Five Centuries of the Jacket

The word is French and more than five hundred years old, and fall is when it matters most. Josh Sirlin on the jacket, and the jackets of Black Bear Brand.

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The Whole Warm Up Suit, Made in America

Hoody, sweatpants, shorts and crew in 30oz terry, with every step done in the United States. Josh Sirlin on the American warm up suit.

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Black Bear Brand Jeans Begin and End in Okayama

The cloth is woven in Okayama, and the jeans are cut, sewn and finished there too. Josh Sirlin on the prefecture that makes the best denim in the world.

Denim, Japan, jeansJosh SirlinOctober 12, 2026okayama jeans, japanese selvedge denim, okayama denim, kojima jeans, selvedge jeans, rope dyed indigo, shuttle loom denim, made in japan, black bear brand, josh sirlinComment

The Northern Dream Vest Turns Inside Out

Horsehide one way, long curl lambskin the other, and a zipper that works from both sides. Josh Sirlin on the Northern Dream reversible vest.

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The Northern Dream Jacket Starts With the Hide

Before the lambskin, the quilting and the snaps, there is the hide. Josh Sirlin on Horween horsehide and where the Northern Dream jacket begins.

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Oita, Freeway, and the Bikes BJ Makes

Every spring and fall, Josh Sirlin rides Kyushu with friends he has known for ten years, on vintage bikes from Freeway in Oita, a shop open since 1986. Hot springs, the Yamanami Highway, and horsehide.

Culture, Japan, Japan & Culture, Motorcycles, travelJosh SirlinOctober 8, 2026kyushu motorcycle trip, oita japan, freeway oita, vintage harley japan, japanese custom motorcycles, yamanami highway, beppu, leathertogs 1933, josh sirlin, black bear brandComment

The Jacket on the Screen: Movie Stars and the Clothes That Stayed

Brando, Dean, and McQueen made a few pieces of clothing immortal. Josh Sirlin on film style and the stars who wear the Black Bear Brand Rough-RIDER commander jacket now.

Culture, jackets, leather, StyleJosh SirlinOctober 7, 2026movie star style, brando leather jacket, james dean style, steve mcqueen style, robert patrick, commander jacket, roughout leather jacket, horsehide jacket, celebrity style, black bear brandComment

Leadership Is Standing Next to the Best

Shackleton brought every man home. A chain stitch artist has given twenty five years to one craft. Josh Sirlin on leadership, craftsmanship, and the ART Edition varsity jacket.

Athletes Who Could Wear Anything

AJ Barner caught the first touchdown of Super Bowl LX. Jagger Eaton holds two Olympic medals. Josh Sirlin on athletes, fitness, movement, and the INFORMAL Pant.

Culture, menswear, StyleJosh SirlinOctober 4, 2026aj barner, jagger eaton, super bowl lx, olympic skateboarding, athlete style, fitness, exercise, skate pants, informal pant, black bear brandComment

The Cowboy Never Left: Western Style Then and Now

The cattle drives lasted about twenty years. The style has lasted a hundred and fifty. Josh Sirlin on vaqueros, Black cowboys, Yellowstone, and the Indigo Cowboy Jeans.

Denim, Heritage, Culture, Style & HeritageJosh SirlinOctober 3, 2026cowboy fashion, western style, cowboy history, vaquero, black cowboys, yellowstone style, cowboy jeans, commander jacket, roughout jacket, black bear brandComment

The Skills You Only Learn by Going

A cattle drive from a motorcycle seat, eight years with a Tokyo tattoo master, skydives in Panama. Josh Sirlin on men's lifestyle and the life skills you only learn by going.

Craft, menswear, Style, travelJosh SirlinSeptember 30, 2026life skills for men, mens lifestyle, adventure, cattle drive, motorcycle trip, horitoshi, harris tweed chore coat, josh sirlin, black bear brandComment

Denim and Long Curl Lambskin: The Coat for When Fall Turns

Indigo cloth, a wild curled collar, and two of the oldest materials in the wardrobe in one coat. Josh Sirlin on denim and sheepskin, long curl lambskin, and the botanical indigo denim winter coat.

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Twice a Year in Okayama

Denim is decided in the room, with the cloth in your hands. Josh Sirlin on his twice yearly denim meetings in Okayama: the rope dye house, the shuttle looms, and the sewing room.

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The Fisherman Sweater: A True Story Better Than the Legend

The clan pattern legend is not true. What really happened is better. Josh Sirlin on the Aran sweater, why wool owns the cold, and a merino fisherman sweater knit in northern Japan.

Craft, Culture, Heritage, StyleJosh SirlinSeptember 27, 2026fisherman sweater, aran sweater history, cable knit sweater, merino wool sweater, winter fashion men, winter style, knit in japan, josh sirlin, black bear brandComment

Midnight Glen

The glen check came out of one Scottish valley in the 1840s and never left. Josh Sirlin on the pattern, and on the Midnight Glen Tartan Harris Tweed coming to Black Bear Brand.

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Tokyo Gets It First / 東京が、いちばん先に

The first Black Bear Brand pop up in Japan is a week away. The vintage engineer pieces, the Hunter Green peacoat, a COMMANDER roughout jacket you can only get in the room, and everything made in Japan. 日本で初めての Black Bear Brand ポップアップまで、あと一週間。

Eight Years Without a Word

Eight years under the same master, and we have never shared a language. Josh Sirlin on going back to Tokyo in October, and on what tattooing taught him about making things.

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The Engineer Stripe

A striped cloth that belonged to this company and to no one else, on a garment that is about a hundred and ten years old. Josh Sirlin on the archive, and on what is coming with TCB.

Craft, Heritage, Japan, JacketsJosh SirlinSeptember 23, 2026engineer stripe, hickory stripe, black bear brand history, vintage archive, 1917 catalog, tcb collaboration, seattle history, black bear brandComment

Twenty Hours of Thread

Four days of chain stitching, white cowhide sleeves, melton wool, and eight months of production. Josh Sirlin on the ART Edition varsity jacket, on display in Tokyo on October 2.

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Woven at Home

The loom is pedalled like a bicycle, in the weaver's own house, on an island in the North Atlantic. Josh Sirlin on what hand woven actually means on a Harris Tweed.

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