Denim in Bangkok

[Ozone]

can someone tell me what Tanner, Lee & Na is?

[andreweezer]

Since tweedlesinpink brought it up in this thread, I was curious as to the location of his 'hole in the wall' denim store at the MBK Center near Siam Square. My sister-in-law was able to find it unerringly with some sort of freakish shopping sixth sense, so I took some shots and talked a bit with the guy at the counter.

The name of the place is 'Trenner, Lee & Na', right near the Tops Supermarket, in a small side path near the edge of the shops on the first floor.

They had a decent amount of SDA (the 15 year anniversary model, and some used 10 year anniversary), Denime, what I assumed were LVC (in Bangkok I'm never sure what is or isn't real) and Yamane, among others. I'd say most of their stock is Evisu, but there's a little bit of this and that in random piles near the front and hanging on the back, and various used models on the left wall ranging from Dry Bones to Samurai. Supposedly they're getting in some 'slimmer' models jeans next month from Sugarcane, PBJ, and a few others, although he didn't remember specifically which models. Most of the stock I saw right now was more on the repro-side of things fit-wise.

Regardless, thanks again to tweedlesinpink for the heads up!

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[Ozone]

Thanks, i didn't see it on the first floor, must be hidden well.

[andreweezer]

Got these slims at the weekend market for about $15

[izjobba]

Hello guy , I'm Thai. I live around that place MBK and siam square.

I can confirm that Lee & Na store in MBK sell authentic jeans and some of those really rare but they are so pricey. You can also find EVISU and DENIME they have so many pairs of them.

[izjobba]

can someone tell me what Tanner, Lee & Na is?

the denim store where is in MBK(Shopping mall), Bangkok Thailand.

They sell authentic jeans for example evisu, denime, Pure blue japan and etc.

[Ozone]

thank you, next time i will find it.

[waxedhead]

are they still open for business? do they sell loopwheeled tees? and any other denim shops in bkk?

[chaitea]

PRONTO

They have 2 shops. One in Siam Square and another one at Central World. I haven't been to the shop yet (I haven't been back home for 6 months)

Map & Contact Info: http://prontodenim.com/home/stores/

[waxedhead]

thanks for the info. will check them out when im there next week.

[Soulrain]

PRONTO

They have 2 shops. One in Siam Square and another one at Central World. I haven't been to the shop yet (I haven't been back home for 6 months)

Map & Contact Info: http://prontodenim.com/home/stores/

lot of good denim brands here

[Largo]

That's pretty cool. They don't (or rather, didn't) stock any Flathead (or any of those brands) at Tanner Lee & Na, so it's nice to have some variety. In fact, I don't think I saw any of those at at Chatuchak too. Although give what I've heard recently, and knowing that place, there's probably fake Cheap Monday flying around.

[Handinglove]

Lee opened Take5 Bangkok in Dec, it is at Siam Square, 2. floor, walk in at the door next to Toyota shop. All samurai stuff is now at Take5,

Na is still at MBK and Evisu, Denime, Yen etc is still there.

note about China made Evisu. Starting 2007 and part of 2008 all No2 were made in China. Only No1 were made in Japan. But from mid 2008 No2 production back in Japan. The made in China fabric is different, sligtly softer, and the tag inside of course.

Lee and Na stuff is legit. For now Lee sells Samurai and there are some really sweet deals, size32 samurai limited 10th Anniv with soilver thread on pockets, some 24 ounce too. He is not Samurai authorized dealer now.. but in mid of this year he will be.

[Handinglove]

Yes, that's right, it was Manga not Zen.

When I went to Tanner... in MBK the prices quoted were about what Largo mentioned. Not the best service though. The young guy at the counter seemed pretty lukewarm about me dragging him away from his i-pod for a few questions.

that young guys name is Lee. Him and his girlfriend Na. I've seen many times how a tourist wonders by asking 'How much?' and pointing finger at some 14 000baht limited ed Evisus from year 1998. Lee politly answers and tells the price, at that point the tourist bursts into laughter.. clearly not expecting this number and clearly not knowing what he is looking at. So we have to understands if Lee and Na are not always acting as if they are polite shop help. They are rich Thais who happen to LOVE Japanese denim. Almost all their customers are Thais. They are VERY nice people.

[Ord]

I was glad to read here that there is (was?) a Union Special at MBK, even if the post is from 2007, and i saw another one on Pronto's website (not sure which shop, though. If it was at Central World is now melted metal and ashes).

Are there other places where i can get a hem chainstitched around BKK?

It's funny to think that 100 baht for hemming on a Union Special, compared to our western prices is ridiculously low, but still 4 times more expensive than hemming done at most tailor shops for 25 bahts!

[Ord]

I've been to BKK yesterday and I've done a bit of "denim pilgrimage".

It was amazing to see a horde of schoolboys at Siam Square's Pronto browse through a rack of denims worth a month (often two) average thai person''s salary. I thought it was just stuff for rich businessmen wanting to play american cowboy. Apparently superrich dads are more than happy to make their sons happy with a pair of premium denim.

Thanks to the pictures Largo posted at the beginning of this thread, I've found Trenner, Lee and Na, at MBK immediately. I thought Dee jeans, the place where they have the Union Special (got two pairs of jeans hemmed there), was "across the hallway" i found it to be "across the corridor" just 3 meters away from trenner.

I then finished the tour at Take5 in siam square. The place is just AMAZING in terms of ambience, quality and variety. They are having a special at the moment, rotating the brands on sale. It's a bit hard to find, it's a hole in the wall with a wooden staircase leading to the actual, gorgeous, shop. Samurai, RJB, Skull, Momotaro, you name it, they have it. http://www.take5thailand.com/main/ . Staff is very friendly and competent and i may end up getting a pair of Skulls 5010 before i leave (they'll get a shipment by the end of this month, hopefully before i return to kangarooland). Speaking thai is definitely a bonus if you want to communicate with them. I did't try to switch from Thai, but i'm quite sure they can make themselves easily understood in English as well.

Lastly, they told me that at MBK, on the same floor as Trenner and dee jeans, next to Mister donut and the information desk, there is another Union Special at a shop called "Family" something. Shouldn't be too hard to find. Apparently they make alterations as well, together with the expected chainstitching hemming

Thank you very much again guys for the precious info this thread provides

If you have any recent good address for the "famous" fake selvage 500 baht 501s that fade so well (chatuchak? somewhere else?) it would be very much appreciated too

[ppsos]

just to clarify you, Jatujak opens on weekends only. transportation is easy, you need to get on BTS and then leave at "Mor-Chit" station which is the final station in Sukumvit line. When you have left the station, walk down the stair on the side that lies beside a park. Then walk into the park and continue until you reach the gate and cross 2-lanes road. (direction is the inverse direction of the train coming to the station) Find the gate and walk in. You'll then find lots of stalls, there are many in Section6 and some in Section5. I can't tell you exactly which one. Try look for the fair merchant, ones that tell you it's fake and sell it to you for about 3-4 hundred Baht, depending on models.

this map may help you.

click >> http://upic.me/i/4z/o1111.jpg

-edit-

after walked down from the stairs, find the entering gate that is near MRT station to enter

[Ord]

Thanks ppsos for the directions, i actually know the place quite well (and i still manage to get lost, sometimes, especially in the fish/pets section), but it would be precious to know exactly which stalls have the "famous" selvage fake 501s to avoid going wandering around.

I also understand that trying to explain to someone where a stall is especially inside chatuchak, is like giving directions to find the proverbial needle in a haystack

Hopefully the next time you go there i can arrange a meeting and you can show me, if you have time. The ข้าวมันไก่ for lunch is on me!

[Ord]

Apparently, aside from bad fakes of pre-distressed 501s that try to imitate real Levi's with tags, patch and arcuates, the "famous" selvedge rigid ones, with the belt loop and coin pocket selvedge accents, are now sold under crappy names like "levev", "lives" or "levan" brand and are both too short (32 inches inseam maximum) and have excessive leg tapering. Worse, they have fake selvedge Wrangler's called "wombat".

This is probably the result of a knockoff market crackdown that must have been initiated by Levi's sometimes in recent years.

The above mentioned semi-fakes, now also proudly sport a "made in thailand" internal tag.

Even the famous "Justin's" seems to have the same stuff.

I don't know if i'll be able to go to Chatuchak this weekend, but i'll definitely try my luck at MBK, and will report if anything interesting is found.

In the meantime, if you have any place to suggest, please do it, it would be a very welcome help.

Thanks

[darly900]

Sorry to bump thread but whats the best market for denim, Thai or Japanese in Bangkok?

Thanks

[Ord]

From what i've learned on my recent trip (and thanks to the directions found here), the REAL stuff can be found within a small area.

Two shops on MBK's ground floor (BTS National Stadium station), and at Pronto and Take5 bangkok on Siam Square (there are other pronto shops not too far, one at Central Chidlom and another inside Siam Paragon).

Take5 in particular is not very easy to find but definitely the best of them all in terms of number of brands and sizes, not to mention overall shop outfit.

With the present, unfavorable, exchange rates, prices are quite high, whether you buy in US$, Euro or Ozzie dollars.

For fake stuff i haven't found what i was looking for, but your best bets are Chatuchak, probably Pratunam and MBK. I read also about Saphan Poot, but i've never been there before.

The problem, at least for me, was that the inseam is always 32 on sizes 29 and 30, and they're too short.

[Ord]

a quick update on this old thread. I've been to the other jeans shop that has a Union Special chainstitching machine. It's called "Buddy and Family" and it is not too far from Dee Jeans but on the main alley. The tailor shop is a small place above the shop and the guy who works there has a bit of an attitude, so i asked the price (same as Dee, 100 baht per pair), and left (i had the job done on my three pairs at Dee instead).

Chainstitching is called "looksaw" in Thai

Pronto at central world has reopened after the post-riot renovation, and they stock Naked and Famous as well as the nice collaborations with imperial, PBJ and Flathead (to me, the latter are the best collabs)

Lastly, plenty of treasures to be found in the 2nd hand section of chatuchak, much more and better than i expected. I know pretty well other areas of the market but never frequented the clothing section, some shops specialize in modern and vintage americana and are truly amazing. Also, there's an abundance of "famous" Levi's selvedge fakes at low prices everywhere

[ronaldlsh]

Where is the 2nd hand section? Care to explain a bit?

[Ord]

Where is the 2nd hand section? Care to explain a bit?

Section 6. Soi 1 and 2 is where i would start to hunt.

If you've ever been there you know it is extremely hard to give a detailed description of ANY location within the market

Many sellers have their own business card, grab one if you find anything interesting or write down the section and location of the shop if you want to return later to buy anything after you've done some mandatory browsing around the area

[Ord]

It is worth adding that for those interested in long wallets, leather lacing and brass stuff there are also quite a few shops that carry that kind of stuff.

Some seemed to be quite well made and detailed, but i'm not a fan of that sort of americana so i really can't judge quality from an enthusiast point of view.

Another good reason to wander around the jatujak alleys...

[JacoBlue]

found this at weekend market.

Also bought the calf leather wallet from a leather shop called Vanich. i am Very pleased with the quality and detailings. Can post pictures if someone is interested

[big truck]

thats a great find jacob

[Ord]

Very nice pair, did you buy them raw and worn them like that? great fades!

Together with the fake Levi's (sold under Lievis, Lives and many other names), fake wranglers are the other best deal (350-400ish bath per pair)

[denimjunky]

Got this japanese 505 in tokyu department store. A really good shop selling lots of worn in jeans.

[dazzaaaaa]

wanted to go check out take5 but it was closed everyday i went wtf