Raw Denim Art Project part 2: The Wash Recipe

I have been along this journey to becoming a denim aficionado for over a year or so with my A.P.C. Petit New Standard Jeans which I first mentioned in a post from last year.  I apologize for missing the opportunity to update the blog with pictures of the 6 to 8 months or so aging process but don't worry they will be included in this post.

Nevertheless today we will be once again highlighting my A.P.C. jeans after the first wash using the "seawater recipe" mentioned in the A.P.C. informational packet included with each pair of their raw selvage denim jeans.  I purchased these jeans in March 2014 and this wash took place at the end of May 2015.  I wore them somewhat frequently--up to four times a week.  I normally try to get at least two wears in them each week.  These jeans went through some custom tailoring and some in-home repairs due to a small, and then later, nasty crotch blow-out after a skateboarding accident.  The tailoring job was to increase the taper and slightly decrease the leg opening making them more of a true skinny jean.  You can see the tailoring and damage repair below:

After roughly 8 months of wear

The damage is mainly attributed to biking

Fixing the initial small hole

Once I got the fit right, I really got into wearing these frequently in my rotation along with a black pair of A.P. C. New Standards which I also took to altering.  They unfortunately suffered a much more severe skateboard accident that my amateur tailoring skills will not attempt to correct.

A.P.C. New Standard's all but destroyed (front)

A.P.C. New Standard's all but destroyed (back)

The jeans have endured countless bike rides on hot summer days to freezing cold ones in winter.  I skateboard in these and have even climbed a mountain (ok, really tall hill) in Montréal in these jeans.  They've been through quite a bit in 3 different countries.

Alas, we get to the subject of this post:  The Seawater Wash Recipe.  As most first-time raw denim buyers who purchase A.P.C. jeans, the idea of having wash recipes may seem daunting.  I read through each wash recipe--Machine Recipe, Semi-Extremist Recipe, Extremist Recipe, and Seawater Recipe--and thought which one best suits my personality?  I looked at the seawater recipe and said, "what does this even mean?" That was my queue to run with it.  I could sit here and explain it all, but here's a visual aid instead:

Finally here is a couple of the post-wash photos along with the a better view of the custom fit:

I like the way that they came out and look forward to more years of wear on these and the next raw denim addition to my line up.

- Keilon

Made in Brooklyn

Over the past few years I have been honing my craft for creativity in visual arts, merchandising and curation.  More specifically, for the past year or so I've been working more on tailoring and garment making.  My projects have taken me from dressmaking, to denim repair, repurposing leather, and accessories creation.

My latest work has been with handmade accessory pieces using different fabrics, including, denim, wool, leather and silk.  Though I will be creating items for sale soon, the main goal is to create quality items that I am proud to display and/or add to my wardrobe.  I find the experience of seeing your thoughts and ideas coming to fruition in the form of a product or good to be quite rewarding; even more so when you can be directly involved in every step of the creation from inception to conceptualization to the finished product.

For my latest endeavor, I decided to seek out fabrics to make the perfect scarf for a perfect winter day.  I thought of what feels good? looks good? and still keeps you warm.  That led me to marrying silk with wool.  Neither of these two fabrics was perfect on their own for the weather, but when combined together they are perfect.  Feel the silk against your skin and leave the wool fight the element.  The bordering edges that reveal the two fabrics in harmony creates beautiful luxe aesthetic.  The silk against your skin not only feels soothing but it insulates and regulates, to a certain extent, your body temperature allowing you to stay warm while not overheating.  The suiting wool that I sourced gives a very premium look to garment without losing the strength of the fabric to fend off the cold.  It's not much more to say about it, besides it is truly perfect for the season.

Have a look at a bit of the creative cut'n'sew process:

A good pair of scissors is clutch

steady hands are a plus...

...but not a necessity as long as you can sew cleanly.

always be sure to find the front-side of your silk before sewing

Classic Plaid

Understated Grey

Fin.