JELADO Manufacturing ~Vintage Denim~ Vol.3 "The 501XX Legacy Woven with Romance and Science"

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~The romanticism of vintage. Towards an even more profound world~

 

The 301XX was completed by taking apart a deadstock 501XX and utilizing the latest science and the skills of excellent denim artisans. Over a year after the 301XX was released in September 2020, a new project was launched. As before, the guide for this project is Mr. Muroi (hereinafter, Muroi), who can be considered a key figure in Japan's denim industry. This time, we will present the background and purpose of the new project in a dialogue format between Mr. Muroi and JELADO's Goto (hereinafter, Goto).

 

 

 

"The 301XX was excellent. But precisely because of that, I wanted to take on a new challenge from a different perspective." - Goto

 

 

GotoBefore we talk about the new project, I'd like to reflect on the 301XX first. From your perspective, Mr. Muroi, how was the finished 301XX product?

 

MuroiJELADO definitely showed its answer, and I think it turned out very well. During the production process, Goto's requests for each aspect—planning, cotton quality, unevenness, and finish texture—were clear, so communication was smooth. On the other hand, how was the customer reaction from JELADO's perspective?

 

GotoThanks to everyone, we had inquiries even before the release, and even now, over a year after its launch, new customers are still picking it up. What made me happiest was that people who had no previous connection with JELADO became interested in the 301XX.

Before releasing the 301XX, we had already released various denim items as an American casual brand, but this project brought in so many new customers that I even started to worry that perhaps the market hadn't fully recognized our denim image. (laughs)

 

MuroiThat's great. And, as we discussed when we were making the 301XX, it's good for projects like this not to end with just one attempt, but to continue for a second and third time, aiming for even better results.

 

GotoExactly! The 301XX was very good. But precisely because we invested so much time, effort, and cost into it, we saw new areas we wanted to explore, and this time we intend to make those a reality.

 

 

"This time, I want to create what's known as the 'early 47 model' made in the 40s." - Goto

 

GotoLast time, we based it on the 'late 47 model' with a leather patch and single-sided tab from the '50s, but this time, I'm thinking of creating a new model based on the 'early 47 model' made in the '40s. In other words, I'd like to distinguish between the fabric we made last time, which is used to reproduce products from the '50s, and the fabric we're making this time, which will be used to reproduce products from the '40s. By the way, looking at the early 47 model I have, the weft color, nep, and unevenness look much rougher. Why is there such a difference?

 

MuroiI think there are differences due to individual variations, not just the difference in eras. That's because spinning technology back then wasn't as advanced as it is today. They probably wanted to create straight yarns that wouldn't break easily when woven on a loom, and that were easy to weave, but because they didn't have the spinning technology we have now, random unevenness that wasn't intended would inevitably appear. Even the cotton they used, unlike today's improved varieties, varied not only in properties but also in color. And rope dyeing, I'm sure the finish changed with the seasons. So, it's highly likely that the finish was slightly different every year, or rather, every season, and every lot.

 

GotoI see! It seems this difference isn't simply because the 501XX we're basing it on this time is older.

 

MuroiExactly. Don't you sometimes find individual pieces that make you go, "Huh? Is this also an XX?" I think that level of individual variation is what makes the 501XX so appealing. In other words, even if you try to reproduce them, every XX you pick up has individual differences, with unique characteristics and flavors, and no two are exactly alike, which is what makes it so interesting.

 

GotoSo it's not about what to reproduce, but about how seriously and accurately we reproduce the 501XX we have at hand. The 301XX turned out beautifully in a good way, and I believe we were able to create one answer for JELADO by leveraging science and the skills of Japanese artisans. So this time, I'd like to create a fabric that emphasizes roughness, making the most of the good qualities of this specific piece we're basing it on.

 

 

"We want to differentiate it from the 301XX through spinning, dyeing, and pattern, and create another answer for JELADO." - Muroi

 

GotoWell, if we're going to "reproduce roughness," I think the key point will be to make the unevenness during spinning even stronger. Another important point will be the color, I think. For the 301XX, we considered how well and quickly it would fade, but this time I want to try a slightly different approach. I want to bring out that distinct dark blue characteristic of vintage denim more clearly.

 

MuroiIndeed, if the yarn is processed before dyeing, it will fade more easily on the surface, but it might be difficult to achieve the color that Goto is aiming for when it's new. This time, to delve deeper into vintage, how about dyeing it with pure indigo without any secondary processing on the yarn? The key for this dyeing is how to express the depth of indigo, the white core, and the speed of fading.

 

GotoThat sounds great. Last time, we committed to reproducing the exact color of the original piece, but this time, I'd be happy if we could intentionally change our approach to reproduce a wilder color.

 

MuroiConceptually, it seems like it will be a model with intense unevenness, slub, and a rough texture. I think the fabric for the new project will have a different feel from the 301XX.

 

GotoBy the way, when we made the 301XX, we graded the pattern (adjusting the pattern to the required size) from a very large vintage piece, which resulted in a deep rise and a modern silhouette. This time, however, we can create the pattern from a 32-inch piece, so when the product is finished, it should have a shallower rise and a cleaner silhouette.

 

MuroiThere are many jeans out there that imitate vintage models from the same era as the one we're basing this on, but it seems we can create "another new answer for JELADO" this time as well.

 

 

"Release is planned for September 2022. We'll be counting on you to guide us again." - Goto

 

GotoThe 301XX turned out beautifully, and this new project is planned to be wilder. Even after it's finished, I'm sure we'll discover something new, and we'll probably keep pursuing the 501XX for years and years to come.

 

MuroiEven when you think you've done a perfect job, it's the thrill of craftsmanship when you keep pursuing it and discover new challenges you want to take on. The premise is that you can't create something perfectly identical to what was made in that era. That's because the cotton, spinning machines, dyeing machines, and looms used in America 70 to 80 years ago don't exist under the same conditions today, and furthermore, the people making them and the production processes are different.

That's why I think jeans allow us to keep chasing dreams forever.

 

GotoThat's right. No matter how much we approach it scientifically and accumulate facts, in the end, the romantic part is that we have no choice but to make fine adjustments based on "imagination," something only those with knowledge and experience truly understand.

We're aiming for a product release in September 2022, so we'll be relying on you again this time.

 

 

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