A legend of a lifetime

Prodigious. Titanic. Formidable. Monumental. Above and beyond. Supernatural. We'll let you pick the word that does it for you, but we have to agree on this: The story of the Denim Jacket is probably one of the most beautiful in the history of clothing.

From the "Hantens" worn by Japanese firefighters to our beloved overalls and the first American "Blouse Jackets", this garment is an icon 150 years in the making. Yes, dive all the way back to the 19th century to see the first examples, when the world got its first taste of indigo dye and never looked back.

One year in this epic story will remain engraved forever: 1967. Somewhere under the California sun, a small company called Levi Strauss & Co was fine-tuning the third edition of its work jacket: the "557XX type III " (or Trucker Jacket). Far from being the first of its kind - its two predecessors had already won over the local cowboys - it would nevertheless go down in history as an undisputed masterpiece.

The recipe for success? Dish out a few jackets to the cinema and music industry folks, let it simmer... and you’ve got a hit on your hands! A James Dean, Marylin Monroe, Elvis Presley, George Harrison and Marlon Brando later, the denim jacket emancipated itself from the workwear register to become the sacred staple in its own right.

In the space of 60 years, it weaved a denim thread between hippies, the Beatles, Beat Generation poets, disco spearheads, punks, miscellaneous gangs, bikers, skaters, rappers, mods, anyone from the average Joe to the most cutting-edge designers. And why? In our humble opinion, because it's a blank canvas on which we like to tell our story. And yours starts here.

Now, we're not going to lie, reinterpreting such a cult piece is a daunting task. In fact, many have had a go at it and failed. If the 5,000 replies to our related questionnaire are anything to go by, these are the main issues you've experienced with your trucker jackets:

• the denim is as thick as Serge Gainsbourg’s unfiltered cigarette paper
• the cut is just about ok if you work on a ranch
• there are no inside pockets for your wallet and your Colt
• the finishing touches are more miss than hit

For us, the challenge was simple: solve these problems while honouring a garment that already existed in the time of our great-great-grandparents.

Those of you who already wear one of our jackets will be aware that, until now, our denim was sourced in Japan. Since then, we’ve decided to stay closer to home, working with a mill in Italy.

"Why oh why?” Well besides reducing the carbon footprint of our beautiful clothes, that's what our motto ‘fewer clothes done better’ is all about.

So when the opportunity arose to work with Candiani, a reputed denim mill just across the border, you can imagine that we didn't think twice. Apart from being a trusted name in the Italian textile industry, they are also pioneers in making one of the most polluting fabrics more sustainable. More about that later.

However, the brief was clear: we wanted a fabric at least as crazy as the one Dova was offering us in Japan. Challenge accepted.

And the result is spectacular, to say the least. Starting with organic cotton, they worked for us on a 495 gr/m2 fabric (15 Oz in denim lingo). It may look heavy at first, but it's incredibly supple and you don't feel like you've got that much thickness on your shoulders at all. Bravissimo!

You know what we like: to honour a garment’s legacy and add the Asphalte quality and diligence:

• The fit is hard to beat thanks to a tailored cut that's flattering without being restrictive, not too long and (above all) not too short. In fact, based on your feedback, we've made the back and sleeves a little looser on this version.
• All the finishing touches that have made it such a legend are on display, from the seams to the pointed flaps and the generous collar. No ‘70s retro vibes here though.
• The inside pockets are still hiding in there, just like you asked. As discreet as ever, as solid as ever, and as deep as ever.
• The steel buttons are seriously robust, meaning they won't elope anytime soon.
• Lastly, you have three colours to pick from: rinse, stone and a new off-white one for added variety.
• Sizing, take your usual size.

As said before, we're convinced that the Denim Jacket owes its worldwide triumph largely to its "blank page" appeal. Simple and effective, its aesthetic is above all an invitation to make it your own. In a world where everything immediately goes out of date, most devices come with planned obsolescence, and the majority of clothes go out of fashion in a heartbeat, the Denim Jacket remains unperturbed. If anything it only ages more gracefully, just like its owner.

Take it raw and let the years of wear and washes do the rest. Pick the rinse version and enjoy a little more flexibility. Go for stone and feel like you have a second skin for life.

We've seen bikers rip its sleeves off, liked it covered in 'peace & love' patches by hippies, cut into waistcoats by rock stars, and mended by grannies using bits of old clothes. Who hasn’t broken the initial box fresh feel and enjoyed the patina that comes with decades of wear? Who hasn’t got stories to share, parents that wore one, grandparents that wore one even. That’s heritage for you.

That's because the Denim Jacket isn't just a jacket: it's a diary. And now it’s your turn to write the next chapter.

That's how most stories end, isn't it?

As far as the Denim Jacket is concerned, the story that began 150 years ago is not about to end anytime soon. The same is certainly true for ours since our customer durability rating is an extremely solid 9.1/10. If you want to be part of its history, grab yours from next Tuesday at 10:00 CET.

A true catch like this at 139 € isn't something you see every day. The best way to snag one is to sign up below to get a reminder on the day. Otherwise, you’ll have to cross your fingers that one turns up in a stock sale. If one does, it’ll be 179€ mind.

Need to know anything else? Drop it in the comments below or check our international Instagram page for the answer. Possibly.

Thanks,

The Asphalte Team