The ‘High Five’ Sweater and Hoodie Guide for AW ‘21
Although summer has undergone its brutal transition into winter and the sun is barely visible through the heavy clouds, it’s not all cold and sadness that awaits us. Of course, life is so much more pleasant when the sunshine is tickling your skin, and a cool summer breeze is brushing your hair, but the autumn and winter seasons have their own charms…
One of the big advantages of the colder weather is that we can finally embrace our winter wardrobe. I know, some of us can easily wear a pair of heavyweight jeans year-round, but we consider Autumn the best season to start with a fresh pair of raw denims. Same goes for a parka, boots, and obviously, a warm comfortable sweatshirt or hoodie. Perfect to pair with your denims and offered by a number of great brands in the heritage menswear realm, we’ve pulled together five sweatshirts and hoodies for the winter season which we wouldn’t want to be without!
The Clay Hoodie – Tenue.
Kicking off with the recently released Clay Hoodie from Amsterdam-based denim brand ‘Tenue.’, the design lets quality and style meet comfort. Designed and developed under the wings of powerhouse store Tenue de Nîmes, founder Menno van Meurs developed yet another way to express his decades of experience in the fashion and denim worlds. Working with some of the worlds’ most sought-after brands has led to a brilliantly crafted vision on clothing for Menno, as is clearly visible in the collections of Tenue. The brand is releasing high-quality and timeless garments season after season, quickly gaining popularity in Europe.
Tenue.’s heavyweight hoodie is made from 100% organic cotton and is a tribute to classic American sportswear. Strongly committed to comfort and durability, the 500 gsm heavyweight jersey fabric is woven of a premium quality, setting it up to last a lifetime. The Clay hoodie comes in a regular fit and features a classic raglan shoulder, a solid double-layered hood and a side rib from the hem to the armpit. The heavyweight Hoodie is made in a factory in Portugal that has been around since the 1960s, adding just that extra bit of story and heritage to this already classic hoodie.
The Tenue. Clay Sage Hoodie is available on tenuedenimes.com for €180.
Photo courtesy of Koen Kuik.
The Super Hard Inlay Raglan Sweatshirt – Japan Blue Jeans
The household brand of the namesake Japan Blue Company grew exponentially in its first decade from a fabric portfolio brand into one of the leading modern Japanese denim brands. Making a name for itself by releasing original designs and utilizing incredible fabrics, Japan Blue Jeans is setting the tone of contemporary Japanese denim style. But in addition to denim, the brand are also turning their hand to other fabrics including a redeveloped modern day take on sashiko and a newly introduced Super Hard 16.5 oz. inlay fabric.
This garment owes its name to the technique which was used to create the fabric; In collaboration with a knitting factory from the Japanese city of Gifu, Japan Blue Jeans has developed an innovative super hard inlay fabric which feels hard and soft at the same time (we know – we couldn’t believe it either) and will age beautifully alongside a pair of jeans. The inlay is the inner layer of the fabric and gives the sweatshirt its sturdy and woven-like texture, which is strengthened by the use of a unique and tough yarn. It comes in a boxy fit and features a raglan sleeve, a classic crew neck, and is entirely made in Japan.
The Japan Blue Jeans 16.5 oz. J6740J01 is available at japanblue-jeans.com for €145.
Photo courtesy of Koen Kuik.
BS-09 Crew Sweatshirt – Benzak Denim Developers
Next in line is the BS-09 crew neck sweat from our friends over at Benzak Denim Developers. The Amsterdam denim brand has carefully built a reputation of being one of the best denim brands in Europe and offers ‘Made in Japan’ jeans with an attention to details that is hard to equal. Similarly, the premium quality ‘European Made’ collection from BDD sees the brand carefully expanding its indigo empire by offering even more jeans, jackets, tees and the recently released ‘Heavy Sweat’ program.
The heavyweight BS-09 crew neck sweater is made from 100% cotton French terry fabric and weighs in at 500 gsm. French terry is a knit fabric similar to jersey, which has a soft and plush texture that feels gentle to the skin and is suitable to wear year-round. The sleeves are raglan construction, allowing better movement and for the garment to ‘drop’ off the shoulder nicely. The front and back neck are installed with a gusset which has functional and aesthetic merits – making it easier to pull the sweater over one’s head and paying homage to vintage sportswear designs. The BS-09 features a tonal bull embroidery which is a signature detail of Benzak Denim Developers and is made in Portugal.
BENZAK’s BS-09 CREW NECK in heavy oatmeal melee is available for €139 at benzakdenimdevelopers.com.
Photo courtesy of Koen Kuik.
Wigston Sweatshirt – Admiral Sporting Goods
The history of Admiral traces all the way back to 1914 when the brand was founded and spent many years producing woollen undergarments for British troops during the First and Second World War. In the post-war years, Admiral started to produce commercial sportswear adorning the chests of many of the greatest living sportsmen, amongst which Johan Cruyff and Maradona. Taking inspiration from the brand’s heritage, Admiral Sporting Goods Co. launched in 2020 with a focus on premium sportswear. Ever since, the brand has built a solid collection of timeless staple pieces including knitwear, athletic jersey wear and jackets.
The Wigston Sweatshirt is made from a 460 gsm 100% cotton loopback fabric. The premium sweat has been constructed using cover stitch seams throughout and features an authentic ribbed V-notch neck insert. The Wigston Sweatshirt also sports a 2×2 Bound collar, 2×2 Folded Rib Cuffs and has set-in sleeves with a side seam panel. Our favourite version of the sweat has been garment dyed in the classic sporting colourway ‘Alder Green’ and is embellished with a branded locker patch at the hem. All in all, the Wigston Sweatshirt is exactly what we’d come to expect from a heritage driven contemporary menswear brand like Admiral. Game on!
The Alder Green Admiral Wigston Sweatshirt is available at admiralsportinggoods.com for €95.
Photo courtesy of Koen Kuik.
Oboro (/朧) Hoodie – Tanuki
When mentioning Tanuki, the first thing we tend to think about is high-quality denim fabric with incredible structure and texture. The brand has made a noticeable imprint on the international denim scene by launching some fantastic denim fabrics time-after-time, married with some great contemporary fits, resulting in a loyal international fan-base. While denim and jeans will always be the elixir of life at Tanuki, the brand is expanding its offering with accessories, tees, sweats and hoodies, which all share the same insane level of craftsmanship.
The Oboro (/朧) Hoodie is made of a so-called ‘Hayate’ fabric, which took Tanuki three years to develop. The textured loopback fabric has a distinct salt and pepper look with an indigo twist, which is rope dyed with both natural as well as pure indigo, giving it a textured and rough surface. Tanuki’s Oboro Hoodie comes in a modern silhouette with a slightly longer body and features thumb-loops, a YKK zipper, side pockets and an oversized hood. The hoodie perfectly matches a pair of jeans and is entirely made in Japan. Featuring Tanuki’s signature embroidery on the shoulder, its a hallmark of a brand who are continuing to make waves in denim.
Tanuki’s Oboro (/朧) Hoodie is available at tanukijapan.com for €260.
Photo courtesy of Koen Kuik.
‘High Five’ is a series at Robin Denim in which we feature five high-quality products from a specific category. All products featured in ‘High Five’ have been reviewed by our team and the series features our honest recommendations. The makers who are responsible for the products share the same artisanal approach towards quality and durability as us, which we respect and admire.
Looking for the perfect indigo dyed tee? You need to read this article!
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