Amerkaji Meme

Sugarcane sc40500N 29x32 for sale

2012-01-12T06:44:00.000-08:00

I have some special sugarcanes for sale - these are pretty much legendary. i've worn them maybe once in 3 years, just too small for me, they've just sat in the wardrobe doing nothing, they need a good home and some proper wear!

50% cotton, 50% sugarcane
special bag, bandana
natural edo ai indigo
full arcs

tagged 29w, 32l, actual 31-32w and 32l

i'll start at £290, plus postage, plus the 4% paypal.

please contact me for postage costs, i only post to location that can have a fully tracked service.

Natural Indigo Jeans for Sale, Eternal 877 and Sugarcane Jeans 40500N

2011-10-29T11:55:00.000-07:00

I know there are a few denim head readers out there so I may as well say this here as well as around the forums: I'm having a clear-out. My limited Edition Eternal 877, and Sugarcane sc40500N (both these jeans are made of natural indigo) are for sale. They are soaked but unworn, they've just sat in my wardrobe doing nothing and rather than be a collector I want the jeans to get worn and live like jeans should. I'll post some pictures and details up soon but if your particularly interested and 30-32 waisted then get in touch.

Here are some teasers pics of the same jeans but, they are from websites, they are not my pictures.

Eternal 877

Sugarcane Jeans sc40500N

Tender Co. Interview

2011-02-13T05:02:00.000-08:00

Amerkaji Meme has been lucky enough to engage in a long dialogue with William, founder of the unique UK workwear ( for want of a better word ) brand: Tender

AM: Many of your processes are very artisanal, very laborious and process focused. Is this aspect connected to a particular philosophy, time or influence?

TC: Before I really got into jeans I was apprenticed to a bespoke tailor, learning coat making by hand- I really loved, and still love, the situation where techniques have evolved into the way that's just right, gives the best possible result. I was on holiday in Moscow and found a 19th Century suit of frock coat, striped dress trousers, and vest for sale in a junk shop. When I got it home I was fixing it up (it was in a pretty terrible state) and I was delighted to see how the collar had been hand padded (rolled and stitched to give it shape and fullness). At the time I was spending all day padding collars for business suits, and I found it wonderful how I was looking at something made in Russia 150 years previously which had been made in exactly the same way, probably by another apprentice learning the same things as me. With Tender I really enjoy finding these little evolutions and constants in production methods, and trying to evolve my own solutions too. So perhaps it's less about interpretting a particular era or aesthetic and more about making something that has a sense of reason and history behind its manufacture. I think the best design shouldn't look as if it's been designed, rather it should just sort of make sense. Does that make sense?!

AM: That's a pretty astounding story about the Moscow coats collar being identical to the processes you were taught. I expect with many amerkaji brands today they focus on using the same methods that Levis and Lee used at the start of their production, all those years ago. I think the majority of these products are more focused on a total and thorough replication though..... Would I be right to assume that your designs are slightly more creative than this? Using established, historically rooted ( "correct" ) production methods whilst ultimately creating something new?

TC: Absolutely! I think the amerkaji repro culture is amazing, but there are so many fantastic things out there that while I was thinking Tender through at the beginning I realized I didn;t really have much to add to strict repro. After all the best reproduction you can get of a 1940s Levi 501 is a perfect reproduction of a 1940s Levi 501, and I think that the Japanese brands have pretty much got that down by now. Perhaps all that can be added now if you go down that route are design gimmicks and branding, both of which are fine (and can be really nice) but I don't feel that's the way I want to start out on my project. Thinking about it from the outside in (ie why should anyone be interested in my stuff rather than in another brand with great design, production, and a proper marketing budget?) I decided that I wanted to bring in some of the other things that personally interest me (besides denim/casual repro), so up popped the historical tailoring elements, historical and art historical cultural references, and the whole steam train thing. Also giving it a British slant rather than pure American workwear/militaria. In the end though it has to come back to nice clothes. You can have the best web of influences in the world but if it doesn't end up with a good bit of product then I think you've failed as a designer- I have to do a big edit after every bit of design.

AM: Also it's interesting that you talk about the best design looking like it hadn't been, I am currently having a similar conversation with another designer about the same paradox. However when you use the term "make sense" I am reminded of the design semiotics that flourish around high-end design decisions today more than ever - at this point in history little is new but rather relies on a new or innovative re-mix, orchestration or contexturalization of pre-existing ( established ) modes, memes and designs......

TC: Well you've put that much better than I could! One thing that's really important to me is that I personally make the first prototype (at least) of every garment that gets put out with a Tender Co label on it. I do design in a sketch book with a pencil first, but a lot of the details come out when the item's actually being put together- it's a very good editing process. Ideas that seem lovely on paper can end up coming across overdesigned or unnecessary when you come to cut out the actual fabric. And you make mistakes which bring new ideas into being. As you say though, there's not a lot fundamentally new out there these days in the type of clothing we're interested in, so it's largely a matter of taste and editing to put together something that works. I've been finding quite a bit that as I see more, be it vintage, historical, fashion, whatever, I notice details that I've used on Tender, thinking I was being original. I take this positively though- like with the Russian coat it's nice to know that other people have gone down the same roads as you before. It's fascinating to me looking back at all the possible routes that things could have gone down, and the evolutionary dead-ends that never lead anywhere. Of course this is still a continuing process!

AM: I love the way you mentioned that you "didn;t really have much to add to strict repro" - no one has anything to add to a strict repro! Otherwise it's not a strictly reproduced repro!

TC: Ok perhaps I didn't phrase that very well! I suppose I meant "to the world of strict repro" in that the kind of garments that people like to reproduce have by now mostly been reproduced excellently, plus maybe other people are in a better position to source vintage finds than I am. I wanted to take that as a starting point and work out from there.

AM: Design 'gimmicks' are almost quite an art, I feel that Sugarcane ( with their repro levis made almost exactly the same, even with 100% cotton stitching as opposed to the stronger poly-cotton stitching ) marry strict american reproductions with exotic japanese materials ( the dyes especially ) - this juxtaposition is particularly creative and shrewdly conceived. Paul Smith also has a very nice knack of inserting his own little flourish into a garment in a understated but subtle way that doesn't infringe on the overall aesthetic, small variations in the stitching details etc....

TC: Yes I agree- I don't necessarily mean anything negative by gimmick, and these are both great examples of designers really bringing something fresh into the aesthetic. From a design point of view I'm also a big fan of Kato, the way they nudge details up or down the list to play with the things that stand out.

AM: Also you mention the trial and error benefits of always producing the garments yourself in the initial stages, how you come across new established methods through your own strive for a better and better product - but has there been an instance whereby you have started with an established process ( such as a pattern or construction technique ) that you have had to abandon in order to create a design more apt for todays needs/demands? If this has happened i'd be interested to hear the details!

TC: Well I've got a lovely oak bark leather satchel coming through at the moment. I made a proto at first out of fabric, but you can only tell so much before it's actually made up in leather. So the little leather factory I work with made me one up about 6 months ago, based on our discussions and my spec. I've now been wearing it most days since then, and a problem's reared its head with the way the straps are adjusted, but because I've had a sample on the go for such a long time we've fixed it before we go into production. I think testing things like this in real life is so important- what I started out with was a fairly standard way of adjusting the shoulder strap length, but because the overall bag design is slightly different from normal it was causing unexpected problems. The new method works better all over, and I think really brings something new to the design as it's born of necessity.

AM: Ha, I know you didn't use the term 'gimmicks' in a negative way - but it'll always have slightly novel connotations - this reminded me of how cool and truely innovative 'gimmicks', small tweaks, can actually be!

Kato/Arn Mercantile - Neils interview was really exciting conversation, although I didn't really confront these topics of design, I asked him much more general questions about the history of the brand and how he sees its growth and position.

You have a very wide range of products, knitwear, quality denim and also leather - how do feel about all products embodying your vision in a consistent manner? Is this something you work on, or consider or does the grand aesthetic come about naturally?

TC: The range is still very small, but yes it is growing as the seasons progress, and I'm keen to expand across different areas that are interesting to me, and which I feel can bring something new to Tender as a brand. The plan really is just to only put out stuff that I feel is really special, and a bit different. For the moment I'm not doing basic basics like a classic button-down shirt or a traditional chino- much as I love these things I want Tender to be about bringing something fundamentally slightly different into the mix. That kind of thing may come in when the brand is established enough to bear a bigger range, but for now I'm really just picking out my favourite ideas and working them though- it a lovely position to be in!

Personally I love the processes that go into any kind of craft, and really the more you learn about the more you want to get involved with things. So as well as the standard denim-geek obsessions with work boots, Tshirts, sweats etc I'm also really into mechanical watches, hand made shoes, cabinet making, jewellery, spectacles, etc etc as things that have deveoped amazing sets of skills around them over the years. I'm not saying that Tender's going to be making furniture anytime soon (although that'd be fun!) but the aesthetics of how these types of things are constructed hopefully pulls the range together. As I said earlier, I do a big edit after any set of designs, and the brand is beginning to form a shape such that I feel like I can tell if something works or not within it.

AM: It's interesting you mention watches, hand-made shoes etc..... these are items that often do not fit into the american casual aesthetic but match, almost exactly, the conceptual structure of repro denim..... taking craft and materials to the nth degree.

I'd be interested to hear about anything you started but decided not to go ahead with ( and also your though process behind the decision ), you mentioned just now you can "tell if something works or not within it". Do you have any examples of products that you thought wouldn't fit?

TC: In the first season I spent a lot of time developing two fits of jeans, 2 jackets, and a pair of bib dungarees. When I looked at the sample set though it was just really unbalanced, with only a couple of Tshirts and a belt to mix these things up with. So even though I was basically really happy with all the styles it seemed like a good idea to hold back. I ended up with just one fit of jeans (type 132) and one jacket (type 900). The other, slimmer, jeans have come back though in the second season as type 130, with some small adjustments to the details. By keeping them back a season it gives you time to weigh the design over in your mind, and I'm happy that the changes I made have improved them. Also this way the range started out tiny but can grow a bit more steadily. The other jacket is reappearing in a very different form for the 3rd season. I just finished the first sample of tis new incarnation last week! Dungarees are probably on hold for a while- at first Tender was going to be more of a straight 'old-time' repro idea so bib overalls fitted, but it's coming away from that to something a but more subtle I think, and having worn dungarees pretty much every day through a whole summer a couple of years ago I know that they're not always the easiest thing to carry off...

On a much smaller scale all kinds of things get left by the wayside- I spent ages thinking about jeans pocket arcuates before binning them all (for now). Jacket pocket flaps also went out the window in favour of inside pockets to keep out of the rain and flapless outer pockets for your hands and loose bits (wearing a jacket with big pocket flaps I find you either spend your whole time pushing them up or they get squashed into the pocket and end up taking up all the space inside). Belt buckles are something I really enjoying working out- they all start out as gardening wire and me messing around with a pair of pliers. Once I'm happy with the design I go to see the fantastic jeweller who makes my masters and we work through the practicalities and the proportions until the buckle is ready for casting at the foundry. With a new buckle I've been working on the design is now very different from how I originally imagined it, but it works much better, and therefore just sort of seems right.

AM: Sounds like the aesthetic is slowly leaning towards a more modern look, almost through practical aspects of design rather than for appearance. Would this be a fair assumption?

TC: I don't think that's quite right. It's fair to say with Tender I'm trying to avoid the full-on vintage workwear dress-up, but there are definitely still historical elements. For instance on the new jeans fit, 130, there's a 'snob's thumb' pocket. This has developed from a pocket I found on C18th silk velvet court breeches in the collection of a tailor friend of mine. There were no side or back pockets, just two pockets set into the top of the waistaband, with little curved facing rising above the band. These would be in the breeches of aristocrats to hold two fob watches (I've been told this was becuase pocket watches were as much a status symbol as anything else, and they were so inaccurate that you needed two to take an average!), but as the garment was cut so high at the waist they were also the perfect height for thrusting your thumbs into and strutting about showing off how important you were. The pocket placement and construction lends itself incredibly well to jeans however- by putting it behind the waistband it doesn't interfere with getting your hand into the main side pocket, and the facing sticks up above the waistband, so you can find it easily even with a heavy belt, which worn with a normal coin/watch/match pocket pair of jeans can get in the way of using the pocket. I faced the snob's thumb pocket with a piece of Lancashire-woven selvage calico, left open at the selvage edge- this forms a little second hidden pocket inside the pocket, which you can only get at by tucking your fingers up inside. When I was an apprentice the cutter I was working for always used to put a little extra cash pocket inside the waistband of his own trousers- this little hidden liner pocket is a nod to that!

So I suppose I'm trying to take the first-impression aesthetic away from being too nostalgic, but the way the details arrive is still very heavily based in historical research.

AM: OK "slowly leaning towards a more modern look" maybe not quite right then! Perhaps away from a strictly amerkaji inspired aesthetic but with the details still very historically directed?

TC: Yes that's more like it I suppose! As I think I mentioned, there's so much great Amerkaji out there that as things progress I'm bringing Tender away from that a little. I guess 18thCenturyBritish-kaji if anything. Doesn't roll off the tongue quite the same though... In the second season, for instance, I've made a denim vest, half lined with English woven selvage calico, which is cut in one piece so the edge of the lining is one line of selvage all the way round the inside of the garment. The shape and details are generally workwear-inspired, but on the back there are two cotton herringbone tapes which tie up to pull the back in slightly. These are a direct reference to another piece of court dress- a bespoke sleeved waistcoat, made around 1800. It's a beautiful piece, hand made and very sophisticated, but it has these two loose tapes sewn onto the back, cut raw at the ends, which were knotted together to cinch it in [I'm attaching a photo for you]. I love the combination of high-end tailoring and a simple double tie-back. By putting that detail onto what would otherwise be a bit of a fisherman-style vest, it brings a bit of elegance to the shape, and takes it out of the straight workwear look. Also of course, the tapes are sewn on top of the back panel, so they can easily be cut off, in the way that early jeans were sold with belt loops, a cinch, and susupender buttons, so you could cut off whichever you didn't want to use.

AM: That story about the hidden pocket is fantastic! I'd like a pair of those just so I can be smug in knowing the backstory to the design whilst im wearing them!

Apart from the Russian Coat ( !!! ) and the 18th century court breeches whats the oldest design you have taken inspiration from? Anything from Japanese dress?

TC: Nothing specifically from Japanese traditional dress I don't think, but certainly the Japanese way of looking at things is always amazing to me- that level of commitment and specialization! The pullover shirt in SS11 comes indirectly from a pattern made in about 1700- that's pretty old! And the drawings for SS11 Tshirts were drawn in 1729.

AM: So, what's coming up in the third season? Anything in particular you're excited about?

TC: In the 3rd season (Autumn/Winter 2011), the collection's filling out a little- more of a full clothing line I think. I'm pretty excited about it all actually! I've had a look at Scottish trews (the etymolgical route of trousers), and I've found an amazing sheepskin tannery so there's a beautiful bit of Welsh Black breed lambskin. And I'm working with logwood- the black dye that coloured the 'black cloth' worn by Pepys, and the clothing of the early American puritans. Fighting over cargoes of logwood led to the sinking of the Spanish Armada....

AM: Wow, just hearing about the level of research that goes into each garment is incredible. Thanks so much for taking the time to answer my questions and give so much insight into the processes and the brand.

TC: Thanks

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Inventory Magazine

2010-10-02T03:48:00.000-07:00

Just a quick post to mention the bible of Amerkaji Aesthetics, Inventory Magazine is a fantastic guide to everything connected to denim and current or vintage american casual wear, brands like Nigel Cabourn, Margaret Howell are Nom De Guerre featured amongst others ( far to many wonderful brands to mention or link to sadly, but for a full breakdow of each issues articles please hop on to the Inventory Magazine Website ). The layout, and design, of both the website and the publication is subtle, clean and fresh but most importantly harbours insightful articles and luscious photography concerning the various movers and shakers connected with american casual wear. I have a weakness for fashion, art and culture magazines ( such as Monocle, Purple Fashion Magazine and Fantastic Man ) but Inventory Magazine is one of the few western based publication that focuses solely on the american casual aesthetic and it's innovators, in my opinion it is one of the most beautifully produced magazines available regardless of topic.

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Sorry, Move along, nothing here.....

2010-10-01T13:42:00.000-07:00

No posts for a long time I know, basically haven't bought much and been wearing the same old jeans everyday, I have also been immersed in other cultural aspects that don't directly tie in with the themes of Amerkaji Meme, however these two reasons are actually minor factors, the main factor being idleness on my part.

My Eternal 811 Contest Jeans are currently at customs though, so I am hoping to get my hands on those soon. Blue in Green's customer service, especially that of Gordon's is fantastic, this has been said before ( by many others ) but fortunately I've had the pleasure of experiencing it myself - so thanks Gordon and thanks BIG.

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Clutch Cargo Bush Pilots

2010-07-18T07:18:00.000-07:00

Enjoy a bit of 1960s American cartoon nostalgia. Clutch Cargo, making dachshunds look butch.

Eternal X B.I.G.Superfuture Denim Contest 10/10/10 - 12/12/12

2010-07-15T09:58:00.000-07:00

I haven't posted much for some time, to be honest there hasn't been too much to report and I haven't been purchasing any new pieces to report on. Hopefully the new Autumn/Winter stocks will be interesting though. However I am delighted to be participating in my first denim contest! In the Superfuture & B.I.G. x Eternal Jeans Denim contest. In short a bunch of denim nerds sign up to buy a specially produced pair of Jeans, they all wear them over a set amount of time and compare the state of the jeans after a year or two of hard wear. The person with the coolest jeans at the end wins. In this case it's a special edition pair of Eternals 811 Jean. A jean thats pretty infamous for producing beautiful fades over a long period of time but intitially being hard to fade, in short perfect jeans that may well harbour some wabi sabi after the contest has finished. They include a few lovely features that can only be found on the contest jeans. Here are all the details:

*BIG811XXX Contest Jeans Raw 39" Inseam

Brand : Eternal

Price: $254.00

Eternal BIG811XXX Contest Jeans

Contest Details:

Start Date 10/10/10

Finish Date 12/12/12

1st prize $500 Gift Certificate to Blue in Green

2nd prize $300 Gift Certificate to Blue in Green

3rd prize $100 Gift Certificate to Blue in Green

Judging done by staff at Eternal in Japan

Jean Details:

Raw / Unwashed (unsanforized denim / shrinkage is around 6-8%)39" Inseam

14.5 ounce Japanese selvage denim

* Half Lined Back Pockets

* 6oz Indigo Dyed Front Pocket Bags

* Genuine Rayon Woven Customized Contest Label

* "Made in Japan" Rayon Woven Label at inner waistband

* Special Edition Print in White on Front Pocket Bag lining

* Customized Leather Patch

* Cotton stitching around front pocket bag changed to Yellow

Genuine Indigo

100% Cotton

Made in Japan

(*contest jean exclusive details)

Available Exclusively through Blue In Green Denim Store NY

Here are a few pictures of the contest jeans ( presumably these are a prototype pair ).

.... and here are a few images ( again taken from the B.I.G. site, more available there ) of worn Eternal 811 Jeans :

I expect ill post more pictures when my Jeans arrive, i'll also post a few pictures of wonderfully worn Eternals as I come across them.

An Interview with Neil from Arn Mercantile

2010-05-26T13:30:00.000-07:00

Over the past week I have been lucky enough to be in a dialogue with Neil from Arn Mercantile. Here's the interview. All the accompanying images are taken from the Spring/Summer 2010 catalogue.

Amerkaji Meme: Lots of brands include an emphasis on natural products and production methods, for either ethical purposes ( Finisterre, Howies ) or for historically interesting/artisanal extravagance reasons ( Sugarcane, Samurai, 45rpm etc ). Could you explain why Arn Mercantile uses organic and fair-trade fabrics? Is it ethics or quality or both?

Arn Mercantile: Good question....

Organic and Fair-trade for us, was not a 'choice' both Akimi and I have been lucky to work with many other brands in position of near total freedom to build garments using the best raw materials possible, most of these garments suffered from the development process and the fabrics, were on the whole, dropped for 'cheaper' fabrics and trims, during the course of searching for the best we met many small looming houses and dyeing sheds that produced amazing cloths but in such small lengths they were not much use to large scale production. Many of these businesses were family run and with a history that stretched back over many generations with machines and skills past down. The thing that struck me was that many had no idea there were organic, they used the dyes. Mixes and yarns they always had done, most made their living from denim but also loomed chino cloths and shirting fabrics, mixing wools, cottons and silks in ways unique to each house. It was the same with the cotton producers, we travel all over with other companies to find the best cottons for denims, at the same time, mainly due to a nosey nature we found other cottons that lent themselves better to shirting or chino cloth it was a long time building, but we weren't thinking at the time that we were building anything. It was just our jobs we enjoyed what we did!

When we started ARN these were the weavers and dyers we wanted to use, we worked with them to develop a semi co-op were we could get a little more from the looms and they would be able to build a business that would compete a little better with the larger houses. We were lucky to find families that were happy to explore new way to use their businesses.

Short answer is both quality of cloth and ethics, we will never be a big business due to the nature of our cloths and trims we use, but we have a young son (the R in ARN) I have to look him in the face each day and don't want to fuck his future any more than I have done already. We not total 'green' people but we wanted ARN to prove it could be done we also run carbon negative/offset production and shipping with ARN, I do design and development with other companies and in that I do offer the CN option, some take it.

Amerkaji Meme: Neil, that's a fantastic answer. Next question - bit wordy but I hope you get what I'm getting at...

You mentioned that due to the nature of your cloths you will never be a big business, but I believe there is an increasingly educated ( albeit on some level or another ) consumer in today's market. I think people are interested in investing in good fabric and heritage. For example the blossoming of the work wear market, the interest in ethical organics, or alternative fabrics like bamboo etc point to a post capitalist thirst for something unique and niche and a fracturing of fashion markets into less linear forms. For your brand an increased willingness for consumers to invest in quality and alternatives would be a good thing but an increasing demand is also at odds with the nature of how the products are made and also their market position. How do you feel about this?

Arn Mercantile: When I say 'due to the nature of our cloths and trims' it's not the end user we talking about it's the limits on the production, there are so few solid narrow loomers left, the skills are disappearing and with them the businesses, ARN can only make what we can buy. As for the consumer there is a growing idea on what we and many others are doing but there is also a limit on how we all can work, to grow to a bigger size, let's say three to four times the amount of stores, we need to 'adjust' a few of our ideas and ideals, right now I'm in a position right now, talking with a large distributor to sell a in to a large market, we've had to cap the amount of stores they can sell to, so we can make the garment the way we like.

Next to fabric we spend as much time looking for and working with these small production houses that build good product, the business plan for ARN is one that would push a banker over the edge, limited fabric specialized production and zero return (money wise) this is why we can't/will not expand much and we not interested in doing it unless it's done right. Personally I been in this business since I was 12, sweeping up in my Dad's business, sitting watching the cutters working, nothing give me a bigger thrill than seeing something we made on someone (other than friends of ours) being used for what we wanted it to, I so happy that the green shoots of aware consumers are out there looking, the biggest thing about on-line stores for me is the world is your niche market now, we can touch and show garments to anyone who feels the urge to look for it, but with this growth come the ever watch full eye of the mass market, ready to jump all over it, ARN lost a shirt shape to top shop few seasons back, they produced something very close to an oxford shirt we did, so I felt I had to drop it, this happens a lot, it all part of the business, we grown and learn from it, I've worked and still do work for some VERY large companies (I'm happy for the income) in one such company (I no longer work with) they had told there designers to go into the 'cool' shops and buy up anything/everything they liked and rip it off, this is a standard practice. My fear is that will happen with the work wear market and with it the fabric and garment integrity will fall apart and the talent will lose ground and faith.

As you get bigger the costs skyrocket and there is the very common process of cheaper fabrics and cheaper production, which leads to cheaper fabric and cheaper production.....on and on, plus management of the business, good friend of mine lost everything due to wrong employee/wrong factory. Staying small is best for ARN we can keep it all in the same places and work how we feel is best.

Short answer:

I love the fact that people are seeing garments for what they are, this is in fact due to people like you who have passion, we're capped (in some degree) by our overall production levels, this is what will slow/stop massive growth, it's time companies who trade on a history of quality but don't deliver it, to drop their history of quality and deliver quality. The consumers have all the power not the brands.

Amerkaji Meme: Neil - great answer, that's exactly what I was getting at with regards to your limited production/materials and the dynamic concerns moving forwards. I don't know if you have seen the older posts on my blogs but I am sure that fast fickle fashion ( the realm that rips off smaller companies to make lower quality copies ) is coming to the end of its rule. Personally I feel that as companies, niche companies or companies with a rather artisanal nature - like yourself - attempt to grow the rewards will be short lived, for the shift to larger scale production will abandon the main reasons a small consumer base was built in the first place. A move from a loyal, interested niche market into competing within the huge fast fashion market could probably be a tricky and risky move. When you think of the plethora of brands that have made this leap the sad thing is that they don't provide a better product now, if any thing the product has decreased in quality/interest and whilst production and perhaps even profit has increased the core values have been jettisoned.

From your last answer it sounds like your very happy with this 'glass ceiling' ( for want of a less negative phrase ) that your production and market dynamic creates. Its exciting that Arn Mercantile will continue to develop and progress whilst staying high quality and limited scale.

What sort of developments will happen in next few seasons with regards to the end products? What's coming up?

Arn Mercantile: We've worked with enough label to understand the expand or die processes, it's killed to many good ideas. I like the idea of a glass ceiling but maybe because we've been under one for so long it just part of the makeup of our business that we except, ARN is all or nothing it runs on a tiny budget, we will stay true to what we believe in. not just in the development of the clothes but also in the way we do 'the business' I'll not chase sales nor will we try to claim anything about what we do, the garments must stand on their own it not about us it's about them and who chooses to wear them. The store we work with on the whole let us work the way we want, sometimes we're a little late but thy understand that and we talk to them as much as possible, which as we've found out means you can't really work with agents or distributors a great deal, another block on expansion.

We don't have themes nor do we combine colours to make stories for the range, we make what we like in fabrics we like in shapes we would wear, I love the fact that a big seller for is only 150pcs, the chinos are constant the SC jacket and the Medi also run through as did the oxford shirt until top shop, developed a new one now so they sell well enough. I have a room full of clothes, I'm lucky it's my job , my passion and I still enjoy it, but I wear the same couple of oxford shirts and chino most of the time an old pair of Kato denims now and then, I have a lot of blue jackets, I feel that is how the customer for ARN shops, I spend 6 years looking for a replacement for an old pair of denimes by the time I found it (Kato's, ended up working with them!!) the denimes were just holes and patches, most of us have that shirt/pant/sweat we get into and enjoy it for being old and getting old with us. That is now I want ARN to be seen, buy it fuck it up as you wear it and let it grown into you, I love the glass ceiling, we're not that interested in getting huge, just like to have a nice home (which we do have) and feed our family, get away a little, sadly I love what I do so much a holiday to me is a trade show and catching up with the few people in this business who get as much out of it as we do, it's never the money....money helps but the reason we got into this 20 + years ago was not money, most people do it for love, money is the thing that if you chase it, you never catch enough of it so all you do is chase it, plus if you've never had it you don't miss it, do you?

As for going forward we off to the shows, Pitti and Paris maybe Berlin, that's with the Cabourn Co-Lab and see what going on and catch up with a few friends, already sampled this season for Japan, new shapes are closer cut chinos, new hunting jacket and a chore jacket, three new shirts and starting the jersey stuff this time, five panel and a short raglan plus got our first t-shirt shape done for this season, doesn't sound like much but we've been looking at jersey for a awhile quite excited about it, I'm running out of t-shirts!! Starting with a second shirting factory this season too, one of the oldest shirt makers in the UK, interested to see how it work out, right now I have a desk full of hides working on a new bag but we'll see how I feel when I used it a bit.

Short answer....I like a glass ceiling, you see when it's raining without getting too wet!

Amerkaji Meme: Hi Neil, hope you didn't mind my last question. Its not like I'm saying "Why ain't you growing?". I just wanted to hear your views on it - thanks for that, great analogy of seeing when its raining without getting wet, you could go further still and say your sticking home with whats important and heimliche and your clothes don't get ruined!

Arn Mercantile: Didn't mind at all, we're not that focused on growing the sales side that much, right now, we work with some great stores and we offer all shirts in all fabrics (nearly) so we build our ideas with the stores customer needs ( fabric wise ), thank you for you kind words, we did some great bits last season, (working on ss11 now) I was happy with most of it, still a few production issues need sorting and we're moved to a new office so the garments have changed a bit to match our mind set.

Thank you

It's nice to talk just ethos instead of business.

Amerkaji Meme: Thanks.

Cushman X McCarthy

2010-05-19T12:25:00.000-07:00

Awesome photograph by Charles W Cushman. It really reminds me of a scene in Cormac McCarthy's The Blood Meridian.

45 rpm - A selection of images from the Spring/Summer 2010 Lookbook

2010-05-11T14:20:00.000-07:00

Where's Ralph?

Dania Japan - Another Japanese Amerkaji label!!!

2010-05-03T08:05:00.000-07:00

Dania Japan - Another Japanese Amerkaji label!!! I dont have too much information on them just yet, they are based in Kojima and look to be making very high quality jeans and various other workwear pieces. Take time to browse their site, lots of gorgeous items to lust after. Also take time to look at their blog which includes more pictures of these incredibly worn jeans. The model is either DJP006 or DJP048.

Gratuitous Denim Porn: My Pure Blue Japans 005-XX, Quite old with brown Over-dye.

2010-05-03T06:05:00.000-07:00

These are my old Pure Blue Japan 005-XX, I dont know how long I've had them or how much wear has gone into them. After I got a moderate amount of fading on the seat and thighs I decided to use Dylon 'Terracotta Brown' fabric dye. The dye hasn't made a huge difference, just muted the contrasts a little and given them a more used and vintage appearance. They are still one of my favourite pairs of jeans and have lots of life left in them. I acquired these before the Levis lawsuits so they have the older Pure Blue Japan styling feature on the back pockets which includes a blue tab!

Arn Mercantile - Product Received - Picture Details

2010-04-30T11:33:00.000-07:00

As promised some more detailed photographs of my beautiful new wool/cotton Arm Mercantile work-shirt. Details show the top button collar tab, the subtle half front button strip ( I'm not 100% positive this is the correct term for this feature ) and the cuff details. I took these in natural light underneath a window but the sky was pretty dark overhead. Regardless I hope you enjoy the details.

Michael O Anderson's Great Look

2010-04-29T13:10:00.000-07:00

This is the stylish Michael O Anderson. Sporting a mix of great brands, some not necessarily Amerkaji or strictly workwear labels but they are mostly from around that aesthetic paradigm. Rodeo Ralph Lauren, 45rpm and Engineered Garments are perhaps some of the more forward thinking neo-workwear brands, they all have a strong focus on quality and details and have an artisanal approach to product development. Michael pulls the look off with a cool nonchalance and a great photo. Yes smoking is cool, cowboys did it.

Arn Mercantile - Product Received

2010-04-29T12:06:00.000-07:00

Just had the pleasure of receiving a gorgeous wool/cotton mix work shirt from Arn Mercantile. I kopped the last one from Kiosk 78! The detailing is very nice and feautures lots of small touches that you don't often find. A hook fabric tab over the top button allows two different necklines whilst still keeping the chill at bay. The collar is button down and the front appears to be a pull over granddad shirt style but is in actual fact a full buttoned front fastening. The shirt cut is slim through the shoulders and chest but quite relaxed on the arms and body. Just right for a work wear shirt. Ill be posting more on this exciting new work wear brand in the future.

Wabi-sabi: The Melancholy of Transience.

2010-04-27T13:45:00.000-07:00

Wabi-sabi is a japanese term that was originally brought to my attention by fellow forum member Mizanation on Superfuture. It's definition is rather tricky to summarize, firstly because it's a portmanteau of Wabi and Sabi, so two complex concepts need to be comprehended simultaneously but also whilst regarding the delicate relationship and exchange between both Wabi philosophies and Sabi philosophies. Secondly each of these concepts has a rather slippery nature, to quote David Young's definitions - "Wabi refers to that which is humble, simple, normal, and healthy, while sabi refers to elegant detachment and the rustic maturity that comes to something as it grows old". Thirdly the actual meanings of each word have had various different meanings over the years, and like all evolving, organic languages todays meaning is quite separate to the meanings and contexts of its genesis.

Perhaps when contemplating Wabi-sabi in context of the Amerkaji aesthetic the idea of Wabi-sabi is the notion that an item or look is flawed, in a state of change and ultimately impermanent - This can, without too much of an epistemological leap align with rabid denim fetishism amidst the current denim culture and position of a Theseusian Paradox that a favourite pair of jeans ( or any item used and cherished for a time ) holds. This contemporary format of Wabi-sabi is also not too grossly contorted from its Zen Buddhism genesis. The contemporary and the original Wabi-sabi is about acceptance and contemplation of the imperfection, constant flux, and impermanence of all things. This could be a used and worn tea cup, a rusting rustic garden feature or a pair of 2 year old heavily worn Samurai 0500xx.

Whilst looking for a nice picture of some well worn and characterful Samurai 0500xx I came across SuperFuture member Thorns' jeans. They have obviously been through an outstanding transformation from raw to faded and nuanced jeans. I feel that they definitely have Wabi-sabi. However what I like about these pictures is the composition. Unfortunately I cannot recall where I read this but a wonderful analogy/example of Wabi-sabi is autumn leaves - transient, beautiful, fleeting, decaying and constantly changing and deteriorating as the world does. Thorns juxtaposition of two great examples of Wabi-sabi is sublime.

References:

David and Michiko Young, Spontaneity in Japanese Art and Culture, http://japaneseaesthetics.com, 2006

Tender Autumn/Winter 2010: Beautiful Denim, a sneak peak....

2010-04-23T03:54:00.000-07:00

Tender are a UK based artisanal denim and workwear company that, whilst not necessarily being a typically Amerkajian label, produce some wonderfully detailed and researched pieces with a uniquely english and old fashioned abandon for quality and refinement. Their jeans start as Leicester constructed 16oz Japanese Selvedge denim ( Woven in Okayama, Unsanforized, Unbleached wefts and warps that get 25 dips in indigo - high ) before, as if thats not enough, being hand dip dyed in central American natural ( or vegetable ) indigo in Norfolk, England. The indigo that Tender uses is from central America and was used by the Aztecs and Mayans, it's rich hue and deep potency providing great levels of lovely inky penetration for the garments dyeing. Natural Indigo is an incredibly luxurious dye with a uniqueness totally separate from the normal indigo used in 99.9% of jeans, for the layman out there reading this, perhaps ready to dismiss this article as marketing hyperbole the rareness of natural indigo is so great that if you walked out into London and scoured the shops, boutiques and department stores you probably wouldn't find a pair of natural indigo jeans ( or anything for that matter ). I can't think of another UK based company to be producing natural indigo denim in Britain. Upon inspection the fabric is beautiful, both the pre-dip and post-dip swatches. The raw fabric looks good, one can never truly gauge a denim until its been sat on top of your thighs for a year or two and raw denim is always shiny and starched, it's real essence lurking within, however the raw Okayama denim that Tender has sourced appears to have all the right components to evolve into a great denim. The warp is dark, very dark. That's what 25 dips in indigo causes. The weave is not perfectly consistent, some variation occurs, this will yield greater nuances I expect. The unbleached weft is not very visible, a characteristic I love because as the denim is washed and shrinks the fabric will contract, leaving the weft almost unseen from one side, leaving just a very dark, inky platform for the indigo to start falling from and fading. The over-dyed fabric is overall darker still, perhaps partly due to the shrinking effect but almost definitely due to the multiple dips in the natural indigo. The surface looks slightly bluer but at the same time darker, quite odd, with a distinctive turquoise tint. This is could be because the natural indigo has impurities leading to an off blue hue but I expect it's more likely to be a result of the unbleached, off white wefts having a lighter indigo laid on top creating a vague green effect.

To add to Tenders unique appeal their jeans also feature solid brass buttons, these are hand cast in devon just several pieces at a time. I've taken a few photographs of some samples that Tender were kind enough to send me, as any denim aficionado will know photographs rarely do the reality of denim justice however I hope these pictures give an idea the wonderful materials Tender work with.

Hopefully Ill get my hands on some of Tenders wonderful pieces soon and provide a more detailed write up of a particular product. In the meantime the stockists below will be carrying Tender products from July:

www.superdenim.co.uk (York)
Few And Far (London)
Tenue de Nimes (Amsterdam)www.hickorees.com (Brooklyn)
Unionmade (San Francisco)Douglas Fir (LA)

Sonagi's Samurai S0510XX III, very worn and full of character

2010-04-19T13:29:00.000-07:00

I don't intend to get bogged down on this blog with fickle denim fetishism but on the faintly odd SuperFuture Forum a stumbled across a great example of the the allure of modern amerkaji brands products and their capabilities to evolve into wonderfully aged and nuanced articles. Samurai Jeans ( more on this brand later ) are currently one of the most sought after repro denim brands in Japan and rightly so, they produce a wide range of cuts and the company resists the need to expand. Instead Samurai Jeans studiously focuses on the artisanal aspects of denim production and construction by using a variety of cottons, warp and weft thickness combinations and denim weights ( from 15oz to 24oz I think - correct me if im wrong ). Sonagi's Samurai S0510XX III have obviously been worn heavily for a long time, but have a depth of character that any pre-distressed jean ( no matter how costly ) could ever replicate. These are obviously a favourite pair of jeans, full of character, authenticity and uniqueness. What makes garmets like this so cherished and lauded is that no other jean, no even Sonagi's next pair, will ever be the same.

Kapital Jeans and the Aesthetic Echos of Jack W. Holley

2010-04-18T14:25:00.000-07:00

Here is a picture of, as Charles W Cushman said in November of 1952, "Jack W. Holley. Former world traveler at home now near Moab, Utah.". I looked at this and immediately thought of one of my favourite brands, namely Kapital Jeans. The worn, American casual wear, the denim, the work shirt and the vaguely hippyish patching and repair work are all prevalent in Kapital's slightly alternative or off camber vision of American Casual wear. Here is a full length picture of Cushman's Jack W. Holley.

The denim is beautifully worn, aged and repaired to a such a degree that they may have, upon closer scrutiny given rise to a Theseusian Paradox. I expect almost all of Jack W. Holley's clothes ( and perhaps possessions too ) were living, evolving articles in constant states of repair and renewal. The aesthetic is born from Holley's life and its incumbent necessities. Below are a few images taken from Kapital Jeans. The images are from the 'Jeans from Albiquiu' Collection look book and I feel a strong homogeneity is found between Kapitals pieces and styling and Cushman's wonderful portraits of Jack W. Holley.

Charles W Cushman Photographs

2010-04-16T13:30:00.000-07:00

Charles W Cushman took some literally awe-some ( and I use this phrase all to often but so many things are really awesome, in that you do just gaze, dumbstruck, in awe ) photographs of america as he travelled. The wonderful Charles W Cushman Photograph Collection is maintained and catalogued by Indiana University Archives / Digital Library Program and contains a wealth of inspirational images taken by Cushman. I cannot help but have an inkling that in some small way his work is at the bottom of the aesthetic meme I'm investigating on this blog, however obliquely connected to vintage inspired workwear fashions. Cushman certainly captured an era now historicized and canonized in nostalgia.

I expect ill be posting more of Cushman's images as the blog progresses, but there are hundreds to browse though at the Charles W Cushman Photograph Collection. Below is a selection of Cushman's images all eerily reminiscent of Caspar David Friedrich's wonderfully existential Wanderer above the Sea of Fog. The quietude is stunning, Cormac McCarthy's vivid literary panoramas spring to mind too. Regardless, enjoy!

Tender Autumn/Winter 2010: Full review coming soon...

2010-04-15T11:18:00.000-07:00

Tender are a small upstart I recently stumbled across. The denim looks seriously, seriously artisanal to the n'th degree. Vaguely reminds me of Kato Denim ( that unfortunately isn't around quite so much now ) but with a much stronger emphasis on vintage facets and characterful construction techniques and fabrics. Ill Post a lengthier review later but for now here is a picture of the jeans they produce.

First Post : A little about Amerkaji Meme and what its about.

2010-04-15T10:54:00.000-07:00

Hi! Amerkaji Meme has been created as a response to ( and engagement with ) the growing aesthetic meme of Amerkaji styles, American workwear, Vintage and Artisanal fashions. Brands I am already familiar with include Pure Blue Japan, Kapital Jeans, Samurai, Sugarcane Denim, Howies, Eternal, Julian Red, APC. I've probably left a lot out but the aforementioned labels have, over the years, provided me with some wonderful clothes -in fact they often become my favourite pieces year in year out.