...
When we make our jackets, we want to give you as much insight into the creative process as possible. Whether it's how our fabrics are made, the details we add or take away, or even how we do our photoshoots. For Batch No.2, we wanted to push it a step further and show you exactly what we're doing to bring the jacket into the world. Every step until it becomes available in October 2019.
So, here it is, a play by play of Batch No.2 in the making.
...
Sept '18
On a 48 hour trip to Paris we found a vintage moleskin chore jacket which had worn beautifully. It must have been 60+ years old and still going. After some digging, we find out the fabric was made in France. The fabric hunt begins.
...
Sept '18
Contacted all the mills that we could find that make moleskin fabrics, but everyone says they’ve moved production abroad. It’s no longer made in France. We end up finding other mills in Europe, but the fabrics are too velvet like. It reminds me of a pillow that my sister had when she was younger. When you brushed your hand one way, the colour of the pillow would change. Brushed it back, and the colour changed again. We keep looking.
...
May '19
It’s been a while. We’re in Milan for a fabric trade show looking through hundreds of fabrics made by dozens of mills from all over the world. We stumble around a mill we’ve never come across. (Btw, mills and factories are notoriously hard to find on Google. They’re better at making fabric than marketing themselves. You have to go and hunt them down in person). We went through their entire collection and found a stunning moleskin swatch. It’s beautiful. It’s woven densely to make it tough and long lasting. But with it’s shaved surface that looks and feels so luxurious. Almost suede like. It’s just like the moleskin used for the jacket we found in Paris last year. But, here’s the biggie: is it made in France? Yes. One of the last of it’s kind. It’s go time.
...
May '19
We've designed our next jacket to be a cross between the traditional French chore jacket and the American chore jacket. The fit of the French, and the detailing of the American. For example, the steel worker's chore jackets had buttons made from metal. We start sampling buttons by YKK, we wanted ours logoless. More on why later on.
...
May '19
As soon as we land in London our swatches from the trade fair arrive. We both love the Moleskin and immediately order 20m for sampling and get it sent to Sergio in Portugal.
...
May ‘19
Sergio receives the sample meters and runs shrinkage tests on the fabrics.
...
June '19
We design our jacket and send a tech pack (a tech pack is an Ikea like instructions manual to show how to make the jacket) to the factory for them to make the first sample.
...
June '19
New illustrator for Batch No.2 label briefed. We can’t believe our luck. I remember first finding his work when Becky and I we first texting.
...
June '19
We decide to test two types of buttons for the jacket. One screw on, one fixed. Both beauties.
...
June '19
We fly over to Porto and take a bus north to Guimaraes to have a meeting with the factory to go over the new Batch 2 design and colour scheme. Sergio likes our new design and gives us the nod. We also nip into the factory to see all the Batch 1 jackets being made.
...
June ‘19
Our illustrator has sent 4 options for the Batch No.2 label. We reply immediately, option D.
...
July ‘19
Becky goes full time on Paynter. Gulp.
...
July ‘19
Our pattern maker, Sandra, makes a new jacket pattern for Batch 2.
...
July '19
A sample jacket is cut in the moleskin fabric and it goes into production. Luckily the factory are in sampling mode, so it should only take a couple of weeks.
...
July ‘19
Batch No.2 limited edition label signed off. We CAN NOT WAIT to show you.
...
July ‘19
Sergio sends moleskin swatches to the dye house to get lab dips of our colour scheme. Every fabric reacts differently to dye, so you have to test every fabric with every colour. Except for black. Black is black.
...
July '19
The sample has been made, it’s off to be dyed. Very few brands garment dye moleskin. Can’t wait to see the result. We’re hoping for a matt/washed/worn in look and feel.
...
July '19
Sergio gets the first sample of our new Limited edition label. He also gets the lab dips back from the dye house and send us the swatches to pick which colours we’d like to go with.
...
July '19
Photoshoot planning begins. We scrapbook our ideas and start to build our mood board on Google Drive.
...
Aug ‘19
Location scouting for Batch 2 photoshoot in North Wales. We chose one main location, and a couple of extra locations for some lifestyle shots.
...
Aug ‘19
A few What’sApp messages sent, and our friends are in for the Batch 2 shoot. Legends.
...
Aug '19
After a week of back and forth discussions and looking at the swatches in every kind of light and from every angle, we choose the final four colours for Batch 2.
...
Aug ‘19
Date set for Batch 2 launch. We're aiming for October 5th. Eek.
...
Aug '19
Call with photographer, Jim Marsden. We share our ideas for the shoot and he agrees to photograph Batch 2. Yay. The same day Sergio posts us the Batch No.2 sample via UPS next day.
...
Aug '19
Sample arrives at work. But we're working from home whilst the car is in the garage. As soon as the car is fixed we drive 90 miles to pick up the sample. We drive to the car park of a local leisure centre and open the package. We fall in love again. Huw puts it on. It will not come off for the next two months.
...
Aug ‘19
After a few days of wear we send first Batch 2 jacket feedback to Sergio. The changes will be worked on over the next week.
...
Aug ‘ 19
French moleskin fabric for Batch No.2 is ordered and paid for.
...
Aug ‘19
Photoshoot deck sent to Jim. He likes what he sees. We’re all excited.
...
Aug ‘19
One last tweak made to the jacket pocket detail before the photoshoot samples are made.
...
Aug '19
Meet up with models (friends) for lunch and chat about the shoot. We're lucky to have such great friends who want to get involved with the shoot.
...
Aug '19
Factory closes for two weeks. Sergio and the team get a well deserved summer break.
...
Aug '19
Jim buys the film for the photoshoot and stores it in his fridge.
...
Aug '19
It's the bank holiday weekend so we're having a break for a few days. We're heading up to North Wales for our friend Jess' birthday, and for a bit of chill time while the factory is resting too. Happy birthday Jess.
Aug '19
Next week our factory re-opens and work will begin on our jackets for the photoshoot. We have two models, an XS and an L. So we've ordered 8 jackets, four in each colour and each size.
Aug '19
Our mill is open again after the summer holidays and we've 'upgraded' our order to 100% BCI cotton which is a little extra per meter and entirely worth it to ensure the right quality and ethics. You can find out more about BCI here.
...
Sept '19
We made some very slight alterations to the shape of the pocket flap, here is the final shape. Sergio sent us a quick snap before the first samples go to the dye house.
...
Sept '19
8 samples are being dyed this week, the first week of September. They will arrive with us in 1 week's time, ahead of the photoshoot.
...
Sept '19
Moodboards for the shoot are shared with our models, between us, we're gathering the clothes we need to style the jackets as we'd like to.
...
Sept '19
The shoot takes place and it's hands down one of the best weekends of our lives. We're lucky to have such good friends to shoot with.
...
Sept '19
With photos back, we crack on building the website, fueled with coffee and strawberry laces.
...
Sept '19
Our fabric has left France and arrived in Portugal. Our team have begun shrink-testing every roll of fabric individually. No roll un-tested. The factory is ready now. 1 week to go.
...
As we get closer to the launch at 9am (BST) on the 5th October, we'll keep you updated with our progress here.
