EP7 Pasha goes out into the field and we revisit denim ghosts of the past

In this episode:

Pasha visits Srithread in Greenpoint, Brooklyn
A textile gallery specializing in antique Japanese folk textiles.
https://www.srithreads.com
@srithreads

Dariush talks about denim ghosts of the past
@hiutdenim
@3x1

And we discuss other subjects like Momotaro's 15th anniversary, Singer Porsches and the probable return of our friend Mike on the podcast!

Enjoy and don't hesitate to get in touch!
thedenimheads@gmail.com
@obviously_blue

You can now find us on Youtube!
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJfPfT5ycvkdr0IryecDHxg

Transcript

Welcome everybody to episode seven of the Denim Heads podcast. I'm Pasha and a huge welcome back guys. Let's jump right in. What have you been up to? It's been about a week since yeah we last recorded our our episode 6 and actually went out into the field today I went out to three threads out in Greenpoint, Brooklyn. We talked about them a few times. In previous episodes and I just figured it was time to sort of get out of the house a little bit. I will check out some. Some some stuff and I planned for it, I think by around mid week I said let me let me make an appointment. You have to make an appointment to go to this studio. OK, let's say. And so I decided, why not? We've been talking about it and everything. Yeah, I made an appointment earlier today and it was cool. It's different and OK. Can we just sorry, can we just define what is for the listeners? Maybe? What is 3 thread. Is basically a. They have an online, an Instagram account. I'll leave that up to you as to see what their handle is, but they're basically a boutique of Japanese textiles. I would say, OK, a different variety of textiles. They have borrow rugs. They have stencil art on some fabrics and they have something I actually spoiler. I picked up is a fruit cheeky wrapping OK, which is I think about 60 or 70 inches squared. And it's what they use for basically wrapping clothing and its fabric wrapping paper. Let's say that at its base level, and then each of the corners, there's some really nice sashiko embroidery with like chrysanthemums. And then in another 

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corner there's like person. If I'm not mistaken and the stitching in the middle is a nice blue OK piece of, you know like. I guess like Indigo or yeah, denim and such, but they have. Kimonos, their older computers. I mean they have some really cool things. It's from OK, some stuff goes back as far as like the 19th century some. I asked Steven who is the owner. It ask them. What are some things that people do and he really didn't know? He knows that a lot of people. I was curious if people like for example. Pick up these kimonos to wear or do they hang them and yeah. He gave a very funny answer. If it's like he he doesn't know too often, but when he does, he wishes that sometimes he didn't know what they did. OK, the fabric. Interesting, yeah, but it was really cool. I went there with the intention of not only learning but also picking up something I had been toying with the idea of putting up some textile art on my walls. Yes, I had at one point wanted to do some indigofera. Blankets, blankets with idea. I remember started and then we talked about potentially doing some border rugs, but then when I saw this one piece, I was like this is really cool. And so yeah, I picked it up. He has like this huge bookcase of all and I'm talking like hundreds of books on Japanese textile Denham, alot of denim books actually. OK a lot of stuff from like you know the 90s and the later years earlier. It was pretty cool stuff. I was definitely very happy it was time very well spent, so it's like a studio slash workshop slash boutique and you can go there and just have a chat with him. And basically in the beginning I guess. Learn about all this. You know these textiles and stuff and then maybe chat with him on if you want to pick up something 

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or if you're looking for something special that maybe doesn't have there but he can source a lot of wealth of information. I mean he. Open up this shop. I think it's been around 20 years that he's had this this particular shop before that he had had another variety of things. He's really. Into it, and he has a whole wealth of information. OK, he was very kind. He you know he didn't get in my way he but he was there to ask answer. Any questions that I may have had OK and the truth of the matter is I was very ill prepared. His website is is fantastic. Very in depth and it goes through all the different types of textile OK. And in sort of the history of in what some things are very sort of region specific. Some things are you can kind of tell, and he had one really nice piece, one kimono, if I'm not mistaken, that was sort of all from one particular area, and you could tell sort of the Patch work at work, but the plat in such basketweaving such OK, it's just you know. Again, I apologize, I'm not just. Well prepared to answer this, but no no. It was really cool and any person that's really into textile especially, but Denham Indigo. It's it's cool. You could kind of see where how. Adam had. Denham has evolved from this. OK, from historic. So I was going to ask when you're there is the connection between all these textiles? The Indigo, the sashiko arts and such is the connection there between. All this and Denham 'cause in our heads when we start. We see all this blue stuff and we're like yes it's under the same basket basically. But for these people that do all these different things, it's probably 

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not as easy. It's not as simple, so when you're there, do you do you feel like there's a real connection between what you had in front of you and all the denim stuff that we talk about? Absolutely OK and all the data that we see out on the market, whether we actually opt to purchase it or not is something but you can definitely see where the dyeing techniques that started and the vocabularies is very much the same left and such and the way the He had one piece. And I think it was a kimono that was a little bit lighter and he said that's because in the left is actually paper. They interested with paper and linen of course is a big thing, so it's definitely. You can see how Japanese denim is sort of like a hybrid of sorts of American denim, and we're sort of how they took, let's say Levi Strauss, and made it their own integrated a lot of their own history in their own techniques into this. I'm definitely going to go back again, maybe after a little bit more research. It's just been a little busy, and I figured I just wanted to. I had no particular plans for today and I said, like I gotta do something. But that's interesting Angela time, so I just jumped on the opportunity and you know, I know he's going to have an exhibition with another studio. I'll leave it up to him to sort of announce it, maybe on Instagram or not OK, it's definitely going to be there for three weeks and we're talking into the later part of January into February 20. OK, so he so he doesn't produce these pieces there. Obviously he travels to Japan to these different countries twice a year. Picks up a lot of stuff and you know he was a little sad. Obviously he couldn't global in 2020, but he usually goes in the spring and in the fall. From what I remember. OK, he mentioned he goes twice a year and he brings back a lot of stuff. 

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And honestly, you know even his own website, he may. I asked him if his website is an accurate inventory. An accurate catalogue of his inventory I should say, and he said no, it's impossible to, and it's true he has a lot of stuff I would. Thousands upon thousands of pieces in different sizes, patterns, and so it's more like rugs. Pieces of fabrics and stuff like this? Or do you also have stuff you could actually buy on the spot and where? Absolutely if you want to wear kimonos, they have kimonos. Older, kimono, OK? I mean shirts or stuff like this or I don't think he had ****. Looks very traditional. When you see the pictures on his social media and stuff like that. It's like what? Three threads? Yes, I'll I'll have it in the show notes, it's easier. OK, yeah, it's definitely there. So that was that Friday. I picked up a pair of. It's been a minute I picked up a pair of PJ Pure Blue Japan New PJS Greencastle nice, the green cast 14 ounce. Add some green undertones to it and as it sort of fades, I think it'll you got them already. No, I have to write as I understand that they were shipped yesterday, so I should probably hope to have some some feedback by next next episode. I'll probably try to wear 'em and. And at least you know, see what they look like and how they wear. And everything. I know they are one wash. 14 ounces off the top of my head. 32 32 inseam which is good so I don't have to Hammam. Thankfully. No Hemming, no more. Definitely 'cause I picked up those two new keys few months ago and I have them and I will stop complaining to you that I wish I didn't. 

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I did the same, the same mistake and again you're doing this partly, especially in 2020. We're doing this. Sort of satellite, remotely sending it to a place and saying, hey, this is what it is, you can't really visit in person, yeah? So it's a shame, But yeah, interesting. So that was interesting experience. Absolutely I I really did he, and I'm just curious. Steven will be back this. Yes, yes, sorry, did he or did you ask him about any connection with denim people? Or is it something he's aware of? You know this whole dating thing? Yeah, he was aware of it and he could see why I would be interested in that. OK, but I didn't honestly ask. No, of course much about his about the connection between what he does and Denham in the denim heads and location of the world. But is here it's definitely for him. He was part of a Gallery and it's definitely are an art form for him as opposed to something that's wearable. It's more probably leaning towards art for him. Yeah, he doesn't really care much for the world, but he was really into Japanese culture and such and Indian culture and such. And so how they kind of intertwine with each other. He was more into this. Yeah, that's what I was saying that he doesn't really probably doesn't really care much about the wearable aspect of all of this. We come from the wearable stuff. That's how we got interested in Denham. But as you said, it's it's a work of it's it's. It's a form of art for him so that the interest is really not coming from it's from the same place. It's not, but it's. I think it's a very natural progress too. As you wear, let's say raw Denham, maybe yes, you session of sorts, but it's just you start to really see how your pieces more uniquely shaped to your movements in the fade in that yes, and then 

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you start to really appreciate a lot of of. How it looks? I mean, yes, speaking for myself, there's times where I just look at these fade museums on these merchant websites and I just love looking at the way the way that this Denham has faded. Yeah, you know, with even like where the front pocket had the cell phone. Yes, and on a jacket on a Type 2 Type 3 denim jacket where if somebody was like a Messenger, the strap across. It's just it's cool. I really enjoy these characterizations. Yeah, think. I'm wondering if so for that, sorry, I'm wondering if you know we come from the denim to wearable stuff and pretty quickly you get this interest into those fabrics. Let's say if you see them if you browse on Instagram or something and when we discovered three thread we got interested. But I'm wondering if somebody like Steve and he's coming from the other side, so will he? Will he's interest evolve up until the point where he starts getting really, really interested into this whole denim world? Or he'll just be? Aware of it, but he's already satisfied 'cause that side with the whole, you know, ancient history and these different crafts in Japan. In India and everything. Maybe it's already so full it's maybe enough of it already. I mean he had hundreds of books about this and pictures and cattle he he's in it and he knows well. I think for us it's I think for us anybody who wears it, sort of. You can then gain an appreciation for that side of things because. You can see how it's an art form versus. The opposite, yeah, OK, but it's still pretty cool, I mean. It's definitely something that. You can see it goes both OK, interesting, but it's easier 

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to go from our side to that. That's what I yeah, that's what I was trying to say. I think it's easier to go from our side to his if you're coming from his sides. I think you're going to have so much more to discover still. Until you kind of get bored and want to discover something else, you're right, I mean, but the end an he's his things like you know, pieces from the 19th century. So we're talking about stuff that's years old versus. The oldest stuff that we're talking about is like 1979 Studio, the artist. Uh, sure, we're talking about like you know, type 2 type 3 jackets, and this and that. Like there's a lot more history and what he does. And the chances that his stuff is going to be at the Metropolitan Museum of Art is much higher than seeing a pair of like Denham Jeans from Levi Strauss 1918. Whatever San Francisco. Yeah, but it's you know there is a place for both of them. Let's just say that course. Cool. Anyway, what did you did you do anything this week? So let me ask you this. Do you sometimes go back in your email history? Like when I say go back? I mean like five years, 10 years. Sometimes I think not. With the expressed interest of doing so, it sometimes I'll do a search for something and then I'll come across an old email and then call. And then yes, that's OK, that's interesting rabbit exactly. You enter a rabbit hole of especially if you've been. Exactly if she's been using that same email address for, you know the last 20 years you have all those emails there, and so that's that's kind of what happened to me. How old is your like this email address? I know you were going with this. How old is that address? Let me think I would say I know I have at least one email address that is years old OK, 

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minimally, I have others. Maybe that are a little older, but I just. I mean the one that's years old is is probably. Yeah, I don't check it as much as I used to. But it's like my cell phone number. My cell phone number OK also over 20. Oh really, I know I've had this since college. I had my older number is actually I gave it to my mom. She has my old number which is good and bad. That's another yes or that can be shifted Contacts and then randomly she calls people randomly. I was like mom you can't call my friends. Yeah I have to check it. So basically I was. Going through older emails much older you know stuff from maybe 10 years ago, eight years ago, and I found an email from high jeans, higher denom, big surprise for me. 'cause in my mind in my memory I came across hired for the first time maybe two years ago. You know an 2019. We both bought a pair and that was for me. The first time I was I got in touch and I discovered that brand, but I guess I had totally forgotten but. About it, 'cause I had this email from 2013 and it was I had a little discussion with them about, you know I was asking questions about fabrics, the weight and some different cuts. And Intro was, you know, hello, I am a denim lover from Switzerland, so you know I was. That was a nice surprise for me. I was genuinely surprised. I know you were excited because you shared that with me sometime in the meet in the middle of the week. And I was like, wow, that's pretty cool that you found really, really surprised something else that I found in my older emails from even before that 2011 I had an email that I had 

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sent to myself. That sounds weird. I do that sometimes when I feel lonely. No, just kidding, I do that when I need to save something like I want to do a backup of pictures or you know. Some information I want to keep somewhere or something like that. Anyway, in 2011 I sent myself an email with two pictures of one of my 3 by ones, so three by one is quick reminder denim brand from New York, right Mercer St Exactly and 2011 I will rag and bone as well. OK, was there shop there? OK also nurser. OK, I think I think and APC as you told me in one of the first episodes. APC is on that block. I mean there's a lot of dental trends in Soho. Of course, on that little corridor of yeah. So those two pictures they were closeups of the buttons. One of the jeans that I had bought there. It was the M5. So not talking cars here, but the actual M5 jeans that they have. I don't. I don't even know if they still do it, but 'cause when you were buying stuff from their shop you could choose a level of customization. So one of the pairs that I had bought I choose to be able to choose the colors, different colors for the buttons and I chose white. That's kind of weird, but I maybe I thought it was. It was a good color match with the blue fabric basically so, meaning that that jeans was a one off and it had a little tag on the inside. That said, one of one. So I was also really happy 'cause it was one of the last memories ahead of, you know those two or three pairs that I bought and that I didn't keep. I don't even remember when you know when I got rid of them. Probably 'cause I couldn't wear them anymore 

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or something like that, but. I was kind of bummed about it, so I was happy to find that some, you know. Remnants of a previous life of mine and it reminded me that you know, I had some nice pieces at that time. You know it was well. It's also that there's a history to this. That's not it. While this is like. You know denim heads and aren't. Or two knew denim heads on this journey and all that it's been there, exactly it was rooted. It just. Yeah, the seed was playing on Google. Yes while ago, yeah? That's pretty much yeah, yeah, I think I have a couple of their three body ones. I think it's like M2 and M3. I don't know bout M5M5 was probably the slimmest cut they had at that time. 'cause that was something that was complaining about when I was there that it wasn't really slim enough for me and it was a very, very straight something. Yes, some things don't change. You're right and but I was it was a bit of. Revelation for me. 'cause that that shop is really nice. You enter and you have those huge rolls of denim fabric basically. And if you choose to have a completely bespoke pair, you can just choose the fabric, the color and everything, then what type of buttons you want. The design of the pockets. You can custom everything, but it's all here. It is shown color, so it's it's really nice. It's not like you just click on your computer, it's actually in front of you. The rivets. And everything, and they'll take the fabrics downstairs workshop exactly 2 you got it's enclosed in glass and you could see every exactly start to finish like you're watching Denham Bemis. It's kind of cool. It is really cool. It is pricey. I don't even. I mean, I say that, but I don't even. I haven't even checked yet. You know, lately, what are the prices for three by ones? But I 

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remember it was kind of pricey, but it's worth it. I mean, a completely bespoke pair is like over 1000. Yes, I remember. Maybe like 12 or something like that, but then again it's completely bespoke. Like I don't, you know it's true, but it's funny 'cause like you can get mid level mid tier stuff and they can custom in three by one. They can customize this like with a certain silhouette and this and that and they can make certain little things for a little bit less. Yes. We do have a cuddle as we talked about, exactly. Willing to do a lot of The funny thing exactly. They don't talk about it on their website, but. After having a discussion with them, it was very clear that they were OK to to do it, so yeah. Super nice, so yeah that was that was a good experience, you know. Going back into emails, Ann. Finding old pictures. Old stuff you know from previous lives. Interesting Mike Mike from Episode 4 actually sent me a text he was listening to episode. Six or last episode, actually. And he sent me a text earlier in the day we were going to bring back Mike for. For another future episode, I think probably one of the next two or three episodes will definitely bring him back, and we know that he's a Lexus smokes. OK, so that's where we're heading. It's going to be cigars. OK, massively. He has some some good stories. Yeah, I'm sure, but he was talking about how he was listening to the last episode. He was wondering if the difficulty in sourcing locating the text. Wondering if the difficulty in. Sourcing or finding a specific pair of denim is partly done on purpose, by the manufacturer to make it more desirable or more of a badge of honor. So that way you know he talks about like a scene in swingers. The movie with Jon Favreau and Vince Vaughn J, where they explain how every cool bar in Hollywood has no sign and it's 

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kind of like a Speakeasy vibe. And you can brag to some girl that you've been there because you actually knew how to. OK that's good, so it's an interesting, you know. Do they limit on purpose? Side note you can always send this and email the denim heads@gmail.com. Will always be happy to answer your probably even answer on in within a podcast episode. It's true, but my first impression was that no, I don't think that they're doing this on purpose. I just think that they're just so limited in resources of time and people. And I think it's partly because of the collaborations. I don't think it's momotarou, for example that's doing this, but rather cultism is sort of saying, hey, we would like this and. Motor is happy to oblige. Much like you know, coddle model has their online training. But yeah, what's your? Yeah, I'm kind of I. I don't disagree, but I don't fully agree either. I think it's it's a bit of a mix. 'cause maybe it started. As you know, the resources and the knowledge is very limited. Therefore the product and the production will be very limited to that I completely understand. However, we are in in the 21st century. Some of these brands are now big enough to understand the concept of rarity in a product and what it does to your brand. Your image and the desirability of your product. So when the brands understand that, I believe that they will kind of play that game also and it's very easy to hide it behind the fact that yes. Thing is, hand made the cut and it's not easy to get the perfect cut and then we want from Zimbabwe from wherever and then the rivets and then the knowledge. All these denim Masters are mostly older people so I understand the everything is, 

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you know it's tough to gather all this knowledge and resources in order to make those Denham. But also I think it's it's it's. It's fair for them to also. Play the. Rarity, an everything you know that goes into it it it's it's marketing so. A bit of both, I would say. Now the Super the Super small super niche brands. I don't know if they are there yet, but if we're talking the bigger brands of this broad denim market I would say they play along with that. Also a little bit and it's not criticism, it's just business basically so that brings up. Actually good story. I another point, I understand you had some housekeeping you want. Yes, I listened. I re listened. Our last episode and I went on the little rent about Momotaro Ann, the 15th anniversary stuff. I'm not really sure what it was that I was trying to say. It wasn't very clear so. Basically I was just trying to say that when I saw what they came up with, I wasn't really excited that that's all I was trying to say OK. But we talked about this. I think the the 15th anniversary is like the crystal. It's not like it's a special. I think you're just celebrating for the purpose of celebrating, and I guess you know, in 2020-2021 we should celebrate. Actually you can you know any good news is good? Any news is good news, so I get it. So that's the story. That's what we did this week. I think next episode will probably invite along our friend and be a little bit outside of then it will take a quick one week break from. Denim talk maybe talk a little bit about like cigars and. I've 

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been sitting at home and watching a lot of videos on singer Porsches. That's another subject, yes. That is another subject and is it is it? Is it the rabbit hole too? Or 'cause? I don't think there is enough singer material on YouTube for for it to be a rabbit hole. I don't know. I think it's still something kind of, I mean just the 9/11 in general I had one at one time and I miss it tremendously do and so hearing listening to. Even watching auto Top and now just to sort of do POV test drives on like the autobahn and that sound, it's a very addictive something. Those POV videos don't they make you a little bit motion sick or you don't get motion sickness when you watch those. Not me. I could see why someone would but I have. I have no problems with this interesting and thankfully you know these go pros and sound quality is so good. Video quality is also so good that. You really feel like you're in there, they they're pretty accurate if you ever. We're lucky enough to be in a 911. That's that. Sound is people listening to people that are listening now they can't see, but I can see partial now. And yeah, he's he's not lying when he says is missing the 9/11 and talking about the the noise and everything I can tell now it's different. It's yeah, it's I mean I I had to get rid of that car for a variety of reasons. I think mostly because of just the pandemic, I wasn't able to really enjoy it as much. It'll be back one day. So yeah 991997992. 

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964, which is the singer thing, that's what they only design. 964 air cooled. That's another subject anyway. So that's that's the story. Hope everyone out there is safe and sound and until the next time until the next time. See you guys bye.