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Expected Delivery: the end of Jan ~ mid Feb
This project began when I outgrew my old jeans, and I wanted to showcase the skills of the various artisans in Kojima in a way that only TCB can.
It's a bit self-deprecating, but I named this series Fat Cats Records with the idea of recording the jeans I wore when I was heavier so that everyone could enjoy them.
As the name suggests, these jeans have been "recorded." That's why they can be worn by people of all body types and in a variety of sizes.
It would be great for a slender person to enjoy the beard I carved into them as an oversized pair, even though I'm over 100kg, and for a 100kg person to wear the same size just right, that would be great in itself too.
This time, we approached RYOTA of Bito Co., Ltd., a young up-and-coming designer we hope will lead the next generation. His workshop is always decorated with vintage pieces with various beards, and he draws inspiration for the beards and distressing he creates from these pieces as he works on each pair.
While the fading process involves a wide range of steps, the first step is creating the whisker pattern (see photos 22 and 23), which greatly influences the impression of the honeycomb and whiskers. This is a process that can only be done by two people, including RYOTA, at Bito, which also handles processing for world-renowned luxury brands. The next step is to repeat the process of scraping (giving the overall look) → grinding (pinpoint processing on seams, etc.) → washing multiple times, gradually narrowing down the desired look by hand.
Speaking of the stitching, TCB strives to accurately reproduce each vintage piece. This is why ironing is necessary to achieve the same distortion, and different sewing machines are used depending on the model to achieve the same stitching. Of course, since it's done by hand, it's impossible to achieve an exact replica, but we wanted the process to retain the TCB signature.
Many of you may have heard of the stone-washing process, which involves adding pumice to a washing pot to create an overall look. The weight of jeans changes with size. As the weight of the jeans in the kettle changes, the amount of pumice stone added affects the fading. This time, we calculated the weight of each size and had the processing carefully match the weight of the jeans and the ratio of pumice stone used during washing.
Regarding the stitching, polyester thread is typically used for these types of products because threads tend to fray during the processing process. At TCB, we use cotton thread, so the color fades to match the color of the garment itself. Any loose seams, such as the crotch, that would interfere with wear are repaired with gray thread.
This is how TCB's Faded S40s were completed.
The 1st picture shows the real fades on the top and the bottom two are the finished products this time. As a Kojima denim brand, we are proud of this product.
□Notes
- Because this product is made from raw fabric and faded, the sizing is smaller. We recommend going up one to two sizes compared to regular S40s.
- Areas prone to fraying are repaired by re-stitching.
- Leather patches are attached after the color fading process.
*For details on stitching specifications and fabric, please see the S40's page.
*The Red Tab has undergone a change in specifications and is now indigo dyed.
