TCB Jeans Cat Head Jacket, Black/Black (BKBK)

The Cat Head JK is one of my favorites ever since I finished it, and I've been wearing it all year.

The color fades little by little, and every time you wear it, you'll feel excited.

But I think about this every time I make a coverall.

I wanted to make something using materials other than denim.

Looking at old documents, a wide variety of fabrics were used, including hickory, pinstripe, duck, herringbone, and off-white drill.

Even though it is workwear, there are surely many different occasions in which it is worn. The wide variety of variations must have been created to suit the way it gets dirty depending on the job, the company's colors (corporate colors), and the working environment.

Among all of these, the one that always draws me is BKBK denim.

Although it is a coverall, it has a somewhat elegant feel.

When new, it looks a little dressy, but the greatest appeal of this fabric is that you can enjoy the fading of the color.

The warp threads of this denim are made with sulfur black rope dyed yarn.

Just like indigo, TCB's black denim has the joy of aging, and it's different from the typical fabric that fades to a reddish color.

TCB's BKBK is a garment that can be worn and slowly developed over time.

To explain the fabric in a bit more detail: Warp thread: No. 7 thread with natural unevenness Weft thread: Thin No. 16 thread + fewer stitches → As a result, the unevenness of the warp thread is clearly visible, and even at 10oz, it has a vertically fading look.

Another point is that the green buttonholes and bar tacks, which are a distinctive feature of the Cat Head JK's stitching, stand out beautifully against the jet black fabric.

Just imagining the black and green fading and both developing into something full of character... that alone makes me want to put it on again.

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□ Encounter with the original material

I wanted to make a new coverall for spring, and I started my quest to find the original design early last year. I gradually narrowed down the target audience, but I just couldn't find the right one. Then, during a casual chat with Ryo, who always works in the same room as me, I casually mentioned to him that I'd like to make a 1930s duck head coverall because I think it would be cute. He replied, "I bought one when I was living in the Netherlands, and now I've given it to my dad as a gift." It was a great coincidence, and when I told him I wanted to target this vintage style, he readily agreed, and the project began.

Attention to detail

I often mention this when talking about coveralls, but I love the distinctive left chest design from the 1930s. Previously, I've created Black Bear, Strong Hold, and Boss of the Road designs, but this one also features an asymmetrical design, though not as much. What attracted me most was the adorable, slightly funny duck face. I've always loved the animals featured in Vintage logos, including the bulldog from Boss of the Road, the chicken from Can't Bust'em, the bear from Black Bear, and the pig from Finks. To recreate this vibe, I had the artist redraw it multiple times, eventually changing the humor of the original to a cat. Because the cat on the tag turned out so beautifully, the two-pronged dot buttons on the chest and the dome-shaped tuck buttons on the sleeves also managed to capture the vintage vibe while still looking cute. The buttons on the placket have the same matte finish as the Vintage designs. The rough texture makes them less slippery and easier to put on and take off. I think this texture is the result of pursuing functionality rather than design. Another thing that I found appealing was the green of the bartacks and buttonholes. There are many vintage jackets with colorful bartacks, and at TCB we've had fun experimenting with the colors of the bartacks, trying out colors we've seen before and colors that seem familiar but don't. However, the only jackets I can think of with colorful buttonholes are Duck Head and Oshkosh. Of course, the color looks vivid at first, but the green fades with continued wear, which may be one of the joys of this jacket.

□Fabric

Sewing Innovations Another distinctive feature of the coveralls is the chain-stitched chin strap collar. The managing director and I were bothered by this process, but when we consulted with our comrade, Mr. Tateno of Workers, he told us that he had actually created a trumpet horn two years ago when he was creating a Payday-inspired jacket. He said, "It's fine as long as you use it on TCB," so we took him up on his offer. The compatibility of the Payday and Duck Head collars proves that what we thought of as design is actually a by-product of the sewing machine's manufacturing process. When making coveralls, TCB makes the length slightly shorter than the Vintage coveralls, making it easier to balance with denim tops and bottoms. The raglan sleeves allow for a comfortable fit and allow for a wide range of arm movement. We also had the Vintage coveralls reference the fabric, paying close attention to every detail, from the thread pattern to the color and dyeing method. Recently, rather than using a single yarn count to create unevenness, I've been choosing to mix different yarns and vary the unevenness of each. Specifically, I use a 1:1 ratio of 8-count straight yarn and 9-count short uneven yarn for the warp alone. For the weft, I use a 1:1 ratio of 12-count naturally uneven yarn and 12-count nep yarn, the same as the 12-count. The result, using four different yarns, is a vintage look. I also had the dyeing done in a lighter color, typical of store brands. The lighter warp yarns compensate for the weft being dyed gray rather than off-white. This approach stems from the idea that some fabrics focused on dark warp colors to hide stains, while many fabrics dyed gray for a darker appearance and less noticeable stains. Because half of the weft is made up of nep yarn, I had the fabric finished without singeing.

□ Regarding size

The basic size is based on TCB's classic coverall, the Cathartt Chore Coat. When comparing it to a denim jacket, we recommend going down one to two sizes depending on your preferred size.

The above is reproduced from the TCB official website.

This coverall features a cute cat head design. It's now available in a black denim version. The green tag and latch stand out even more in the black color.

This type has a stand collar that can be tightly fastened around the neck. You can also wear a flannel shirt underneath and leave the collar open.

BKBK has an overall tight image.

It would also look good with hickory pants or overalls.