CONTEXT

This is our Atelier La Durance customer Context in 113 King Street, Madison, Wisconsin - www.contextclothing.com

Cars Hong Kong style

Just found these pictures that I took last time I was in Hong Kong. This was in the lobby of the Times Square shopping centre.

Fixed at BFF

Just been surfing the net checking out Brendt's progress with the Bicycle film festival and found some nice pictures of the Tokyo edition. If you want to check out more about fixed go to MASH.

Gumball 3000

Looks like the Gumballers are getting into gear for the next edition. Unfortunately I missed the premier and party last week. My good friend Julie is the director of the race and it sounds like they are going all out as usual. For the first time it will start and end in London with a huge do in Trafalgar square. Here are some pictures of Mai Ikuzawa's (Creative Director Bow Wow International) tour of duty 2005! Kicks off - Sunday 29th April - Saturday 5th May, 2007

Levis Doll......

I think I have finally gone mad. Stayed up until 2 am to secure this Levis doll from Ebay! I am facinated by the extent to which companies used to go to, to promote their brand. This is a 1970's Levis Rag Doll. Its very hard to find them still boxed and in mint condition. There is a whole family to collect so watch this space.

Van Bladel Levis Poster

Anyone have any idea of where I can get one of these?

Nice book

A fascinating study of mass culture dissemination in a post-hippie, television-obsessed nation, this weighty volume delivers an exhaustive and nostalgic overview of 70s advertising. Buy it at the Taschen website!

"MADE" in New Zealand

My good friend Atip and his Misses (Madeline) have teamed up with Margot Johnson to open a new store called "MADE" in downtown Auckland. From the pictures it looks like a great store. I was over there a couple of years ago and this will certainly be the best store in town. Madeline will also be selling her own line in store called MAW which you should check out! Good luck guys and we are proud to supply you with Atelier La Durance for this venture!

Essential reading for the denim geek!

The Sportswear International Denim Bible arrived today! We are proud to say that we have two brands that we work with included. Atelier La Durance and Toughjeans.

The house of Atelier

After Paris I headed down to St Remy de Provence where my good friend Gerard lives. He is the owner of Atelier La Durance! For those who don't know it you should check it out. I always look at it like the Hermes of the denim world. The best denim in raw fabrics with great details. I spent a day relaxing with him listing to music and putting the world to rights over some nice Sancerre. Our old friend Pierre (creative director of G-star and was a co-founder of Liberto - basically he knows the odd thing about denim!) came round for dinner with his son Bas. Check out Gerards house......what a dream.....and that's Flore his daughter a budding Dj if I ever saw one.

Paris!

Just got back from a week in France. I had a meeting with our new distributor I have set up for TOUGH. The agent is a really good guy who looks after the sales for Converse. He had this great vintage bowling game in his office and an old pinball machine!

BFF Milano

If your in Milan between 1st - 3rd December go support our friend Brendt Barbur and check out the Bicycle Film Festival. The one in Tokyo looked like alot of fun! This pic is taken from Joe Kid on a Stingray - the history of the BMX.

$1000 Denim

This is a good week for post. I just got a Christmas present from my good friend Philip from Indigo Farm in Hong Kong. Indigo Farm is a company that specialize in very high level denim manufacturing, fabric development and innovative processes. The denim is hand woven and dyed from organically grown natural indigo from Japan. Known as "AWA Indigo" or Plantation Denim in its raw/unwashed state. You can see the Awa - ai calendar that I got with it. Its translated from Japanese so its a bit Japenglish. The process is very labour intensive and methodical. Only the Japanese would be able to pull this off. This jean is unique as nobody else would really develop such a specialized fabric. From what I understand there are only about 20 pairs in the world and the ones in the shops work out at $1000! For the denim connoisseur its porn! Thanks Philip !!

Buzz Rickson Rocks!

So today I got a nice package from the only people in Europe who sell Buzz Rickson! Eastman Leather clothing. I like the way they are a true authentic company with values! See the box the and the inner sewn up paper bag. These guys know how to present things. A pleasure to get through the post! Lets hope I can get in contact with Buzz to make it happen.

Vintage

I have always been into authentic products. Since my days at G-star I have started my own archive of vintage clothing which I will post at a later date. I have finally found a company to rival the Real McCoy company from Japan. If vintage army and work wear is your thing then check out Buzz Rickson's. I have made contact with them so hopefully I should be able to import there product one of these days. So watch this space.........