LIFE TIME GEAR GOES B74 SELECTED GOODS BLOG

Hi guys, for sure you recognized that blogging last time was focused on B74 Selected Goods. This is easy to explain. Since years the B74 Concept Store located in Frankfurt “Mainhattan” and my Design Agency are working together and with the conception and the Art Direction of the B74 Selected Goods Online Shop this great teamwork got more intensive. Now while the shop is going its own first steps but my work is not finished. As a constant Crew member I will support the B74 in all Social Media activities like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and the new B74 Blog linked to the new Online Store. I will also try to do post “pure” Life Time Gear posts in future but there will always be an interaction between www.b74.de/blog and/www.life-time-gear.com. I hope a win-win-situation! Today I did my second blogpost with such nice photos we got directly from FILSON. Here just some of this nice shots. More @ the www.b74.de blog-site. pics | © FILSON

 

RED WING SHOES NEWS | LAUNCH OF WORK CHUKKA #3148 IN BLACK CHROME LEATHER

Hi guys, RWS news will not end this autumn. Today the WORK CHUKKA #3148 was launched. In 2010 The Red Wing Shoe Company developed the WORK CHUKKA in black just for the Japanese market. The BLACK CHROME leather of the #3148 is also used on this really tough and rugged Red Wing Engineer #2268. The weight of the leather is HHH, what means that it is about 2.2-2.4 mm thick. This the thickest leather Red Wing Heritage uses for their boots. The #3148 is the 5th WORK CHUKKA style.

Something about the history of the WORK CHUKKAS RWS tells us: “Unlike other Red Wing boots, the chukka was designed for lighter, indoor work that includes bending, climbing and kneeling. Their crepe outsoles allowed these indoor workers to stay comfortable, while not scratching floors or making a mess. From the late 1950s and ‘60s, American fashion style became more rough and casual. actual work denim work wear became one of the fashion trends. The casual trend was also had an effect on the work wear and boots. Ankle height work boots and Chukka work boots where developed and introduced to follow this casual trend. At same time The Red Wing Shoe Compagny started to use the cushion crepe wedge sole for several work boots styles. The functional and novel outsole was incorporated in the Chukka that  was a new work boot at the time. The root of current chukka style #850 was also launched around the same time in 1954. The work chukka was worn mainly in lighter work or in the weekends for leisure and light outdoor activitys.”

The black #3148 and all the other CHUKKA styles are available @ RED WING SHOE STORE FRANKFURT online or in-store. pics | Red Wing Heritage

RED WING SHOES NEWS | LAUNCH OF CAMOU MOC TOE #8884

When I heard about this release I was really surprised. The last years I was so proud to own a special CAMOU RED WING MOC TOE Style #8150 – please check my Blog post from January 2012. And the only other owners of this extra ordinary boot I know are Kami Hashemi himself, owner of RED WING STORE FRANKFURT, and Peter Heckman from HECKMAN STORE in Darmstadt, Germany. Okay, now there will be second edition of this special boot: the #8884. Again RED WING uses a MOSSY OAK® Camouflage pattern. The new #8884 comes with black/brown 41″ laces instead of the classic yellow tan laces my #8150 has had and the pattern is not so colorful, it is more brown, more autumnal with leaves that conjures the forests in autumn like the ones around Red Wing in southern Minnesota. Every boot will unique, because of showing other pattern details. The #8884 boot still sports the 6-inch triple-stitched leather upper, Traction Tred rubber outsole and Goodyear welt construction. I am really excited how this Camouflage boot will be accepted by the RED WING aficionados – thrilling. I love this design still for sure, but I am just a bit disappointed that my #8150 is not anymore something outstanding ;-). Come on guys and get your CAMOU MOC @ RED WING SHOE STORE FRANKFURT online or in-store from today on. pics | Red Wing Heritage | Life Time Gear

New CAMOU MOC TOE #8884

 

My RED WING CAMOU MOC TOE #8150


 


RED WING SHOES NEWS | LAUNCH OF RWS SHOP EXCLUSIVELY ROUGHNECK STYLE #2942 COPPER ROUGH & TOUGH LEATHER

The news in RED WING SHOES don’t stop this end of summer. Today, October 1st, the new “ROUGHNECK” Style #2942 is launched. The new boot with its clean lines, simple construction and classic round toe styling is exclusively available just at RED WING STORES around Europe.The #2942 features the for Red Wing Boots known Copper Rough and Tough leather, a durable Vibram® Lug outsole, which is perfect for winter conditions, and a triple stitched quality and Goodyear welt construction. Hooks and eyelets are made of nickel and for sure the boot has a leather insole.

For those who want to know something about the history of this new RWS Boot: “In America’s 20th century, the bold and hardworking men who labored on oil rigs had one of the most dangerous occupations around. In order to do their jobs in these hazardous conditions the men needed to be tough and have a taste for challenging work. These traits were how oil rig workers received the nickname, “Roughnecks.” Inspired by these hardworking roughnecks, Red Wing’s Round Lug styles were built not only to look tough, but act tough. Their distinctively rugged appearance is enhanced by our classic Roughneck leather.

Get your new RED WING ““ROUGHNECK” at RED WING SHOE STORE FRANKFURT online 7/24 or in-store. I think this boot has all to get an iconic one! pics | Red Wing Heritage

 

TELLASON | PREVIEW: CHORE COAT IN 14,75 CONE MILLS WHITE OAK RAW DENIM S/S 2017

A few days days ago I visited UWE E. MAIER, owner and founder of AMTRAQ DISTRIBUTION in Frankfurt, Germany. He showed me some news, presented in his wonderful showroom – I love to be there … it is like a men’s playground for dry goods. Among other beautiful and exciting stuff I found this wonderful TELLASON jacket coming up next Spring/Summer Season: the 14.75 OZ CHORE COAT. Chore coats, were emerged in the early 20th century, worn by the blue-collar classes of American farmers and factory workers. The guys from TELLASON did a new take on the good old work jacket made of Cone Mills White Oak red line raw selvedge denim. Featuring 2 big lower patched pockets, 1 chest pocket with flap and button and one chest pocket with pen slot. Check the so nice selvedge detail at center seam inside the jacket and nice rounded collar. Like this off white single needle top stitching. Aren’t the original copper patent buttons awesome? So much great details. This new classic will be in the stores from January 2017 onwards. pics | LTG


TELLASON NEWS | THE CLAMPDOWN SHIRT “SALT & PEPPER” SELVEDGE + THE BANDANA 3 PACK

The guys from TELLASON Pete and Tony  – the makers of the one and only denim I wear since 4 years: GUSTAVE 14.75 oz. Sometimes I think that this thing was just made for me 😉 – did a new Shirt, which also could be an absolute favorite of my Life Time Gear collection. The CLAMPTON SHIRT is a TELLASON icon. It is a classic workwear styled shirt not only because of the look and the aesthetic but also because of its functional details. It is made in San Francisco of finely woven “Salt & Pepper” 7.5 oz Japanese selvedge – raw and unwashed. This CLAMPDOWN has so nice details like the triple needle stitching on the sides and underarm seams and these wonderful selvedge details at the side gussets and under the pocket flaps –I love this! Don’t forget the Corozo buttons and the TELLASON pencil you’ll get with the shirt. A great addition is the new BANDANA-3-PACK including a red, white and navy one, made of 100 cotton in the USA and printed in Oakland, California. The size is 21″ x 21″. Every bandana has another printing: The “CLASSIC” in navy, the „GOLDEN GATE BRIDGE” and the “FLETCH” dedication. This one shows quotations from the film “FLETCH” … an interesting idea and good looking too! I like the typography on the bandana a lot … this is something different compared to a “normal” bandana. The same with the GOLDEN GATE motive – quite nice design! Curios? Check the AMTRAQ site for dealers where to buy this nice stuff or contact Kami @ B74.

RED WING SHOES | LAUNCH OF RED WING HERITAGE WOMEN’S COLLECTION ON 1ST of SEPTEMBER

This time there is something really new and special: RED WING SHOES launches its first contemporary women’s collection. They launched some true RWS, classics which we know from the men’s collections since years – this line is named “CORE”. You’ll find Moc Toes, Iron Ranger and Engineer boots with lasts especially done for  women’s feet – great idea, isn’t it? For me as an RWS aficionado this is the line that makes the most sense to me. But for sure the ”LEGACY” line is really interesting too because of the extremely feminine and heritage look. These look like the very boots worn by women shaping and defining the 20th century, optimized for utmost comfort, wear ability, and durability. The ”MODERN” line is not my cup of coffee, but I am sure that a lot of ladies will like this reinterpretations of RWS most classic designs for women.

Come on and bring your girl, wife, lady, your sister, your daughter or grandma on the 1st of September 2016 to RED WING SHOE STORE FRANKFURT to check up the new RED WING HERITAGE WOMEN BOOTS and get a feeling for the specific women properties. Check the fit and walk some steps through the store. For sure the boots are online available too, 24/7 from 1st September on!

RED WING SHOE COMPANY started making boots for women in the midst of the Roaring Twenties. These women were pioneers of their era, breaking free from the constraints of long skirts and corsets in favor of short hair, pants, and boots. Red Wing Shoe Company responded to these social changes by creating a collection of ladies’ boots that were specifically suited to the needs and activities of independent women of the time, using the same purpose-built craftsmanship and care found in their men’s shoes.

I just wanna show you a short overview of the new styles. The next days I will present you more detailed informations and pictures of the different styles and lines.

LEGACY
”At RED WING SHOES, we are incredibly proud of our 110-year history of making footwear of the finest quality and craftsmanship. The purpose of our Legacy Collection is to honor and build upon that history with progressive designs inspired by our boots of yesteryear.”

STYLE NO. 3386 | GLORIA

CORE
”Since our original Red Wing Heritage collection first started hitting the streets nearly a decade ago, women around the world have proudly worn our boots. The Core Collection features the most popular styles from our current men’s line, deconstructed and completely rebuilt for women, resulting in a boot that is lightweight, way more comfortable, and just as tough.”

STYLE NO. 3373 | 6″ MOC

STYLE NO. 3374 | 6″ MOC

STYLE NO. 3375 | 6″ MOC

STYLE NO. 3356 | SHORT ENGINEER

STYLE NO. 3354 | SHORT ENGINEER

STYLE NO. 3355 | SHORT ENGINEER
STYLE NO. 3365 | IRON RANGER

STYLE NO. 3366 | IRON RANGER

 
MODERN
”Both beautiful and practical, our Modern Collection reinterprets our most classic designs for women. Each style is built on a genuine leather-stacked heel and a three-quarter Goodyear welt and showcases our premium s.b. Foot leathers.”

STYLE NO. 3404 | CLARA

STYLE NO. 3405 | CLARA

STYLE NO. 3406 | CLARA

STYLE NO. 3394 | LILLIAN

STYLE NO. 3395 | LILLIAN

JUST SOME X-MAS PRESENT IDEAS | #08 THE LEATHER CARE KIT by OTTER WAX … That’s all you need …

What a nice box design and even better the content – 4 OTTER WAX products for your boots, leather jackets, belts, for really everything made of leather: Saddle Soap, 2oz, Leather Salve, 2oz, Leather Oil, 5oz, Boot Wax, 2oz, Flannel Buffing Cloth. So this kit contains all 4-Steps to comprehensive leather care! All products are made with natural ingredients to ensure that they work with all types of leather. Made in Portland, Orgeon.
•  Use Saddle Soap to gently clean your leather and remove stains
•  Use Leather Salve to restore softness and repair cracking
•  Use Leather Oil to polish and revive the natural shine
•  Use Boot Wax to protect and create a waterproof seal

It’s simple but true: That’s all you need … Check the short film below.

In Europe the OTTER WAX LEATHER CARE KIT is available at:
Jeanswerk/ St. Gallen/Swiss
Dantendorfer/ Salzburg/Austria
British Parts/Flawill/ Swiss
Les Raffineurs/ Paris/ France
Zooloose/ Basel/ Swiss
Boutique Gilles/ Verbier/ Swiss
Fabrikat/ Zürich/Swiss
Jeanslife/ Winterthur/ Swiss
Cultizm/Münster/ Germany
Adisgladis/ Stockholm/Sweden
Marco Serafini/ Servigliano/ Italy
Shoecorner/Oslo/ Sweden
and for sure @ European OTTER WAX Distributor B74/ Germany
pics | LTG || vid | Otter Wax

 

Otter Wax: Leather Boots Tutorial from Aubree Bernier-Clarke on Vimeo.

THE ROCKY ORIGINAL OBLIQUE-TOE HIKER by ROCKY HERITAGE BOOTS

It starts with checking Zace D. Myers Facebook profile seeing these wonderful boots the first time. Zace is the founder and owner of the denim brand ZACE USA. He introduced the return of this classic hiking boots – for sure – Made in USA. Seeing the boots more and more I had to take a more closely look and after speaking to my buddy Felix  I ordered a pair. And men, these are the most comfortable boots I ever wore and believe me, I have had a lot of different boots on my feet till today. Yesterday I went to a client shooting on location. 10 hours nonstop on my feet in the forest. Jumping around and doing art direction … nothing hurts, no tired feet. The boots are really tough but amazing light weighted. I am really excited about my 8″ Rockies. The boot is made of a full-grain leather using a Goodyear@ welt construction fitted with an oil and slip resisting Vibram® rubber outsole – the boot can be resoled for sure. Inside there is a Terra Suspension Footbed which is removable and tough enough to give a lot of comfort as I just can confirm because of yesterday. The footbed has an arch and heel designed for tremendous support and comfort. A double-ribbed, tempered steel shank provides additional arch support and foot stability. There are a lot of parts which are triple stitched! About the toe. “Oblique is a design term, referring to the shape of the boots, Oblique toe boots are designed to follow the shape of a foot and offer extra room for your big toe”. The boots are crafted in Wynne, Arkansas, and the Rocky Original Oblique-Toe Boots feature complete American Materials from the Vibram@ Sole which is made in Massachusetts, over the laces which come from Portsmouth, Ohio, to the leather. A true and honest product Made in USA. And take a look at the nice box and so special and great: the ZACE USA denim boot sacs. Damn, what a surprise when I opened the box. I love this boots. Contact Zace and send him a PN to get your pair. pics | LTG

TSPTR x EBBETS FIELD FLANNELS CHARLIE CAP

As a constant reader of LIFE TIME GEAR blog you must know that I am a great fan of EBBETS FIELD FLANNELS caps. I own a lot of because I love this heritage, classic and authentic look. Beside, the fit is perfect. When I order a 7 1/4 it is a 7 1/4 – every cap has the same fit and believe me this isn’t the norm i f you compare to other labels. Some days ago I discovered the woolen CHARLIE BROWN baseball cap which is the result of a collaboration between 60s counterculture-inspired brand TSPTR – which stand for Truth, Symmetry, Pleasure, Taste, Recognition – and EBBETS FIELD FLANNELS. Certainly made in the USA of a grey melange wool with an adjustable leather tab and calf leather trim. “CHARLIE BROWN” is constructed with the same soft wool which is used for EBBETS’ vintage baseball uniforms – great, isn’t it? This is my first EBBETS which is not made to size and the fit is perfect too. I know it from the moment on I took it out of the parcel which came from CALIROOTS: this is a new Life Time Gear piece. pics | LTG