Below the Belt #4: Blackhorse Lane Ateliers
Speaking to those who know a thing or two about a thing or two on the question of quality denim
There’s a whole lot to like about Blackhorse Lane Ateliers. Having opened its workshop doors in 2015 (in a 1920s factory building in Walthamstow, no less), BLA has quickly become a point of reference for the style-forward and the craft-minded alike. London’s only craft jeans maker, BLA deals in the kind of long-lost, pre-fast fashion rough and readiness that defined the turn of the 19th century. It’s an aesthetic that leans heavily on the old-school and over-spec’d approach to garment construction. No compromises. No shortcuts. Just good quality, go-the-distance denim. The BLA workshop also serves as a communal space for like-minded makers and creators. Like I said, there’s a whole lot to like here.
And as you’d imagine, founder Han Ates and the gang have good few pearls of denim wisdom, which they’ve been kind enough to dispense below.
On Fit
“Generally, as a team we cuff our jeans. Cuffing is a nice way to showcase the selvedge ticker or Hong Kong seams (for non-selvedge denims). We tend not to stack, as we’re able to hem the jeans here in-house, and we find that our customers prefer this also. We cut our jeans at 37”, so that after hemming they’re 36” (and after washing 35”) so the customer has options for length or for their preferred style. We do make to order on longer legs if we have a particularly tall customer.”
On Fabric
“We love our Turkish denim. Not only is it more approachable in terms of price, but it has a lower carbon footprint than Japanese denim. Obviously, Japanese denim does have that grain and subtle texture that sings of its craft, so it’s a beautiful option too. But in actual fact, they generally wear the same. Most of our jeans are around the 14oz mark, and this is because they are the ‘standard’ that customers look for. Depending on the origin, weaving and dyeing process however, the weights can feel very different. For example, our 15.5oz Turkish denim is actually very soft, so it doesn’t feel as heavy as it ought to. We are now providing lighter weight denims for certain fits like the SW1 wide leg trouser.”
On Favourites
“The E8 is particularly smart, from its premium construction details to saturated indigos. It looks smarter and works well with both blazers and jumpers. Our newest model is the W11 Japanese twill chino that has a few classic tailoring details like a crotch gusset for fit, and the W10 trucker jacket is our take on the classic Type II, but with London-friendly details like a contactless card sleeve pocket and a lovely ‘snowstorm’ flecked slub Japanese denim.”
On What to Wear them With
“Han wears his E8’s with brogues and faded E17 Chore. Wil typically wears his 18oz NW1 with a pair of Cheaney boots and a white tee. Steph wears her N1C tunic with rolled up sleeves and a jumper underneath, while Annie wears our N5 high-rise slim jeans with a cropped ankle and pumps.”
On Whether or Not to Wash
"At Blackhorse Lane Ateliers we believe that you should definitely wash your denim. Alongside that, we believe in responsible washing, not just of denim but all our clothes. Which means taking a look at a few other things too, like the temperature we wash at; the detergent we use; and how we dry our garments. We have a slogan here at Blackhorse Lane Ateliers: wash responsibly. By washing your garments just 10 degrees colder, you save a huge amount of energy. I also tend to recommend that people to use half the recommended detergent to start with too, and gradually up this until you find what works for your lifestyle. In some of my own, day-to-day washing I don't use detergent at all - just a good rinse at 30 degrees. I also always air-dry my garments - never tumble dry. Ultimately, you must wash your denim because bacteria and dirt just aren’t healthy for the fabric. And it can start to smell a little, too!”
