TCB Jeans_Cat Head Jacket

□ Encounter with the original design

I wanted to make a new coverall for spring. I had started my search for original designs early last year. Although I was gradually narrowing down my target, I couldn't find the real target. Then, during a casual chat, I casually mentioned to Ryo, who works in the same room as me, "If a 1930s Duck Head coverall came out, it would be cute, so I'd like to make one." He replied, "I bought one when I lived in the Netherlands, and I gave it to my father as a present, so he has it now." It was such a great coincidence that when I told him I wanted to target that vintage item, he readily agreed, and the project started.

□ Attention to detail

When I talk about coveralls, as I have written many times, I love the distinctive left chest design of the 1930s. Although not as much as the Black Bear, Strong Hold, and Boss of the Road that I made in the past, this one also features an asymmetrical design. The most attractive point was the adorable, slightly funny duck face. I originally loved vintage logos with animal motifs, such as the Bulldog from Boss of The Road, the Rooster from Can't Bust'em, the Bear from Black Bear, and the Pig from Finks. There are countless examples, but they are all charming. To reproduce this atmosphere, I had the design redrawn many times, changing the funny feel of the original design to a cat. As a result, the cat on this tag was wonderfully made, and the two-prong snap buttons on the chest and the dome-shaped tack buttons on the sleeves were also finished cutely while reproducing the vintage atmosphere. The buttons on the placket reproduce the pear-skin texture of vintage buttons. The rough texture makes them less slippery and easier to attach and detach. I think this is also a texture that is the result of seeking functionality rather than design.

Another appealing feature is probably the green bar tacks and buttonholes. There are many vintage items with colorful bar tacks, and TCB has enjoyed playing with bar tack colors, using colors we've seen before and colors that seem plausible but aren't. However, as for colorful buttonholes, the only ones I can recall right now are Duck Head and Oshkosh. Of course, they might seem vivid at first, but perhaps the enjoyment of this jacket is seeing the green fade as it's worn more.

 □ Fabric

Sewing ingenuity The chin strap with a chain stitch collar stand was also a distinctive feature of the sewing. The executive director and I were puzzling over this process, but when I consulted Mr. Tateno of Workers, a comrade-in-arms, he said that he had created a folder two years ago when he used Payday as the original design. He said, "You can use it at TCB," and we took him up on his offer. The fact that the collar stand of Payday and Duck Head are interchangeable teaches us that what we thought was design is actually a byproduct born from the convenience of sewing machines, considering it from a manufacturing perspective.

When TCB makes coveralls, we make the length slightly shorter than vintage ones to make them easier to balance with denim tops and bottoms. Since they are raglan sleeves, they do not feel restrictive even when worn just right, and the range of motion of the arms is wide. The fabric was also made with great attention to detail, referencing vintage fabrics for yarn unevenness, color, and dyeing method. Recently, we have chosen to mix different yarns to vary the unevenness of each yarn rather than expressing unevenness with a single count of yarn. Specifically, for the warp, we use 8-count straight yarn and 9-count yarn with short unevenness in a 1:1 ratio. For the weft, we use 12-count natural uneven yarn and 12-count yarn with neps in a 1:1 ratio. As a result, we use four types of yarn, so it has a vintage feel. The dyeing was also done in a shallow color unique to store brands. Instead of the shallow reason for the warp, the weft is dyed gray instead of ecru. This idea is that some fabrics were made with dark warp colors to make dirt less noticeable, and many fabrics were made with gray weft to make the fabric look darker and make dirt less noticeable.

As a finishing touch, since half of the weft yarn is nep yarn, it is finished without singeing.

□ Regarding size

The basic sizing is the same as TCB's standard coverall, the Cathartt Chore Coat. When comparing with denim jackets, we recommend sizing down 1-2 sizes depending on your preference.

Reprinted from TCB official website.

Above all, the vintage-like cat buttons are an irresistible detail. Why are old designs so attractive? When you look at vintage items, you probably think it's because the original drawings were hand-drawn. Personally, I think so too.

No matter how much AI evolves, I believe there's a certain "goodness" in hand-drawn art that AI can't achieve. That being said, to mass-produce buttons, hand-drawn designs are, of course, digitized and then manufactured.

With the drastic temperature changes these days, a coverall that can be quickly put on when needed is extremely convenient. With its moderate thickness, it can be used all year round.

Actual size chart: Unit cm