[TCB jeans､ "Cat Head Jacket"]
□ Encountering the Original
I'd been wanting to create a new coverall for spring. I started my quest to find the original design early last year.
I gradually narrowed down the target audience, but I couldn't find the exact one.
During a casual conversation, I mentioned to Ryo, who always works in the same room as me, "If I ever find a 1930s duck head coverall, I'd love to make one because I think it would be so cute."
He replied, "I bought one when I was living in the Netherlands, and now I've given it to my dad."
It was such a coincidence, so I told him I wanted to target that vintage style, and he gladly agreed, and the project began.
□ Attention to Detail
As I often mention when talking about coveralls, I love the distinctive left chest design from the 1930s.
These coveralls feature an asymmetrical design, although not as striking as the Black Bear, Strong Hold, and Boss of the Road designs I've created in the past.
What attracted me the most was the adorable, slightly funny duck face. I've always loved the animals in Vintage logos, such as the bulldog from Boss of the Road, the chicken from Can't Bust'em, the bear from Black Bear, and the pig from Finks, but the list is endless and they're all fascinating.
In order to recreate this atmosphere, I had the artist redraw it many times, and I ended up changing the original's funniness to a cat.
As a result, the cat on the tag was so well made that the two-pronged dot buttons on the chest and the dome-shaped tuck buttons on the sleeves also came out cute while still recreating the Vintage atmosphere.
The buttons on the placket have the same matte finish as the Vintage buttons. Their rough texture makes them less slippery and makes them easier to put on and take off.
I think this texture is the result of pursuing functionality rather than design. Another thing I found attractive was the green of the bar tacks and buttonholes. There are many vintage pieces with colorful bar tacks, and at TCB we've had fun experimenting with bar tack colors, using colors we've seen before and colors that seem familiar but are actually quite unique.
However, the only colorful buttonholes I can think of right now are Duck Head and Oshkosh.
Of course, the green feels vivid at first, but with continued wear, the fading of the green may be part of the fun of this jacket.
□Fabric
Sewing Ingenuity One distinctive feature of the sewing is the chain-stitched chin strap collar. My managing director and I were bothered by this process, but when I consulted my comrade-in-arms, Mr. Tateno of Workers, he told me that he had actually created a trumpet horn two years ago when he made a Payday-themed piece.
We took their advice, "It's fine as long as you use it at TCB," and learned something from the compatibility of the Payday and Duck Head collar stands. It's proof that what we thought of as design was actually a by-product of sewing machine manufacturing.
When making coveralls at TCB, we make the length slightly shorter than Vintage, making it easier to balance when paired with denim.
The raglan sleeves mean that it doesn't feel too tight even when worn snugly, and allow for a wide range of arm movement. We also had Vintage design influence the fabric, with attention to detail, from the unevenness of the yarn to the color and dyeing method. Recently, rather than using a single count yarn to create an uneven texture, we've been mixing different yarns to create different textures.
Specifically, for the warp threads alone, we use a 1:1 ratio of 8-count straight yarn and 9-count short uneven yarn. For the weft, we use a 1:1 ratio of 12-count natural uneven yarn and a 12-count nep-yarn yarn, the same as the 12-count yarn. As a result, four types of yarn are used, giving the garment a vintage feel.
The dyeing was also done in a lighter color typical of store brands. To compensate for the lighter warp, the weft is dyed gray instead of off-white.
This approach comes from the idea that some companies focus on making the warp darker to make stains less noticeable, while many fabrics dye the weft gray to make the fabric appear darker and less noticeable.
As for the finishing touch, half of the weft is made with nep yarn, so the garment is finished without singeing.
□Regarding sizing
The basic sizing is based on TCB's classic coverall, the Cathartt Chore Coat.
When comparing denim jackets, we recommend going down one to two sizes depending on your sizing preferences.
Excerpt from the TCB jeans website
※MODEL DATE※
Item No. Cat Head Jacket ・Material: 100% cotton ・Made in Japan ・Silhouette [Slim ← 1 2 3 4 5 → Wide]
※Model data
Height 173cm, weight 64kg, wearing size 38(M).
Size/Width/Shoulder Width/Length/Hem Width/Sleeve Length/
36(S)/58cm/-/66cm/58cm/58cm
38(M)/60cm/-/68cm/60cm/60cm
40(L)/62cm/-/70cm/62cm/62cm
42(XL)/64cm/-/72cm/64cm/64cm
44(XXL)/66cm/-/74cm/66cm/66cm
*As this item is raglan style, shoulder width cannot be measured.
*The above measurements are taken when the item is laid flat.
We lay the item on the floor, smooth out any wrinkles, and measure when the fabric is flat.
The size numbers may vary by a few centimetres depending on the individual item, the measuring method, and the amount of force applied.
As a result, the size chart is only a guide and may differ from the actual numbers.
*Product photos have been taken with a digital camera.
Please note that colours may appear slightly different from the actual product due to the LCD screen, etc.
*Click here for detailed size measurement methods.
