Emmett Jeans 2PJ Selvedge Denim Jacket

Across the pond for the first of our articles this week to discuss the denim jacket.

American influenced, but Scandinavian made - the Emmett Jeans 2PJ Jacket - 14.7oz of selvedge denim goodness.

The cropped denim jacket as we know it today is a thoroughly American garment and can really be dated to 1931 when Lee released the 101J - or Rider Jacket.
Levis referred to their variant, the 506, as a blouse well in to the 1930's, as that is how they were meant to be worn, as a heavy shirt, over a thin cotton undershirt with a heavy duck coat or similar for a top layer. Lee released the Storm Rider - a heavier blanket lined version - in 1936. The blouse was gradually morphing in to a jacket.

Zig-zag reinforcement stitching along the button holes.

Initially intended for horse oriented use this shape of jacket is now widely popular, reinterpreted in to a variety of fabrics and colours.

The number of European heritage work-wear or neo-vintage brands is growing. One such is Emmett Jeans, a Scandinavian outfit founded in 2010.
The 2PJ is their homage to the Lee Rider jacket and shares many of the latter's detailing - most noticeably the slanted pockets, zig zag reinforcement stitching around the button-holes and plastic buttons on the waist adjustment tabs.
The jacket has retained look of the front pleat panels, but lost the actual pleats - originally there presumably to add ease of movement on horseback.

Great detailing - contrasting stitching and doughnut buttons. The pleats are gone, but the panels, running from pocket to waistband, have been retained.

Made from 14.7oz ecru selvedge it's reassuringly heavy, and gets heavier after a rinse. However, I couldn't find out what mill Emmett sourced the material from.
Before wearing the jacket it spent an hour or so in the sink. This gets rid of some of the starch and other chemicals used during production, helping to soften up the material. Though sanforized it did shrink a little.

The 2PJ going for its pre-wear dip.

I love the contrasting yellow / orange stitch detailing and double stitch along the inside of the waistband.

 Nice single ecru selvedge too.

Plastic waistband adjustment buttons.

From the look of the Emmett Jeans website they've not been up to much since releasing their Autumn / Winter 2012 collection. If anyone knows more about them I'd love to hear it.

However, you can find their clobber in Carlings - a high street retailer that, amongst the normal dross, occasionally turns up an odd selvedge gem like the 2PJ.