WHO ARE WE
Roger and Marcel Grivec, twin brothers and denim afficionados since a very long time. We spend most of our childhood in the jeans store of our parents in the southern part of the Netherlands. Growing up with the ‘shrink-to-fit’ culture we became true denim hunters eversince. Books, movies, records and music play also big role in our life. In this photo documentary, we will try to unify with these true loves of ours. Enjoy and come back any time. Greetz Roger & Marcel
February 4th, 2012
Pontiac GTO
The most bizarre thing about the GTO is that it was never supposed to exist. “No high performance cars” was a mandate that came straight from the highest bosses of GM. But in 1964 the GTO was born. By many it’s considered the first true muscle car. GM took an intermediate size frame instead of a full-size lines as their competition did and could therefore mark it for a budget price. The option package was called GTO, which copied ferrari’s GTO (Gran Tourismo Omologato )model. For us the ’66 model is the nicest one they ever made!
January 11th, 2012
KATHLEEN-ROBBINS.COM
In Cotton is a beautiful photo essay by photographer Kathleen Robbins about the the changing landscape and vanishing livelihood of Mississippi cotton farmers. A handful of people who remain where their great-grandparents once settled down. Each spring, they weigh the odds and walk the land, recognizing every turnrow and low point and subtle rise over a thousand or two thousand or even eleven thousand acres. And, once again, as their parents and grandparents and great-grandparents did, they will buy the seed and the fertilizer and service the tractors and the combines and hire the cropdusters and begin the daily prayers for more rain or no rain and sunshine and cool nights and no tropical storms in September and no frost in early October.
January 4th, 2012
UNIQUE DENIM MANUFACTURE
For 35 years, Edwin Japan have worked on improving efficiency, quality, construction and washing methods by studying and engineering machinery used in the denim manufacturing process.
It is impossible to improve what one makes without spending the time everyday to master what one does, turning ones profession into a craft. The denim technicians at Edwin are true craftsmen, as their commitment and attention to the product is unquestionably what makes the Edwin product stand out from the mass of denim available within the market today. Whilst this remains ‘production’, the working philosophy remains closer to a greatly more efficient and productive Artisanal method.
December 14th, 2011
BLUE CHRISTMAS
Elvis Presley helped to bring the bad boy image to mainstream 50’s America. With Rock ‘n Roll as the soundtrack for a new generation and denim as the ‘uniform of nonconformity’ for the young. When Elvis suggestively swayed his hips in his jeans, denim became sexual. Like for example in the movie ’ Loving You‘ where the King portrays a truck driver who becomes a rock ‘n roll star. And is a true walking publicity for Levi’s: 507 Big E Jacket and 501 Big E jeans. To us Blue Christmas means sleigh bells in the air and denim everywhere.
November 4th, 2011
PEA COAT
One of our favorite jacket is the original Pea Coat which is a dark blue double breasted jacket made from 850 g wool. The right pocket usually has a small pocket sewn inside for storing coins. The name ” Pea Coat ” comes from the Dutch word Pij Jekker, in which Pij referred to a twilled blue cloth with a nap on one side. The term ” Pea Coat ” was first used in 1723, when it became a cold weather uniform in the Dutch and British Royal Navy. The US. Navy adopted them in 1881.
October 21st, 2011
TIP TOP DRESSED IN PRISON
One of our favorite movies is Escape From Alcatraz (1979: Director, Don Siegel), staring style icon Clint Eastwood as Frank Morris. In this movie you see some classics a man should have in his wardrobe such as a Beanie, white T-shirt, Chambray shirt, Pea Coat and a Chino. I can tell you that these inmates were dressed tip top in prison!
October 6th, 2011
STEVE JOBS (1955-2011)
As real Apple fans we are moved by the loss of Steve Jobs and we are going to miss his creativity and inspiration. One of our favorite quotes is: “ I’m as proud of what we don’t do as I am of what we do.”
September 11th, 2011
HAKAMA
The Hakama is a traditional Japanese clothing, best known as a piece of samurai clothing or as a part of uniform worn by Japanese martial arts like Aikido or Kendo.The Hakama was worn by samurai so that the opponent was not able to see the footwork. The Hakama has seven pleats which are a representation of the seven virtues of Bushido ( The way of the samurai). Today only black belts are required to wear a hakama( Aikido). Once you earned to wear the hakama, you must learn how to fold it. The original hakama is made from cotton and hand dyed in natural indigo. As a denim purist and Aikido student, i just can’t wait to earn my hakama.
September 2nd, 2011
SINGER,160th ANNIVERSARY
Isaac Merritt Singer ( October 27, 1811- July 23, 1875) did not invented the sewing machine, but he improved it. Many had patented sewing machines before Singer, but the machines were either impractical or inefficient. Isaac Singer invested $40 and a few day’s work and came up with a new approach to sewing, a needle that moved up and down.In fact he developed a machine so sophisticated that it had all the basics features found on sewing machines today. Isaac Singer started making machines in 1851. We are proud to say that we work with a vintage Singer sewing machine in our shop.
August 29th, 2011
JACK A.
Jack Arnold Weil ( March 28, 1901 – August 13, 2008) better known as Jack A. , or as Papa Jack was the founder of Rockmount Ranch Wear based in Denver, Colorado. Back in the 1940s, Jack A had realized that the cowboy shirt could be something more than a simple product. While visiting San Francisco, he saw a Chinese tailor making shirts with snaps instead of buttons. Jack knew enough about the technology of snaps to see that the Chinese tailor used the gloves snaps that wouldn’t hold up to the stresses that a cowboy shirt undergoes working at the Ranch, but the idea wouldn’t let him sleep at night. In 1946 he introduced the first western shirt with snaps and the famous saw-tooth pocket. The snaps fasteners have a break away function to let loose if the shirt got caught and hold more permanently than buttons. Rockmount shirts have been worn by countless celebrities and musicians like Elvis Presley, Bob Dylan, Ronald Reagan, Eric Clapton and Slash.
August 8th, 2011
BLUE SHEEP
Last week we spotted (in our neighbourhood Chevremont) a bunch of blue sheep standing on the meadow in front of a hotel. Denim nerds as we are we stopped our car and made some pics of our friends standing there in our favourite colour, which is obviously Blue! If it was up to us, all sheep around the world were blue, cause the world isn’t blue enough yet.
July 27th, 2011
JACK PURCELL
John Edward “Jack” Purcell was a world champion badminton player from Canada. At first he designed a shoe, which would provide more protection and support on badminton courts. This turned out to be the shoe, as we wear it today. Later on people like James Dean and Steve McQueen started wearing it and as of then the Jack Purcell has become more popular for their vintage fashion apparel than for athletic use. In the 1970s, Converse purchased the trademark rights to Jack Purcell sneakers – which it still produces and sells today. Converse All-Star are cool, but the coolest people on earth wear Jack Purcells! That’s why this shoe is one of the favorite shoes of the Grivec Bros.
July 26th, 2011
OUR OWN 49ER
June 29th, 2011
DEAD MAN’S HAND
James Butler Hickok (Wild Bill) was killed in August 2 1976 while playing poker in Deadwood at Saloon nr.10. Usually he sat always with his back to the wall, but that day the only seat available when he joint the game was a chair with his back to the door. “Broken Nose Jack” walked in unnoticed and shot Wild Bill in the back of his head. When shot he was holding 2 black aces and 2 black eights. Nobody knows for sure what the fifth card was he was holding. The hand he was holding is now better known as the “dead man’s hand”, still a famous poker hand.
June 22nd, 2011
FIVE STAR RATING
It’s always fascinating to see how things are made, especially great products. Edwin was established in Japan 1947. The denim brand prides itself on innovation and craftsmanship, utilising exclusive fabrics and fabrication, unique technology, hand wash processes, and continual progression in design and fit. No need to say that we are very proud to have a product like this in our store.
June 20th, 2011
TIM BROWNE VISITING JEANSPALEIS
Last week our friend Tim Browne from Blue Collar Worker visited us. While enjoying a great meal and some booze he showed us his fall / winter collection. As we are used from him, most if it was in raw denim. This collection will be in our shop soon.
June 11th, 2011
MEET AND GREET WITH DICK DALE
Straight from our archives: Roger and me and Dick Dale (1937). The King of the Surf Guitar, who’s percussive, heavy bending track “Misirlou” was used for Quentin Tarantino’s Pulp Fiction. Our absolute #1 favourite movie.
June 9th, 2011
MIKE DISFARMER
A true source of inspiration. For half a century Mike Disfarmer (1884-1959) was the people’s photographer of Herber Springs, Arkansas, USA. He made studio portraits at pennies a picture. His vintage prints are published in the book ‘Original Disfarmer Photographs’ by publisher Steidl & the Stephen Kashen Gallery. ISBN- 3-86521-189-5
