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
