Blackhorse Lane Atelier: Denim Jeans from East London by Alex Hughes

I'm very grateful to reader Alex Hughes, budding blogger, friend of Grey Fox Blog and menswear aficionado for this report on Blackhorse Lane Ateliers, a company making denims in East London:

The debate over jeans and the mature gent won't go away any time soon, but I hope that readers of this blog would agree with the proposition that, with certain caveats (such as quality, wash and fit), there is no reason for any arbitrary limit on the ability of a gent to wear jeans at any age. With that in mind, along with importance Grey Fox blog places upon supporting British manufacturing, this correspondent paid a recent visit to Blackhorse Lane Ateliers, a relatively new but exciting operation based in East London.

Launched in April this year (after over a year of planning and preparation) by Han Ates, who has over twenty years experience in the clothing and textile industry, Blackhorse Lane Ateliers is a project which is the antithesis of disposable fashion. Having purchased three pairs of jeans from a major brand at the beginning of 2015 and having been unimpressed with the quality of construction, along with noticing that each pair had been produced in a different country, Han was moved by a desire to produce a quality item using traditional ‘Heritage’ manufacturing techniques, employing local workers in the process.

His recent experience hasn’t been easy though, and underlines the value in supporting British brands which manufacture in this country and thereby maintain a skilled workforce; 21 years ago when setting up another clothing operation, he advertised for workers and 3 weeks later had 110 applications. This time around, after 4 months he had 9 applications. The current workforce is a mixture of experienced workers and trainees learning the skills needed to produce garments to a high standard.

The result is a range of styles named after London postcodes in a variety of weights of selvedge denim, sourced from (currently) Turkish and (more familiar to the denim heads out there) Japanese mills. Given the emphasis on the quality of materials and care to the manufacturing process the jeans are not cheap, but having borne witness to both it is highly believable that by measuring value in the perennial ‘cost per wear’ metric, they will actually prove much cheaper in the long run, as well as being more pleasurable to wear.

It’s difficult not to be impressed with both their dedication to the quality of their products and high ethical standards they set themselves with regard to the environmental impact of their production. Other projects include growing their own indigo for future use in their jeans, and giving back to the local community, such as providing open days for school children to encourage an interest in clothing manufacture and make them think about the provenance of the clothes they wear. See Blackhorse Lane Atelier Denim

Contributed by Alex Hughes. This is an unsponsored post and all views are those of the author and this blog.

A look for summer - indigo, denim, chambray and the patina of wear

There is a certain blue, whether indigo, azure or cornflower, faded and worn by use, the sun and washing, that is summer. The wear is uneven, on the high points of the seams and creases of the garment. Jeans do this best, but chambray and denim shirts are close behind in the desirability stakes. 

Images all from The Sartorialist showing how his subjects wear denim

This patina is usually seen with cotton and linen, or mixes of these. It takes a while to develop and is best when it happens naturally. It's very satisfying to see a favourite garment soften and wear with age. I wouldn't ever buy anything artificially distressed: allow it to happen unaided.

Image above: Shirts: Eton, Brunello Cucinelli, Hentsch Man, Gap. Jackets: Jigsaw, Realm & Empire. Images Grey Fox

Denim and chambray are sometimes confused, but differ in construction. They look similar because both are woven with coloured yarn in the warp and white in the weft, giving the white/coloured shot effect. To distinguish them look at the reverse of the fabric; denim will be lighter on the back than the front, chambray is the same both sides. Both improve with age, weathering, washing and wear (exactly like the readers of this blog, of course). 

Their robustness explains their origins in workwear and, in general, they're used only for casual wear. This characteristic can be used to dress down a formal look. Try a denim/chambray shirt with a suit or jacket and tie; smart casual with a twist. Worn with crisp cream cotton or crushed white linen, a faded denim or chambray looks perfect in its simplicity.

Here are a few favourite products you can buy to develop this look:

Top left clockwise: Albam, M&S, Universal Works, Uniqlo denim, London Undercover, Jigsaw double indigo blazer

And finally, a few other items with a denim finish to add variety to your choice:

Image above: Denim teddy: Dawson Denim, braces: British Belt Co, watch strap: Page & Cooper

NOTE: I want to clarify a few points in response to a recent tweet. I was paid nothing by any brand for this post. I've included items here because I like them.

The blog describes an individual's search for style and therefore includes clothes I see and wear which like. It's quite impossible to curate a blog of this sort without mentioning brand names. 

If I'm paid, I make that clear. Some clothes are given to me - again I make that clear in my product reviews - but please note that gifted clothes do not pay my bills.  I do not make a living from this blog. I comply with ASA Guidelines on this blog. I hope that's very clear, but please get in touch with any thoughts or concerns.