June is the month we celebrate father’s day. Here at Rising Sun & Co. that is the perfect excuse to throw a party with all the things we love like hot rods, vintage motorcycles, and great music and drinks.

On June 12th, 7-11PM, we are throwing a bash featuring Speedbuggy, the hard-playing, cowpunk band who will be playing music from their upcoming album. Maker’s Mark is providing the whiskey and bourbon for all sons and daughters of spirits-enjoying age.

Industrial furniture that is best described as functional art will be showcased by Cleveland Art. Julian Boots will also be showing off the craftman’s new handmade boots. Julian makes some of the best boots in America today, the old fashion way, with the same love and labor we at Rising Sun apply to clothing.

And of course we will be unveiling new product like the Rising Sun bandanna.

Event: Pre-Father’s Day Bash with Speedbuggy
Who: Speedbuggy, hot rods, Maker’s Mark, motorcycles, Cleveland Art, Julian Boots, Rising Sun, fun and games
When: Saturday, June 12, 2010. 7-11 PM
Where: Rising Sun & Co., 107 S Fair Oaks Avenue, Pasadena, CA 91105

The Rising Sun booth got very busy.

There is a perfectly good reason for why our blog has not been updated in some time. In preparing for Rin Tanaka’s Inspiration show our good propreitor Mike Hodis reminded us how madly dedicated he is to his work at Rising Sun. Running for days with barely any sleep and lots of RS coffee Mike moved practically half the shop to the Barker Hanger in Santa Monica airport. Human limits were tested. We took great pains (ie, back pain, shoulder pain, etc) to carefully move our sewing machines like the ol’ black head Union Special bulldog hemmer, our lovely black head single needle, the black caballo, and a special triangle stitcher (more on that last piece of equipment next time but it has this neat attachment and cam that make it perfect for stitching leather reinforcement on seams). Not to mention putting in tongue and groove pine floors, crates, stock, heirloom showcases, and so much more.

All these and the required raw materials were transported there for us to set up a temporary haberdashery to stitch up a fine pair of jeans and show off our passion. We also flaunted our and Michael Harris’s vintage collection in wooden showcases that are sisters to the ones in our shop. Considering visitor reactions we think we did a pretty good job and wonder if maybe we should hit the road more often (no).

Showcase of vintage pieces at Rising Sun booth.

Mike with JP Plunier.

Mine finds from Michael Harris's collection at Rising Sun booth.

Heller's Cafe put on quite a display of amazing vintage pieces. In both quality and quantity the collection displayed is one of the finest in the country. Important artifacts of denim workwear pieces included racks and racks of chinstrap shirts and Stifel pieces including shirts with removable collars still attached.

The most interesting and memorable booth for us is Julian boots'. His booth was right behind ours and he was making a pair of booths right there and then. Julian is an old school craftsman who makes boots the old fashion way in America. He will measure your foot, feel your foot, and goes through the whole process needed to get a handle for what your feet needs before carving a last just for you to ensure the best fit. Very rarely do you hear about custom bootmakers who go through such lengths.

Julian only worked on spiffing up one pair that day and Mike was super impressed with the results. He exude such pride and joy in his skills at the art of a fine polish.

The Mr. Winter booth

Mr. Winter's vintage racer. From 1939.

Chuck's Vintage booth.

Mister Freedom booth.

Given the opportunity we will definitely do the Inspiration show again. Besides being one big party for denim and vintage lovers the show also gave us the chance to meet unique craftsmen like Julian. If you missed the first show be sure to keep an eye out for the next one. See you there!

There is heavy denim talk on every corner. Stories about vintage finds are abound. They should rename this event to Heaven.

Rising Sun has been collaborating with Deadgrass to bring you the most true-to-period, well-crafted 1800′s duck and denim garments. The first time we are previewing select pieces from the Deadgrass Manufactured by Rising Sun line will be at this week’s Inspiration show, the newly crafted and vintage clothing show organized by Rin Tanaka (My Freedamn!).

This will also be a rare opportunity to see antique clothing from the Rising Sun Archive and Deadgrass collection never publicly shown before. Deadgrass founder Michael Harris, longtime denim relic hunter and collector, may well own the most coveted collection of 1800′s denim in existence. He will be bringing some of the rarest antique pieces in the world including the oldest riveted pair of waist overalls to be found.

Other treasures to be displayed will include a collection of 1870′s Levi’s cinch straps and waistband pieces that show the chronological progression of detail changes.

If you miss this opportunity to study these in person the next time you see these may be in his highly anticipated book “Jeans of the Old West.” This “comprehensive study of duck and denim made in San Francisco in the 1800’s” is due for release later this year and contains over a decade of research and 20 years of collecting.

In addition to all this we have many more exciting goodies planned for the show. We hope to see you there!

Get your tickets on the Inspiration website.

Event: Inspiration: The First Annual Kulture Recycling & Vintage Clothing World Gathering
Who: Rising Sun and other exhibitors join event organizer Rin Tanaka
When: Feb. 12 – 13, 2010
Where: Barker Hanger in Santa Monica Airport, 3021 Airport Avenue, Suite 203, Santa Monica, California 90405

If you missed the Man Up pop up market in San Francisco in January you may still view some super rare Rising Sun pieces at this week’s Inspiration show in Santa Monica this weekend. We will be unveiling a collaboration with Deadgrass focused on really amazing pre-1900′s workwear that the world has not seen since, well, the 1800′s. More on that later.

Right now check out some great pics the Man Up team sent us of the event. They did such a great job!

Rising Sun will be participating in the first Inspiration show in Santa Monica, California on Feburary 12 and 13, 2010. The self titled “Kulture Recycling & Vintage Clothing World Gathering” is organized by the inspirational Rin Tanaka (My Freedamn!) and is poised to become one of the most exciting newly crafted and vintage Americana clothing events in the world. Our fellow exhibitors include brands like The Flat head, orSlow, Stevenson Overall Co., Studio D’Artisan, Feal Mor, and more. Vintage purveyors include Strongarm C&S Co., Mister Freedom, Chuck’s Vintage, and many more. You can also expect to see our friends from Heller’s Cafe as Rin recently published a book featuring them entitled, “King of Vintage No. 1: Heller’s Cafe.” There will be 600 copies available at the show.

The Barker Hanger in the Santa Monica airport provides the coolest setting for such an event. We may just need to set up our recently acquired WWII-era tent. Join us and thousands of other vintage fashion enthusiasts from around the world in celebrating our shared passion and exchanging new ideas.

Get your tickets in advance on the Inspiration website.

Event: Inspiration: The First Annual Kulture Recycling & Vintage Clothing World Gathering
Who: Rising Sun and other exhibitors join event organizer Rin Tanaka
When: Feb. 12 – 13, 2010
Where: Barker Hanger in Santa Monica Airport, 3021 Airport Avenue, Suite 203, Santa Monica, California 90405

Rising Sun will be participating at the San Francisco Man Up pop up market, which starts this Friday and runs through the weekend. Since their website describes the event so well we replicate their text here.

“Real men care about the way they look and how they spend their money. Man Up. aims to improve both. There’s nothing manly about looking like a slob. Man Up. is hosted by the Durable Goods Concern–four guys who enjoy well-crafted, fine-looking products that last. They also like to drink.”

There will be free drinks and art. It will also be a good opportunity to see Rising Sun pieces that are not normally shown outside Pasadena where we make our haberdashery home.  In addition to our well-appointed jeans (Yukon, Blacksmith, Standard, Ride’em) SF shoppers can also examine our selvage indigo canvas Outdoor Vest, hats, tees, jackets, and other goods made in our shop with our own hands with the help of some very antique and vintage sewing machines.

This here is a crate full of stuff we shipped up for the event.

Event: Man Up.
Who: Rising Sun, Unionmade, A-B Fits, Taylor Stitch, Room4 Vintage, more
When: January 29th (3-9pm), 30th (11am-7pm), and 31st (11am-6pm), 2010
Where: 1035 Market Street, San Francisco, CA

Party scene at the launch of Put This On

The “Put This On” launch party in our haberdashery provided another fun night full of good people, conversations, and style. Not to mention drinks and music. We hope you will join us for our next event. Be sure to subscribe to our blog to get updates on what we have in store.

Put This On creators Adam Lisagor and Jesse Thorn

DJW spinning tunes

Beer v. Mexican Coke

Screening of Put This On Episode 1

Audience enjoying the screening

Partying with beer and Mexican Coke

Serving Jesse Thorn's spiked gin punch from vintage Gourmet Magazine recipe

Put This On Creators with legendary Huell Howser

Mike Hodis' '34 Roadster in front of party

More rides in front of party

Street full of hot rods in front of party

Editor Adam Lisagor working his magic

Lots of interesting conversations

Good vibes all around

Special thanks to Jesse Thorn and his crew for the pictures.

As promised we have a live feed of the“Put This On” launch party in our haberdashery on UStream.tv

Check us out and be sure not to miss our next party!

If you couldn’t make tonight’s in-person screening of the first, pilot episode of “Put This On” you can catch it at putthison.com Monday November 2. Gin-spiked punch from vintage recipe not included.