The Pike Brothers – Authentic Outdoor & Workwear
The Brute Supply Co for Robin Denim – 10 MIN READ
What’s up journal readers, I hope you’re all well and having a good week so far.
I’m buzzing to get underway with this weeks entry, It only seemed right to roll out a detailed write up about a true grassroots workwear and denim brand, The Pike Brothers Superior Garments.
As you may well have seen in the not so distant past, I’ve donned a few Pike Bros garments on Instagram, mentioned them throughout various journal posts, and well, pretty much been a real advocate of the brand and what they stand for. Other than style and quality, the Pike Bros core values run deeper than aesthetics.
It all started back in 1930 on Portobello Road, located in Notting Hill London. A place close to my heart, and of course well known for its famous markets. I take great pride in my home city and the goodness that emerges from the smoke. When it comes to quality, the UK has a lot to offer.
It’s far easier to resonate and become attached to a brand that has a story like the Pike Brothers. Originally a tailoring shop specialising in custom-made menswear, with a few future plans to expand their offerings. The brothers caught on to an emerging trend using their own intuition and sense of market awareness, they saw a flurry of American soldiers arrive in Britain…this gave them the idea to start producing uniforms for the U.S. Armed Forces.
Fast forward a couple of years…well, a fair few years and what you see is what you get. Today the Pike Brothers have built a true heritage inspired brand. The image reel above is a few of my personal favourites from their timeless collection of quality goods.
(top-left to bottom-right) 1944 N1 Deck Jacket waxed khaki | 1937 Roamer Vest Elephant Skin black | 1942 Hunting Jacket brown melange wool | 1923 Turtle Neck dark navy
I’ve purposely only included garments for the top half of the body in the reel above, thus leaving a bit of writing space for the ever so rugged indigo they are producing. The Pike Bros never fail to amaze when it comes to quality and style. Their 1963 11Oz Roamer Pants were my first pair of raw selvedge denim jeans. I’m a few months into my Pike Bros fades journey, and I can’t think of a moment over the past few weeks where I haven’t worn them. I’ve pretty much not taken them off and worn them day in day out with no wash…I’m loving every minute of it. As they’re dyed with a bit of extra dark indigo the denim is taking a little longer to fade, although I’m starting to see some wear and a slight colour change.
Pike Brothers denim
The 1963 Roamers sit nicely on the hip, there’s little to none when it comes to sagging of the denim around the riser, and the selvedge id is of the classic red and white colours. I purposely chose the 11Oz as we are slowly transitioning into the warmer months, although the jeans are sure to be a great all year round choice. I’ll be sure to push these to the limit over the next 9 months. I’ve seen a 2-year-old pair of the Roamers and they look awesome after a good bit of wear and tear. I cycle pretty much everywhere, so I’m a little conscious when it comes to the fades on the backside, I guess I’ll have to wait and see how the denim pans out after the first soak.
The Pike Bros denim is unwashed and a very deep blue in colour, it’s pretty much dyed straight off the loom. Their raw selvage denim is stiff, rugged, robust and awesomely rich in structure. As all raw denim, it needs to be worked on and worn in to develop its full individual characteristics.
Throughout the year I like to keep things simple and timeless, I switch up my own style between two simple looks;
Post-heritage Style: Plain white tee, Selvedge denim jeans, Vans or Converse, thick comfy socks (probably still Red Wing)
The Classic worker: Worker style jacket, Overshirt, plain tee, Selvedge denim jeans and of course Red Wing Boots on my feet (comfy socks are a must)
The Pike Bros values
When a brand has purpose and values that resonate with me, I find it far easier to become attached and enjoy their product. Other than the garments slotting nicely into my own style, I look for functionality, quality, and specific features. The Pike Brothers make their superior utility garments in true style – without losing sight of why they designed and made them from the beginning.
Fabian & Max sure know what is needed when it comes to fabric selection, because what would quality style be without quality materials. Their denim is custom-made on vintage shuttle looms, their Elephant Skin is made from a unique cotton in Germany and their flannels are 100% cotton with a comfortable cut.
My next Pike piece
I tend to acquire most of my Pike Brothers kit from the guys at Concrete Matter, so I’m guessing I’ll have to see what they’re stocking when a little bit of retail therapy tickles my fancy. I’ve got my eye on the 1957 Elephant Skin Zip Jacket (A cross between a bomber and a Harrington), I’m also looking at the 1943 Woollen CPO Shirt in black, one of their very simple raglan baseball tops and possibly an iconic trucker hat.
My perspective for Pike
The more time I spend around heritage-inspired garments, different types of workwear and of course denim, I’m always looking for new ways to adjust my style to specific items. It’s always good to keep things new but sticking to my own style roots is the best and most authentic way to progress with time. So I keep mentioning post-heritage, what do I even mean by this.
Style that integrates the old skool rugged cool with a more city street vibe. That’s pretty much it in a nutshell. From my own perspective, I believe that Pike creates a diverse range of quality products. I can see that there are specific pieces from their collections that will fall nicely into both heritage and post-heritage categories. Whether this has been purposely thought out or it’s just the way the brand has evolved, it’s an awesome attribute to have, that will carry the brand into the future.
Once again thanks for stopping by to read the journal,
Up next we have a bit of ethical consumption and sustainability in style.
Cheers
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