The pinnacle of vintage chore coats is arguably the Lee one featuring a chin strap, commonly known among Japanese denim heads as the "Lee-Chin."
Nowadays, it can command prices exceeding 82,000USD.
Naturally, I thought getting my hands on one was out of the question.
However, I happened to own a Lee "UNION-ALLS", a one-piece jumpsuit, dating from the same era as the Lee Chin.
When I compared the two, the details of the upper body were strikingly similar. That’s when I came up with an idea:Why not create a chore coat based on this jumpsuit?
Of course, simply using the upper body of the UNION-ALLS and adding the waist pockets seen on the Lee Chin would have resulted in a decent enough replica.
But that would have just been another reproduction—the kind you hear about all the time.
So, the remix approach TCB chose was:Chopping the jumpsuit.
We literally made UNION-ALLS into half right at the waist.
The structure consists solely of the jumpsuit's upper half.
As a result, the front retains slash pockets with pocket bags, while the back features a large patch pocket—an unusual detail for a chore coat.
We offered this item early at a recent pop-up event in Tokyo, and that back pocket was the detail that caught the eyes of avid workwear fans.
It’s a detail that wouldn't normally be found on a standard chore coat. Yet, that very feature serves as a trace of its origins as a jumpsuit.
It represents a creative angle we hadn't really explored at TCB before. The project worked so well because the upper body of the original UNION-ALLS shared almost identical details with the Lee Chin—a garment truly worthy of the title "King of Chore Coats." It’s a 1920s-style chore coat with a unique TCB twist.We hope you enjoy wearing it while appreciating both our respect for vintage design and the fun of this remix.
□ Fabric
9.8oz Jelt Denim
For the warp threads, we spun a yarn that replicates the original: a sharp, irregular "slub" yarn that is fine in gauge yet features long, flowing variations. For the weft, we deliberately chose a yarn with a "neppy" texture—pre-dyed a beige shade using vat dyes. The interplay between the indigo warp and beige weft creates a vintage-style hue with depth, while simultaneously achieving a natural, rustic aesthetic. The fabric is woven with a high-density construction. This tight weave delivers a level of firmness, body, and strength unexpected in a light-ounce denim. It is a faithful reproduction of "Jelt Denim"—a fabric that successfully combines the seemingly contradictory qualities of lightness and durability.
