/ Fade Friday /

Fade Friday – Warehouse 660 (9 Years, 7 Months, Unknown Washes, 10 Soaks)

For some of us, it’s hard to stick to the same pair of jeans for 9 months, let alone over 9 years like this pair. This pair of Warehouse & Co. 660 comes to us from Daniel over in New York City. After an initial hot soak and air dry, Daniel wore these for one year before they hit the water again. And that regime continued for the best part of a decade, resulting in some of the most intense fades we’ve seen on a pair of Warehouse & Co. jeans.

After year five, the crotch became weak, and so these jeans have only seen sporadic wear since then. However, Daniel hopes that with a new crotch repair, he can breathe life into these bad boys again. We can see why, too. The stacked up whiskers, shimmering honeycombs, and faded-out thighs contrast ever so sharply with the darker indigo hues still left below the knees. The damage throughout adds that level of rugged, lived-in charm that we love to see on a pair of raw denim jeans. You just know Daniel got every bit of mileage out of these that he could – and that’s ultimately what makes them special.

/ New Releases /

Introducing Omoto Denim

For Hiroki Kishimoto & Keita Hinamoto, denim fabric development is a way of life. Kishimoto’s iconic brand Japan Blue changed the Japanese denim landscape with modern takes on traditional workwear garments. Now he is getting back in the lab with Omoto Denim, a new venture that prioritizes the pinnacle of “ordinary” denim, which we interpret to mean everyday, classic, steadfast. This philosophy is woven into the brand’s name, which roughly translates to “evergreen” or “infinity.”

Partnering with some of Japan’s most skilled artisans in spinning, dyeing, and weaving, Omoto draws on over 20 years of experience to create proprietary selvedge denim made with rope-dyed indigo yarns and vintage shuttle looms. These unique fabrics are applied to a range of jean and jacket silhouettes from denim’s rich utilitarian history.

Available now at a range of retailers, what better way to further introduce a brand we are truly excited to follow than by digging into their initial offerings?  Whether you want to go full Maple Leaf tux or dip your toes in with a single garment, different cuts and styles await – while supplies last. Here are 4 of our picks to get you started.

3212 16oz Nep Type II Jacket

First up is the Omoto Denim 3212 16oz Nep Type II Jacket, a play on the Levi’s 507 that sets itself apart with a wild texture and modern tweaks. Made possible with pure indigo rope-dyed 16 oz nep fabric woven on vintage Toyoda shuttle looms, expect exciting fades and a unique journey when rocking this stunner. Designed to suit a modern wardrobe thanks to a slightly longer, slimmer cut as opposed to its cropped and boxy source material, it closes things out with oh so clutch handwarmer pockets.

Available at Redcast Heritage for $375.

0815 13.5oz Loose Fit Jeans

Next up are the Omoto Denim 0815 13.5oz Loose Fit Jeans. Dyed once again with rope-dyed pure indigo, the 13.5 oz selvedge denim fabric uses a mix of Memphis and Zimbabwe cotton, resulting in an approachably crisp texture. Made on a 1950s Sakamoto shuttle loom, the resulting low tension is what gives the jeans a vintage feel and will certainly contribute to old school fading. Featuring the widest silhouette Omoto has to offer, the inspiration here was tailored pants, resulting in a pair of jeans that nails the high-rise and relaxed fit.

Available at Franklin and Poe for $260

0412 16oz Nep Straight Fit Jeans

For a more contemporary cut, the last item on our highlight tour is the 0412 16oz Nep Straight Fit Jeans. With fabric crafted on Toyoda shuttle looms and using the same dye methods as the Loose Fit Jeans, this slimmer model features a heavier-weight fabric with greater texture. A result of long-slub yarns for the warp and a weft that incorporates recycled cotton. This is why vertical fades will likely be in your future if you choose this model.

Available for $296 from Redcast Heritage.

3116 15.5 oz. Type 1 Jacket

And yes, Omoto does old school, too. Their 3116 15.5 oz. Type 1 Jacket is made from good ol’ raw selvedge denim. And I mean properly raw selvedge denim — no one washes here. Comprised of 65% Texas cotton, renowned for its strength and vibrant fade, and 35% Zimbabwe cotton, renowned for softness and texture, this sturdy 15 oz. selvedge offers an equilibrium of softness and durability.

Vintage details can be seen on the rivet reinforcements, rear cinch, and T-back construction (typically only seen on larger sizes of vintage denim blousons). These heritage details are balanced with an adjusted modern silhouette and the addition of handwarmer pockets, which were not traditionally included on the Type 1. Haters, go cry about it. Some of us have stuff to carry.

Available at HINOYA for $340.

Bleu de Chauffe Launches New Raw 50 Sweatshirt

Although the sweatshirt was an American invention during the early 20th century, France’s Blue de Chauffe is helping to bring its classic heritage into the modern day.

The Raw 50 Sweatshirt is made from a heavyweight 99% organic cotton and 1% elastane jersey, which provides the perfect balance of a thick construction, smooth finish, and comfy stretch. In an ode to classic sweats, it features wide ribbing on the collar, cuffs, and waistband, and a relaxed yet refined cut with raglan sleeves.

Punching way above its weight in terms of value, this is one closet staple that you can get plenty of mileage out of in multiple seasons with the confidence that it can bounce back with each wear. Whether it’s your top layer or just middle management in a larger module, it’s a precious piece that you don’t need to be precious with. Each Raw 50 is made in Aveyron, South of France, with striking contrast stitching and a woven label. Get yours today, and you can say au revoir to the sweatshirt-shaped hole in your heart.

Available for $116 from Blue de Chauffe.

The Real McCoy’s Garment-Dyed its Horsehide A-2 Jacket in Indigo Natural

From active troops and GIs post-WWII to surplus hounds and vintage collectors, A-2 bomber jackets have permeated culture thanks to their hardwearing construction, simplistic functionality, and timeless look. Made from leather and featuring a cotton lining, the typical A-2s features knit cuffs/ribbed hems, 2 snap-patch pockets, epaulets, a zipper-up front, and not much else.

So when we say this piece was expertly reproduced by The Real McCoy’s, you might be imagining an exacting replica of the famous jacket, typical of the Japanese vintage repro masters. And in some ways, you would be right. A horsehide leather construction, knit cuffs (cotton though instead of wool), period correct zip up front, and those iconic snap front pockets. Even the collar clasp is there. However, where things get a little exciting is this extremely special leather treatment, guaranteed to have denim heads spinning and purist eyebrows raising.

Dip dyed 12 times in ‘from-scratch’ natural indigo, which first requires fermenting the indigo plant and mixing it with natural ingredients like wood ash, sake, and lime to deepen the dye’s complexity, we can safely say this is a one-of-a-kind offering; the likes of which we’ve never seen. Astronomically expensive but totally unrivalled, this is a rare example of McCoy’s coloring outside the lines, and boy, is it a joy to see.

Available for $5,739 from Lost & Found.

Knickerbocker Cranks Up Its Mechanic-Inspired Pacific Jacket with Jungle Cloth & Primaloft

You can’t beat a classic chore jacket. And you also can’t beat an ageless mechanics jacket. Luckily, New York’s Knickerbocker NYC knows these sartorial facts: Their Pacific Jacket combines the two into one formidable piece of outerwear.

The latest version of Knickerbocker’s Pacific Jacket is decked out in some killer fabrics, both inside and out. On the outside, they’ve used jungle cloth, a cotton woven in Japan, to the exact specifications of the US Navy-issued fabric from World War II. As with its military ancestor, Knickerbocker’s jungle cloth is wind and water-resistant and sturdy as hell. Not stopping there to keep you warm and dry all winter long, the Pacific Jacket is also lined with Primaloft, an insulating, padded thermal satin woven in Italy. It’s then topped off with a corduroy collar, not just for warmth, it also looks class. The same corduroy also lines the side seam waste pockets.

The chore-mechanic combination means the Pacific Jacket has a nice crop to it, with roomy chest pockets and gusseted sleeves for ease of movement. Coming in the ever-versatile brown that goes with almost everything, this is a daily driver and then some.

Available for $495 from Franklin and Poe.

Be a Wild One in Red Wing’s 2966 Engineer Boots

The Wild One is a key chapter in the story of rugged menswear. As well as helping to cement leather jackets and selvedge denim jeans in the realm of cool, The Wild One is also noted for its iconic styling of the engineer boot—the tall, adjustable, hardwearing, and all-around badass work boot.

Among other makers, one of the main brands synonymous with Engineer Boot is Red Wing. Originally released as the first wave of engineer boots in 1936, Red Wing has brought these serious stompers back for its 120th anniversary after long periods of discontinuation.

Like many of our favourite icons of Americana, engineer boots have their origins in work — specifically, in this case, in the railroad industry. The tall shafts of the boots were utilized to protect ‘firemen’ from the dangers of their work with steam engines: hot coals, burning embers, and the end of shovels. This durability — and the lack of laces flapping around — meant they were adopted by post-war bikers, many of whom were veterans. Then they ended up on Brando in The Wild Ones, James Dean in Rebel Without a Cause, and we never looked back.

Red Wing, luckily, did look back to rerelease these special boots. They’re built with the same durability as the pair that was released almost a century ago — minus the steel-capped toe. They’re made from a brown veg-tan leather with a black finish that will slowly chip away with wear, revealing a deep, mottled brown core that will underpin a powerful patina. Built on a Neoprone Cord sole, each pair is made in the USA, finished with handsome silver buckles and embossed Red Wing branding on the shaft.

Available for $550 from Iron Shop Provisions.

TCB Releases New “Baggy” Version of its 50s Jeans

Baggy’s back! But we’re not talking about a JNCO ’90s bagginess here, we’re turning to another acronym: Kojima’s TCB Jeans and their Baggy 50s Jeans.

Made from a 13.5oz selvedge denim, the Baggy 50s takes TCB’s iconic 50s cut and opens it up for more width across the silhouette— a move inspired by the TCB staff’s persuasion toward wider jeans. The fabric is woven from Zimbabwean cotton on a vintage shuttle loom, giving it a subtle unevenness to make it as close to its 1950s ancestors as possible. As it fades, you’ll start to see white dots that eventually form a constellation and become unique vertical fades — like those you see on vintage denim.

Despite the new fit, the Baggy 50s is still full of the period-correct details that have garnered TCB its cult following. There are copper and gold stitching threads, hidden rivets on the back pockets, and a leather waist patch with TCB’s charming feline branding. Each pair is one-washed, so no need to worry about shrinkage — these are staying wide.

Available from Franklin & Poe for $195.

/ Weekly Rundown /

• Franklin & Poe’s Andrew Li on Where Retail’s Going, Malls, and The Perfect White Tee – Stitchdown

• News – Shoemakers wanted for PhD research survey – Shoegazing

• Direct from the Factory: Rebuilding the Link Between Maker and Wearer – Crown Northampton

• 7 Days Solo Survival in the Amazon Jungle: No Food, Water, or Shelter – Xander Budnick

• Omoto Denim Interview – Japanalogue

• HAVEN / Tilak Winter 2025 | HAVEN

• How The North Face’s Summit Series Brings Expedition Insight to Gear Design – Field Mag

Like this? Check out Our Blowout Podcast