What’s goodie y’all!
January has been a wild month !! The work/life balance at the start of the year is always a challenge for me. But we’re making it work. Usually at the start of each year I take a day to write out some goals, dreams, affirmations type shit. Instead, this time I listed the primary design projects I would like to complete in 2024. Less focus on the things outside my control and more focus on the things within. I’m also kushless all 2024 !! So time will tell if that has any direct benefit to my creative output. I’m guessing it will.
I’ve got plenty of updates and new creations from my denim project BONICEL to fill you in on so let’s get into it.
The first major project of the year for BONICEL was concocting a genuine leather patch that could sit on the right hip of all my denim pieces. A branded patch in this general area is a staple design element for jeans that most denim brands adhere to. It’s taken a little… but we finally introduced our first leather patch design via IG earlier this week. It’s a design I’m extremely proud of and couldn’t have executed without the help of a few talented individuals
My brother BARTO absolutely killed it on the design !! It didn’t take him long either. We hopped on a call via FT and within the hour the design was complete. All it took on my end was the appropriate text and some reference images from my favorite Iron Heart leather patch designs. I love how Iron Heart isn’t afraid to have fun with their designs or take them too seriously. They were the first denim brand that had me looking at the leather patch as if it were an entire work of art within the Jean itself.
I’d also like to thank my boss at Sandlot Goods, Carter Floyd, for helping create the stencil that stamps out the design. His help equalled as my first experience seeing an industrial laser cutter in action and knowledge into how fucking WILD a piece of equipment it is. The laser cutter essentially shaves surface area off of whatever material you feed it until it’s carved out a given design. We used a heavily structured plastic called Delrin that’s sturdy enough to function as a stencil able to emboss leather when pressed hard enough. Super fucking cool.
Just as fun of a project was the Christmas Present I made for my girlfriend, Gabriela. I made her the first BONICEL Original Type III Hemp Jacket modeled after a vintage Calvin Klein Type III Denim Jacket she thrifted a few years ago. It’s not an exact replica but I made the base pattern as close to identical as I could. Thankfully it fit her perfect !!
My major takeaway after making this piece was that I can re-create damn near anything. The beauty of making clothes today is that we have so many amazing garments from the past to reference. I definitely want to continue re-producing and putting my own spin on my favorite vintage garments. It’s fun to dissect the individual details that makes vintage clothing so appealing. Part of my mission with BONICEL is to restore the hand-crafted nature from clothing of the past. Modern apparel today feels so streamlined and over-produced. A return to the construction quality of previous decades is much needed and something I’m working to restore through BONICEL.
The last update I have for y’all is in regard to the BONICEL Original Denim Pant I’ve been working on for a few years now. It’s so damn close. Every single new sample gets a little better and brightens the vision toward making a universal everyday pant. The newest version includes some slight pattern tweaks helping straighten the outseam and reduce the leg twist from previous pairs. I’ve also added a 4th button to the fly, a back buckle reminiscent of pre 1940’s denim pants before they had belt loops, and I’ve included the leather patch detailed above. It’s small additions and attention to details like this that make the pant feel complete.
I appreciate all the love I’ve been receiving through these new projects. I’m going to keep taking the necessary steps and making the necessary changes in order to make the best clothing possible. And I’ve got some other projects + collaborations lined up over the next couple months I can’t wait to show you guys.
Until then do me a favor and share this newsletter with at least one other person! And drop a like or comment below if you feel me!
All love !!