ShopDetour: Daily ramblings of two denim nerds

Baldwin Denim

2010-03-21T21:04:00.001-05:00

Baldwin Denim Mens Short from Baldwin on Vimeo.

Designed in Kansas City and produced in the USA, Baldwin Denim is the creation of Standard Style Boutique’s owner, Matt Baldwin. The first collection focuses on the core styles of straight and slim/skinny jeans, all of which are made from raw denim that either comes from Cone Mils’ famous White Oak Plant in the USA or Kaihara Mill in Japan. Read more on Baldwin’s bio and an interview with Matt Baldwin at Denim Debate.

One of the Best Mens Stores in America?

2010-03-19T21:53:00.002-05:00

We are surprised and honored to be considered one of the "best Mens Stores in America" along with these other amazing shops from around the country. Check out the site and vote for us...if you want, we'll buy you a beer:) Thanks!

So in the last week a few clients have asked me "What are the best Men's stores today?" I of course have my favorites, but like most things I post on my blog I look to you for more information and your opinion on the stores you love to support and call your favorite. So after seeing the success of Jake Davis's Best Mens' Style Blog post, I thought I'd do what all great artists do; steal the idea and add my own spin on it...

So, with that said, the image on here is not the end-all-be-all, post whoever you love to shop, online or brick and mortar... I'll add them up next Friday and give the winner a nice virtual pat on the back.
Choose 1, I'm making it harder... deal with it.

http://youhavebrokentheinternet.blogspot.com/

Denim Mills and Production

2010-03-14T14:32:00.002-05:00

A synopsis of the most important and influential denim mills and laundries in Japan, USA, Italy and Turkey ...

JAPAN

Kaihara - Hiroshima

Established in 1951 with 34 machines, by 1970 the mill had developed indigo rope dying machines and started a delivery of rope dyed denim in Japan. By the early 90s the mill introduced ring yarn spinning and vintage production by narrow width shuttle machines. Kaihara is renowned for the sanforised selvedge it’s produced for decades.
visit kaihara-denim.com
Nisshinbo

Established in 1907, the Nisshinbo mill concentrates on ‘Waza’ in its manufacturing, or the outstanding craftsmanship and original techniques of Japan. Importance is attached to Japan’s original production and processing techniques, quality and taste in all stages of production such as spinning, dyeing, weaving and finishing.
visit nisshinbo.co.jp
Kurabo

Kurabo was founded over 110 years ago. Unique technologies in spinning, dyeing and processing have been the cornerstone for its development in denim technology and have received admiration from around the world. Kurabo was one of the first mills to specialize in natural indigo denim.
vist kurabo.co.jp
Kuroki

From the 60s onwards, vat dyed denim was produced at the Okayama based factory which switched to rope dyeing from 1965 onwards. The factory is renowned for producing a hybrid of traditional/ technological artisanal denim.
www.denim-kuroki.co.jp

U.S.A.

Plains Cotton Cooperative Association - Texas

A farmer owned mill with a unique and long standing relationships with Levi’s, producing denim almost exclusively for the brand for the past 20 years.
visit pcca.com
Conen Mills - North Carolina

Started by Baltimore based-brothers Moses and Caesar Cone, the company was originally a wholesale grocer until 1895 when they started weaving their own denim. By 1912 the Cones operated four mills in Greensboro, North Carolina - Proximity, Revolution, White Oak and Proximity Print Works. The company started supplying denim for Levi’s jeans in 1910, becoming the exclusive supplier for the 501 in 1922. Cone is still one of the world’s biggest denim manufacturers, having integrated with textiles manufacturers Burlington Industries in 2004 to form the International Textiles Group (ITG).
visit cone.com/
Amoskeag - New Hampshire

A New Hampshire factory town which was the first major source of denim in the US. The Amoskeag Manufacturing Company opened in 1838 and by 1900 claimed to be the world’s biggest textile producer; it later declined due to industrial unrest and competition from southern mills. Amoskeag denim was used exclusively for Levi’s 501 until 1915.
Sights Denim Systems (Laundry) - Kentucky

Once a batch of jeans has been milled and produced, they’re sent to the Sights laundry to be distressed by razor blades, hair dryers, sandpaper and sandblasters. Vintage jeans are used as templates for the treatments; clients include True Religion, Seven, Ernest Sewn, Rogan, Ralph Lauren and Levi’s.
visit sightsdenim.com

TURKEY

Orta Anadolu

Established in 1953 as a spinning and weaving factory, the site has a production capacity of 45 million square meters of fabric. The factory supplies several global brands including Levi’s and as of 2006 has started to produce certified organic denim fabrics.
visit ortaanadolu.com
Isko

Producing 15 million metres of fabric monthly, Isko is Turkey’s biggest production company (second is GAP Guneydogu Tekstil). A fully integrated factory, Isko produces cutting edge denim engineering combined with highly modern production facilities and is responsible for 60% of Turkey’s denim output. Yarn is supplied by Sanko - the biggest supplier of its type in Turkey and a global leader also.
visit isko.com.tr/
GAP Guneydogu Tekstil

Exporting globally, this mill produces under the name Calik Denim for Levi’s and Diesel predominantly. Produces 57 million metres of denim annually.
visit calikdenim.com.tr

ITALY

Tessitura di Robecchetto Candiani

Based close to Milan, this experimental and creative mill has concentrated exclusively on the production of denim since the installation of its first indigo dyes in 1976. The strength of the mill has been in the innovation and diversification of its Denim.
visit trccandiani.com
Legler , Bergamo

Established in 1800s, the mill re-launched in 1972 to produce denim and widening its production to include cotton based Flat and Cord fabrics. Diesel works closely with this Italian based Mill because of their proximity, and have produced new washes together
visit legler.it
Martelli Lavorazioni Tessili (Laundry)

For over 50 years the Martelli group has grown progressively, consolidating its place amongst the most highly respected laundries worldwide. Renowned for creative ideas and industrial organization the company can process any type of material, from natural fibers to the latest in cutting edge fabrics.
visit martelli.it
other tech-ni-cal features
history of denim history of denim Starting from the beginning, from the very first known creation for the Genoese Navy through to the sexy ad campaigns of the 80's ...
anatomy of a jean antomy of a jean Dissection of a generic five-pocket style highlighting every vital component and iconic styling elements ...
denim washes and finishes denim washes and finishes A guide to the final treatments applied to denim to re-create the ultimate display of detail, wear and aging that is found in true vintage denim ...
denim care guide denim care guide A one-stop essential read on how to care, and not kill, your denim ...
denim glossary denim glossary A complete A-Z glossary of denim terms from finishes, detail and weaves to mills, branding and history ...
denim glossary denim mills and production A synopsis of the most important and influential denim mills and laundries in Japan, USA, Italy and Turkey ...

courtesy of www.oki-ni.com

Wings+Horns Spring

2010-03-11T15:33:00.002-06:00

The highly anticipated Wings+Horns Spring is starting to hit the floor. Here's a look at our 1st shipment before it goes up on the site.

W+H Organic Terry Hoody. Black/Charcoal. S-XL $154

W+H Thermal Henley. Grey/Natural. S-L $99

W+H Organic Terry Crew. Charcoal. S-XL $121

W+H Thermal L/S. Grey. S-XL. $88

W+H S/S Crew. Charcoal. S-XL. $55

W+H Oxford. Navy. S-XL. $143

W+H Oxford. White. S-XL. $143

Call or email with any questions or any ordering info.
Thanks!

Gitman Vintage Spring Shipment

2010-03-11T13:07:00.005-06:00

We just received another great shipment of Gitman Vintage and we've received so many calls and emails for it that we decided to put it up on the blog before we get it on the site.
Now we would suggest staking your claim before it goes up on the website.
Just email us for any ordering info. Thanks again and enjoy!

Gitman Vintage. Green/Navy/Peach Plaid. S/S S-L $156

Gitman Vintage. Red/Yellow/Purple Check. S/S S-L $156

Gitman Vintage. Denim/Red/Pink Plaid. S/S S-L $156

Gitman Vintage. Orange/Grey/Yellow Plaid L/S S-L $162

Gitman Vintage. Maroon/Navy/Yellow Plaid. L/S S-L $162

Gitman Vintage. Orange/Purple/Green Plaid. L/S S-L $162

Distressing Experience

2010-03-07T22:25:00.001-06:00

There are lots of reasons to stay away from the L.A. denim world—for one, we just plain don’t like distressed clothes—but if you get past any lingering style reservations, it can be a pretty fascinating scene. Particularly if you’ve got a camera handy.

Sundance recently took a trek into the dark heart of Ed Hardy-ness and came away with Dirty Denim, a 15-minute series of web shorts that convince us it’s worse than we ever imagined. Small labels scramble over distressing techniques, play hardball with buyers, and try to keep their styles safe from the eight other labels they share a washhouse with—and just about everyone’s scrapping.

Of course, the real horror is what they do to the jeans. Potassium sprays, paint splatters and rotary grinders are all turned against defenseless raw denim with little to no remorse. The rest isn’t too different from the mind-boggling hustle of the rest of Hollywood—but it should give pause to anyone who’s day-dreamed about starting up their own denim line.

courtesy of getkempt.com

Turf Skatepark-Milwaukee WI

2010-03-05T20:41:00.002-06:00

This is how my brother and I spent many a weekend in the late 80's early 90's.
Hope you enjoy it as much as we did!

Random Pics

2010-02-27T23:47:00.002-06:00

New Arrivals: KZO Spring 1

2010-02-24T16:45:00.002-06:00

We just a received a shipment of one of our favorite shop brands, KZO. KZO is an L.A. based brand that uses Japanese materials and production, and trust me, you can tell! This Spring the line has some amzing key pieces like the Shawl Collar Reactor Cardi, The Harvest Chambray and of course the Highland Knit Blazer. Enjoy the sneal peek to our members before it goes up on the site.

KZO. Reactor Shawl Neck Cardigan. Navy. S-XL. $216. Made in Japan.

KZO. Harvest Japanese Chambray Shirt. Indigo. S-XL. $242. Made in Japan.

KZO. Highland Knit Blazer. Black. S-XL. $235. Made in Japan.

KZO. Bandit Henley. Charcoal. S-XL. $112. Made in Japan.

Call or email for ordering info.
Thanks for the support.

New Arrivals: The Hill-Side

2010-02-24T16:12:00.003-06:00

Just received a new shipment of shop favorite The Hill-Side. In this batch we received quite a few scarves, some bandanas and some pocket squares. Here's a sneak peek before they go up on the site!

The Hill-Side. Selvage Chambray in Natural. $80. Made in USA.

The Hill-Side. Selvage Chambray in Black. $80. Made in USA

The Hill-Side. Selvage Chambray in Indigo/Stripe. $80. Made in USA.

The Hill-Side. Selvage Chambray in Red. $80. Made in USA.

The Hill-Side. Lightweight Selvage Chambray in Indigo/White. $80. Made in USA

The Hill-Side. Selvage Bandanas in Plum and Indigo/White Stripe. $44

The Hill-Side. Selvage Chambray Pocket Squares. $39. Made in USA.

Call or email with ordering info :)
thanks for the support.

Just In: Gitman Bros. Vintage Oxfords

2010-02-19T15:09:00.002-06:00

So we just received a BIG shipment of Oxfords, you know the Whites, Blues, Lt Greys etc...but this time we received some new special ones!! We received a Pale Yellow Oxford and a Taupe Striped Oxford! We haven't seen either of these any where else.
Here's the pics before they go up on the site:

Gitman Bros. Vintage. Pale Yellow Oxford. S-XL. $140. Made in USA.

Gitman Bros. Vintage Oxford. Taupe Striped Oxford. S-XL. $150. Made in USA.

Like always, call or email us if interested before they go up on our site.

Vintage North Face

2010-02-19T15:04:00.001-06:00

We received this Vintage North face a few days ago and were amazed in the fantastic shape it is in. No rips or stains. Slimmer fit, very cool and modern looking.
Has vintage "brown label" that says Made in USA! Size M. $150

Call/Email us any questions you may have. This is a one of a kind!

Evolution...

2010-02-19T14:59:00.002-06:00

A couple days ago, a friend of the shop stopped in with these APC New Cures.
These guys are amazing! Look at the Fades! needless to say we asked if we could keep them and put them up on display in the shop for everyone to come in and appreciate. Here's the details:

- Purchased in Japan
- worn 5-6 days a week
- 2 years old
- 1 cold soak
- 1 ocean wash

Woolrich Woolen Mills: Fall 2010

2010-02-08T20:23:00.003-06:00

One of our all time favorites
Looks better than ever!

Quoddy: Fall 2010

2010-02-08T20:18:00.002-06:00

Again, we currently don't do shoes but c'mon look at these...amazing!
Let us know what you think!!!

Gitman Bros. Vintage: Fall 2010

2010-02-08T20:04:00.003-06:00

Everyone knows Gitman Bros Vintage is one of our favorites (and yours too!) This Falls selection looked as good as ever, in fact I think it may be the best one yet.
Take a look at the first picture and you can see we liked a few:) This Fall has the infamous Oxfords, Overdyed Oxfords, Chambrays, Plaids and Flannels...oh and the ties are good too!!

Our Legacy: Fall 2010

2010-02-07T20:40:00.003-06:00

Love, Love, Love Our Legacy.

Yuketen: Fall 2010

2010-02-07T20:32:00.003-06:00

Now we currently don't carry footwear but after seeing these Yuketens in person and talking with the designer and seeing his passion for what he does, my brother and I are considering otherwise! What do you think? Shoes?

Folk: Fall 2010

2010-02-07T20:20:00.003-06:00

Here's the Folk line out of the UK. We like this line lot's but we're not completely sure if we're going to bring it in yet. Let us know what you think!!

Post O'Alls: Fall 2010

2010-02-07T19:59:00.002-06:00

Here's some of our promised pics from our trip to NYC to see some of the new amazing Fall 2010 collections. These are the items that we chose but keep in mind they're not the entire buy...we have to keep some things secret:)

Also keep in mind I'm not a photographer, these shots are a little raw, but I think they get the point across.

What's your perception of MKE?

2010-02-04T10:37:00.002-06:00

So Milwaukee appears to be going through a national identity crisis...it doesn't have one. A recent study shows that when asked most Americans have no thoughts or opinion on Milwaukee. Now as small shop owners in MKE, that kinda bugs us. So we were wondering if you, our National readers, would answer a couple questions for us:

1. What is your perception of Milwaukee?

2. What can Milwaukee do to establish a positive image for itself?

Email us your responses, we're very interested in hearing your thoughts
Thanks!!

New Vintage Dry Goods!!

2010-01-29T08:33:00.003-06:00

This is an example of some of the new Vintage Dry Goods we've
recently received in the shop. Items include Flannels, Overshirts, Jackets, Bags, and Shoes/Boots. Stop in and take a look!

Vintage Pendleton Flannel OverShirt
Size L. $65. Made in USA

More to choose from in shop.
Call or email if you would like to purchase
any of these!

Vintage Red Wings

2010-01-28T10:32:00.003-06:00

Vintage Red Wings.

These Red Wings are in amazing shape!
Very little scuffing on leather, sole is in great shape.
Embossed "Red Wing" on the outside of the upper.
Made in USA
USSize 8 $145

Email shop/website if your interested in picking up these amazing boots
One of a kind.
Thanks

PS More Vintage Clothing and shoes pics to come, keep in touch!!

Inventory Magazine

2010-01-21T09:58:00.002-06:00

Now available on line and in shop!
Featuring the new direction of Menswear and the companies and retailers that are pushing it forward. A must read.
Limited Edition, Collectors Item. $20

Wings+Horns Spring 2010 Pre-Order

2010-01-13T16:32:00.002-06:00

Delivery 1 Items (Delivery Beginning of Feb)

Wings+Horns Tiger Terry. Grey. XS-XL. $176

Wings+Horns Sports jacket. Navy. S-XL. $396

Wings+Horns L/S Oxfords. White and Navy. XS-XL. $143

Wings+Horns Mountain Parka. Black Chambray. S-L. $572

Wings+Horns Mac Coat. Khaki. S-XL. $440

Wings+Horns Full Zip Terry Hoody. Black/Charcoal. XS-XL. $154

Wings+Horns Chambray Harrington. Black. S-XL. $330

1st Delivery items we have coming in but couldn't find pictures of yet:

Wings+Horns S/S Jersey Crew. Charcoal. XS-XL. $55
Wings+Horns Thermal Henley. Grey/Natural. XS-XL. $99
Wings+Horns Thermal Crew. Charcoal/Grey. XS-XL. $88
Wings+Horns Terry Crew. Charcoal. XS-XL. $121
Wings+Horns Slim Chino. Navy. 29-34. $165
Wings+Horns Chambray Tie. Blue. $99
Wings+Horns Oxford Cloth Tie. Red. $99

As soon as I find more pictures I will put them up.

Call or email us to if you have any questions on Pre-Ordering any of the items.
A PayPal Invoice will be sent to you for Pre-Orders

Don't Hesitate...remember how fast Fall 09 sold out:)