NEW Tellason Fits

My love for these fellas has been well documented. Really dig this company and everything it stands for. Until recently Tellason has only had 2 fits. The original and spectacular straight-leg John Graham Mellor (aka Joe Strummer of The Clash), and the equally amazing and more loose fit in collaboration with Michael Williams of ACL. However recently Tellason has unveiled two more new fits to round out the denim line.

Introducing the Ankara which according to Tony "is a true straight leg that is ~ 1.5" higher in the front and back rise and ~ 1.5" fuller through the leg than the Mellor." This fit is based on the ACL jeans however these are slightly longer. Fun fact: Ankara is the city in Turkey where Joe Strummer was born (his dad was a
British diplomat).

And the Ladbroke Grove which, again according to Tony, "is the same as the Mellor from the waist to the knee and then tapers to a bottom opening that is 2" smaller." Another fun fact: Ladbroke Grove is the area of London where The Clash came from.

All of the jeans are $198, and as of right now, the new fits are made with 12.5oz. Cone Mills denim.


Get them here:
Unionmade: Ankara, Ladbroke, Mellor
Blackbird: Ankara, Ladbroke, Mellor

Pictures courtecy of Blackbird Ballard

Tellason John Graham Mellor Update

Following up on my 7 month post, here are some pics at about 8-9 months of wear on my Tellason John Graham Mellor. I took some time away from these to wear my ROYs and to fix the blown out crotch of my Tellason's, but here is the latest.

Baldwin Denim Initial Fit Review

Package from Kansas City! Rad.

Company

Baldwin started in 2009 in Kansas City and has made a big splash ever since. US made. Nice to try new things isn’t it?

Selection

Unlike my last purchase of the Tellason’s when I knew what I wanted going in, this time around I was debating between a few brands. My choices were the 3sixteen SL, Rogue Territory Stanton, Baldwin 77s, and based a recommendation from my friend at fortalitia54 Railcar Spikes. All were a slim-straight fit with indigo Japanese denim, and all were about 14oz, with the exception of Railcar, which were 11.75oz. After reading some reviews online, I went to see what I could find in the local stores. 3sixteen was available at Self Edge SF, and although I really liked the denim quality, I didn’t like it as much as the other ones. The RT Stantons were available at AB Fits, however there was nothing at all in my size so I couldn’t try anything on, but I did love the details. And as much as I wanted to try the Railcar brand, I was a bit weary due to the minimal amount of reviews available, and the lighter weight (possibly my next purchase). The Baldwin’s just felt right. They felt good. And that’s all that really matters.

Specs

14oz Kurabo denim

Indigo

Drop yoke slim-straight fit

Selvedge coin pocket

Initial Fit

The initial fit was definitely a bit tight but that is to be expected I suppose. I will probably be wearing these puppies straight from raw and not bothering with a soak due to their snugness, however that is probably a bad idea because despite being sanfornized, they will shrink about an inch in every direction. In comparison with my Tellason’s these 77’s are pretty different despite having similar fit naming: slim-straight. The Baldwin’s are more loose in the thigh while being shorter in length, so I can totally get away with a fairly small double cuff without a hem job for now. The jeans have a lower yoke than any other pair, which means that the back pockets are significantly lower. This will take some getting used to, although I can’t complain as they are technically called “the drop yoke straight.”

Details

While other brands have a lot more going on in terms of superfluous design accessories, Baldwin keeps it real simple. Stand-outs are the selvedge coin pocket, custom rivets and buttons, and the white rivet on the right back pocket. No decorative stitching. Classic patch. Clean logo. Just the essentials. The quality of craftsmanship, design, and materials is immediately noticeable. Triple stitched yoke, chain stitched hem, sturdy canvas pocket bags.

Overall I am extremely pleased with these. They fit well, and while still being somewhat tight, I’m sure after a few more days of wear they will stretch out a bit. More to come as I am already looking at some more interesting brands (Denim Demon’s from Sweden!). Stay Tuned.

Conquest

It may come as a surprise to none one that I am a bit of a denim s(k)nob; I enjoy raw selvedge, and a lot of it. No doubt that one of my most cherished possessions, are my original gen-1 ROY jeans (below). If you haven't yet heard of ROY, please refer to any of the million blogs that have written about him and his new-found success (Hypebeast, Denim Debate, YHBTI, Denim Geek, Free/Man, the 189, etc).

Roy's Jeans - Video by Self Edge from Self Edge on Vimeo.

Roy Slaper is basically a one man army working out of Oakland, CA. He began with a single straight/slightly loose cut that he hand crafted to order. After a much needed summer hiatus, Roy is now collaborating with SelfEdge on 2 cuts (vid above).

/pride

I was very lucky to be one of the lucky few to get the gen-1 before he shut down production. I got them as a graduation present to myself this summer, and due to their heavier weight (14oz.), I have not been wearing them as much as I would like, favoring the 12.5oz Tellasons. What impressed me most about dealing with Roy, was the very personal attention to detail that he devoted to each pair he crafted. I exchanged about 15 emails and a phone call with him until I got the right size that would shrink to be perfect for me.

This personal treatment is most important to me. It feels like the company (no matter how large) actually considers the consumer an individual, and not just someone targeting a consumer group who "is unique in character and who likes being made to feel special". Some companies that I particularly enjoyed dealing on a personal level with are (in order of labels in the pic above): Tellason, ROY, Levis, Tanner, Jcrew, Hamilton. Even with large corporations like Levis and Jcrew, I find that if you take the time and talk to people, they will take care of you really well.

Another important factor I look for: made in America. Everyone's mad about international outsourcing? Do something about it. For a pretty complete list of awesome looking clothing and accessories made in America please refer to Michael Williams' great website: A Continuous Lean.