beautiful_FrEaK

I talked with another member: A 1942 contest with the same denim would allow for slightly different fits, wildly different details and even cinch and no-cinch

In this day and age, I think it really ould only be suitable with a small maker. Sufu is not big enough anymore to get a big crowd joining. TCB said they would like to do a contest and the ones were quite big and interesting. That said a brand like Rockets, WoM, Sakura Overalls, Slash Overalls or Rebuilt would have a nicer touch and would give those small makers some more time on the denim stage. I could contact WoM and ask if he would be interested (if he hasn't already read the forum by now ). The only fear: for the "n" numbers of possible participants we will have "n+1" preferred versions of the jeans

Runabout x Ed Hardy

@AlientoyWorkmachine still a big fan of the UES jacket? Who remembers this t-shirt? 😅

IIRC, yes. But you can easily cut it, if it bothers you

Well, there are certainly people out there liking this fit. But probably not many from Sufu

LVC jeans now at 320 € at the German Levi's website (but hey, you can get them with 25% right now). That's really crazy

Denime 66XX Original Line W34 Worn a bit, too tight for me. Had one small restitch at the placket. Waist: 34.5" Front rise: 10.625 Thighs: 12.8" Leg opening: 7.7" Inseam: 32" 100$ shipped. Or make me a good offer

That's tough to say. The Denime XX from the Original Line have much more pronounced hip flare. The WoM fit closer to a pair of Ooe, even if the front ride is a tad lower. I think the Resoute 714 are similar in the top. Although the thighs meaured only 12.5" after wash, it doesn't feel that slim (exactly like my Denime 220A). Other jeans with such a small thigh usually fit more restricting on me.

Saw him first on IG and shortly after, @Broark shared the info of him in our "non Japanese unknown brands" thread.

Simone knows how to use his Union Special

If I had seen them in a shop, yes. The quality is right there. Of course, as @AlientoyWorkmachine said it shouldn't surprise anybody that in other countries similar jeans can be made. Somehow the vast majority of brands talked about here are from Japan though. I think, because besides Japan, there is aren't many other countries/brands doing these jeans. Where the seamstresses originate is another question 😉

Pre-soak After initial wash (30 °C machine wash)

Pictures of the jeans

**Disclaimer**: This is not a paid review, but I did receive the jeans for free. Whoever said that it's not worth spending on dozens of jeans and heaps of money might need to reconsider, because today, it finally pays off. I received this pair of jeans from the Italian one-man brand "Word of Mouth" to share my impressions. But first, a little background about the person behind the sewing machines. "Word of Mouth" was founded in 2019 by Simone Sorgato, born and raised in Milan, and now based in Rome. However, it all really began in 2015 when Simone had his jeans repaired at Self Edge New York. Inspired by this experience and by videos of ROY and Ben Viapiana at work, the idea of purchasing a Union Special 43200G firmly took root. Initially, Simone only offered hemming services for jeans. Gradually, more vintage and classic sewing machines came into his possession. He familiarized himself with these machines and expanded his services to include repairs. Yet, his ultimate goal was to produce his own jeans. It took many trials and errors before Simone was satisfied with his work, but in 2023, he was finally ready to bring his jeans to customers as a one-man brand. The brand name "Word of Mouth" is a homage to Jaco Pastorius. Simone himself is an avid bass player, which explains the connection. Even though Italy is home to famous denim mills and is renowned for its fashion, Simone chose to source his fabrics, hardware, and threads from Japan. When it comes to denim, Japan is simply the Mecca. However, there is another side to the coin, as some people are skeptical when high-end or reproduction jeans are not made in Japan. I count myself among this group. Therefore, I am all the more curious about how this Japanese-Italian collaboration turns out. The jeans in question are the "411" model. The 411 is inspired by the Levi's 501XX from the 1940s, and this version includes the typical WWII details. This means there are no rivets in the crotch area or on the coin pocket, and of course, no cinch-back. The buttons are the classic donut buttons with the laurel leaf. The fabric for the front pockets is a green herringbone twill. Since Simone does everything by hand—such as hand-folding the denim—and because the old machines sometimes have their quirks, no two pairs of jeans are identical. To stay true to the production conditions during World War II, the seams on the WWII model are a bit more irregular compared to, say, a 1947 model. This is comparable to the jeans from Conner’s Sewing Factory, which are made under similar conditions (these are not intentional flaws as seen with some other brands). Simone finishes one pair of jeans at a time. **The Fit** As mentioned earlier, the 411 model is inspired by the Levi’s 501XX from the 1940s. Depending on one's perspective, it's either a regular straight or slim straight fit. Simone developed the pattern with professional assistance. The rise is high, but not as high as some other brands. Notably, the back rise is lower than in brands like Full Count or Freewheelers, a feature I personally prefer. The taper from the hip to the waist is not as pronounced as in the Sugar Cane 1947 or Conner’s Sewing Factory models, but the 411 provides more room in the hips than CSF models, which I appreciate as a European. For a size 36, the thighs are cut narrower than in the brands mentioned earlier, which might be a concern for some. The leg tapers slightly towards the hem but remains relatively wide. The front pocket openings are small but functional, and the back pockets are of average size, comfortably accommodating a smartphone or wallet. Numbers say more than words. Raw vs. washed at 30 °C in the machine Waist: 36” 33” Front rise: 12.5” 11.5” Back rise: 17” 15.5” Thighs: 13.5” 12.5” Knee: 10.25” 9.25” Leg opening: 9.25” 8.75” Inseam: 34” 31” **The Denim** Simone sources his denim from Collect Mills in Japan. Apparently, Collect Mills also distributes denim from various mills, and this loom-state denim is reportedly from Shinya Mills. It weighs 12oz, which is lighter than the denim used by many Japanese brands for their reproduction jeans, but it falls within the same weight class as LVC jeans. It has a pink selvedge line and is relatively soft in its raw state. There are subtle irregularities, with a bit of slub here and there, and the hairiness is minimal. The indigo hue in its raw state is more of a medium shade with a steel-gray undertone. According to the description, this denim is typical of the 1950s, so it's not entirely accurate for a WWII jean, which would have used a rougher and darker denim. Simone can only purchase 1-2 rolls of denim per order, and once the denim runs out, it's usually no longer available. After washing it tightens up a lot and gets fuzzier. It has a very slight redcast. The denim remains rather soft after the wash. **The Details** The jeans feature the typical WWII details (or rather, the absence of them): laurel leaf donut buttons, missing rivets, partially unfinished seams, and front pocket fabric made from scraps (in this case, a green herringbone twill). All seams are sewn with yellow thread, just like the original. However, since Simone customizes each pair of jeans, I could have opted for different thread colors. Word of Mouth doesn't yet have personalized hardware like buttons and rivets, but for a WWII model, that's just right. The rivets are punch-through, as they should be. On Instagram, you can still see some older WOM models where rivets in the 60s style were used, which, fortunately, was not done here. The hidden rivets are rounded, as seen on vintage jeans. The red tab is made of rayon, just like the original, but it bears the inscription "PIZZA" (unlike the original). The leather patch is made from vegetable-tanned cowhide, an unusual choice since other brands often use goat or deer leather. It has a very smooth texture, and each leather patch is hand-cut and stamped by Simone. It depicts two pizza makers tearing apart a slice of pizza, a twist on the two horses pulling a pair of jeans. The leather comes from an Italian tannery. The paper flasher is as humorously designed as the leather patch. On my jeans, it wasn’t stapled, but that’s a minor issue since it would be the first thing removed anyway. The belt loops are slightly raised, which isn't typically found in vintage Levi’s but has become a standard in serious reproduction jeans. **The Construction** Five different thread sizes were used in the construction. As mentioned earlier, all seams were sewn with yellow thread, which is 100% cotton. Simone places great importance on the correct aesthetics, so the thread for the fly and front pockets is thinner. Combined with the 100% cotton thread, this naturally creates a potential weak point. To capture the feel of WWII jeans, the seams are not all perfect. Also, due to the hand-folding technique and the lack of ironing, the seams won't achieve the precision of brands like Iron Heart, but that’s not the intention. There are also unfinished seams and a few loose threads, but this is also intentional. One might argue that this approach masks the seamstress's shortcomings and sells them as a feature, but I believe that if someone gets machines from the 1920s to the 1970s up and running and adjusts them to their liking, their sewing skills will be more than adequate. Aside from that, the jeans feel solid. Only The buttonholes feel a bit loose, which might cause them to stretch too much and not hold the buttons securely. After the initial wash, the seams start to pucker and especially the roping looks fantastic. Simone definitely knows how to handle the Union Special. The buttonholes also shrank a bit and it feels more secure. **Summary and Conclusion** Overall, the 411 is a pair of jeans that perfectly embodies the concept of WWII jeans, as we've seen increasingly in recent years. The feeling of receiving a deadstock vintage pair is well conveyed. However, Word of Mouth has to measure up against a brand like Conner’s Sewing Factory, which is a high bar. At CSF, only machines that existed at the time of the jeans are used. WOM has the same level of accuracy. As a new brand, WOM is also dependent on "run of the mill" denim and doesn't have the option to use proprietary denim. Such denim comes with a significant financial risk, and according to Simone, he (still) lacks the expertise to help developing his own denim. WOM’s big advantage over CSF: you can order the jeans via Instagram without having to travel to Japan. Priced at €340, WOM is in the higher range. In terms of concept, I have to compare WOM with brands like CSF Rebuilt and Ooe Yofukuten. Rebuilt and Ooe are both cheaper; only CSF is more expensive. However, Ooe works in batches, and not every pair of jeans is made from start to finish before starting the next one. Rebuilt also works in batches, but these are smaller and more variable, depending on the orders received. Generally, the low Yen exchange rate makes it harder for WOM to compete with the Japanese competition. Established brands are now available at unprecedentedly low prices. Then there’s the matter of brand provenance, as I mentioned earlier. Japan simply holds the highest regard as a country of origin for jeans, something even Simone acknowledges by sourcing his denim, hardware, and threads from Japan. I was skeptical too, and for this reason, I probably would never have bought a pair of WOM jeans, despite liking the photos on Instagram. Therefore, I’m very grateful to Simone for giving me the opportunity to receive and test these jeans. Perhaps it will convince others to take off their "cherry-red Japan glasses" for once and try something new.

Thanks for your impressions guys! Curious how these will fade. I already found the denim of the 220A to be thinner than the old XX denim. But a ~13oz denim like the '47 denim will be better all year 'round.

The smartphones in the 1940s and 50s were just smaller

Late to the party... @Geeman Congratulations!

@MJF9 they look great! For our small bones brothers and sisters https://www.fromjapan.co.jp/japan/en/special/order/confirm/https%3A%2F%2Fjp.mercari.com%2Fitem%2Fm50696157247/13_1/ https://www.fromjapan.co.jp/japan/en/special/order/confirm/https%3A%2F%2Fitem.fril.jp%2F4a0f8ab89963e9510f7ebfd8a329f25d/19_1/

Trust me, you don't want anything I've sewn

Come on @AlientoyWorkmachine, you can't leave us here without any pictures!

All I can say for now, it's from a one-man-brand. So that rules out Resolute Maybe still interesting for you @aho ?

The Denime look really nice though!😉

Maybe not the right thread but still a place to discuss. A little teaser, soon more to see

Very nice, thanks for sharing! I gonna merge with this thread: https://supertalk.superfuture.com/topic/88718-cone-denim-mills-thread/