It’s been great to see Heritage Research‘s return to its roots after initially starting out catering solely to the Japanese market. Finally they’re available in a host of great stockists outside of Japan after a hefty dose of interest worldwide. Taking reference from the denim workshirts of the 1870′s, this Carpenter shirt features authentic details that include underarm inserts originally drawn from French peasant shirts, wide front placket with nickel rivet buttons, short cutaway collar, split sideseam with brass rivets and wide scoop pocket with Lazy Arrow stitch. Made from 14 oz Japanese raw indigo denim and constructed with heavyweight thread. Handmade in England to order here.

Been meaning to give this a proper shout out for a minute now. Corter Leather is the one-man show of Eric, holding it down in Boston in between classes. Every piece is completely handmade, from cutting and stitching to braiding, riveting, and any dyeing, to the packaging are all done by the man himself. Out of the entire inaugural collection, our favorite has to be the Ox Blood Quilted Bifold.

The shell is first carved in a quilted pattern, then hand dyed with a 3 layer dye job which including two blacks and a crimson Ox Blood. This dye technique creates a very dimensional, classic finish reminiscent of old leather lounge chairs. The inside is lined and constructed with natural leather, and features 6 card slots and a bill slot.

In terms of design, price and hand craftsmanship Corter is up there with Billykirk and Makr Carry Goods, but you might want to consider helping the kid out. More importantly, Ben is down for custom orders. Available here.

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As much as BAPE disappoints with over the top prints and ostentatious logos, they still manage to put out some quality pieces every now and again. Their custom monogrammed Oxford’s immediately come to mind. Another is their take on the classic Sorel Caribou boots, renowned around the world for warmth, durability and comfort. Keeping the technical aspects the same, the nubuck leather upper now features the BAPE camouflage print. You’ll still find the handcrafted seam-sealed vulcanized rubber shell and removable 9mm ThermoPlus™ felt InnerBoot right where you’d normally find them. Minus the collab, the Caribou’s have always warranted a proper co-sign and at around $100, they’re still one of the best investments you can make when it comes to warmth. Available here.

Tokyo’s Diet Butcher Slim Skin seems to be one of those labels that people either really go for or really loathe.  Of course, that’s the case with most any label that lives on the edge of excess and DBSS certainly does that.  Designer and owner Hisashi Fukatami is probably most known for his over the top sneaker designs.  Here, he gives us a unique, functional, and spacious backpack, which is mostly comprised of a gray or black cotton blend with a bottom third made of soft, black nubuck leather, not unlike Visvim’s well-known backpack designs.  Other black leather details abound, including the straps, tabs, and an assymetrical handle.  The overall shape is more rounded than your typical backpack design and the exterior zip pocket wraps around the side to be partially obscured against the wearer’s back, providing some extra safety.  Available here.

Deluxe has been one of the more exciting streetwear brands to come from Tokyo as of late. And no doubt, one of the better brands that are blending American style with higher quality Japanese manufacturing. It’s all but a familiar tale yet still surprising to see more interpretations of quality clothing with the functionality and flexibility of streetwear. The above Yosemite might just be our favorite from the Jeremy Collection, featuring a heavy gauge wool knit with shawl collar. Available here.

There hasn’t been a shortage in coverage for the (PRODUCT) RED models coming out of Converse, nor has there been a shortage of fresh drops like this most recent one – the ‘leather jacket’ shoe. Complete with zipper teeth running up the front, full zip running up the back and leather jacket stitching, more than anything we’re drawn to the shade of red and how surprisingly dope the red on red works with the laces. The price is steeper than previous RED Converse drops, but this is arguable the finest one yet. Available here.

I first got wind of Kyle Ng and his label Farm Tactics on a recent trip through to Craft in LA and name drop from Eddie Cruz. While repurposed materials are anything but new, Ng’s choices of materials for Farm Tactics certainly are. Among our favorites are bags made from materials such as 1960’s Dutch military bags, 1940’s gas masks and Oil Filson Tin cloth and other military webbing. On the clothing side of things, you can expect to find a similar aesthetic with pieces inspired by Ng’s grandfather who was an industrial designer in the 50’s and 60’s, but with a self-described “neoclassical” twist. Intrigued, we wanted to know more and caught up with Ng to talk about his idea, the process and Mayer Hawthorne.

LH: So Kyle, tell us about yourself. What’s your background?

KYLE NG: I am an artist designer based out of Los Angeles. I’m originally from  the San Francisco Bay Area, and moved down to Los Angeles to work as a filmmaker. When I First moved to la When i was 18, i met a lot of amazing influential people who helped guide me. People like Darren Romanelli and Nathan Cabrera took me under their wings and taught me about art and fashion. They  were really important in my life because they made me realize that  you shouldn’t just limit your creativity to one field.

LH: OK, Farm Tactics. Let’s talk about your reasons for starting it and what you’re trying to achieve…

KYLE NG: I originally started Farm Tactics as just a t shirt line in 2006. I had a partner who really fucked me over, and I stopped making clothing all together.  In 2009 I started to have an itch to make clothing again. This time I wanted to do something totally different. I was very interested in creating a line that represented my American Heritage. I am sixth Generation Chinese American! My family were one of the first Chinese in Texas! I wanted to create a narrative that reminded people of what this country is all about. Its ridiculous to see more Americana brands being made out of Japan then here. Americans really need to step up and take back our heritage.

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Being in jeans most of the time, we’re not sure how we feel about denim accessories, but this charcoal denim line out from adidas seams to be working. A modern take on the classic adidas holdall, we’re particularly fond of the technical aspects of the bag like the waterproof zips, something that seems logical but is mostly forgotten on a lot of holdalls and totes we’ve come across. Reminds us slightly of one or two pieces from the Raf Simons for Eastpak Spring 2009 collection but at a quarter the cost, nobody’s complaining. Available here.

You know we’re up on the fixed-gear tip, but we also realize that a lot of you want the most you can get from a bike without going the fixed wheel route. One of our favorite brands, Bianchi, an Italian high-performance bike manufacturer that needs no introduction, produces the Camaleonte series which is a perfect hybrid bike, an answer for all eventualities. “Camaleonte” is Italian for chameleon, and these bikes are equally at home on the road as off of it.  The lineup has been in production for several years now and, at the moment, comes in four basic models: I, II, IV, and V (shown above).  The main differences being color, the Shimano V-brake and carbon frame on the IV and V, along with other upgrades for the higher class bikes in both the mechanical (shifters, sprockets, etc.) and trim (tires, handlebars, etc.) departments.  Prices range all the way from $599 for the I to $1449 for the V.

More pics after the jump.

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We’re can’t front. We haven’t owned or thought about galoshes since grade school, but Vanilla Bicycles is doing it for us in a way that Hunter and Tretorn aren’t. Maybe it’s the fact that Vanilla is comprised of master bike fabricators; expert bicycle painters; photographers; wood, leather, fabric and metal workers that has our whistles wet. As explained by them,

So we’ve been dreaming of a rubber boot that would help us skate that delicate line between the practical (wanting to have dry cozy feet) and indulgence (looking good). We wanted a boot that would both nurture our sensitive side, while maintaining that hard-man exterior that a crew needs to wear in the pits of the pro racing circuits.

The result is a US made, soft semi-insulated interior boot with a dual density sole – the black being ideal for rugged terrain and the red gripping on smooth slippery surfaces. While we would have gone a little more understated with the Ferrari-like badge on the side, we admittedly are suckers for crests of any sort. Available here.

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Normally associated with their full-grain leather belts, Tanner Goods never seems to disappoint, with each piece still cut, constructed and branded by their small team in Portland. And to think, it all started not that long ago with a love for attention to detail, quality materials, army surplus and sketches on napkins between industrial designers Mark and Sam. Since then, the collection has grown quietly and rather remarkably. We’re particularly fond of their Satchel bag, constructed from 4/5 oz. natural strap leather with custom nickel plated aluminum hardware – perfect fit for a 15″ Macbook Pro. Also included is a detachable zippered insert complete with pouches for a power adapter, mouse, and pens. If you’re not in the market for a bag, a Tanner Goods belt in London Tan is highly recommended. Available here.

The newest entrants in the super clean sneaker market, Boldstar* is a design company comprised of a group of Japanese artists in collaboration with London-based F.O.R.C.  The Gila boot has the familiar shape of the desert boot, but it’s married to a vulcanized sole for a full-on sneaker look.  The kicker here is the double-layering on the upper with monochrome suede on top of nappa leather.  It’s subtle, but it definitely gives the shoe an edge.  The toe is leather and the shoe is fully leather lined inside.  These are exclusive to Oki-Ni at the moment, and, on the plus side, are quite reasonably priced in today’s premium sneaker market.