Tender Co. Denim

[julian-wolf]

Favorite elephant mug has been relegated to semi-permanent vase duty

(moved outside, temporarily, for good lighting)

[julian-wolf]

Picked up a pair of the new cord trousers, really excited

Still need to give them a hem, but turning them up a few inches to the inside is doing fine in the meantime

 Also feat. my favorite Bridge Pocket shirt

[chicote]

Great fit on those julian!

[rodeo bill]

Lovely fit! thank you so much- I'm really pleased with how these came out. The corduroy is lovely, it's deadstock English-woven from a company that still produces fabric, but shifted to European weaving years ago, these were some rolls they had left over, which I bought a while back. I really like the crumpled pile out of the dryer, although this should drop out with a bit of wear. More 122 versions to come in the next week.

[rodeo bill]

In other news- bags! These have been a while in development, a project with a good friend in Glasgow. It started out like this:

an outer heavy wool 'sling' folds over itself at the corners (forming Elephant Ears), and contains a separate cotton bag, which is supported in the sling and yet is free to expand at the sides. Here is the eventual family of three sizes, a backpack, satchel and pouch, all made up in ecru wool woven for tennis balls. I've been wearing the backpack since the early in the year, and it's been great- I've stuffed it under plane seats, on train luggage wracks, used it for food shopping and as a weekend bag.

 

[AlientoyWorkmachine]

2 hours ago, julian-wolf said:

Picked up a pair of the new cord trousers, really excited

Still need to give them a hem, but turning them up a few inches to the inside is doing fine in the meantime

 Also feat. my favorite Bridge Pocket shirt

I missed that these existed. I've been searching for the right cord trousers - not 5 pocket - high and low, these look great.

How do you like the cut? 

[julian-wolf]

@AlientoyWorkmachine You didn’t miss it for long; I think they just popped up in the last couple of weeks

[julian-wolf]

@rodeo bill Those bags look great. Do you think you’ll be dyeing any of them?

[rodeo bill]

8 hours ago, julian-wolf said:

@rodeo bill Those bags look great. Do you think you’ll be dyeing any of them?

thanks, and yeah they're really lovely things. I'd like to dye them, but it'll be a bit challenging as the wool can't be washed too hot, and the sewing is polyester upholstery thread (for strength). I do love the idea of an ecru bag, though, and I've been enjoying my own. The fabric is quite stain resistant, but the couple of mud splashes I have on mine are really turning it into something special. I  like the idea of something quite fresh and architectural gaining the look and feel of a really battered explorer's pack with time.

[tjsma]

@rodeo bill can we see a picture of yours?

[rodeo bill]

On 9/15/2023 at 4:00 PM, tjsma said:

@rodeo bill can we see a picture of yours?

here you go. I'll try to get some action shots this week!

[rodeo bill]

and @tjsma here we are!:

The straps are all adjustable- the satchel and pouch here are both shortened quite a bit, they could both hang at waist height if preferred

 

[tjsma]

Thanks @rodeo bill They look great. I particularly like that satchel.

[rodeo bill]

On 9/14/2023 at 8:30 PM, AlientoyWorkmachine said:

I missed that these existed. I've been searching for the right cord trousers - not 5 pocket - high and low, these look great.

How do you like the cut? 

Obviously can't speak for @julian-wolf(fit looks great to me though!), and I'd be very interested to hear his thoughts, but I've also been dissatisfied with corduroy options- for whatever reason I'm just not that into corduroy jeans, but I'm not ready for full tailored trousers in corduroy, either. 122 is directly based on 132, with the same amount of seat shape taken out with a vertical pleat rather than a horizontal/diagonal yoke seam. Sizing is equivalent.

I don't know how to quote across threads, but in the Wide Jeans Thread @chicote said "the tender 132 as a wide fit option — again, just my experience wearing a size 2 (roughly 1 inch oversized on me) which I felt like I was swimming in years ago!". Not quite sure if this is what he meant, but his comment reminded me of something that I was told when I worked at Hackett in London 20 years ago (now more fashion/midmarket than it was then, when it was still a pretty legit traditional outfitters, somewhat similar to how Drake's is now). I was told that Hackett neck ties were always 'the right' width, but that that subtly changed every so often, so that within the broader fashion context they didn't look unusually skinny or wide. I can't remember who it was that told me this, but they also said that this was the same with Levi's 501s, which isn't actually a set pattern at all, but changes/d with the times (as we know). Looking at 132s and the 122s which I'm wearing at the moment, they were originally intended as a wide fit, and the pattern has never changed at all, but over the last 13 years they now feel more like a regular fit to me, with 130 seeming quite slim. Granted I may personally be growing into them (ahem), but looking at Julian's 122s I think they just look 'right' rather than notably wide or high-waisted.

 

[rodeo bill]

On 1/5/2023 at 8:48 AM, rodeo bill said:

gorgeous @merzbot! Thank you.

I'm so sorry for the lack of posts in the last few weeks, the end of the year was very busy, and I've had a couple of weeks off. Happy new year and I hope everyone had a lovely holidays. 

To get them on the record, a new pair for 2023, now about a month old. More as things progress:

 

Here we are at 9 months, and finally in stock! New type 122 Pleat Back Jeans, based on 132s but with pleats into the waistband instead of a yoke, and no back pockets:

I'll sort out some fit pics soon, but I've really been enjoying wearing them- I rarely use the back pockets of jeans which have them, and I've found the lack of yoke and pocket bulk to be really comfortable to wear. 

[desolate]

It's been a while since I posted but I thought people might be interested in how some of my leather goods are ageing

Star of the show is my messenger bag - can't remember how old but must have been close to the first season.

Also a wallet of similar vintage and a pair of boots. All mellowing very nicely. I am a desk jockey in terms of work so pretty gentle use compared to some.

 

 

 

[JDelage]

Just in case - I am (still) looking for one of the indigo cotton cardigan William produced 3 or 4 years ago, but I do not want the wool patterned one (#742). I'd be most likely looking for a size 2, maybe 3. I know it's a long shot... 😁

[rodeo bill]

@desolatethese are fantastic! lovely to see the satchel again- it's worn in beautifully, as have the boots and wallet. Great roll-top desk, too.

@JDelageyou don't mean the 747 indigo cotton and natural linen rower's cardigan do you? In which case I have it in stock. I can't think of any other indigo cardigans other than this and the wool pattern cardigan, although I may be forgetting something!

[desolate]

2 hours ago, rodeo bill said:

@desolatethese are fantastic! lovely to see the satchel again- it's worn in beautifully, as have the boots and wallet. Great roll-top desk, too.

@JDelageyou don't mean the 747 indigo cotton and natural linen rower's cardigan do you? In which case I have it in stock. I can't think of any other indigo cardigans other than this and the wool pattern cardigan, although I may be forgetting something!

Thanks William

I managed to get a few pieces of a George Nelson action office from a firm in Bristol that did our 50s refurbed kitchen units - apparently salvaged from the MDs office at the old Herman miller Factory.

 

My indigo cotton Cardigan has also faded beautifully so I will post some pics of that when I get a chance later in the week (pretty sure it's cotton and has a "twisted" look once washed.

Edited October 11, 2023 by desolate

[JDelage]

2 hours ago, rodeo bill said:

@JDelageyou don't mean the 747 indigo cotton and natural linen rower's cardigan do you? In which case I have it in stock. I can't think of any other indigo cardigans other than this and the wool pattern cardigan, although I may be forgetting something!

Ah ah... No, I meant the solid indigo but ... maybe I conflated the sweater (which does exist in wool pattern and no-twist) and the cardigan. Does the cardigan only exist in wool pattern then?

[rodeo bill]

7 hours ago, JDelage said:

Does the cardigan only exist in wool pattern then?

Aha- yes I only made the indigo cardigan in the wool pattern, with a twist (which is the one Desolate has, I think. The only no-twist indigo cardigan is the linen-indigo, where the linen helps to stabilise the fabric. It's a lovely style, please do email me if you'd like more info.

@desolate yes please it'd be great to see your cardigan! Lovely story about the desk. Do you have a clock to match? I always liked the animal ones (especially the fish)

Edited October 12, 2023 by rodeo bill

[desolate]

7 hours ago, rodeo bill said:

Aha- yes I only made the indigo cardigan in the wool pattern, with a twist (which is the one Desolate has, I think. The only no-twist indigo cardigan is the linen-indigo, where the linen helps to stabilise the fabric. It's a lovely style, please do email me if you'd like more info.

@desolate yes please it'd be great to see your cardigan! Lovely story about the desk. Do you have a clock to match? I always liked the animal ones (especially the fish)

No clock as of yet but this house is a bit like Petrocelli's - I will probably be finished before the house is. 

 

Here are some shots of the cardigan (can't remember how old but must be a few years) including one with my linen type 922 jacket. It's a toss up between that and the green corduroy jacket as my favourite tender jacket. 

 

 

Edited October 12, 2023 by desolate

[Thanks_M8]

@rodeo bill how do u go about dying wool in general? Might want to play around a bit myself.

[andonym]

Long time lurker here. Denim gets a lot of love, so I thought I'd counter that with a nice fade pic of a type 430 butterfly shirt (still heavily in rotation). The dye is walnut, purchased from Oi Polloi a looooong time ago.

I can't remember exactly where - but William shared a dyeing related story (newsletter?) documenting the fade (from sunlight/UV exposure) on a yellow ochre shirt, and it reminded me of the great fades on all my tender shirts. And where it may have been hard to see it on the yellow ochre, it's really prominent on the walnut dyed shirt. The inside of the shirt retained is original colour best. When worn, starting from the collar of the shirt, the sun has gradually faded the shirt downwards. The pits also retain the original shade, but slowly fade out as well. And the upturned cuff has a farmer's tan as well. The collar and placket are almost void of dye. I don't wash these shirts often - maybe less than 20 times in 10 years?!?!? Enjoy!

Andrew

Edited October 16, 2023 by andonym

[chicote]

@andonym Beautiful shirt and story alongside it, thanks so much for sharing and welcome to the forum!

[MJF9]

@andonym echoing chicote... shirt looks great and welcome...

[rodeo bill]

a nice exchange with a regular customer and friend of the brand over the last week, which I thought might be enjoyed here, particularly by @julian-wolf(apologies if I misunderstand your profession Julian)

 

I gifted a pair of the chlorophyll-dyed socks to a biologist friend who's planning to look at them with a state of the art microscope he built out here in SF — apparently chlorophyll (in it's natural state, at least) will brightly fluoresce when hit with a certain color of laser light. 

-

They fluoresce!  He's testing against some laser safety glasses here that filter out 405 nm laser being used — because they fluoresce, you still see some light coming through the safety glasses. Not a dramatic effect, but definitely there.

 

[julian-wolf]

@rodeo bill That’s really neat! I guess even without the surrounding cells still alive, the chlorophyll’s able to do its thing. I might try and reproduce that little experiment—seems like a fun one to show the younger students (“bet your socks can’t do this!”)

[julian-wolf]

Couple of months ago I gave one of the brass peregrine falcon whistles to my sweetie as a necklace 

It’s a really gorgeous piece—the casting is great, and I’m particularly fond of the variation in color around the joint where the two pieces were heated up & brazed together

Anyway, I’m borrowing it today, so I thought I’d take advantage of the photo opportunity. Shown here w/ a Tezomeya tee & a Type 492 shirt, overdyed w/ henna

[AlientoyWorkmachine]

good day to cross post and this thread needed a bump.

Type 900 (indian black)
Type 129 (woad) 
sidings boots