45 rpm in london?

[kremedla]

anyone know if 45 rpm is available in london.

the mind's eye glitters with thoughts and ideas for the masses/

i take classes/ to appease the classless/ perhaps its/

counter-revolutionary or counter intelligence/

to understand the situation or take command of the circumstance/

never mind what i say what's done is done/

and when i look down and grin and say it's been fun/

understand that #1 means no #2's i'm the best/

and i will choose to act out in front if you all to put you to the test/

[ringring]

There's no UK shop or stockist listed on the 45rpm website.

http://www.45rpm.jp/shop/list.jsp?id=foreign

The closest would be a train ride away in Rue du Marche St Honore in Paris.

[Yakboy Equals Nurturer]

As far as I know, the Paris store and the NYC store are the only ones outside of Asia.

[kremedla]

hey ring ring and yakboy,

i have been quietly observing and have been very impressed with the knowledge spread about re:denim as i am a denimphile myself and currently in search of the perfect pair.

a while ago i purchased some levis vintage, whoops mean LEVIS, old rinse denim and they were great but as in other posts re: selvedge denim that wears with the wearer it has started to disintegrate. i have not washed them often, rinsing them in cold water only and yet the back of the hems have started to shred- and no i do not wear them long so, also the knees have a nice look but the crotch is already starting to rip! i got these for a very good price since my wife works at selfridges here in london but this is crazy since the going price for these are £135- do either of you have any idea about this?

also, interested in the gap selvedge discussion since my hunt involves a black pair they have on sale now. this is in direct competition with prps selvedge (not the distressed ones), apc selvedge, edwin (which i have a pair of sens and are great), levis vintage 501 deadstock (but old rinse makes me worried), rogan (originals , though not selvedge), and finally evisu- but i tried a pair on the other day at duffer discount store (only £70) and i felt very uncomfortable with the gulls on the back (these were the embroidered ones, 1 pair in gold, 1 in white. which is why i wanted to know about 45 rpm availabilty in london, though i went thorugh the site and realised that only in paris and ny.

oddly enough i remember the label when i lived in taiwan and never really took much notice yet now i am fiending for a look!

ring ring- with your expertise and passion please help me decide. i know price point is a big issue and obviously i want to get a good deal post xmas sales but i have checked all the details you have mentioned and you were correct in that the apc's are made in macau as are the gap ones, where the apc's are £10 more... damn!

the mind's eye glitters with thoughts and ideas for the masses/

i take classes/ to appease the classless/ perhaps its/

counter-revolutionary or counter intelligence/

to understand the situation or take command of the circumstance/

never mind what i say what's done is done/

and when i look down and grin and say it's been fun/

understand that #1 means no #2's i'm the best/

and i will choose to act out in front if you all to put you to the test/

[ringring]

Hello Kremedia

I too have been looking at the GAP selvedges - not sure what the current price is for these - but it would be worth picking up a pair.

Comparing them to APC's - I actually think the GAP selvedges are better made. Although GAP may not have the 'cool' factor if you are a label queen lol. I've worn a couple of pairs of GAP selvedges for a few years and they compare very well with other, far more expensive brands (incl. APC) I've owned.

If you can spend over £100, then I would go for the unwashed 5EP bootcuts, they show very nice details that, as a denim lover, you'll appreciate (super skinny belt loops, hidden back pocket rivets, shaped coin pocket etc). You can see them at Duffer and Liberty, but they are a lot cheaper online at Hanon-shop. Slightly cheaper would be Nudies - the Regular Ralph Dry's were sold at Selfridges (hello staff discount LOL).

You could also pop to Oki-Ni and look at their selvage Levis. Personally I don't like them.

In Liberty they have also a Swedish brand called Morris who do a very nice sanforised selvage jean for £85. I personally am not keen on their tapered cut, but try 'em. Nice stitching, nice big rear pockets.

When your old LEVIS start getting holes then patch them up - I've chucked away too many Big E 501's in the past. (mind you, London was flooded with them in the 80s) I wished I'd patched them up and kept them.

Does that help? Just get whatever you fancy - I'm not sure there is a 'best'.

Edited by ringring on Dec 17, 2004 at 05:21 AM

[kremedla]

i take it that you are in london as well?

i have seen the morris and they are being considered. have hit oki ni up as well and tried on evisu striped back with silk lined selvedge line. pretty nice, soft texture but cut wasn't right. the gap ones are about 67 or under the 70 mark. i may be naive here, but which are you referring to with re: to 5ep? sorry, just starting my research on this topic and like i mentioned though i have seen the brands, bought the brands, and wore the brands i am starting to get knowledge of the brands.

in terms of labels, i am more interetsed in what they represent in their quality. i like rogans but at the price they are pushing for and the feel, it is not right so i look elsewhere. that is why i am so obsessed about learning about the labels and their history and process of producing. you are very helpful.

you are right, no such thing as 'best' only best for you and that will include many factors- price, fit, discount thanks again.

the mind's eye glitters with thoughts and ideas for the masses/

i take classes/ to appease the classless/ perhaps its/

counter-revolutionary or counter intelligence/

to understand the situation or take command of the circumstance/

never mind what i say what's done is done/

and when i look down and grin and say it's been fun/

understand that #1 means no #2's i'm the best/

and i will choose to act out in front if you all to put you to the test/

[kremedla]

btw, ring ring you know too much about the london shopping scene to 'not' be here... don't worry i am not a stalker.

the mind's eye glitters with thoughts and ideas for the masses/

i take classes/ to appease the classless/ perhaps its/

counter-revolutionary or counter intelligence/

to understand the situation or take command of the circumstance/

never mind what i say what's done is done/

and when i look down and grin and say it's been fun/

understand that #1 means no #2's i'm the best/

and i will choose to act out in front if you all to put you to the test/

[ringring]

For 5EP see this link: http://denimafia.com/

You can buy 5EP at Hanon http://www.hanon-shop.com/products/brand/5EP/ , as well as Liberty and Duffer as mentioned previously.

They do a nice 'old n dirty' wash too but put your money on the raw denims. (on second thoughts, I think the plain jeans aren't raw, but have been through a cold wash - the handfeel isn't 'raw' and there's some rolling on the hems)

Edited by ringring on Dec 21, 2004 at 02:10 AM

[kremedla]

hey ringring

i have seen the 5ep's around and actually took notice but not too impressed by them. i am actually thinking about edwin's at interstate in covent garden- they are priced reasonably at 70uk. like i mentioned before i have a pair of edwins sens and they are excellent quality but ppl seem to overlook edwin for some reason...though an inside source has told me that there is a possiblilty of an edwin store opening up in london soon so maybe the trend will change?

i am pretty annoyed at the price of high end denim (ie rogan, prps etc...) i really think that over 200uk is way too much. its either the edwins or 501s deadstock, after xmas sale at selfridges ; )

the gap ones (black) are pretty nice but there is a weird detail that i am not fond of. on the right bottom side of the fly there is a rivet that seems a bit out of place...other than that they are pretty nice but at 68uk i'd still rather go for the edwins raw selvedge-

the mind's eye glitters with thoughts and ideas for the masses/

i take classes/ to appease the classless/ perhaps its/

counter-revolutionary or counter intelligence/

to understand the situation or take command of the circumstance/

never mind what i say what's done is done/

and when i look down and grin and say it's been fun/

understand that #1 means no #2's i'm the best/

and i will choose to act out in front if you all to put you to the test/

[ringring]

Can't argue with Edwins (mind you, some of them have the same fly rivet that you find odd in the Gaps - eg the Grenville style). Good choice, particularly if there's only 2pounds price difference between Edwin and Gap. Edwins all the way.

If you think GBP200 is too much for jeans, then strike out 45rpms

[kremedla]

yeah, well since they are not available here in london i have no choice...honestly prps selvedge is probably the closest i have seen to denim being worth that much but even they will go on sale.

the mind's eye glitters with thoughts and ideas for the masses/

i take classes/ to appease the classless/ perhaps its/

counter-revolutionary or counter intelligence/

to understand the situation or take command of the circumstance/

never mind what i say what's done is done/

and when i look down and grin and say it's been fun/

understand that #1 means no #2's i'm the best/

and i will choose to act out in front if you all to put you to the test/

[I J F]

RingRing,

Any websites where I can have a look at some Morris denim?

Thanks

www.brani.com / www.carpeinternational.com

[ringring]

Here's the site for Morris *I think* , but unfortunately you won't see the denim http://www.morris.se

[futuretalk]

yoyo ringring...question...pick up the phone! (yet another lame opening by me)

are sending your jeans to be mended by the specialists generally worth it? I'm talking like minor rips and torns and tears that appear after years of wearing and washing a pair of jeans. I have this one pair which I like which has been worn in and worn out thoroughly now which has a tear down at the cuffs which I actually don't mind keeping...apart from that I have some minor rips and torns at the sides slightly lower than the hips kinda sitting right next to the pockets that I'm worried will finally get a hole soon and I dun wanna be showing any part of my insides!

So what's your advice?

If I actually work for a fashion/style magazine I'd definitely propose the idea of having a denim column every other issue or have a "ask our resident denim guru" section in each issue for readers to send in their questions regarding denim for you dude.

Damn it must feel good to have people come to you for advice here on denim huh?

[ringring]

Hello Futuretalk-

Advice? LOL, I'm flattered. It's just good to talk to other denim nerds LOL.

Mending Jeans - Unless you are spectacularly inept with a needle and thread, then I would recommend patching jeans yourself (or ask your mom!). I think the 'homemade' look from slightly botched repairs looks a lot better than neat and tidy machine sewn square patches.

I prefer patches made from denim and handsewn under the hole. But that's just my personal preference, anything will do really.

Edited by ringring on Dec 20, 2004 at 09:01 AM

[futuretalk]

no, I don't have a magazine...I said:" If I actually work for one "

hmm...ok...I'd personally prefer it not to be too obvious or "patchy" if u know what I mean? Well, I'll just have to wait and see how it develops...I personally think the minor torns etc gives it a new identity...so I hope it doesn't rip and gimme a hole.

[ringring]

Quote:

no, I don't have a magazine...I said:" If I actually work for one "

hmm...ok...I'd personally prefer it not to be too obvious or "patchy" if u know what I mean? Well, I'll just have to wait and see how it develops...I personally think the minor torns etc gives it a new identity...so I hope it doesn't rip and gimme a hole.

--- Original message by futuretalk on Dec 20, 2004 09:03 AM

-oops I was speed reading too quick...

Minor holes are cool.

If you don't want it to look too 'patchy' then catch the worn patches before they grow into holes. Just place a patch of denim behind worn area, making sure it's large enough to cover the worn bit and have enough extra size so that the patch goes over some 'strong' denim too. Then machine stitch backwards and forwards in a tight-knit zig-zag pattern using yarn that is close to the base color of your jeans. If you catch the areas quick then the repair work should be quite small.

Edited by ringring on Dec 20, 2004 at 11:32 AM

[Dolo]

Quote:

Quote:

no, I don't have a magazine...I said:" If I actually work for one "

hmm...ok...I'd personally prefer it not to be too obvious or "patchy" if u know what I mean? Well, I'll just have to wait and see how it develops...I personally think the minor torns etc gives it a new identity...so I hope it doesn't rip and gimme a hole.

--- Original message by futuretalk on Dec 20, 2004 09:03 AM

-oops I was speed reading too quick...

Minor holes are cool.

--- Original message by ringring on Dec 20, 2004 09:06 AM

not by the crotch!

Edited by Dolo on Dec 20, 2004 at 09:52 AM

[I J F]

A little off topic but, Ringring how would you compare Morris to anything else, thanks for the site but I havent been able to view them, I would like to know the price range and what typr of quality they have. Thanks

www.brani.com / www.carpeinternational.com

[ringring]

IJF - The Morris jeans I saw were excellent quality (prompting me to try a pair on) and a good price - around US$150. Good twin colour stitching (like Evisu) and excellent quality selvage denim -which was sanforized, so that shrinkage is minimal. Sanforizing is quite an expensive procedure, but makes the handfeel a lot better and stabilises the cloth. This means you don't need to guesstimate your size (unlike shrink-to-fit).

The selvage is a white strip with a line of red dashes. Nice. And Morris leave quite a large seam allowance on the outside leg, so you'll get a nice wide open seam mark after wash n wear.

The back pocket stitching is, if I recall correctly, a 'M' - very much like the Edwin stitch pattern turned upside down. The back pocket stitching was nicely detailed with one of the twin stitchlines curved at the top of each side (hard to explain in words- a little like the back pocket stitching on Lee's Nash style). Not your usual Levis style copy.

The only thing that stopped me picking up a pair was the tapered cut of the jeans.

As for the rest of the collection -unfortunately I only had a quick browse through half a rail. It struck me as quite conservative. Kinda like Gant. But I may be totally wrong, as I only paid attention to the selvage jeans.

Excellent jeans. Like Evisu without the Bling. And priced within touching distance of Edwin and APC, and rarer than either.

Edited by ringring on Dec 21, 2004 at 04:47 AM

[dickhead]

dude, seriously...how many pairs of jeans do u own man? just curious...be honest. I can't guess as I really dunno what to expect and dunno what's your income.

I hate everything and everyone.

[kremedla]

hey ring ring- the denim guru!

just picked up a pair of rogans at the loft in covent garden for 60uk. they are second hand but actually new, the guy didn't like them so that solves my denim dilemma for now...

as for the patching i would have to agree with ring ring. i bought a pair in taipei a few yrs back and they were quite distressed. i brought them in to local seamstress and she patched them up as described by ring ring. i love the look and i would do it myself but in taipei it was sooo incredibly cheap i kept doing it there.

the mind's eye glitters with thoughts and ideas for the masses/

i take classes/ to appease the classless/ perhaps its/

counter-revolutionary or counter intelligence/

to understand the situation or take command of the circumstance/

never mind what i say what's done is done/

and when i look down and grin and say it's been fun/

understand that #1 means no #2's i'm the best/

and i will choose to act out in front if you all to put you to the test/

[ringring]

Hey Kremedia the Denimphile!

Nice score on the Rogans - what kind of wash do they have?

[kremedla]

well, they are actually the ones that i saw about a year ago- the original ones, think they are ethanol? they are the darker ones and for the price they are sweet! have you been to american classics in covent garden? they have some really nice classic lee and wranglers, and a japanese brand called rick something something? i have a feeling you have seen them no?

how does it feel to get asked so many q's about denim???

the mind's eye glitters with thoughts and ideas for the masses/

i take classes/ to appease the classless/ perhaps its/

counter-revolutionary or counter intelligence/

to understand the situation or take command of the circumstance/

never mind what i say what's done is done/

and when i look down and grin and say it's been fun/

understand that #1 means no #2's i'm the best/

and i will choose to act out in front if you all to put you to the test/

[ringring]

I've not been to the Endell St American Classics in a while. I remember they had a bunch of raw selvedge Levis & Lee's there. The good stuff. Good people too. I like Wranglers.

Rick something? Er.., not Bushwick is it?

You've reminded me that I must pop in there next time I'm in London. Thanks!

[kremedla]

yeah good place- nice selvedge, very slept on i think since when i went in there it was very quiet while interstate was heaving with ppl. i will check the name but the denim went for 200+ and it stated that it was raw japanese selvedge, two word name but the first has rick in it, like rickshaw or something???

i really dig the wranglers as well, perhaps when i ride these rogans out...did some research and apparently rogan started a new organic line called loomstate? i don't get it since they are complaining about the pollution that 'reg' denim process creates yet isn't rogan a non-organic process? hmmm...also checked out earnest sewn, what do you make of them?

the mind's eye glitters with thoughts and ideas for the masses/

i take classes/ to appease the classless/ perhaps its/

counter-revolutionary or counter intelligence/

to understand the situation or take command of the circumstance/

never mind what i say what's done is done/

and when i look down and grin and say it's been fun/

understand that #1 means no #2's i'm the best/

and i will choose to act out in front if you all to put you to the test/

[ringring]

Loomstate - what I've seen has been very nice. Good denim, good washes (I've only seen light washes so far), nice little details (printed pocket bags using 2 prints, little printed tag on button-fly stand etc). Nice T shirts too (washed jersey). Reminds me of Paper Denim Cloth but with more details. I don't really get the pollution bit either. Fashion is a throw-away business, it's never gonna be particularly eco-friendly. I think it's good that companies can strive to be as eco-friendly as possible, it's just difficult to make it a selling point.

Earnest Sewn - they're OK in a True Religion-y-PaperDenim way. Do you like 'em?

Edited by ringring on Dec 23, 2004 at 02:35 AM

[kremedla]

i've not seen loomstate yet, where have you seen them? the pics on the site aren't very good so would like to see them up front. as for earnest sewn, i recall seeing them somewhere- maybe selfridges? but weren't impressed enough to take a second look.

i was in camden today and did some denim digging, they have some really nice original stuff, levis, edwin, lee, wrangler....not cheap, 100+ second hand, however they are as different from the some of the designer brands as can be...

i am not a huge fan of paper denim, true religion- in some ways i think they are too designed. am i being hypocritical in liking rogans? well, i don't think so, for some reason i think some of those brands are better for women. sexist? maybe. i only know i like my denim, perhaps researching even more.

the mind's eye glitters with thoughts and ideas for the masses/

i take classes/ to appease the classless/ perhaps its/

counter-revolutionary or counter intelligence/

to understand the situation or take command of the circumstance/

never mind what i say what's done is done/

and when i look down and grin and say it's been fun/

understand that #1 means no #2's i'm the best/

and i will choose to act out in front if you all to put you to the test/

[ringring]

Loomstate I saw in HK just a couple of weeks ago. In a little shop off Patterson street.

hypocritical in liking rogans? I think's it's OK to like whatever you like - I'd agree with you to a certain extent - Rogan's seem stronger on menswear, and Paper Denim, Earnest Sewn etc stronger on the womenswear side.

All are good brands though.

Denim digging in Camden sounds like fun.

Edited by ringring on Dec 28, 2004 at 04:26 AM

[Dolo]

If anything I think Rogans are way more over designed than Paper Denim! I'm no expert on the styles of both Paper and Rogan, but from what I've seen paper keeps to fairly traditional cuts and washes. Rogan does not.

Do you guys have something like a Century 21 in England??

http://superfuture.com/city/reviews/review.cfm?id=1266?=EN

Because at this point (in NYC at least) you can find a lot of these jeans for between $30-$60 (sometimes more... it depends) a pair at spots like this. Not all of them, and they usually come in fluxes, with some by the boatload and others with just 4 pieces for the whole store. Not Century 21 in particulair, but other places whose spots haven't been blown up yet!

Edited by Dolo on Dec 23, 2004 at 12:09 PM