Shop Review - A Small Jeans Company

Carsten outside ASJC HQ.

Some of the more high end denim stores, complete with standard issue hipster scowling at you from behind a counter, can feel a little unwelcoming when you go in.

Not so Copenhagen's newest denim shop A Small Jeans Company (ASJC). Tempted by the offer of coffee and obligatory Danish pastries I met up with owner Carsten Frederiksen for an interview.

ASJC is a very personal project for Carsten. As its name suggests ASJC want to keep things, well, small. His background however is working in sales for large brands such as Tommy Hilfiger and Tiger of Sweden in the more formal tradition of gents' tailoring. As Carsten admits though,

"It makes no sense for a denim-head, but when working with formal wear I started realizing that clothes go way deeper. Suddenly I found myself much more drawn to denim. Most end-consumers know that tailoring, the combining of fabrics and fits, is a sort of science. The same counts for denim in general. But what really triggered it was longevity. In this case denim beats formal wear any day. Personally I prefer a mix of denim and formal wear. Add a leather jacket and I'm a happy guy"

Indigo, Craftsmanship, Stories

Talking to Carsten it's clear he applies formal tailoring's high standards to what he stocks at ASJC, yet this as much as his relaxed attitude informs what he wants to achieve with the shop,

"We have no ambition of becoming a big jeans company or getting rich and famous. We focus on providing good, long-lasting stuff for customers. We prefer products before branding. When I opened up I thought well known commercial brands were important. Luckily they are not. The end-consumer has become much more aware of what they're buying. Therefore we focus on production, country of origin, fabrics and brand DNA." 

 This means brands such as Tellason, Pace Jeans, Tanner Goods and Lewis Leathers take precedence over more commercial fodder. ASJC's motto is Indigo, Craftsmanship, Stories. The provenance and quality of a garment is more important than than the branding it carries - perhaps a surprising approach for a shop only a stones throw form Copenhagen's main shopping drag Stroget.

To his credit Carsten is not interested in compromising on the quality of what ASJC stocks,

"Quality denim is for me a solid and clean product in every detail. With this I mean what is the purpose of making a fantastic heavy ounce denim then putting in cheap buttons or compromising on pocket lining or rivets? In general I prefer American or Japanese raw denim made with a clean look. Tellason is a good example. Even if you are not into denim you can see that things have been thought heavily about."   

Starting any new business is hard and mistakes are easy to make. Despite the shop's central location traffic flow has been one of ASJC's biggest challenges,

"Copenhagen is a big city and knowledge (of us) is still small. We are growing every day and becoming more settled. Customers come back and that is a good thing!" 

Carsten is candid about the initial difficulty getting the mix of brands right, but argues the shop will benefit from it in the long run,

"A Small Jeans Company will only get better and more interesting for denim orientated guys."

A Small Passion

Despite these challenges, after working for the big boys A Small Jeans Company represents a refreshing change, with Carsten's motivation stemming from doing something he genuinely loves,

"I'm doing this now and hopefully for the rest of my life. I have had good jobs and been happy about them but this career choice is by far the best decision made."

So what brand is he most proud of? Carsten acts as an agent for the Swedish brand Pace Jeans, so they're perhaps not a surprising choice. However, I get the sense he means it,

"I love the way their denim are ages and they don't compromise on quality. The philosophy of keeping pace and moving on is fantastic. On a bad day I would prefer a less visible stitching on back pockets. But that's how it is with visual branding I guess. At the moment the PX-04 from Pace is keeping my legs warm."

With regard to breaking his own jeans in Carsten doesn't have any special routines, preferring to simply break his jeans in from dry,

"for me it's all about getting them on and when they don't work anymore it's time for a change. For customers I recommend they have patience and simply just wear them whatever they are doing. I think it is up to the single person if they want to rub their dirty hands in them, work in the garage or garden - or even wash them (always inside out) because they have an office job. I think the journey starts when they buy a pair of dry jeans and they will find out what works for them."

Carsten brings a life-long passion for clothing to ASJC, and it seems to be working for him,

"My motivation definetly comes from doing what I really love and am passionate about. I am doing this now and hopefully for the rest of my life. I have had good jobs and been happy about them, but this career choice is by far the best decision made. It is hard, but I love riding my bike to the store in the mornings and developing the business. Furthermore Copenhagen Center needs this kind of shop. Period!"

Copenhagen shops are not known for friendly customer service, so this attitude is good news for Danish denim-heads. As Carsten says,

"I don’t expect for people to be blown away but if they don’t find it relaxed and feel welcome for shopping or hanging out - then I am doing something wrong. "

There's normally always a pot of coffee on and regular beer evenings, so if you're after some new denim why not pop for a chat?
If you can't make it the web-shop will be up and running very soon. Check out ASJC here.

Brown-Duck & Digger - Jeans Just As They Ought To Be

BD&D's line up of jeans at Bread & Butter in Berlin.

Japanese denim brands had a strong presence at Bread & Butter in Berlin in January. The stand out for me was Brown-Duck & Digger (BD&D) - the new sub label by Warehouse & Co specialising in authentic workwear jeans from 1900 to the 1960's.

The jeans lineup consists of four fits, the 12.5 oz Rough Rider Trousers, the 12.5 oz Big Bill, the 14 oz Golden Straight and the 14 oz Ivy, the fits getting gradually more modern (read slimmer and lower) as you go.

The 12.5 oz Rough Riders

Predictably perhaps I immediately got exited over the earliest pair in the range - the Rough Riders. 
Named after President Teddy Roosevelt’s volunteer cavalry unit that fought in the Spanish American War of 1898, in terms of fit they are are entirely accurate for jeans of the period - with an uber high waist, wide leg, brace buttons, cinch and single back pocket.

The back pocket has been placed close to the outer seam - a throwback to a time when workmen needed easy access to the tools they kept there. The yolk is so deep that it goes through the inside top corner of the pocket - giving a very high back rise.

Cinch back and donut brace buttons. Two of my favourite things to see on a pair of jeans.

Detail Is All

Befitting their rugged name these jeans have been robustly constructed.  As you would expect from a Japanese brand immense attention has been lavished on the detailing. 
Unusually the outer seam is felled - essentially the two seams are interlocked and top stitched, giving a much stronger result - a technique that would have been widely used on denims and other workwear of the era.

The felled seams in all their glory - a much stronger seam historically used on work wear, it makes for an unusual single selvedge edge.

The same can be said of the beautiful single needle stitching, the lock stitched hem on the leg and donut buttons.
Another detail that stood out is the single piece selvedge edge fly. Sturdier than a crotch rivet, it’s a feature that BD&D have replicated throughout the entire range.

Continuous selvedge fly and green button hole stitching. Commendable detailing.

A core part of the brand's identity is the indigo leaf - a theme that runs throughout the line-up from the painted & stitched leaf arcuate, the green button hole stitching to the deliberately aged copper rivets that show a slight green oxidisation. 
On the more contemporary models green thread has been used to bar-tack the belt loops and pockets too. 
Painted arcuates are not normally my cup of tea, but they're something of a Japanese tradition and it will be interesting to see how it ages.

I'll be honest, I wasn't sure what to make of the painted arcuate when I first saw it, but it's growing on me. 

The Jeans In Hand

The fabric is beautiful. The Rough Riders and Big Bills are 12.5 oz 3x1 twill - denim of the time was usually 2x1. When I spoke to Keita Senzaki at BD&D he said he preferred to adopt 3x1 twill for these two models “to stress the thickness and stiffness of the fabric.” 

And the fabric on the Rough Riders is quite slubby, giving the denim a wonderful texture. Again this would have been a feature of turn-of-the-century denim - a characteristic BD&D have reproduced by tweaking the tension on their vintage looms. I’m excited to see how the these jeans will fade.

Beautiful period donut buttons and deliberately aged copper rivets. Note the slight green oxidisation, consistent with the indigo leaf theme. Other brands should take heed - that's how you do detailing. 

Even the pocket bags are denim. The back of the cinch has also been lined with blue &  white hounds tooth cotton. Rather than leather, BD&D have plumbed for an unbleached cotton patch, maintaining the eco friendly feel of the natural indigo leaf.

Heavy duty denim pocket bags - I'm expecting to end up with indigo stained boxers whilst I break these in!

Billiken Man - Success Is Sure To Follow

BD&D use Billiken as their brand icon -  a good luck charm that was hugely popular in both America and Japan in the early Twentieth century. Largely forgotten in the US now, it was even used as a mascot for William Howard Taft’s 1908 presidential election campaign - the name for BD&D’s Big Bill jeans was Taft’s nickname. 
Billiken hit the shores of Japan that same year in the form of a huge statue in an Osaka amusement park and the figure remains popular today.
As Keita says, “we think Biliken and B&DD have something mutual in common - American culture, forgotten history.” 

The Billiken icon - on the patch, and here tucked away in the back pocket.

Others have characterised Biliken as “the God of things as they ought to be.” For me this is perhaps the more relevant link to BD&D. They produce jeans as they ought to be. 
Whether you’re in to historically accurate garments or not BD&D simply make beautiful jeans as they ought to be made.

As you'd expect from Warehouse & Co painstaking research has gone into the BD&D range and it's clearly been crafted with uncompromising attention to detail. What more can you ask for in a pair of denims? 

Some Japanese brands can be hard to get hold of in Europe, however BD&D intend to distribute globally. With more of the range waiting in the wings to be released soon, these are exciting times for fans of Japanese denim. 

Check out Brown-Duck & Digger here.

Flying High - Eastman Leather Clothing

Interview with ELC founder, Gary Eastman.

One of ELC's Elite Unit jackets - The "Hells Angels" 303rd Bombardment Group A2.

The A2 flight jacket is something of a style icon. Issued to American flyers from 1931, after WW2, as with many other items of military clothing, its stylish yet rugged utility meant that surplus stocks were rapidly adopted by civilians. The nostalgia factor has ensured that the A2's popularity has endured. A modified version is still in service with the US Air Force today.

Vintage examples are now as rare as hen's teeth, prohibitively expensive and too fragile to wear. So reproductions are your best bet. There are several companies out there to choose from, but one of the best is Eastman Leather Clothing (ELC).

I recently caught up with ELC's founder, Gary Eastman, who started the brand 30 years ago from a stable in Devon with only £300 in his pocket, a 1930’s Singer sewing machine and a passion for WW2 militaria.

He began making flight jackets owing to their scarcity. “They were essentially collectibles. It was hard to really wear them with conviction as one was afraid of damaging them. A jacket style like that looks best if you wear it the way it was intended - as a utility garment, in the rain or fixing your bike and not worrying. You just couldn't do that with an original - not if you valued its antiquity.”

Repro vs Original

Another reason was his dissatisfaction with the quality of reproductions available at the time - a key point that would go on to define ELC as it is known today. The reproduction companies that sprang up in the 1970’s weren’t getting it right. “They didn't really pay enough attention to detail, and the materials were modern versions of what was originally used. I felt it needed to be taken down a route where the essence of a true vintage garment was better represented - to do this would mean finding original sources of raw materials.”

This meant sourcing traditionally tanned Horsehide, instead of off-the-shelf commercial hides. He had to bin nylon or polyester linings in favour of cotton, and use the correct colour 100% wool plain-weave knit for the cuffs and waistband. On top of this there was finding the correct model zips, press studs and other fasteners. 

Meticulous detailing as standard - a 1940 Pattern RAF Flight Jacket

Achieving all this was not easy - especially back in 1984 when such information couldn't be found at the click of a mouse. That year, after completing a pattern cutting and grading course, Gary made his first five jackets. They sold within a week and he hasn’t stopped making them since.

Today ELC is one of the biggest suppliers of reproduction flight jackets, with an extensive range of A2’s. The line up is divided between the Original Maker / Elite Unit Jackets, painstakingly researched stitch for stitch recreations jackets made by the different US War Department contractors, and Eastman’s own jackets. Gary characterises the latter as jackets done in his own house style, “if we had been a war-time contractor, this is how our jackets would have looked.”

Eastman "House Style" A2 in Havana Brown Horsehide

Passion Over Profit

So exacting is the research, development and production of the Original Maker jackets that profit isn’t the top priority. "It really isn't - I will spend whatever it takes to get a detail right, because I know our customers will appreciate it. I want to see the end product come out like I’d like to find it in shop if I were the customer. I want to go, 'wow! I want one of those!’ ”

All of the jackets are bench-made locally in Devon, the hides hand-cut then sewn by a single machinist. For Gary this is crucial. "A tremendous amount of credibility is placed upon the fact these garments are made at our very own factory - the production of which is completely overseen and orchestrated by us. I think customers love to know these are proper bench-made products, by a company they can feel in-touch with because it is traditional, and not mass-produced. Heritage products like this have to carry honesty, because the customers are as passionate about owning them, as we are making them - it goes hand in glove.”

The fact Eastman supplies Buzz Rickson is indicative of the level of detailing that goes into these garments. The pair have been collaborating since 2003, something Gary is rightly proud of.

On top of all this, Eastman also offers a small range of British and German flight jackets, accessories and civilian jackets.

A Thunderbird Field - essentially a civilianised version of the earlier A1 that was popular with flight instructors of the time.

A New Direction

Devon didn't know what hit it....

This expansion led Gary to recently launch the sub-brand ELMC - Eastman Leather Motorcycle Club, which takes inspiration from the iconic the mid-20th century American West Coast motorcycle club culture.

Again, these jackets are bench-made in Devon to the same exacting standards using veg tanned horsehide, mostly custom produced for Eastman by tanneries in Italy.

ELMC Roadster in Walnut Brown

Also available is an extensive range of other apparel and accessories, including T-shirts, footwear and sweatshirts. All the fabric garments are produced exclusively for Eastman in Japan - “ the best place on earth to get true vintage-quality products produced. These are all made through the eminent John Lofgren workshops, to precise detail: body-size tube construction, specialist yarn cottons, all made on old vintage loop-wheel looms.”

Flying The Flag

The tan Californian (I'm talking about the jacket.) Beard optional.

It is exciting to see a British brand be daring enough to expand like this. Clearly, Eastman’s pedigree is in flight jackets, but given the production expertise and passion with which they are made ELMC is bound to meet with similar success. 

So how does Gary see Eastman as a whole evolving over the few years? He's charmingly relaxed about it. “I am happy with how it is - we have been busy from the first day we started, so I want to keep it like that. If the demand is there, we will follow it up as closely as we can. ELMC is a new pasture, so who knows where that will go - onwards and upwards is certainly the trend.”

Which jacket is he most proud of? Hands down, it's the ultra rare A1, only in service from 1927 to 1931. “The grandaddy of all American flight jackets.” In 30 years of collecting he has only seen three of them, and the one Gary managed to snag for himself was totally original. So Eastman was able to match every detail for the very first time. So much so that other manufacturers use the pictures on Eastman’s website for historical reference. 

As far a Gary is aware it's the only reproduction A1 that is 100% accurate.

ELC's finest moment? The reproduction of an ultra rare A1.

Now that’s dedication. If you’re looking for meticulously researched and produced flight jacket you can do no better than an Eastman. I speak from experience. I’ve had my own A2 for eight years now. It’s broken in beautifully and, unlike me, is only getting better with age. 
Gary says we shouldn’t be precious about wearing his jackets. “Wear it like it was intended - a utility garment. Wear it in the rain; down the pub; driving; walking the dog…falling over walking back from the pub. The more you wear it, the more it will become you.”

I don’t have a dog, but I can vouch for the rest.

If you’re interested do have a look at ELC here. More on Eastman Leather Motorcycle Club soon, but you can have a look at the range here.


(With thanks to Gary for taking the time to answer all my questions. All images courtesy of ELC.)

Weekend Man Food - Pot Roast Ox Cheeks With Red Lentils

On a recent trip to England I was excited to see ox cheeks in an excellent local farm butchers, Brogdale Farm in Faversham.

Until relatively recently ox cheeks have been unavailable. Classed as offal and obviously part of the head, they were binned because of the BSE scare. Traditionally most butchers have chucked them in the mincer, but with the growing popularity of slow cooking ox cheeks are making something of a comeback.

Rightly so. After a long slow cook they yield some of the most tender meat I've ever thrown down my gullet - so tender in fact that I could have eaten them with a spoon.

Anyway, a mere £4.50 later I emerged smiling from the butchers armed with two large cheeks and set about researching how to best cook them. Clearly a slow cook was a given, but what spices and ingredients to use?

It's here that I have to admit to actually reading what one friend has referred to as "that organ of wrongness," The Guardian. Assuming this is not enough to put you off slow cooking forever I found a Tom Kerridge recipe online under the title "10 Best Slow Cooked Recipes" in the Life & Style section.

After I recovered from a bit of a middle class existential crisis, I realised that, context aside, the recipe looked fantastic. I love using spices in my cooking, this dish being the bastard child of a curry and a traditional pot roast. Or is it technically braising? 
I won't lose any sleep over it and neither should you. All I've done is tweak it to my tastes slightly.

The great thing about this type of cooking is that you can add what you like.

Raw meat marinating in beer. That equals a weekend win in my book.

Amass the following:

(Serves 4)

2 large ox cheeks, about 400g each, cut in half
300ml stout
4 star anise
2 tsp coriander seeds
2 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp dried chilli flakes
1 tsp ground ginger
Rapeseed oil
2 onions, finely chopped4 garlic cloves, grated
150g fresh root ginger, finely chopped
600ml beef stock

For the spiced red lentils:

250g red lentils
4 tbsp rapeseed oil
1 onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, grated
2 tsp turmeric
1 chilli, finely chopped
1 cinnamon stick
800ml chicken stock
Freshly squeezed juice of 2 limes 
Salt and pepper, to taste

For the parsley yoghurt: 

Slack handful parsley, finely chopped
200g plain yoghurt
1 tsp black pepper

Proceed as follows:

1. A day before you plan to serve this, mix the stout, star anise, coriander and cumin seeds, chilli flakes and ground ginger together in a large bowl. Add the ox cheeks, cover and marinate in the fridge for 24 hours. (I left the cheeks untrimmed.)
2. The next day remove the ox cheeks from the marinade and pat dry with a tea towel. Reserve the marinade. Heat 4 tbsp rapeseed oil in a flameproof casserole over a medium heat. Add the ox cheeks and sear on both sides until browned. Remove from the pan and set aside.
3. Add the onions to the fat in the pot, reduce to low and fry, stirring occasionally, for at least 5 minutes until softened, but not coloured. Add a little extra oil to the pot if necessary, then add the ginger and garlic and fry, stirring, for 4–5 minutes until they are browned, but not burnt.
4. Return the meat to the pot, pour in the stout marinade and the beef stock and bring to the boil. Cover the pot and simmer low on the stove for a minimum 3½ hours until the beef is very tender.
5. Take pot off the hob and leave on one side for at least 1 hour. (Or leave it to sit its own juices for 24 hours. It is supposed to taste better, but I was too impatient.)
6. Meanwhile, make the spiced red lentils. Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/gas mark 4 and place the lentils, in a roasting tray, in the oven. Toast for 10–15 minutes until lightly tinged. Remove from the oven and set aside.
7. Heat oil in a large saucepan over low heat. Add the onion, chilli and garlic and fry, stirring occasionally, for at least 5 minutes until softened, but not coloured. Stir in turmeric and keep stirring for a further 1–2 minutes. Add the lentils and the cinnamon stick, then pour in the chicken stock and bring to the boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer the lentils, uncovered and stirring occasionally to make sure they don't catch on the base of the pan , for about 40 minutes until they fall apart and you have purée in the pan. Add lime juice and season.
8. Just before serving, mix the parsley, yoghurt and black pepper together. Reheat the ox cheeks and their cooking juices. Serve the cheeks with a little of the cooking juices, the red lentil purée and a good dollop of the yoghurt.

In combination with the zesty red lentil side dish, the ginger and star anise cut through the gelatinous meat perfectly. If you have any left over cooking liquor you can recycle it as a soup - we simply added the left over lentils and some diced boiled potatoes.

Hopefully ox cheeks don't become so trendy as to rocket in price. That would be a shame. They are a true thrift cut of meat, but more importantly taste fantastic.

I've no idea if I'll be able to find ox cheeks now I'm stranded back in Denmark, I guess I'll just have to smuggle some more back next time I fly over.

I urge you to visit the butchers at Brogdale Farm if you're in the Faversham area - it is nothing short of meat Valhalla - more recipes to follow soon using their wares.

The Institute for Alcoholic Experimentation: Hernö: like gin, but more so

An interesting article re-blogged from a chum at The Institute For Alcoholic Experimentation on Swedish gin. I didn't realise they made it either.

Clearly generations of experience making industrial strength home-brew in their cellars is paying dividends.

Now I just need to get my hands on a bottle. Click on the link below to have a read:

The Institute for Alcoholic Experimentation: Hernö: like gin, but more so: A rare bottle of Hernö Juniper Cask Gin, with a cask in the background (the real ones are much bigger) I went to the launch of a new g...

Bar Review - The Black Dog

Whitstable's Newest Micro Pub

Shepherd Neame Brewery is now one of the big boys of brewing, and on the company's Kentish home turf you can't throw a stick without hitting one of their pubs.

Don't get me wrong, I've always liked Shepherd Neame ale. It's far preferable to the horse p*ss passed off as beer made by some of the multi nationals.

It's just that, in the south eastern corner of England, there could perhaps be more variety - particularly in a county as famous as Kent is for its hops.

Whitstable's newest pub, The Black Dog, goes to some lengths to redress this, with a small, carefully chosen, revolving selection of ales and a quirky character all of its own.

Whitstable has, or at least had, a tradition for small one-room pubs. At one time there was a small bar on almost every corner. Virtually all are now closed, but The Black Dog is very much in this vein. 

The premises, still owned by Mike McWilliam, whose venture The Black Dog is, were at one time a small gallery, and more recently a café.

There is one small bar at the end of the room, with a few taps. That's pretty much it. And the taps are just for show. Giving our order to the barman he promptly ducked behind a partition to pour the pints direct form the barrel. 

I've not seen that in a boozer for about 20 years.

We tried a slightly flowery pale ale - Dark Star's Hophead, and a really rather excellent dry hopped fruity brown ale, Altered States from Kent Brewery - not an outfit I'd heard of before.

One of the most appealing aspects of enjoying real ale is the opportunity it affords to always try interesting beers that otherwise you would not have been aware of.

There was also a ginger infused cider on tap, but I was called back to HQ to attend to the roast before we could order our 3rd round!

Led Zeppelin fans amongst you will have clocked the name - on a trip to the gents I noticed that the room had been christened "The Jimmy Page Suite." Excellent.

The pub also had a "Monty" Toby jug behind the bar, what more could you ask for in a battleship cruiser?

I'm actually looking forward to seeing my parents again (they live down the road) just so I can nip back in to The Black Dog to see what they have on.

No pub is complete without a bust of Monty...

As my chum Ollie quipped, "this is the perfect bar for a lost weekend." Well it would be impolite not to work your way through The Black Dog's ale selection.

There's no website, but you can stay abreast of the pub's latest news on Facebook.

Better yet, if you're in Whitstable pop in. The address is:

66, The High Street

Whitstable

Kent

CT5 1BB

As Black Dog have commented on their FB page, "Drink local - easy said, easy done." Pubs only stay open if people frequent them. Luckily that's easy to do in this part of the world.

It makes a refreshing change to see a pub like this again. The next time I'm there I'll raise a glass to the renaissance of the Whitstable small pub. I wish Mike and his team every success.