The focus is, of course, the classic five pocket denim jean.
Blackhorse currently produces four fits, each named after a London
post code; E5, a mid-rise, relaxed tapered fit; E8, a mid-rise,
super slim tapered fit; N16, a low-rise, slim trouser-like fit; and
the NW3, a heritage fit with a high-rise, straight leg and gentle
taper. Each fit has its merits, as Head of Digital and Retail David
Giusti notes, “One of our customer segments is the gentleman in his
50s or older – he buys into the sartorial style, all the clothes he
owns are by classic British or American tailoring brands. He wears
a buttoned-down shirt, a blazer, and wants to always be dressed up,
so he goes for the NW3. Someone who comes in that works in media,
is into new, trendy brands but has a laidback style, they often go
for the E5. A chilled, but dressed up look. Wearing loafers and a
nice T-shirt. And then someone who’s more into streetwear usually
buys the E8. They want to flaunt their style a little more and will
go for the E8 because it has that slim silhouette that accentuates
a nice pair of shoes. Different jeans for different folks.”
Blackhorse Lane Ateliers was founded by Bilgehan ‘Han’ Ates, who
had an unusually clear vision – perhaps a result of his 25 years
experience in the textile industry. The goal was simple; to produce
world-beating denim jeans using the best fabrics the planet has to
offer, all the while supporting the local community and minimising
environmental impact. An easy task then. Each pair of its jeans are
produced under one roof, a tastefully restored 1920s factory
building set away from Blackhorse Lane, which runs parallel to the
Lockwood Reservoir in Walthamstow.
Each pair will begin life as a roll of denim – sourced from
either Japan, Italy or Turkey – before being hand-cut and sewn by
expert craftspeople who between them boast decades of experience.
Taking a more tailored approach than many denim brands, each
Blackhorse pair is hand-cut from a paper pattern, in the same way a
high-quality pair of ready-to-wear trousers might. Giusti tells
The Rake, “When the denim comes in it goes up on one of
our rails, before being rolled out on the cutting table. The
pattern is then selected, before being laid over paper and traced
out because we want to have the selvedge on the edges. Then the
jeans are cut and they begin to flow through the factory, where
they are stitched together piece by piece on our specialist
machines.”
The machines they use are special indeed. Ranging from early
1920s models, which satisfyingly chug away like an old pick-up
truck, through to 1950s Union Specials and more modern
state-of-the-art equipment, Blackhorse Lane’s armoury is
well-stocked. Whilst some machines are more versatile than others,
many of them only perform a specific individual task, yet at the
very highest quality. When showing me around the factory, David
tells each machine’s story passionately, “This guy just does
waistbands. You take the jean, lay it here, put in a single piece
of denim about this wide, it curls it and folds it over and turns
it into a single piece waistband. And it stitches onto the jean at
the same time.” He continues, “Back there is a buttonhole machine
that sews the hole and stamps out the middle. A flat machine does
everything whereas these specialist things do one thing really
well. This is an old Union Special 43200G, which is basically the
classic chain stitch machine, which Levi’s used during its glory
days of production – it created the ‘roping’ texture at the bottom
of the jean.”
Unlike Levi’s, the artisanal nature of Blackhorse means that if
new techniques and ways to improve a jean are discovered, they can
be implemented right away. A good example is the one-piece fly
construction, which first saw action on the E8, but is soon being
rolled out onto all models because it’s more attractive and
stronger than any other design. If Levi’s are the Starbucks of the
denim world, with their well-honed, instantly recognisable formula,
Blackhorse Lane are the craft coffee micro-roastery, constantly
tweaking and improving their recipe as they go along, and striving
for something better. It’s a refreshing concept and one that
provides a solid foundation for a brand still in its infancy. The
potential of Blackhorse Lane is high; it’s recently launched its
first jacket – an indigo chore coat – and there are plans for much
more in the near future. The jeans are impressive now, but with the
current rate of development – which incidentally mirrors the area
of Walthamstow in which they reside – where they’ll be in five
years time is anyone’s guess.
www.blackhorselane.com
