STAFF: Haru
instagram:haru_02018
Hello! It’s Har u, the clothing geek!
Following yesterday, we continue with the heated
Black Denim Showdown.
Tonight, I’m introducing BISOWN!!
Let’s get right into it...
BISOWN
-CO/HE USN SHAWL COVERALL-
-CO/HE PURE STRAIGHT DENIM-
*Available online starting tomorrow.
To start off, let me say this:
this denim setup... is too cheap!!
At ¥36,000 + tax for the jacket
and ¥34,000 + tax for the pants, it’s a terrifying price point!
It makes you want to doubt the price tag,
thinking, "Why is it this cheap?!"
It’s not low quality just because it’s cheap.
On the contrary, the quality is exceptionally high,
and I was so moved by the craftsmanship of the factory
that makes this denim that I have the utmost respect for them.
The factory is a long-established manufacturer
that has been in operation since the early 1900s.
They hold on to their policies with a long history and technique,
and that sentiment really strikes a chord with clothing lovers.
Specifically:
“Not prioritizing mass production for profit, but instead prioritizing value-added craftsmanship even at the cost of production efficiency.”
I find that philosophy wonderful, and
the denim fabric created from such a sentiment
has a specialness that differs from IRENISA.
While many conventional denims are 100% cotton,
this denim is actually...
an unusual fabric blended with hemp (a type of linen)!
It uses organic cotton for the warp and undyed hemp for the weft,
resulting in a black color dyed both ways.
The texture unique to hemp, which cannot be achieved with cotton alone,
evokes the distinct stiffness and feel of linen,
giving it an appearance as if it has been worn in for years.
Furthermore, it boasts 8 times the tensile strength of cotton
and 4 times the durability,
along with excellent breathability, moisture absorption, and quick-drying properties.
It’s a fabric that isn’t just high quality,
but also includes performance features that consider the user.
With so many merits packed in,
I still think that price is ridiculous, haha.
And it’s not just the fabric; you can feel the attention to detail in the design, too!
The denim jacket is based on a
WWII (Second World War) shawl collar jacket.
When I did some research out of curiosity,
I found it to be incredibly deep and interesting!
This jacket is likely based on a design used by the US Navy,
and it seems the military of that time adopted the coverall style for its functionality and practicality.
(Fun fact: apparently, the pullover style was the mainstream initially, but it changed to the jacket style because the former was difficult to use.)
It was a collar shape originally found on conventional denim jackets,
but because Navy personnel often worked on deck,
the shawl collar was adopted (around the 1930s-40s) so the collar wouldn't flap in the strong winds.
Learning about the charm of military items,
I found myself getting excited on my own, haha.
The excellence of current designs lies in
properly inheriting the stories of past items
while incorporating sizing and a vibe suitable for today’s era,
passing them down into designs that suit us who enjoy fashion now.
That is why they are accessible,
and knowing the roots of the item
makes clothing even more interesting.
Of course, you can feel the attention to detail in the pants, not just the jacket.
By making the dimensions from the knee to the hem almost identical,
and by keeping the sides straight,
the pattern creates a slightly flared look like vintage pantaloons.
By processing the dry and textured
cotton-hemp denim, it has a nice drape, is light-ounce and soft,
resulting in a comfort you can enjoy all year round.
I’ve spent two days talking about the denim setups from IRENISA and BISOWN,
but honestly, it’s hard to choose between them.
If I had to broadly categorize them,
I’d say IRENISA is for mode-style denim based on tailoring,
and BISOWN is for casual, modern denim!
Since I, the blog writer, wanted a clean-looking pair of denim,
I would choose IRENISA if I could buy them.
(They’ve been selling out over the past two days, so that’s probably impossible.)
Which denim setup did you like more?!
Please, tell me in the store!!