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- Fade Friday – TCB ’50s Type II Jacket (3.5 Years, 12 Washes, 1 Soak)
Fade Friday – TCB ’50s Type II Jacket (3.5 Years, 12 Washes, 1 Soak)
Together With
/ Fade Friday /
They didn’t have Fade Friday back in the ’50s, but if they did, it would probably look something like this. If you’re on Superfuture, or in the loop with denim culture on Instagram, you might be familiar with Volvo—a hardcore denimhead and TCB Jeans enthusiast from Italy. Considering it his masterpiece, Volvo submitted his TCB ’50s Type II Jacket to us, and it’s not hard to see why it’s his grail.
As far as worn raw denim jackets go, this is about as good as it gets. Volvo’s been wearing this Type II for three-and-a-half years, only hanging it up during the hot Italian summers. We’re seeing all the classic hallmarks here—a vintage-style blue tone to the denim after 12 washes, and puckering all over the jacket, even on the tips of the collar! And of course, there’s the coveted elbow honeycombs, which in this case are stacked and defined.
There have been some repairs to the cuffs and back panel already, and the elbows look ready to blow. However, Volvo seems committed to the cause, and we’re sure it’ll do whatever it takes to carry on rocking this one for many more years to come.
To see more shots of Volvo’s denim collection, you can check out his Instagram.
TCB Jeans ’50s Type II Denim Jacket
Fabric: 100% cotton selvedge denim
Fabric weight: 13.5 oz.
Fabric source: Japan
Made in: Japan
Additional Details:
Red tab
Paper patch
Available at: Redcast Heritage for $222
/ New Releases /
We’re used to Virginia’s Division Road carving out awesome collaborations with a range of makers, but that doesn’t mean they get any less exciting. This latest collaboration with Northampton shoemakers Tricker’s, is no exception.
Tricker’s have been making shoes in their hometown, the shoemaking capital of the world, since 1829. Over those almost 2 centuries, they have learnt a thing or two about shoemaking and craftsmanship, and the Kilsby Derby shows this in spades — in fact, they go through 260 individual steps to complete them. This collaboration with Division Road uses a rare leather developed by Horween, Timber Chromexcel. Developed from a secret recipe, Timber Chromexcel is treasured for its flexibility, comfort, and durability. The leather is single-strike dyed on the grain, in a timber brown that gives them their name. Combined with a natural core, these will develop an unbeatable patina over time.
It’s not just the leather that’s special, though. The Kilsby Derby is based on a pair of shoes from the Tricker’s archive, tricked out with a Norwegian split toe apron and a two-piece upper. Being Tricker’s, they’re Goodyear-welted, with a Barbour (not that Barbour) storm welt on top of a Made-in-USA Vibram 2060 industrial walking sole. These are a pair of shoes that are made for wearing, and made for walking, but looking really, really good whilst you do so.
Just 20 pairs are available exclusively from Division Road for $695.
/ In Partnership with Iron & Resin /
Swimming shorts are great for active folk who regularly find themselves in bodies of water, but wearing them all day leaves you a slave to uncomfortable mesh linings, short inseams, and a lack of utility other than quick-drying. Iron & Resin recognised this and crafted a simple yet formidable solution – the Solimar Short.
Made from a 90% polyester / 10% spandex blend, the Solimar is lightweight, quick-drying, with a perfect touch of stretch to improve movement. A regular fit with an 18″ outseam provides that perfect silhouette that sits above the knee without approaching short-short territory, and the drawstring waist means there’s no excessive puckering in the waistband. The waistline is also customized with a handy loop for your sunglasses, goggles, bottle opener – whatever you need quick access to in your downtime.
Trail or lake, city or seaside, Iron and Resin’s Solimar Short is a warm-weather companion for anyone looking for a bit more out of their water-ready short options.
Available at Iron & Resin for $79.
Together with
Womenswear is so underrepresented in our niche. There’s a much wider conversation to be had about the macho conditioning of raw denim and overwhelmingly masculine trajectories within heritagewear, but thankfully, brands like Bleu de Chauffe ensure that their collections offer heirloom quality bags for all, including the ladies.
This year sees the French bagmakers bolster their women’s line-up with a diverse range of end-tier bags. Each bag is handmade by skilled leathersmiths in the South of France, using high-quality, environmentally-conscious vegetable-tanned leather and GOTS-certified cotton for any cotton components. If you’re a woman looking to buy less and buy better, Bleu de Chauffe should be on your hit list.
Adèle Tote Bag
Let’s kick things off with the Adèle Tote Bag. This full leather Tote doesn’t chase pavements, it helps you conquer the day with its large silhouette, comfortable wide straps, and removable felt inside pocket for your most valuable carry. Its generous dimensions are complemented by a supple full-grain leather that drapes beautifully when worn, yielding to your luggage and carry style without losing its shape.
The Adèle’s vegetable-tanned leather straps are long enough to sling over the shoulder and short enough to carry by hand – Goldilocks strap length for the ideal 2-way carry. These straps are anchored by a leather belt that spans the top of the bag, creating ironclad construction that is light years ahead of that floppy cotton tote you’ve been using.
Coming in Rust and Black smooth leather options, and an Ocher suede option, the Adèle is finished with Bronze branding and a sanded velour finish to the internal leather.
Janice Soft Musette S
The Janice Musette is an absolute darling. Bleu de Chauffe looked to balance elegance and practicality with this number, and they have totally succeeded. The rugged texture of the suede is offset by a classy silhouette with four pockets, luxury leather welting on the flap closure, and a rotating pale gold closure that acts as the centerpiece of this masterful Musette.
The full-length, veg-tan leather strap makes this a comfortable crossbody bag with room for all your daily essentials. Smartphone, purse/wallet, a novel for the commute — there’s even room for a 750ml water bottle. In other words, the Janice is great news for those who want a level of chic without being confined to a dainty handbag.
Almond and Ocher colorways keep things traditional, while the Petrol Blue offers a cyanic option that will set off any outfit.
Margot Half Moon Bag
The Margot Half Moon Fisherman’s Bag continues the half moon shape of the Janice but deploys more workwear-inspired details like a wider, adjustable strap and a leather buckle closure. The shoulder strap attaches to robust leather brackets on either side of the main body, echoing the central buckle closure. These rugged details give the Margot a more provincial feel than the Janice, but best believe it’s just as ready for urban life with a larger main compartment that’s big enough for large tablets and small laptops, and a discreet, easy-access rear pocket with magnetic closure.
Despite being in Bleu de Chauffe’s women’s collection, the Margot could easily suit all manner of bodies and stylistic persuasions. Inside each Margot Half Moon is a removable zipped cotton pocket for your valuables, dated and signed by the artisan who created the bag.
Fisherman’s Musette (XS & S)
The Fisherman’s Musette is a modern take on classic fishing bags of the 20th century, which were typically made of cotton twill or canvas with leather accents. A core style in Bleu de Chauffe’s roster, it comes in a range of sizes with the XS and S variants featuring in the brand’s SS25 women’s collection.
The XS Fisherman’s Musette pares down the silhouette of the originals whilst retaining the outdoor spirit that made them such an icon. Swapping the classic dual buckle closure for a single, central buckle makes the XS version a daintier option that’s pretty close to the aforementioned Margot Half Moon, but with a more upwardly tapered silhouette on the main compartment. The big difference is the cotton strap, which is a great option if you want something smoother against thinner t-shirts and blouses in the warmer months. This strap is adjustable, allowing one to carry it over the shoulder or crossbody. Coming in a slew of colors, including Ocher, Musk, and Hazelnut Brown, the XS Fisherman’s musette has a 3L capacity and an additional rear pocket with leather welt reinforcement.
The Fisherman’s Musette S is much closer to the vintage fishing articles (see below), but what Bleu de Chauffe has created is a modern rendition that uses heritage sensibilities to create a superior product, honoring the originals while being entirely in its own lane.
A mid-century fishing bag via vintage Fishing Tackle
With a wider main body, dual front pockets, and dual buckle closure, the Fisherman’s Musette S can carry all manner of gear, including a 13″ laptop. The front buckles can be tightened to secure smaller carries — a sentiment that is echoed by the snap button leather internal strap — and the cotton webbing shoulder strap can be adjusted to suit a range of body types.
New Beat Belt Bag
The genderless crossbody ‘Fanny Pack’ style saw a resurgence in the mid-2010s and hasn’t gone anywhere since. But only a few makers have taken this typically mass-produced style and produced it to top-quality, heirloom standards. Unsurprisingly, one of those brands is Bleu de Chauffe. The New Beat Belt Bag takes the fanny pack and engineers it in a range of unparalleled materials from vegetable-tanned Suede to lick wax cotton twill from British Millerain.
The New Beat Belt Bag also comes in two sizes — the standard has a 4.5L capacity and the larger ‘Xl’ that has a generous 6L capacity. Both options are perfect for day trips, festivals, or as a daily driver if you have less to carry. The standard New Beat Bag is great for travelers who need a secure yet easy access carry for their smartphone, passport, etc. Oh, and those precious Airbnb keys. The XL has the same MO but is big enough to hold a light jacket and some souvenirs.
Doing Better
I’m going to circle back to the start of this article and finish off this overview of Bleu de Chauffe‘s SS25 women’s collection with some further points on women’s representation within quality goods. It is true that probably ~75% of workwear goods were designed for masculine roles, but that doesn’t mean that we don’t have a responsibility to improve the availability of high-quality womenswear and accessories. There’s still tons of work to be done in menswear, but I would say there is a litany of menswear retailers and makers offering a way out of the mass-produced hellscape. I don’t think the same can be said for womenswear – yet.
Collections like this one from Bleu de Chauffe are a step in the right direction.
What happens when a husband and wife team of creatives forge a small denim brand in Oklahoma? Let Dave and Cassandra be the first to tell you things can get a little ‘Bizzaro’ in the best way. Under their brand and last name abbreviated, BZRO, the couple is bringing small-scale manufacturing back to Tulsa and has made an indigo-dyed splash thanks to core denim offerings like work jackets and jeans.
However, what has our attention at the moment is a special offering that really puts the loom where its shuttles are. And if that analogy didn’t work for you, just pretend like it did.
The Bespoke Handwoven Denim Work/Wear Jacket may be the first handwoven denim jacket produced in the USA in over a century. BZRO is producing denim fabric from scratch using a hand loom. We’re talking fully from scratch here, people. Like ‘hand-dyeing the yarns with natural indigo’ scratch.
With a design that blends Type I trucker with generous rancher detailing via large patch handwarmer pockets, laurel wreath buttons, and corduroy trim, this is a truly unique silhouette worthy of the dozens of hours of labor that go into each one. And as if we aren’t obsessing over every little detail on this piece, we just have to call out the leather-backed buttons.
There are only 2 of these jackets available, fully bespoke with a 6-month lead time to allow for dyeing, weaving, and making. The project involves working with David Bizarro to ensure you get the perfect fit, and you’ll receive behind-the-scenes content of your jacket being made. If you’re a denim enthusiast looking to get as close as possible to the creation of a one-of-a-kind piece, this is an opportunity like no other.
Available for $2,015 from BZRO.
/ Weekly Rundown /
Inside the Final Days of America’s Last Selvedge Denim Factory – GQ
Reflection – Accept more blemishes on leather – Shoegazing
Why Pete Roberts Is Betting Big on Made in America Jeans – Jeansland
HAVEN High Summer 2025 – HAVEN
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