The beautiful new DOUBLE RL & CO. online store has just opened their doors for business. With the spot on design aesthetic that has been a RRL staple since day one and true old world feel featuring RPPC & Tin Type style photographs that look like they were taken straight outta the Disfarmer Studio, the new online store is not to be missed. Check it out and buy some goods, you won't be sorry.
A great evening was had Wednesday night at the RRL Store on Melrose which in addition to featuring the clothes and accessories that we all know and love, showcased some fine vintage iron courtesy of BROUGH SUPERIOR, who built top of the line bikes between the years 1919-1940 and are often referred to as the Rolls Royce of motorcycles. Truly a fitting brand to share the RRL space. This post will focus on the bikes with possible future posts touching on the clothing side of things.
I believe this to be a 1920's era BROUGH SUPERIOR
Fry Smith food truck was on hand serving up their signature gourmet "topped" fries and Fat Tire Ale was one of the beverages of choice. The large turnout included many bike enthusiasts, most arriving on their preferred method of transportation. Caught up with some old friends and made some new ones. While I'm normally not one to notice or care of such things, there were many "names" in attendance including the silver haired motor junkie Jay Leno and Jillian Barberie of Good Day LA. Among those with whom I am impressed and I do care about were sculptor, designer & collector extraordinaire Jeff Decker, Greg Chapman of Schott NYC and the man who for me was the evenings highlight, the one and only Alain DeCadenet. I know of Alain from his days as both a gentleman racer (and a rather fast one at that) and host to the late great program on The Speed Channel (now SPEED TV) Victory By Design. Seems Alain is better know these days for being a vintage bike enthusiast based on the attention he gathered while starting his classic bike and heading off into the So Cal evening.
I still cant get enough of this great clip of Alain being buzzed by a Spitfire years back. Good for a big smile and laugh every time!
Big props to the fine folks at RRL including but not limited to Ben, Travis, Carlos and Ryan, for the great event which showcased their top notch hospitality and ever present sense of style.
To be expected... yes, appreciated... most definitely. Thanks guys!
1970's era Roebucks UNION MADE 7 pocket carpenter dungaree.
Started off a few years ago as dark blue deadstock that I used sporadically while painting. These are used for work and do get quite dirty, thus requiring regular washing. The lighter blue denim fade is the result. Currently seen after wearing them for 3 weeks straight without washing while on my current remodel project
Details include United Garment Workers of America UNION MADE label, Sears Wear Tuff pocketing, Made in USA
Red Wing Iron Ranger work boots. About 6-8 months after their last appearance before the camera here
Just about broken in
RRL "Fit Well Built Well" work cap that has taken the place of my RRL Truck Label duck canvas cap.
Cap started with a bit of damage process but has picked up some serious sweat & grime, or as some would say... funk
Earlier today, stripping off some nasty latex paint from a front entry door. Wearing the dungarees, boots & cap pictured above. Gotta love Southern California and the fact that I'm outside in a tee in the middle of winter
Pulling 12 to 14 hour days for 5 days straight in order to finish up this job and get to preparing for both Inspiration & The Rose Bowl.
Picked these RRL Work caps up at ROSS (Dress for Less) across the street from The Original Farmers Market in the Fairfax district of Los Angeles back around 1995. I remember it well, went there for dirt cheap Airwalks & Quicksilver snowboarding gear and stumbled onto a trove of RRL at prices that were as they say, UNBELIEVABLE!
RRL Truck Label Duck Canvas, possibly my favorite work cap of all time
Loomed RRL Truck Label
Aged leather strap with patina & verdigris. I've worn this cap almost daily for years
Never worn deadstock RRL work cap from 1995 give or take
Embroidered Truck logo
Compare this strap to the one pictured above
I seriously went home with more than a few dozen pieces including button fly & zipper jeans, dark denim carpenter jeans, blue duck button fly work pants, Carhartt style distressed canvas work pants, cotton button fly work pants, fine stripe button fly work pants, lined & unlined buckle back denim jackets, buckle back duck jacket, various caps, a bunch of Truck Logo tees & a bunch more. Most all of it was Made in the USA back then. I used to head over the hill to LaBrea & The Stussy Store back when they were killing it, then hit ROSS to see if they had anything. On one trip I picked up 6 pair of Air Jordan 2 reissues for like $25 a pair that I hung onto for about 10 years....sold them a few years ago. Got lots of pictures to share at some point. I have always been quick to give big props to Shawn Stussy, starting with those crazy print surf shirts of the 80's and leading into Stussy Service & Workwear. Like a lot of clothing I get attached to, I saved almost every piece of Stussy & RRL purchased over the years, most of it during the late 80's thru mid 90's. Anyone who attended Inspiration 2010 most likely noticed Shawn Stussy, hard to miss him sporting such classic style, he pulls off a pair of Vans better than just about anyone out there. Stussy, RRL.... Shawn Stussy at the RRL afterparty... two Icons who truly inspire! All is right in the universe. I'll be posting lots of this stuff from the vault as time allows. I'm sure that the 2 embroidered caps pictured were picked up with the lot above. I swear I took half of what they had that day and came back for more a day later. I even returned a white Lee Westerner style RRL trucker jacket because I had way too much stuff... like there even is such a thing, right?
Dark olive green RRL Truck label work cap
Embroidered logo
Leather strap showing its age
Found this little guy while cleaning up the yard here in the Valley a few years back, check out the cap
My first & only purchase of a Japanese reproduction piece was about 6 years ago or so. I picked up this Sugar Cane dark denim work shirt obtained via History Preservation Associates. A very nice shirt indeed with all the bells & whistles including chin-strap, scalloped yoke, double shoulder & elbows, ventilation grommets, shirt tail gussets with chain stitch runoff, Big Yank type embossed buttons and united garment workers union label facsimile.
Also added to the collection a few years back were these RRL scalloped yoke vent hole work shirts, the pin check example being one of my favorites.
As mentioned, the pin check shirt is a favorite and stands out amongst some serious competition. With that said, there is a difference in quality between the Sugar Cane shirt & the RRL versions. While the RRL shirts look great, they don’t have the authentic details and craftsmanship of the Sugar Cane, which along with its great fit includes true double fabric shoulders & elbows. Check out the Sugar Cane UK website.
The 1989 Jeep Grand Wagoneer All Valley Handyman Service company truck has been putting in some overtime these days and can currently be found at the Rose Bowl Flea Market in Pasadena, CA on the second Sunday of every month.
Rin Tanaka’s inspiration event held Friday & Saturday Feb 12 & 13, 2010 was the perfect jumping off point for the Sunday Feb 14,2010 debut of our little slice of the vintage clothing pie known as The San Fernando Valley Mercantile Co. The focus is on vintage workwear from the 1940’s thru 1970’s. We’re off and running having sold some great old garments and made some great new friends. Stop by and check us out if you are at the Bowl, space # 5282.
Here's a great old FINCK'S sign that we just sold this past month. Big thanks to Rin for all the inspiration and Ben from RRL for the hook ups. The Kogi truck at the RRL Melrose after party Saturday night was a real nice touch. Check David Himel’s blog The Art of Vintage Leather Jackets for a nice inspiration event recap.
