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- Fade Friday – LVC 1944 501 (7 Years, 1 Month, 4 Washes)
Fade Friday – LVC 1944 501 (7 Years, 1 Month, 4 Washes)
/ Fade Friday /
Fade Friday – LVC 1944 501 (7 Years, 1 Month, 4 Washes)
In 2008, Fleet Foxes’ eponymous album was released, the recession hit, and these jeans were raw. It’s Fade Friday, and today’s pair is practically a senior citizen in denim years. Worn by Heddels reader, Nor, this pair of Levi’s Vintage Clothing 1944 501 jeans has made it so far that they look more like a barn find that a pair of modern reproductions.
At one point, these may have been quite the contrasty faded jean. Now, however, they’ve gone past contrasty into an overall off-white shade with an indigo tinge. Home-sewn patches at the knees show that these LVC’s received some well-deserved TLC within their 7 year tenure. Even the fact that Nor has still kept track of how many months he’s had these on for this long shows his dedication.
If Nor has it in him to part with these, maybe LVC would take these for their illustrious archives.
Levi’s Vintage Clothing – 1944 501 Raw Denim Jeans
Fabric: Raw selvedge denim
Fabric weight: 14 oz.
Fabric source: Japan
Made in: Japan
Fit: Straight Leg
Additional Details:
Organic cotton
Kaihara Mills selvedge
Iron Donut Buttons
Available at: Hinoya for $305
/ New Releases /
It’s no secret that Crown Northampton are masters of their craft after 117 years in the game, but their latest limited edition drop takes things to another level. Working closely with Chicago’s Horween leather tannery, founded only 3 years before them, they’ve released a pack of Western floral-embossed leather goods in both Chromexcel and Shell Cordovan leathers. These tick a lot of boxes and then some.
For those not in the know, Horween’s Chromexcel and Shell Cordovan are two very special leathers. Chromexcel takes Horween’s several months and countless procedures and techniques to get just right. Put very simply, it combines two of the best tanning methods — chrome tanning and vegetable tanning — to create a leather that is as durable and flexible as it is texturally rich and beautiful. Perfect for a leather sneaker like Crown’s.
Shell Cordovan is another rare leather, with only a small amount produced each year. The availability of the raw hides is in decline, and if you combine this with the fact that the tanning process alone takes six months, you can start to understand why Shell Cordovan is so prized (and costly). Crown Northampton also chose a Bourbon colour for this Shell Cordovan, which, in true Crown style, is one of the most complex colours to tan.
Crown has made both these incredible leathers even better by having them embossed with a Western floral pattern, which was introduced by Horween back in the 1970s. Special leathers carrying an even more special pattern that’s almost impossible to come by in 2025. We told you they tick a lot of boxes.
Each pair of shoes is handmade to order, using unrivalled construction that makes each pair completely re-craftable. Crown has enough of this stuff to produce just 20 pairs of the Shell Cordovan version of their Harlestone Derby, and a black and forest green Chromexcel version of their Overstone Derby sneakers. And, for those who like to match the belt (and wallet) with their shoes, there’s a Shell Cordovan belt to match the Harlestones and an ‘available upon request’ belt and off-cut cardholder — in either colour — to match the Overstones.
For those who can get into a pair of these, we imagine it will be daunting to wear such a work of art on your feet. That said, these deserve to be worn, loved, and soaked in patina.
Head over to Crown Northampton to check the full collection, with prices starting at $420 for footwear and $350 for the belt.
We’ve all seen the moodboard photos of James Dean wearing the legendary red McGregor Drizzler Windbreaker like a boss. However, the lightweight fabric and attention-drawing bright red always left us wanting something a bit more overbuilt and under the radar. You know – while channeling the effortless style and appeal of JD.
Luckily, as it turns out, we weren’t the only ones daydreaming. With their Dean Jacket in Black and Olive, Jelado delivers in signature fashion. Pulling a ton of references from the OG, like its segmented patch pockets, short, boxy fit, and repro, period-correct Waldes zipper, it’s where the jacket veers off that gives it major star power. First off, forget what you know about a nylon or poly construction as Jelado is treating us to Ventile cloth – a breathable, water-repellant fabric developed by the British military during the 1940s. Then, there are the simple colorways that can easily mesh with existing wardrobes. And of course, we can’t forget the throat latch just in case you have the top down and a strong gust of wind is coming at your neck with a vengeance. With end credits rolling via an incredibly tastefully ‘Starry Gate’ neck tag, all you need to worry about are those directions. Was that ‘east of Eden or west?’
Available for $360 from Clutch Cafe.
KATO‘s 4-way stretch selvedge denim is truly special. In an industry predicated on stiff, starchy fabrics, KATO successfully offers comfy stretch selvedge that still hits the rugged notes that made us all fall in love with denim in the first place. KATO founder Nick Takayuki spent years researching and developing this stretch-selvedge recipe, pushing through naysayers and failed attempts to introduce the world’s first 360º stretch selvedge denim.
KATO’s 4-way stretch selvedge is woven in Japan on vintage Toyoda shuttle looms using 96% cotton and 4% polyurethane. The addition of polyurethane is far from groundbreaking, but KATO’s proprietary weaving method certainly is. Firstly, they use core-spun yarns which are comprised of a polyurethane filament core with cotton filaments coiled around it, thus hiding the polyurethane. As well as facilitating fades, these yarns mean you don’t get the sheen that you see on mass-produced stretch denim, which typically uses 100% polyurethane yarns for the weft, resulting in artificial-looking luster.
Core spun yarn diagram via Salud Style.
KATO achieves its proprietary 4-way stretch by weaving these core-spun yarns into the warp and weft parts of the weaving process, meaning that the resulting denim can stretch horizontally and vertically. This prevents 4-way stretch selvedge from sagging too much at, say, the knees or elbows. Trust us, whatever gripes you had that stretch selvedge, KATO listened and solved them.
Faded example of 14 oz. Indigo Raw 4-Way Stretch Selvedge Denim
Sitting firmly at the intersection of authenticity and comfort, KATO’s 4-way stretch selvedge comes in a range of weights and colors. From 10.5 oz. perfect for the milder temps on the horizon, all the way to 17.5 oz., there’s something for denim heads across the spectrum. These fabrics feature across KATO’s diverse roster of fits, including their brand new wider-fitting silhouette, The Barrel.
Head over to Hiroshi KATO to check out the full collection, available from $209.
Want to learn more about Hiroshi KATO’s manufacturing processes? Check out Inside Hiroshi KATO – Making a Pair of Jeans in their LA Factory
California’s Railcar Fine Goods has teamed up with Washington’s finest, White’s Boots, to craft some serious stompers: the Railcar x Whites 55 Collab boots.
Railcar’s founder and these boots’ designer, Steven Dang, takes his years spent as lead mechanic for the Los Angeles Metro, and the understanding of the need for true workwear as a starting point for all his designs, and these boots are no exception. To make these boots exactly how he wanted, Steven knew that White’s was the boot maker for the job; they’ve been handmaking and hand-lasting boots in the Pacific Northwest for over 150 years.
These Collab Boots are painstakingly crafted from a black oil tan leather layered with a handsome brown edge midsole and a cream Vibram #2060 wedge sole. Look more closely and you’ll see some other amazing details: gun metal brass eyelets, single stitching across the boot, and a cushion insole. This is all built up around White’s 55 last that was developed over 90 years ago without any change, mostly because they’re easy to wear in for those working on their feet all day. Resoleable and rebuildable, these boots are sure to last a lifetime — really nothing to be messed with.
Available exclusively for $750 from Railcar Fine Goods.
Brave Star Selvage was founded in 2005 with a view to becoming the first premium, all selvedge denim brand made in the USA. Its True Straight jean in 18 oz. Samurai selvedge denim, made in Downtown Los Angeles, is a testament to this founding principle, with an unbeatable price point to boot.
At 18 oz., the Samurai is a weighty fabric that showcases the magic of the indigo dying process. In this instance, the denim was given longer to oxidize between dips into the indigo bath, giving the dye more time to breathe. This oxidation helps to create a richer, more saturated colour, giving Brave Star’s jeans a wonderfully deep shade of indigo. You also know this means that the fades are going to be off the charts when those natural weft yarns start poking through.
Brave Star has used this outstanding denim on their True Straight jeans, a classic slim-straight, five-pocket jean that’s as American as apple pie. And while you wouldn’t expect to be able to buy a pair of these and one of Brave Star’s heavyweight USA-made cotton t-shirts and still get change from $200 — that’s the case!
Available from Brave Star Selvage for $148.
We do a lot of 100% cotton talk here at Heddels, but that doesn’t mean we don’t have time for interesting blends. Time Catcher’s Comfort Fit Tees are just that, featuring a unique blend of fibers that balances comfort, drape, and quality.
Freshly dropped over at Olderbest, Time Catcher’s Comfort Fit Tees are cut from a blend of 40.6% cotton, 32.5% modal, 19.2% sorona, and 7.7% wool. The cotton offers that classic t-shirt feel, while the modal and DuPont Sorona yarns offer strength, softness, and a look into the future of more sustainable fabric choices. The wool fibers finish this recipe off with texture and moisture-wicking, leading to a jack-of-all-trades fabric that provides odor-proofing without looking like activewear.
Speaking of looks, Time Catcher sewed this mega-blend fabric into a standard-fit crew neck t-shirt, using vintage t-shirts as a guide for the silhouette. It’s available in three colorways — black, white, and light coffee — each of which comes with reinforced neckline, shoulders, armholes, and side seams.
Available at Olderbest for $30.
/ Weekly Rundown /
Vintage fashion warning amid fears criminals selling fakes online – BBC News
US Labour Groups Sue Over ‘Ignorant’ Cuts of Programmes Fighting Child Labour Abroad – BoF
The picture – 24K gold sole – Shoegazing
“I Was the Human Drone”—an Interview with Bill Snider – Outsiders Store
Bottom Time: The Important Lessons I’ve Learned While Diving With Over 200 Watches – Hodinkee
L.L. Bean Japan Is Making Its Long-Awaited American Debut – InsideHook
Spring 25′ Lookbook – Clutch Cafe
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