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HG2 gets Raw
8 Jun2010
Hi everyone. So HG2 was featured in the Edmonton Journal for our wide range of knowledge and product on raw denim. Check it out.
Courtesy of the Edmonton Journal
EDMONTON — The good news about raw denim is you don’t need to wash it. The bad news is, it still gets dirty.
That doesn’t stop trendy young men (and some women) from embracing “raw” or “dry” denim, which manufacturers recommend wearing regularly, without washing, for at least six months.
That’s right, jeans you don’t wash, for months at a time. Pretty soon, Mom will be begging you to let her do your laundry.
The idea is that when you eventually do wash them, the dye will come out of the deep creases and wear-spots that have developed, giving you the ultimate, authentic, personalized, worn-by-you look.
It’s a modern take on the old Levi 501s people wore for years until they were perfectly broken-in, says Rob Honzell, owner of HG2, the downtown mecca for all things denim. He holds up a pair of brand new, raw denim Nudie brand jeans — uniformly dark blue, called “raw” because they haven’t been treated, embellished or pre-washed the way most conventional jeans have.
Don’t wash them for six months, then wash them, and they’ll fade, with wear spots in all the right places, like the second pair Honzell displays — his own, which he brought in for demonstration purposes. The ones he’s wearing are the same brand, same wear-and-wash after six months, but then worn for an additional year or so and washed regularly. Now they’re faded, worn and creased to perfection.
Sure, you can buy jeans with all that work done already at the factory through chemicals and pre-washing. But for those who take their denim seriously, like Honzell, it’s all about the authenticity.
“I think men tend to be more denim junkies than women,” he says. “Women are more concerned with fit, and how their bum looks.”
“It’s definitely more of a guy thing,” admits Honzell’s wife, Lindsay, who also works at the store. To her credit, she too is wearing raw, unwashed denim, but then, she doesn’t wear them very often. Her slim-fit, Naked and Famous jeans are still a pretty uniform, deep blue.
“It’s just like a total denim geek thing,” she says. “They’re your rips, they’re your jeans,” she adds.
“They tell the story of the past year of your life,” says Rob.
Lindsay laughs. “This is from that bar fight and this is where that girl threw her drink on me,” she says.
Nudie, the Swedish jeans maker, is at the forefront of the raw denim trend, says Rob. They produce raw denim jeans in a range of colours, including black, grey and light blue.
Naked and Famous, a purist, Canadian company that uses only Japanese raw denim, is known for its unembellished jeans and its low price point — starting at $125 and going up to about $175. Nudies start at $200 and can cost as much as $700.
A quick scan of the two companies’ jean styles confirms the predominance of men among raw denim devotees. In total, they offer about 30 styles for guys. For women, they have three or four.
“Women are more about the fit and the feel. They don’t necessarily like that stiff-feeling denim,” says Lindsay. Naked and Famous even produces one style of raw denim jean that contains 20-per-cent Kevlar. And while they’re not quite bulletproof, they aren’t likely to be the most comfy jeans you’ve ever worn.
Add to that the fact that usually, after months without washing, jeans can start to smell, another strike against them for most women. Rob suggests a brief stint in the freezer to kill odour-causing bacteria, if that becomes a problem.
Still, if you need to iron your unwashed jeans, you may notice a certain, uh, pungency, he says. If necessary, they can be dry cleaned. But then, what would be the fun in that?
—
IF YOU MUST WASH
Washing instructions for “dry” or “raw” denim, from the website of Swedish jeans company Nudie, in charming translation:
Turn well-worn dry jeans inside out otherwise they might get unwanted crinkles from the machine.
Use washing powder with little or no bleach. Wash in 60 degrees to get a better fading effect of the indigo and the natural worn in effects also get more evident.
You can wash in 40 degrees if you prefer to get a darker cast.
Turn them back to normal and shake them flat, otherwise they might get unwanted stay press effect. When they are still damp you can stretch the inseam as much as needed. Let them dry naturally by hanging, not folded.
If you prefer to keep the dry look (dark and slightly greycasted) you can have them dry cleaned which only removes the dirt but does not affect the indigo fading process as water is not added.
Read more: http://www.edmontonjournal.com/True+grit+wash+jeans+about+journey/3124535/story.html#ixzz0qHf6EoqE
- In: Uncategorized
NOBODY LOVES HG2
26 May2010
Wesley Hartwell is Creative Director at Australia’s hot, up-and-coming fashion house, Nobody. Their amazing denim is now at HG2, and our customers and staff are loving it.
Wesley recently took some time to do a little back and forth with HG2. Here’s what transpired.
Note: For the purpose of this interview, the word `laundry`when used by Wesley, means an operation where denim is taken and treated in different ways to create a unique look.
HG2: For those unfamiliar with Nobody, can you give us a brief history of
the line?
WH: Launched in 1999, nobody grew out of a small denim customisation laundry in the backstreets of Melbourne, Australia’s Fitzroy, a suburb known for an eclectic mix of artists, students, cafes and its live music scene. Nick and John Condilis’ family had started their own laundry here in the 1980’s and had developed all their own tools and techniques for hand-customising denim. In 1999 they decided to launch their own label as an experiment into the beauty of denim and what can be achieved.
They started by taking the finest Japanese cloth and asking, “what can we do to make this really special?”
This is what we continue to do every day in our laundry.
HG2: What is it about Nobody denim that makes it unique?
WH: There’s a couple of things . Our own laundry, and 30yrs of self-taught
experience in customising, and brining out every fabric’s intricacy and
subtle characteristic. `
Also, the in-depth knowledge of the reaction of denim in shrinkage, so we can continually re-fit to get the perfect fit on every jean and every wash colour.
The ability to create super-authentic wash customisation treatments, not contrived treatments.
This originality and desire to make the best is what we call our “creative integrity,” and is core to our brand philosophies, so my creative directions are always something that’s inspiring me and our team to create fresh, new and exciting product.
This then informs the entire Nobody team, so our marketing and pr teams work together from the same creative inspiration as our design team, rather than merely showing the collection, it’s a far more creative, inclusive collaboration.
HG2: What is Nobody’s brand philosophy?
WH: It’s what we call “no designer-hero,” which is the idea that life is a collaboration around shared ideas and meanings, not individual “heroes”
authoring, designing or owning truths.
HG2: What is it about the word “philosophy,” that when used by a blogger in an interview it makes them sound pretentious? ;0
WH: Haha, your words not mine! Nobody does have a philosophy, I don’t think its pretentious, only if it is overshadowing the creation and design of the product.
If its underpinning it, I think that’s necessary as the heart of creation in any form. Maybe people tend to be cynical and presuppose that fashion – and casual fashion in particular – is not serious, and doesn’t need a philosophy.
And so if they hear about it they think it’s either marketing spin or pretension. I don’t blame them, but it’s not always the case.
HG2: What do you think Canadian customers will find enjoyable about
Nobody’s unique, Australian look?
WH: I think we have a down to earth vibe, and a way of creating a lot of
detail that you can interpret your own way. And wear in many different
outfits. There is also a quality you can rely on to last for many, many
years.
HG2: What does the future look like to Nobody with regards to denim and
fashion?
WH: We just launched our 2010 10year collection, which focussed on a very
vintage aesthetic, we called it “Australian heritage collection.”
It has been so well received that we are continuing it indefinitely. Our premium collection is more art based and inspired, and that is expanding and becoming a very exciting collection, with each piece infected by art aesthetics and inspirations, they are our main two area of focus this
season.
HG2: If people want to learn more about Nobody, where can they go?
WH: www.nobody.com.au <http://www.nobody.com.au> (check out my blog on that site too)
www.twitter.com/thecultofnobody <http://www.twitter.com/thecultofnobody>
http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Cult-of-Nobody/172903410238?ref=ts
<http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Cult-of-Nobody/172903410238?ref=ts>
HG2: Surfing or snowboarding?
WH: Our director john sometimes surfs, the rest of us are bar-hounds.
HG2: Rap, indie rock or House?
WH: Well for nobody, it’s a clash of incongruous music. At any nobody party
or in our office you will hear track after track that doesn’t go together. Think the knife, followed by ac/dc, followed by Ya kid k,
followed by obscure canto pop covers, then Laurie Anderson, guns and roses, yeah yeah yeahs, hot chip, some old italio house like numero
uno,and probably some Nas (we worked with him last year and he is very amazing) and maybe finish up with chicks on speed, yoko ono and Neil
diamond.
HG2: Any blogs or websites that are all the rage in Australia right now
that you think our readers may enjoy?
WH: The blogs I look at are always changing, I get bored easily, but always
there is:
Showstudio.com
And then now and again someone new and fresh with a new perspective and
I’ll get obsessed for a while.
At the moment its Mikkel Radicke from Sweden http://boohyouwhore.com/
Here are a few pics of some Nobody items stocked at HG2.
- In: Uncategorized
Some Kai aakman press! Just klick “kai”
14 May2010
- In: Uncategorized
B:Scott Q and A
7 Apr2010
I mean god, isn’t everyone sick of all those unoriginal companies out there?
- Brandon Scott, right
Brandon Scott is the man behind B:Scott, one of HG2’s hottest new men’s brands. His unique vision and ability to breathe new life into West Coast fashion is something that we think you will find impressive. Check it out.
HG2: Tell us a bit about yourself. That is, where you’re from, how you got into the world of clothing design etc.
B.S.: The thing is, I’m not really from one place. I’ve moved a number of times in my life. I was born in Chicago, moved to Nashville, TN when I was 8, then moved to Encinitas (bet. S.D. and O.C.), Ca when I was 15, then S.F. when I was 21, and then moved to L.A. at 29…
The world of design has always been a big part of my life. I guess I would say when I was younger and trying to figure out what I wanted to do with my life, My father told me stories of my grandfather’s life as an architect and living in Germany. My grandfather, John Scott, studied at the Bauhaus and went on to designing cities and skyscrapers in America after fleeing from Germany because of the war. I guess from that day on I knew that I wanted to design. Clothing is just an outlet that I really like to explore, but designing is so much more important to me than just clothing.
HG2: One thing that instantly stands out with your clothes is the originality of the designs. Where do you draw your inspiration from?
B.S.: This is always an incredibly hard question to answer. Because inspiration is basically living your life and what happens without you even knowing it. But in my day to day I would say the lines or shapes of how my surroundings are shaped would be a big one for me. From buildings to empty parking lots, to how people dress to vintage cars… I could go on about what inspires me every day.
HG2: What must a piece of B:Scott clothing have going for it to make the final cut and be added to the collection?
B.S.: I really only design around what I want to wear, to what’s not in my closet but should be. If I wouldn’t wear it then it doesn’t make it. Clothing is an art form first for me. I’m not a designer that designs clothing for what the market needs, but if it ends up being just that, well that’s icing on the cake.
But when I design I like to fuse German and Japanese styles.
HG2: You recently made a big transition, going from working as B:Son, under the Rebecca Beeson umbrella, to branching out on your own and starting B:Scott. What caused this change, and how is it going so far?
B.S.: B.SON was a great experience. I learned a lot of valuable things there. I’m glad I had the opportunity, but it’s time to do my own thing. Ultimately, my goal is to have my own company and my own vision. One, that I don’t want to share.
As far as how it’s going: Considering I launched 2009 when our recession was in full effect, I would say I’m doing better than I expected. But that doesn’t mean it hasn’t been a struggle to get this far. I’ve had some serious ups and downs trying to get off the ground, but I wouldn’t have it any other way.
You gotta pay your dues.
HG2: What do you hope to accomplish with B:Scott?
B.S.: I really hope to help people change their perception of what the west coast is really about. Yes, it’s unfortunate that we have a lot of d-bag lines with studded dragons all over the place, or companies that are just in it to make money.
I mean god, isn’t everyone sick of all those unoriginal companies out there?
I’m so tired of all this “you need this because it will make you cool fashion”. I want to change that image of the west coast, or at least prove that there are some designers out here that design with a better purpose. I design with the intent to design not with the intent of what’s the next hot thing.
HG2: What are some other lines out there right now that you find exciting?
B.S.: My all time favourite designers are Hedi Slimane (http://www.hedislimane.com/), Raf Simons (http://www.rafsimons.com/), and Alexandre Plokhov (from cloak). But I’m really impressed with what Kris Van Assche (http://www.krisvanassche.com/) has done with Dior Homme.
HG2: What can B:Scott fans look forward to next season (FW10), that may be new to the collection?
B.S.: I’m doing a lot more outerwear pieces. I’m trying to have more balance in my collection, considering B.SON was very knit driven.
HG2: Who would win in a race from your house in California to HG2’s doorstep in Alberta, Canada, The Flash or Superman?
B.S.: Stumped
HG2: Last time we saw you was in Las Vegas, can you tell our readers one place they must avoid while in Vegas, and one they must make a point of stopping in at?
B.S.: I always say it’s always good to try something at least once in your life, (at least most things…) But Vegas is one of those spots, that after you’ve done it once, you never want to do it again.
HG2: Any fashion, music etc blogs out there that you’d like to recommend to our readers?
B.S.: Nope, just a big shout out to HG2!
- In: Q and A| Uncategorized
Kaylee Tankus: A little insight
4 Dec2009
Kaylee Tankus is, by far, the hottest new women’s line we have seen at HG2 in some time. And given the reaction it has seen in how fast it has been flying off of our shelves, we think you’ll find this Q and A with Kaylee Tankus herself more than just a little interesting. This line is loved by women for its forgiving, flowing designs and unique tailoring. Combine that with a really affordable price point, and what you have is a winner.
One of our top sellers
HG2: Tell us a bit about how the line came into existence, and what was the inspiration behind it?
Kaylee: A Swedish female artist, Leo Wellmar’s, works inspired the 2010 SS KLT collection. Northern Europe’s visionary details shown in her works were mixed with KLT’s cubism spirit and a slight hint of orientalism.
HG2: What is the background of designer Kay Lee, and what are some things that inspire her?
Kaylee: I established KLT’s basic concept of designing and styling. Currently Min Jee Kim has been directing KLT collection for 3 seasons.
Everything in the world can inspire me. Certain things happen to catch my eyes, whether it’s seen or unseen objects. I feel I can take those things, like sprits, nature, culture, artworks or architectures and present into my own aesthetic system with the KLT collection
HG2: The line seems to be one that has really been adored by a wide variety of demographics; from short and skinny to tall and robust, what is it about the line that allows for all sorts of women to look good in it?
Kaylee: It’s our ultimate goal for the collection. Every shaped women can look beautiful, because KLT has wearable styling due to its casual and soft avant-garde concept, with unique details.
HG2: How have you managed to get that high-fashion look at such a reasonable price point?
Kaylee: We hope every woman in the world can dare to wear the KLT collection in many ways.
Keeping reasonable price with high fashion design elements is one of the most important things in our collection. We have the best production teams, who always consider efficient ways to produce, while still not hurting complicated cuts and details.
HG2: The looks coming out of Korea, being both instantly recognizable yet uniquely different, seem to be something the international consumer is really taking a liking to in a big way. What makes Korea and Japan such a hotbed for new and inspired fashion these days?
Kaylee: Korean designers have a strong foundation in designing skills with unique handworks. They also have a traditional aesthetic with the newest trend.
HG2: As Tankus grows, what can consumers expect to see in the future from both Kay Lee and the line itself?
Kaylee: We think, keeping KLT’s identity, while still evolving in trend and styling is most needed for the collection. Unchanging novelty, if it’s sensible.
HG2: How about a fashion tip on what to wear with your new Tankus piece?
Kaylee: Wear KLT with edge heels and top confidence. 
- In: Uncategorized
Naked and Famous Q and A
4 Dec2009
04 Fashionable People
The man behind Naked and Famous denim
Brandon Svarc is the man behind Canada’s own Naked and Famous denim. His line of affordable, quality selvedge denim has been making waves in all areas of the fashion retail world recently.
Meet this man once and you’ll understand his success is directly proportional to his passion for what he does.
He recently sat down and took some of his business time to answer some questions for HG2, one of Naked and Famous’ Edmonton retailers.
HG2: Can you give us a brief history of Naked and Famous?
Svarc: We launched less than 2 years ago with a crazy idea to make superior jeans but at a far lower price than any competitor. We do that by importing the most rare and most expensive denim fabric in the world, but then keep everything raw and simple. We don’t have to pay for any washes, distressing, gimmicks, advertisements, and sales agents … so we save money and so does the consumer. Naked & Famous is a “luxury value” brand. And, ALL our products are proudly made in Canada.
Natural Indigo Stretch
HG2: Why Japanese denim?
Svarc: I could talk to you for several hours to properly answer this question. But instead, I can give you my very abbreviated, 3 short reasons why Japanese denim is “better” than the rest of the denim in the world…
a) Shuttle looms – The Japanese have these old-school looms called shuttle looms, which create a unique, high quality and rare type of denim called Selvedge denim.
b) Rope-dying – Japanese denim fades so much more beautifully than other denim, because of the unique dying method used to dye the yarns. The result from rope-dying yarns is a thick and beautiful build-up of indigo on the outside of the yarn, but a “white core” or “white center”. So, as you beat the crap out of your jeans, the tough exterior dye starts to break away and reveal a lovely white core.
c) The water – Okayama, Japan is the denim capital of Japan. They have access to fresh, clean running water that has a unique mineral content and PH balance. The
Factories use this water to make the dyes, clean the yarns, run the finishing processes and this helps create a physically superior fabric.
Slim Guy - Black Selvedge
HG2: Can you explain for us the love people have for selvedge denim? I mean, does it make a better pair of jeans? Why?
Svarc: Selvedge denim is amazing and unique because it is rare and it is the only true vintage denim. Selvedge denim is difficult to make, it is rare and special and
Has superior quality. My favorite analogy to describe the difference between selvedge denim and newer mass-produced denim is the luxury watch industry.
Selvedge denim is just like a fine Swiss swatch. Swiss watches, which can range from $5000 to $300,000 use an old, slow technology that requires a great deal of human labor and special attention. Swiss watch making is more an art than production. This is very similar to selvedge denim, which cannot be mass-produced like new denim, and requires special trained labor. Each meter of selvedge denim is special and a unique piece of
art.
On the other hand, new denim is like a cheap digital watch. Digital watches have a battery and microchip inside, they use a far more advanced technology than a
Mechanical Swiss watch. Digital watches and new denim are cheap, mass-produced and trivial.
HG2: Can Selvedge denim only be produced on old style shuttle looms, or are there newer ways of making selvedge denim as well?
Svarc: Many years ago, when Levis abandoned their shuttle looms, the Japanese mills were glad to buy them up and became the leaders in producing this special vintage denim.
But they also hired companies like Toyota to create reproductions of these old looms. You will often see “TOYODA” marked on these old repro looms.
Skinny Girl - Indigo Stretch
HG2: Your approach of just a few fits, with raw denim and no after-market stressing or washes seems to be something the current denim market is attracted to. Why do you think this is?
Svarc: Because raw denim is the best for so many reasons. Raw denim gives power back to the end consumer! Raw denim will fade beautifully and conform to whoever’s body is wearing them. I find pre-distressed denim so silly. If you are not the exact same height and proportions as the companies fit-model then pre-distressed jeans will look stupid on you. Plus, most pre-distressed jeans are just so horribly tacky.
If you go buy a Ferrari, do you want it to be used and full of scratches, rust and beat up leather seats? We use the most expensive denim in the world, so it would be silly to ruin it with crazy washes and harmful chemicals before the consumer ever sees it.
Natural Indigo - revival selvedge
HG2: Who would win in a race, Superman or The Flash?
Superman… Which reminds me, have you seen our bulletproof Kevlar denim now out?
HG2: How should a new customer care for their new pair of Naked and Famous jeans? That is, how long before washing, and any tricks or tips to get the best look out of them?
Svarc: If a brand gives you a single answer to this question, tell them to go jump in a lake! There is no one answer… the real answer is “It Depends if”
a) If you wanna be a denim nerd like me, then you will never wash your jeans. Just beat them up and wear ‘em until its time to switch to your next pair.
b) If you want a beautiful and personalized jean, then just simply wear your jeans hard for as long as you can until you are happy with how they are fading. That point may be after 6 months, 9 month or a year, or just when you think they are too stinky, it really depends on you.
c) If you just like simple, quality clean jeans, then you can wash them at any time, and as often as you like. Some people just like raw denim because it’s not tacky and is easy to wear to work or even to a semi-formal event. If you like look of raw jeans, but wish they were a bit softer, go ahead and wash as you see fit.
HG2: Where did your love of denim come from?
Svarc: My family has been in this industry for over 57 years, when my grandfather started our parent company. I used to play in boxes of denim as a little kid. So, I’d say it’s in my blood.
HG2: For those looking to further their education in denim, are there any forums or websites you would recommend?
Svarc: Sure, here are some neat forums that have some good info… (Just be careful, as there is a lot of mis-info and personal opinions on these forums, which should not be confused with facts)
www.superfuture.com find supertalk/superdenim
www.hypebeast.com
www.styleforum.net
www.denimology.co.uk <http://www.denimology.co.uk>
HG2: What can customers expect to see in the future from Naked and Famous?
Svarc: In the very near future, for Holiday 2009, we are releasing a 24oz selvedge denim, which is the heaviest denim ever created!
- In: New at HG2| Q and A| Trends| Uncategorized