Stronghold Denim

[Charlie Delta]

slowly but shurly they will be the it jeans.

Shurly? Is that a drink?

Is it any good?

[rnrswitch]

A store here in Santa Barbara sells these jeans and I really like the concept of the jeans. They have a strong resemblance to miners jeans and the denim is very thick and slubby, but in my opinion they are not worth the price tag. Not to mention if they are destined to be the IT jeans, then they definitely are not worth the price tag.

[HEWSINATOR]

I´ve monitored this thread since 2005, wating for Stronghold to be the IT jeans... and finally, the message has arrived!

The funniest thing I have read on SuFu in a long time.

[jubei]

in all seriousness, they're decent jeans (and if you can get them off-price they're worth checking out)

Only thing is, Warehouse Duckdiggers are better repros of Strongholds...

[savage]

I saw them at D&A in NYC. Was thinking of writing an order for them, casue they seemed new and interesteing. But I didn't end up ordering them casue I liked some other brands better i.e. Kicking Mule, Slings & Stones, Good Society (new RAW denim line coming out thet retails for $100!!).

Stronghold seems cool, and they have a cool concept, but IMO I think there are better brands out there for the money.

[Largo]

I can second that. I have a pair that's pretty nice that I got a while ago on sale, and don't particularly regret it. I'd basically chalk it up as a good-quality American made repro. Don't like the pre-distressed models I've seen that much, but I doubt that's a shocking sentiment around here, and overall I prefer my Japanese jeans based on the 'feel' of the the denim, since I lack the technical know-how of our uh, 'Denim Illuminati' here. If there's any interest for the sake of SuFu research, I could post some pictures of them.

[johnny indigo]

stronghold is an ok brand

fit is ok the wash is whatever.

my source told me that there selvedge is from HK so not that great but that was a while ago, i also heard they were using the white oak line which i think is alright...

but u can definitely get more bang for your buck

[Charlie Delta]

Largo, I'd like to see some pics.

[rnrswitch]

stronghold is an ok brand

fit is ok the wash is whatever.

my source told me that there selvedge is from HK so not that great but that was a while ago, i also heard they were using the white oak line which i think is alright...

but u can definitely get more bang for your buck

The Blue Bee here in Santa Barbara had the Stronghold owner in one weekend and he claimed that the denim and all construction of the jeans were made in America. I got this out of him because I asked if the denim was Japanese. The only denim in the store that they have that isn't predistressed is a rinsed version and I thought the denim was very thick and somewhat slubby, but very soft. I particularly like their "train conductor" pants, with the white and blue stripes. I would never through down $200 buck for a pair, but they could make a turn of the century outfit look somewhat authentic.

[ilovespaz]

i like stronghold, they are one of the most thought through denim lines in terms of brand identity and story. I've met with both Mike's during a meeting about denims and they are very knowledgable - and they do custom jeans at their store and carry some very very very rare japanese denims from okayama - i.e. persimmon dyed 13oz, coal dyed 14oz, slubby flamed kimono weave selvages - - they are made in america, they opened up their own cut and sew factory, and from what they told me they are also cutting and sewing private label for other brands that people gaga over .. (rrl) .. they really want to revive a brand that did not make it past the depression age to what it was back then, from how it was contruscted and down to the fits and style - you can even buy them with suspenders, which are provided by one of America's oldest suspender company that is still operating. - -

as a label, i think they are extremely detailed compared to other 'premium' l.a. denim labels that pop up everyday. payce

[Largo]

Largo, I'd like to see some pics.

This is about as thorough a set as I could think of.

Back Pockets

Back Rivet Detail

Coin Pocket

Front View

Pocket Fabric

Weft & Selvage

Worn-Front

Worn-Back

[Egpt]

honestly, i don't like them

[tweeds]

very nice...their riveting and thread details are quite interesting. are they historically accurate or something?

[jubei]

I don't think it's an arcuate so much as it is the stitching for the back pocket lining... could be wrong though.

The other poster's comment about them doing private label for RRL is pretty interesting though. Is that true? RRl always seemed small enough to me that they wouldn't outsource their work...

[BlueOctoberFan]

Those are pretty nice looking... Is there any on-line store that carries them? Or, perhaps, do they have their own?

[ilovespaz]

they try to be as historically accurate as possible, since they have their own production facility now, they are hand hammering each rivet and burr, with a hammer set on top of an anvil.. as they did back in the 1900's.

[joey_formal]

i have never liked the detailing of stronghold at all, i respect their quality but the fits and the overall aesthetics suck.

[pacioli]

Note that James Sullivan starts with the Stronghold story in his book JEANS.

If I remember correctly all or some of the hardware are hand set.

I didn't see the suspender buttons on the pair that Largo posted (as ilovespaz mentioned) so here:

Zimbawe cotton jeans get em:

Even shorts get em:

Here are the Michaels; whether you like their jeans are not these are great guys:

Pics are about 8 months old.

[rnrswitch]

Those are pretty nice looking... Is there any on-line store that carries them? Or, perhaps, do they have their own?

I think the blue beetle online sells these jeans.

[BlueOctoberFan]

I think the blue beetle online sells these jeans.

Only women's, it would appear...

[jubei]

not true.

http://www.bluebee.com/shopbycategorygrid.aspx?l=00130119022500000000

also, I hate Blue October.

[larryr]

I picked up a pair in Saks of 5th in woodbury commons for about $60. I'm not crazy about the back pockets, but the denim is good, very thick. Probably softer than most will like and also a fuller cut.

[BlueOctoberFan]

not true.

http://www.bluebee.com/shopbycategorygrid.aspx?l=00130119022500000000

also, I hate Blue October.

Don't know how I missed that...

also, that's an incredible shame.

[Charlie Delta]

Thanks for the pics.

For now I have mixed feelings about them, some of the detailing looks too modern/gstar-y imho. Also I don't understand how these have such a low front rise (4 buttons?) if they're trying to be historically accurate. I think that red label really looks out of place.

I'll choose my DD'ers over these any day.

Also I really don't see how these can become the "it" jeans...

Them bringing back a brand that didn't make it through the depressions year sounds very interesting btw.

[Largo]

I could see that-given that the denim color is dark and the contrast stitching isn't too bright, it didn't strike me as too overstated, although I'll agree that with the way it's stitched around the rivets and the low rise do give it a modern flourish, which I actually like. On the other hand the fit struck me as very anti-fit and repro-esque. I actually sized down two in that pair, so it wouldn't be as loose fitting, and it's still fairly roomy in the legs. I was mostly influenced by the fact that they were steeply discounted, to be quite honest, but I'm still reasonably pleased with them. However, I have no intention of breaking them in any time soon.

[watchman]

The Denim Bar has them as well. I don't personally like the detaling at all, visible rivets just aren't my thing. However, the denim does feel like decent quality, but for the price I would reccomend checking other stuff out still.

[BlueOctoberFan]

The Denim Bar has them as well.

In DC? I'm guessing only the Bethesda location? I live only a few miles from the Arlington location and didn't see them when I was there just a couple of weeks ago.

[superBobo]

I think the brown ones looks pretty great, except for the extremly low rise! whats up with that?

[ilovespaz]

the brown ones are dyed with persimmon.. from fruit grown in a japanese persimmon village or something like that.... where they slay dragons and put them into dungeons for breeding ponies and pigeons..

[mizanation]

if you read this from the beginning it's a great thread.