Tender Co. Denim

[rodeo bill]

Thanks for the kind words timmens it should be in shops pretty soon. In fact okiya has them up already I think.

Thor, I don't have full accurate measurements i'm afraid. It was cut on the same basic shape as the type 900 jacket. Maybe gregd can give you some sizing advice from the one he has (above)

I've just come back from a day at my day job, which is tutoring menswear at Central St Martins art college, in London. Today was the critique for second years' sprotswear project, which was great. However I also took a couple of pictures of some of the students' work from the denim project, which is the main one which I do, with final years. The project ended before christmas, but we've just put up a little selection of some of the students' outfits in the window gallery, including one from the tutor (me!). It was a really great year group, and they did some beautiful work. It's a real privilege to work with them:

left to right, Tigran, Savannah, (tender), Kahori, Ruina, Johannes (sorry I don't know surnames...)

details:

[killer b]

whoa. that top jacket and the burgundy biker are awesome.

[grooveholmes]

i agree. i like em all - but william's stands out the most to me. the pleating on the first one is very interesting, but i love the details on the tender jacket-- the domed rivets and brass buttons are sick.

[Maynard Friedman]

I like the smock on the last one, looks like something from Free & Easy.

Edit: sorry I meant the penultimate one, but you dandies caught my drift!

Edited February 9, 2012 by Maynard Friedman

[grooveholmes]

yeah, it almost looks like something kapital would make.

[rodeo bill]

it's a really cool outfit! I agree. It was based on gardening clothes, there are little pockets in the turnups for seeds. And it has a beautiful print on the the inside. The fabric's gorgeous too- hemp denim. Beautifully washed and finished. The things that're great for me about doing these projects is the range and variety of approaches, and the fact that a lot of the students have no preconception (or interest) in denim before the course.

[gregd]

Thor, I don't have full accurate measurements i'm afraid. It was cut on the same basic shape as the type 900 jacket. Maybe gregd can give you some sizing advice from the one he has (above)

I have a size 3 blanket coat - and a size 4 denim jacket. Let me know if I can measure anything for you.

[timmens]

Cool outfits, applause for your students. Are you going to teach classes every year?

[rodeo bill]

^ I agree! thanks for the nice comments- I'll pass them on. Yes, as I say, to a certain extent teaching is my day job- this is the third year I've done this project. I also do the sportswear project at CSM, and similar courses in denim and illustration at the University of Westminster. It's a lovely complement to doing Tender

[thirdhand]

Tender Co. Type 130 in size 3. Worn 6-8 months. Off and on at the office and as workwear. The fabric is so beautiful, especially in the backs of the legs where the denim looks almost like canvas. These are from the English woad died run.

Also Tender type 200 belt from the first run.

Have to sell these, but wanted to post them here before saying my final goodbye. More pictures on the flickr.

Edited February 13, 2012 by thirdhand

[rodeo bill]

^lovely Thirdhand, thanks for posting I'm just sorry you're selling them- it seems a pity as they're just getting really nice. Cool to think they'll be bouncing on to someone else though.

I'm in Tokyo at the moment, seeing shops for the next season's orders. The buyer from Nolley's (great store) came in wearing a natural black lambskin vest he'd bought, which had made him come in to take a closer look for his shop. He said he wouldn't mind me posting this up- looks awesome, I think!

[timmens]

cool vest. but the relaxed fit pant is also pretty massive. you know what it is? enjoy tokio and have a save trip....

[rodeo bill]

thanks timmens! not to give too much away, but those pants (and the rails behind) are all tender aw12

[timmens]

funny, cuz on the rails I thought that it looks like Tender. Can you say more about the wide pants or is that still part of the secrecy...take care.

[rodeo bill]

I don't want to give too much away just yet! there's still more to come for ss12 that hasn't made it out there quite yet, which I'll post up over the next few weeks.

in the meantime, here are some more photos from tokyo (the eagle-eyed among you might get some sneak previews of next autumn in the background....)

3 pairs of worn-in(ish) Tender type 132s. L-R me in woad dyed/the owner of Brown & Seedling, Chiba, in woad dyed/Akira my agent in weld dyed:

The owner of Brown & Seedling trying out the Tender double cuff:

Here are his jeans- the photo doesn't do them any justice at all, they're beautifully soft and subtly faded. Woad dyed 132s, worn 6months or so:

My good friend Mr Nakanishi, the buyer at Loftman in Kyoto, wearing one of his 5 pairs of Tender jeans, these are type132 weld dyed:

The other buyer from Loftman, in type 132 woad dyed:

The owner of Diaries, in Tsukuba, wearing 130 from Unborn, he got these a couple of weeks ago, and they've had a soak:

He was very keen to try on my boots, here's his wife taking a photo:

Akira in weld dyed 132s, and a red english mattress ticking shirt with rubber buttons. these are from ss12 and should start appearing any day now. more pictures to come if people would like:

a couple of closeups of his jeans. Again, lousy photos but the denim is really beautiful:

It's been a lovely trip. I'm very lucky that Tender's supported by some really fantastic shops here (as all over, in fact), and it's great catching up with everybody. We've also sold to a few amazing new stores too, so it's all looking pretty positive at the moment!

[Jelmer]

accidently neg repd, meant to rep! sorry!

[Thor]

Are the 132 s only available in Japan ?

never seen them for sale here .

Such nice pics above and very proud that the UK has tender , nice one bill.

[Foxy2]

Try Okiya when in Europe - they stock type 132

[Thor]

thanks foxy. i should've realised okiya would do the business

[wgmds]

going to hold onto my tenders until i gain a mess of weight. too bad i fucked the sizing. oh well, future denim is always alright to have.

[grooveholmes]

Wmgds. I thought your sizing was alright. It looked loose, but Ive always felt its a nice change of pace from the regular and slim fits I wear in other brands. But yes, you're right-- ain't nuthin wrong with holding on to a pair. Good choice.

[wgmds]

i love full cut pants, but i think since i'm so thin that they only look good with a chunky boot (like my bean weatherproof and engineers), but i'm looking forward to them simply because of how much love is in them. they seem genuine. i'm looking for craft and passion. these 12 pages show that mr. kroll has both and i couldn't bring myself to ever get rid of someone's child like that.

[rodeo bill]

Hey Bill, are there any US retailers with the combs?

Unionmade, Lyon State, and Hickoree's will all be getting combs up online in the next few days I hope (delivered Monday).

Speaking of Hickoree's, a new project went up online the other day. Here's what Darian at Free/Man kindly had to say about it:

TENDER CO. X THE HILL-SIDE

Ihave such an appreciation for the denim creations from my good friend William at Tender Co. Just when I thought it couldn't get any better, Emil sends me a snapshot of their newest collaboration. The slim straight fit type 129 has been accented with The Hill-Side's ticking stripe twill fabric in the "Snob's Thumb" Watch pocket, back pockets and belt loops. The substantial 17oz Blue Line Japanese Selvedge Denim looks perfect and has also been used to create the front pocket bags. Every pair of denim from Tender Co. is hand cut and hand sewn in Leicester, England. I need to invest in a pair of these while their small supply lasts, and begin the break in period. ASAP.

If you've haven't had a chance to listen to William talk about his line Tender, you need to watch the extremely informative film our friend Nythan James shot for us in New York City a while back. It will give you a greater understanding of the passion he has for his craft.

Tender Type 129 with The Hill-Side Lining

In Conversation: William of Tender Co.

Article by Darian Hocking

This is a whole new fit, which will reappear across the range in the next production, but for now it's only in the Hill-Side jeans. Type 129 is a slimmer, straight fit with a lower waist than 130 or 132. Still by no means skinny, but it's markedly less roomy than any of the jeans thus far.

Another little detail on these particular jeans is the Hill-Side label, which is sewn on behind the hip pocket. You guys may well have heard this story before, but this is where you often find the Union label on early C20th clothing, supposedly so that when you reached for your wallet you'd remember to pay you union dues....

[rodeo bill]

^^ps thanks everyone for very nice comments

[grooveholmes]

Saw these online the other day. They look great! I usually wear my tender jeans with jack Purcells-- it makes for a really nice, casual look.

[rodeo bill]

a couple more pics from my last day in Japan...

the shop boss at And A came in to make a personal order. They don't carry Tender in their store, but he personally has quite a few pieces. Here he is in his type132 weld dyed jeans:

the womenswear buyer from Nest Robe (wonderful store in Omotosando) came in for some stuff for her oversized drapey take on menswear for women, which they do really well. Here she is in a longsleeve woad dyed henley:

Also in the photo, Akira's wearing his flowerpot duck canvas trews. Here are a couple more pics. I really like the fit on him

[bunga]

so after almost a month plus of shippingl problems, custom hassles and a whole load of unforeseen extra costs (tax, proxy shipping) my pair of 130s arrived from Okiya.

But it's too big! On the website it says W32 (my true waist size) but the pair I received is a size 4. can anyone tell me if this is the correct sizing??

if not what was the size that I should have gotten? the denim is really great but i'm so sorely disapppointed after such a long wait.

[grooveholmes]

Size 4s should be 34". Sounds like you got the wrong size.

[UkeNo]

William - i have just had the pleasure of handling quite a few your items for the first time.

This was at Peggs&Son in Brighton.

Simply put, they have blown me away - the jeans - Woad dyed 130's are incredible - the richness of the woad is amazing - and the texture of it in different light is really something special - i hadnt quite expected them to be quite this striking from the pictures!

Also saw your woad guard jacket which is on my Must have list now, and some of your tees.

The staff were all quite giddy when discussing your clothing - very enthusiastic, and to prove my point two other people were handling your wears whilst i was in the store.

Bravo sir, Bravo - i am a certified fan!

Edited February 18, 2012 by UkeNo

[rodeo bill]

^that's really kind, thank you! Peggs & Son is a lovely shop, and I'm delighted they're stocking Tender. Thanks for the tip-off too, I didn't know they had things up online yet, but they've done a lovely job. Another little plug can go to Context (amazing to be working with them!) who just put up stock in the last couple of days here