ Giveaway /
We’ve partnered with Bleu de Chauffe to offer our readers the chance to win a wardrobe-bolstering prize pack of well-crafted goods. Worth over $700, the prize consists of:
That’s an insanely sturdy, marine-grade cotton sweater to keep you cozy (you can read James’s glowing review here), a top-drawer bag perfect for work, rambling, and everything in between, and a braided suede belt to hold up your pants through it all. Every piece is handmade in Aveyron, South of France, with the bag signed and dated by its maker.
To enter the giveaway, all you have to do is drop your email on this page before 13 October 2025. The one lucky winner will be notified by email and have 24 hours to confirm their shipping and size information. All entrants will be signed up to both Heddels & Bleu de Chauffe’s mailing list, from which you can unsubscribe at any time.
You’ve nothing to lose, and a whole load of French goodness to gain. What are you waiting for? Click below to enter!
/ Weekly Rundown /
It’s All Home Water: Oregon Steelhead – Patagonia Stories
Tricker’s goes towards a D2C setup – Shoegazing
Why We Love, Keep and Repair Our Clothes – Levi Strauss & Co
Garmology: Smelling of Wax and Wilderness – Outerwear with Ben Fogle (#156 S09E02) – Well Dressed Dad
What No One Tells You About Skilled Trade Careers: Master Tradesman Carl Murawski Explains – California Business Journal
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