These words have held down the fine-tuned execution of skateboarding’s newest denim company, 19.91 denim. In a time of big corporate goliaths entering and dominating the skateboard industry, it is a huge risk for a young David to start something new. However, there is a niche in the skateboard bubble where smaller and independent brands can be successful, which presents opportunities to those skaters who nosedive in with more passion than planning. This exact attitude represents the rawness that skaters can and will easily relate to. But if you can harness that raw attitude and balance it with the planning that many big brands will execute, you will have one hell of a skate brand gem. With that in mind, 19.91 Denim has locked down their product quality, introduced a small product portfolio and introduced their iconic designs. These are the foundations of a successful brand in skateboarding.
From baggy pants to shoelace belts, styles come and go quickly in skateboarding fashion. Chino pants and cargos are trendy at the moment, but a pair of denim jeans will always have a spot in skateboarding fashion. 19.91 Denim, a European brand, fills that spot by introducing a line stylish and functional jeans made from the highest possible quality material with an exceptional eye for detail. We were lucky to get our hands on a pair of 19.91 Denim jeans and felt necessary to introduce a review of their fine quality and attention to detail with our readers.

Material

When it comes to making jeans, the quality of the material is the main ingredient. 19.91 Denim uses a denim material, called Warp 19®, which is much stronger than most materials and is constructed to stretch horizontally with your movement. This provides the advantage of comfort but also ensures more freedom in your movement. The jeans are made out of denim, which is 3X1 traditional twill construction with 99% cotton 1% elastane. When you test apparel products, there are two major criteria.

The first major criteria is comfort. With jeans, comfort can be subjective as some people say it develops over time, however, a good pair of jeans will be comfortable right away. It’s similar to breaking in a skateboard shoe. Although the saying “fresh out of the box” is used for shoes, the concept can be applied for a pair of denim jeans as well. The high quality material that 19.91 Denim uses does not need to be broken in since the flexibility and softness of the jeans can be felt right away. This comfort does not decrease over time but maintains consistency.

The second criteria is durability. Again, like a skate shoe, durability can’t be qualitatively measured with the first session, and its durability is also open to subjectivity depending on the type of skating done. For jeans, it’s no doubt that a stair or handrail skater will rip a pair of pants faster that someone who skates flat ground and ledges. In addition, a true durability test on a pair of jeans, or any pants, can only be demonstrated over time. We tested the 19.91 Denim jeans for over half a year and our testers skated all different types of terrain. From high impact skating with ass-sliding bails, to chilled out flat ground seshes, the high quality material of the jeans proved to only give away to show minor signs of wear.

Product

19.91 Denim has a small portfolio but it offers the key fits and colors. The types of fits are quite self-explanatory: they have The Slim, The Standard, The Big Standard and The Loose. When it comes to pants and especially the fit of jeans, it is important that the material doesn’t become loose and the fit stays the same. In the case of 19.91 Denim, it was a clear sign that the maintenance of the fit was due to the high product quality. Once you’ve found the right fit for you, it will maintain that exact fit over time. The color ways also stay true to a classic denim look.

Product details
The small product details in the 19.91 Denim jeans show the freedom of making your own decisions to tailor your product, and a dedicated focus on product quality.

18mm button:
The cast in one piece is made out of zinc aluminium magnesium copper in the shape of a bearing.

The 5th pocket:
The 5th pocket was originally introduced for matches but it works for tobacco and a smart phone as well.

9mm rivet:
A 9mm steel washer aluminium nail has a special shape to give maximum strength but stays very flat and does not stick out.

The 19.91 spade pocket:
A lined pocket increases strength, durability and longevity.

Summary

There’s no doubt that supporting smaller brands in this industry is important to us. But when it comes to 19.91 Denim, we are positive that the attention to detail, product quality, and experience from the owners will ensure a long successful journey for the company. If you get the chance to try out a pair at your local shop, you will not regret it.

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Where to get:

Lookwood (Belgium)

Streetlab (Sweden)

Empire (France)

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If you haven’t been keeping up with the latest Levi’s promos, just know that their marketing is still focused on providing low income and controversial areas the best DIY skate parks there are. This season, they’ve taken their team to Detroit, Michigan to team up with Community Push, a grassroots group in Detroit dedicated to building DIY skate parks. As some of us readers may know, Detroit faced huge economical turbulence when the city declared for bankruptcy in 2013. Buildings around the city have been abandoned, halfway taken down, and almost 40 percent of the city’s street lighting system was not working. Yet, four years later, it is undeniable that the city has been picking itself up together to get back on track, and the ones behind this momentum is none other than the local community itself.

Take a minute to think about it. The city’s infrastructure is disheveled, open spaces are abandoned and the local government has urgent economical problems to focus their funding and attention towards…none’s got time to worry about what and where skaters are meddling around. This is the perfect breeding ground for skaters to start building DIY spots. It’s no wonder Community Push has arisen and found an opportunity to make something out of nothing. With Levi’s support, Detroit now has a few more iconic DIY spots added to the city’s revitalized landscape to keep the local skate momentum going strong.

With regards to this season’s product line, Levi’s Skateboarding drew inspiration from the functional work outfits from San Francisco’s dockworkers during World War II. This season features a new Coach Jackets, Long Sleeve Tees, faded pocket tees, Riveter Shirts, and our favorite, the Levi’s Skateboarding Vest. The staple work pants are still in season, along with new denim finishes in the Slim Fit 511, Slim Fit 513, and 504 Regular Straight fit, all of which are updated with the Lycra T400 fabric for stretch, and Cordura fabric for strength.

On the other side of the world, Levi’s Skateboarding in China has started an interesting project with the local skate community as well. They have started working with two Chinese skate photographers Terry Xie, from Nanjing, and Eric Lai, from Shenzhen, to showcase locals ripping around their neighborhood. It’s no secret that China is the host to some of the most perfect marble ledges, skate plazas and hubbas; in the recent few years you may have seen some of the best pros travel there to film for Pretty Sweet, the Plan B video, and adidas’ Away Days. However, it’s not often you can see a local Chinese skater documented in his home environment, and the random things they encounter during the day just looking for spots. Terry Xie, who has been shooting professional skate photos for over 15 years, documented Shanghai-based skater Jay Meador (from Something Sinister) on the hunt for new terrain between modern skylines and traditional Shanghai lanehouses.

Eric Lai, heavily involved in the local Chinese skate scene, teamed up with a local skater as well to find new spots in Shenzhen, a city known for it’s modern architecture, endless marble plazas and bayside harbors. Check out some of their pictures below to get a taste of China’s skate landscape.

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The Army Corps of Engineers is an organization providing engineering solutions to customers worldwide. Levi’s saw commons roots of the engineer’s work wear and skateboarding, because both worlds need garments that are simple, purposeful and be durable. All attributes apply perfectly to the needs of today’s skateboarder.

Several pieces from the previous collections have returned in new materials and colorways. The Cargo Pant returns this season, but instead of cheetah print, it comes in classic corduroy. The Football T returns in black and black/forest green. The Fleece Crew Neck Sweatshirt, which has been in the line since the inception, returns in a forest green and the Classic Work Shirt is now available in a chambray. Also the beloved 2 Pack T is again in the collection spreading over the skateparks  globally since it is one of everyone’ favourites in the collection.

Shoes and hardware are the most important pieces of equipment for skateboarding. However, the importance of jeans and chino pants are often forgotten for they attribute a huge influence to skateboarding as well. Some skaters prefer tighter jeans to have a full visible field of the deck, while others prefer pants that are wider for maximum flexibility. Everyone has personal preferences but durable jeans and comfortable chino pants have been the staples of skateboarding fashion for over two decades. The 511, 513, and 504 jeans all return, as does the Work Pant. Season after season these pants offer mobility and durability that can’t be matched by any other pant in skateboarding. Levis heavily incorporated two fabrics into their skateboarding collection. The first one of which is called Cordura, which successfully mimics the feeling of a classic jean fabric but has better abrasion resistance characteristics. The second one is called Lycra. This fabric offers more flexibility while retaining its strength and also has better breathability.

The headliner for the season is the Pile jacket – the perfect piece to keep you warm this fall and it perfectly shows the similarities of the Army Corps of Engineers and skateboarders.

Watch Marius Syvanen, Josh Matthews, Al Partanen and Dan Plunkett as they test out the new collection during a recent trip to Puerto Peñasco, Mexico, to help the skaters in this small costal city build a world-class skate park.

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It’s no question that these documentaries on developing youth communities seem to stray away from skateboarding jeans, but Levi’s has find the right way to tie their product in with their marketing with their Strong Made Stronger slogan.

Shoes and hardware are the most important pieces of equipment for skateboarding. However, the importance of jeans and chino pants are often forgotten for they attribute a huge influence to skateboarding as well. Some skaters prefer tighter jeans to have a full visible field of the deck, while others prefer pants that are wider for maximum flexibility. Everyone has personal preferences but durable jeans and comfortable chino pants have been the staples of skateboarding fashion for over two decades.

Realizing this, it was a no-brainer for Levi’s to branch into the skateboarding scene and build a line of jeans specifically adapted for skateboarding. Thus, they took classical styles like the 513 or 511 and reinforced/redesigned them for skateboarding with a special focus on durability and comfort. Levis heavily incorporated two fabrics into their skateboarding collection. The first one of which is called Cordura, which successfully mimics the feeling of a classic jean fabric but has better abrasion resistance characteristics. The second one is called Lycra. This fabric offers more flexibility while retaining its strength and also has better breathability.

Check out the feature and support your local skatehsop like ARROW&BEAST and get some Levis Skateboarding stuff.

Crew Neck Sweatshirt

2 Pack T-Shirt

L/S Football Shirt

511 Pant

Lookbook

2 Pack T-Shirt, Reform Shirt, 511

2 Pack T-Shirt

Crew Neck Sweatshirt, 513

L/S Football Shirt, 511

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But in this past year, they have focused on the developing communities within America, more notably, West Oakland, California and Pine Ridge, South Dakota. Oakland itself is a city known for it’s political and social unrest (with the past Oscar Grant shootings), gang violence, and high crime and murder rate. Art teacher Keith Williams has taken it upon himself to provide a haven for the youth to remove their focus away from the negativity, and instead foster their creative energy in a run-down DIY skatepark located in West Oakland. Only fifteen minutes away from Oakland, San Francisco based Levi’s directed it’s community efforts in renovating the West Oakland Defremery Skatepark, and inviting Marius Syvanen, Al Partanen and Pat Moran to shred with the kids.

A similar campaign was currently launched as well, where Levi’s once again put their community efforts into building a skatepark for the youth in Pine Ridge, South Dakota. The Native American youth here all live on the Pine Ridge reservation and face a lot of hardships dealing with suicide, hopelessness and drug abuse. However, Levi’s teamed up with the Walt Pourier, founder of the Stronghold Society, and built another skatepark in the neighboring community of Manderson for the youth of Pine Ridge to find skateboarding as an activity that drives focus towards positivity.

It’s no question that these two documentaries on developing youth communities seem to stray away from skateboarding jeans, but Levi’s has find the right way to tie their product in with their marketing with their Strong Made Stronger slogan. Let’s check out the story behind the new Fall 2015 collection and if it’s well-adapted for skateboarding.

Shoes and hardware are the most important pieces of equipment for skateboarding. However, the importance of jeans and chino pants are often forgotten for they attribute a huge influence to skateboarding as well. Some skaters prefer tighter jeans to have a full visible field of the deck, while others prefer pants that are wider for maximum flexibility. Everyone has personal preferences but durable jeans and comfortable chino pants have been the staples of skateboarding fashion for over two decades.

Thus, before there were skateboarding clothing brands, Levis jeans were the undeniable choice for skaters. Their styles were relevant to skateboarding culture and the jeans proved to be extremely durable and would remain intact despite the wear and tear from skating.

Realizing this, it was a no-brainer for Levi’s to branch into the skateboarding scene and build a line of jeans specifically adapted for skateboarding. Thus, they took classical styles like the 513 or 511 and reinforced/redesigned them for skateboarding with a special focus on durability and comfort. Levis heavily incorporated two fabrics into their skateboarding collection. The first one of which is called Cordura, which successfully mimics the feeling of a classic jean fabric but has better abrasion resistance characteristics. The second one is called Lycra. This fabric offers more flexibility while retaining its strength and also has better breathability.

Compared to regular Levis pants, the skateboard collection jeans have extra stitches to reinforce the most stressed area, which is usually between the legs. To make the jeans even more durable, they double layered the back pockets and as a result, there is no back pocket inside. This feature increases the durability because as soon as one layer of the back pocket has a hole, there is another layer that can sustain additional wear and tear. As a little hidden gem, Levis also included a stash pocket in every pair of pants.

Photos credits: Theo Paul

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Check out the Levis Skateboarding Collection at ARROW&BEAST

ARROW&BEAST Levis Skateboarding Collection

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Palace is UK’s premier skateboarding and street wear brand. Now they started their own flagship store in London and are getting worldwide attention. Palace FW 2015 drop 1 is now online at Arrow&Beast – Europe’s Palace distributor. Be sure to check the most recent skateboard decks and last few pairs remaining of the spring season Adidas X Palace collabo footwear, the Palace pro shoes in suede. Palace Fall 2015 drop two is due in a few weeks with actual release date still tbc.

Go over to  Arrow&Beast and check out the new Palace stuff!

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How are the pants adapted to skateboarding?

Levis heavily incorporated two fabrics into their skateboarding collection. The first one of which is called Cordura, which successfully mimics the feeling of a classic jean fabric but has better abrasion resistance characteristics. The second one is called Lycra. This fabric offers more flexibility while retaining its strength and also has better breathability.

Compared to regular Levis pants, the skateboard collection jeans have extra stitches to reinforce the most stressed area, which is usually between the legs. To make the jeans even more durable, they double layered the back pockets and as a result, there is no back pocket inside. This feature increases the durability because as soon as one layer of the back pocket has a hole, there is another layer that can sustain additional wear and tear. As a little hidden gem, Levis also included a stash pocket in every pair of pants.

A critical point to address however, are the metal buttons that support the seams of the front pockets. These buttons are usually responsible for bruises when skaters fall on their sides, but since they’re also characteristic of jeans, it will be hard to find a pair of jeans without them.

All in all, Levis improved their jeans and chinos with some beneficial features to make them better for skateboarding. Their focus lies on durability and flexibility and both points are definitely noticeable and effective.

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