FILSON @ BREAD & BUTTER, BERLIN

I think you all know by now, that I'm a sucker for Filson. I really get a smile on my face when I see

a Filson bag! On the booth in Berlin they didn't just showed the Spring/Summer 2014 collection but also a wall filled with vintage bags. These vintage bags are send back by customers for repair or even as a complaint. The company sent those customers free of charge a new bag, repair the old ones and sell these to guys who can't wait to break down there own bag. Filson bags are like a great denim

you have to break it down yourself. I do like the wool baseball cap with the "F" made in the USA that's for sure.

FILSON & PENDLETON FW 2013

A peek in the Dutch showroom of Pendleton and Filson.

It's always fun to visit Tobi's Agency in Amsterdam and sharing our passions, but enough said about me, myself and I.

Safety orange makes an appearance in the forthcoming Filson Bag collection, it shows up on backpacks and daypacks contrasting well with the classic oiled canvas. Furthermore the clothing has new updated shapes, let's call it more European. My personal favorite for coming Fall is that beautiful woolen vest in navy with a grey shoulder piece.

READY & PACKED FOR THE STATES

I just finished packing for my trip to Atlanta & Florida. Man, I wished I could pack my stuff in so many beautiful Filson bags. See you in 2013.

SQUEEZE ME, PLEASE!

Wow can somebody squeeze me, please!

Filson teams up with Harris Tweed for a couple of stylish (and by the looks of it, tough as nails) new briefcases. Featuring the classic Filson finishings — bridle leather, brass hardware — that the all-American company is known for, but with a bit of Scottish charm thrown into the mix. Call it a geo-sartorial meeting of the minds (that you can carry to work with you).

CHAD MEETS WILL IN VENICE,CA

1360 Abbott Kinney Blvd Venice, Ca is the new home of Will Leather Goods. The fun thing is that history repeats as founder Bill Adler was an actor in Hollywood in the 80’s. Out of necessity during the SAG strike, he started the brand as a small leather belt stand in Venice, CA under the name “Billy’s Belts” to provide for his family. Today, known as Will Leather Goods, his belt stand experience has expanded globally, selling handcrafted bags, wallets, cuffs, neckties and other small accessories.

The store carries the full range from a vintage collection of leather U.S. Mail bags to new leather bags with cut and sewn pieces from blankets. All products are made in America and carefully selected, each bag is unique.

ATELIER DE L'ARMEE - WAR IS OVER

Elza Wandler & Joost Doeswijk started Atelier de l'Armée in 2011, out of love for vintage clothing, fabrics and materials with a history. They mostly use military materials because of their high quality and amazing natural wear. This is also where the name comes from. Atelier de l'Armée means "Army Workshop" in french. 

In their small workshop in Amsterdam, The Netherlands, they collect materials from all over the world to make the Atelier de l'Armée bags. After they drawn patterns on the best usable parts of the fabrics, they cut them by hand. The bags are sewn with great care on a special heavy duty sewing machine, individually numbered and photographed for the website. They try to make 1 (one) bag per day as it takes around 6 hours to produce a single bag. All the bags are unique, one of a kind and can never be reproduced because of the distinguished look of materials. You should wear them with pride or even better hang them on a wall like a painting. The Heritage clothing line is a carefully selected mix of rare handpicked second hand items and most are collectables. Some have been customized, others have been adjusted, but most are untouched. All are denim related or inspired by vintage workwear and military clothes, as you can see in their lookbook for FW 2012.

CHAD GOES OUTDOORS IN AMSTERDAM

Recently, I paid a visit to the showrooms of Pendleton & Filson in Amsterdam. Tobias of Tobi's Agency welcomed me with some coffee and soon we talked about our passion, Americana. In the eighties he get this Americana virus, working in a (vintage) clothing store in Amsterdam and finally started in the 90's his import/agency with true American products like Pendleton, Filson and Dickies. As a passionate fly-fisher he knows what he can expect from a Filson product and this knowledge he transfer to his dealers. The showroom houses in an old warehouse of a former Amsterdam shipyard and still you can see the dry dock in front of the building. The main floor is reserved for the collections of Dickies, Armor Lux and Pendleton blankets and the mezzanine is filled with all kind of Filson bags, tin cloth pants, cruiser jackets, tin cloth hats and even fly fishing cases. Tobias, I'm looking forward to another cup of coffee.

FARM TACTICS - ROCK CLIMBING TOTE

Farm Tactics is a small California based company dedicated in making high quality American clothing and accessories. All the fabrics are either made in California, Canada or Japan. The Made in USA bags are a good size and have some nice features like rock climbing rope handles and an overall pleasing design. (pics via Need Supply).