The Soda Pop King

There's nothing new about this video, but I re-watched it a couple of days ago, and I can honestly say, that I'm thinking about switching trades to selling soda pops or at least leaving this continent, as it's so hard to find anything that isn't made by Coca Cola or Pepsi.

John Nese is one of a kind, that's for sure. I like his passion, his knowledge, his wits and his spirit. Unfortunately I feel like trying all of the different pops because of the way he  talks about them. But I wouldn't be able to find any of them. I have however tried the Fentimans Curiosity Cola and some other pops from Fentimans, and I have to say, that they're delicious. And I'm sure that I would also enjoy all of the other brands and types, that he talks about.

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The Gentry Man - The Book

I can't exactly remember, when or how I cam across Gentry Magazine, but I think it was through some Japanese designer. For some time I was thinking about becoming a collector of it. Mostly due to the fact, that the magazine was short lived and only 22 editions were made, but I never really got the collection started and only purchased one edition, which was in poor condition and it got lost while moving at some point. But it was without a doubt a great magazine.

Gentry Magazine was aimed at a upscale market and it covered subjects like fine dining, art, graphic design, history and of course fashion or rather style. It was a quarterly magazine and came with a pricetag of $2 each - making it $8 a year, which was quite a hefty price considering, that it only existed in the 50s and never made it into the 60s. What made the magazine stand out was probably the way the magazine was put together. No expenses were saved using first grade paper, embossing, fold out pages and of course the use of fabric swatches.

The reason for me covering the history of Gentry Magazine is that a book titled "The Gentry Man: A Guide for the Civilized Male" featuring best of Gentry Magazine has just been released in the US and will soon be released in the UK and EU. I've pre-ordered mine through Amazon and it was very reasonably priced, so I suggest, that you all order the book and then you can start collecting the magazines one by one afterwards. That's what I'm planning on doing.

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Constant Inspiration - Hiking Gear

Hiking clothing and gear from the 60's and 70's have long been an inspiration for me. The whole DIY movement of which many interesting brands spurred, is a reference for me again and again. For me it didn't start with Patagonia or the North Face, but it started with vintage Fjällräven jackets and Norwegian anoraks called Fjellanorakken. They were all made of a strong, utilitarian fabric made of a cotton and polyester. This fabric would wear well and fade well, and if you added just a bit of wax, it would also be water repellent, which is essential for Scandinavian weather.

Fast forward some years and I start seeing pictures of Sierra Designs 60/40 parkas (again, thank you Ready4thehouse) and I start going into the history of American hiking gear, which is primarily done through Oregon Photos , which is a great source for inspiration and knowledge. After having saved many an eBay search looking for rare pieces from Sierra Designs, Great Pacific Iron Works, Wilderness Experience and tons of other brands, I decided, that I shouldn't be collecting (I had the same realization with vintage denim), as I can hardly afford the clothes, that I actually intend to wear. 

What I do however keep looking for are sewing kits from Frostline and Holubar because I want to make my own mountain parka at some point - so please don't outbid me, if some good ones show up. I really admire the DIY part of that hiking movement. The companies would keep costs down by selling kits to avid hikers, who would then assemble the kits themselves on their own sewing machines. I really like that idea, and I would love if some company would start making kits like that again, though I know it will never happen. 

Long story short, I just wanted to say that I'm thrilled to see, that the US-made 60/40 Sierra Design parkas are finally available outside of Japan. It took a long time for them to be released. I first read about the re-release on Secret Forts (who has gone to a new location), but it has since been spreading fast. I'll pull the trigger, once the Pendleton wool lined versions start showing up. But you shouldn't hold back on some Sierra Designs goodness - buy one here, here or here for instance.

Lastly I'm glad to see that a company like Rivendell Mountain Works, which I'll be writing about really soon, is getting some attention, as well as the likes of Danner and Topo Designs for example Now one can only hope more people will open their eyes to companies like Limmer and other hidden gems.

Stay tuned for more write ups on hiking gear or stuff inspired by that era.

Apolis Film: Sierra Designs + Apolis, USA Project

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One Month of Denim - Day 13

"We are a sanctuary for those that dream of rainbow selvedge and obsess over patina"

If you are looking to buy denim, it is harder finding a shop in the Western Hemisphere with a better stock than Self Edge, which now has no less than three, very unique stores. The owner Kiya seems relentless when it comes to stocking some of the very best denim especially from Japan, but in recent year many American brands have also been added.

The cult following that Self Edge has, can be explained in many ways. It could be the stock of the very best jeans in the world, it could be some amazing collaborations, it could be the leather accessories and other apparel, but I think it is all because of Kiya. His customer service is second to none. He is passionately active and very helpful on more than one forum (especially Superfuture) and his energy is enormous, when you see just how many questions he is able to answer in a multitude of different threads.

Among other things, Self Edge are also offering a great hemming service, which means you can get your jeans hemmed with a chain stitch done by one of the great, vintage Union Special machines, which are also the kind that Levi's used to have in their factories back in the gold ol' days. On top of this their ever expanding - and ever improving - assortment is also beginning to include more private label goods and collaborative efforts (with Sam de Goede of Cotton Duck). If you want to get in touch with Kiya, then I suggest you head on over to Superfuture, where you will easily find him - just look for the Japanese denim threads. He is very knowledgeable and has a passion for quality denim, that is unheard of.

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