Freewheelers, Bootleggers Reunion, Bubo, etc.

[indigoeagle]

On 4/8/2026 at 2:59 PM, beautiful_FrEaK said:

Thanks guys, pretty happy with it. Might have gone with a bigger size but I think this works well as a fitted jacket.

It looks comfortable, not tight. 
44?

[beautiful_FrEaK]

Yes it's a 44. The leather patch needs some some, it's quite hard now.

[indigoeagle]

Great service again from Seiichiro

[shredwin_206]

@indigoeagle do you have the previous wwii jeans? Would like to see this new denim lot next to the previous version. 
 

[Sympathy-For-The-Denim]

I have posted several times regarding counterfeits of Japanese brands. Here is what I think another fine and hard to determine specimen:

https://www.vinted.de/items/8540894359-freewheelers-company-the-vanishing-west-507xx-1951-2nd-type-jeansjacke-in-grosse-40?referrer=catalog

https://www.vinted.de/items/8695127579-freewheelers-jeans-601xx-1951?referrer=catalog

 

Edited April 20 by Sympathy-For-The-Denim

[indigoeagle]

22 hours ago, shredwin_206 said:

@indigoeagle do you have the previous wwii jeans? Would like to see this new denim lot next to the previous version. 
 

Yep, I also have the 1945 second half ones.
These are still raw. So I need to soak them and best wear a little to compare them.
The denim looks very nice. Quite dark and a pattern that reminds me a bit of herringbone.
Like has been said by the Hooper guy a very subtle evolution from the previous one.

[indigoeagle]

8 hours ago, Sympathy-For-The-Denim said:

I have posted several times regarding counterfeits of Japanese brands. Here is what I think another fine and hard to determine specimen:

https://www.vinted.de/items/8540894359-freewheelers-company-the-vanishing-west-507xx-1951-2nd-type-jeansjacke-in-grosse-40?referrer=catalog

https://www.vinted.de/items/8695127579-freewheelers-jeans-601xx-1951?referrer=catalog

 

What makes you think, that they're not the real thing.

The only thing that at first glance looks a bit unusual to me would be the size tag, both the fabric and the numbers' font, and a little the paper tag/flasher.
Otherwise it all looks quite authentic.

[LazyS]

I remember hearing some of those recent deadstock Bootleggers pairs were bootlegged too. I heard the quality impressed Sushi

[Sympathy-For-The-Denim]

@indigoeagle the denim just doesn't look right, best to judge from the inside, perfect parallel diagonal lines while selvage denim feature more sort of seismic profile lines. but there is a lot other stuff out there which is impossible to identify as... and watch for the fit of the 601xx, those are far away from being a 1950s repro.

check this:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/127793779861?itmmeta=01KPNRBXV4ZAMGXXGVC91VV9ZG&hash=item1dc11a5495:g:p4IAAeSw1Xtp0rzE

same picture used as in the offer before while the shop got other stuff from Japanese brands, flight jackets etc...

Edited April 20 by Sympathy-For-The-Denim

[Sympathy-For-The-Denim]

the real thing:

Edited April 20 by Sympathy-For-The-Denim

[Sympathy-For-The-Denim]

the other one

[julian-wolf]

^ That just looks like the difference of washed vs. raw, to me

[yochrisahn]

5 hours ago, Sympathy-For-The-Denim said:

the other one

That "40" size tag definitely looks off.

[LazyS]

never seen this size tag before either 

[Sympathy-For-The-Denim]

I also had spotted sugar cane (which I had bought not being able to identify them as a fakes back then), freewheelers, studio d'artisan, momotaro, acne studio... all of them came nwt, all made from the same denim that just looks like off the rag 501 raw denim from 2010. some shops sell original stuff too that makes it hard to tell...

Edited April 21 by Sympathy-For-The-Denim

[indigoeagle]

@shredwin_206 I was also curious about the denim comparison, so I took some pics.
Not that much to see, though, I'm afraid. But it gives you an idea perhaps.

[indigoeagle]

Talking about the patch, I also took pics of the washed and raw ones.

 

Edited April 21 by indigoeagle

[indigoeagle]

On 4/20/2026 at 5:50 PM, Sympathy-For-The-Denim said:

the other one

One difference: in the top left there is no bigger gap between the thread and the red line.
One the other examples, my two jeans included, the red line tilts a bit to the right, making the gap larger.

Also the buffaloes look different, the fur and again the font of the size numbers.
 

[Sympathy-For-The-Denim]

The most obvious difference though is: the counterfeits graphics and fonts are embossed while on original patches only the lot and size numbers are, such as original Levi's patches

[beautiful_FrEaK]

It's frightening how good these Chinese fakes are getting. Vinted is full of fakes these days. Often easy to spot but the examples above are showing what those workshops are capable of.

[indigoeagle]

23 hours ago, Sympathy-For-The-Denim said:

The most obvious difference though is: the counterfeits graphics and fonts are embossed while on original patches only the lot and size numbers are, such as original Levi's patches

Ah, yes, the embossing is a clear indicator.

[indigoeagle]

Lot 506XX 1946-47

compared with the WH DD Bannerdenim 1947 one

[vlad_III]

Which one do you like better?

[indigoeagle]

14 hours ago, vlad_III said:

Which one do you like better?

I like them both.
They fit similarly in 46. The FWs one is a bit softer and more blue. The WH Banner Denim is a bit rougher, neppier and darker.

[Hopethisoneisnttaken]

On 4/22/2026 at 10:42 AM, beautiful_FrEaK said:

It's frightening how good these Chinese fakes are getting. Vinted is full of fakes these days. Often easy to spot but the examples above are showing what those workshops are capable of.

So, at which point do we start calling them ‘FW repro’ rather than ‘FW counterfeit’? 😅

[shredwin_206]

Freewheelers 1927 jacket 

[vlad_III]

1947 project 200 days 

[MJF9]

@vlad_III coming along very nicely

[fabes]

Bubo got a surprise splash of color this morning making it a 1 of 1 as far as I know. Apparently, I missed grabbing it out of the washer last night and my better half was rinsing a garment she just dyed. I’m taking it as a Bob Ross style happy accident! 

[CSL]

Ha! Looks good that way.