Impressions by 1921
1921 Jeans, the Canadian maker of premium denim for men and women, will debut an eco-conscious T-shirt line, Impressions by 1921, for Spring 2010. The collection was created after musician Randy Bachman, formerly of bands such as The Guess Who and Bachman Turner Overdrive, approached the brand with rubbings he had made around the world during his travels, said Allan Kemp, 1921’s design director. The rubbings, or impressions, of architectural elements and natural landscapes have been transformed into graphics for T-shirts made of hemp, bamboo and organic cotton.
“The actual rubbings are very unique and beautiful. Randy, who is very ecologically minded and lives in an eco-friendly home, inspired us to make the T-shirts as sustainably and low-impact as possible,” Kemp said. “The T-shirts reflect a raw, organic, handmade feeling—much as the rubbings do.” Hand-stitched details are paired with a variety of fabrications, including hemp hand-dyed in indigo and organic-cotton fabrics washed in water and recycled pumice stones or organic enzymes for softness.
Men’s styles range from basic crew and V-neck styles to Henley and polo shirts. Women’s styles include three tank tops, basic crew and V-neck styles, and a shrunken polo shirt. The collection is produced in Canada.
1921’s jeans sell at better boutiques and specialty chains such as Fred Segal, World Denim Bar at American Rag and Blue Bee, and Kemp said he hopes these same retailers will pick up Impressions. “The T-shirts are the perfect thing to pair with our jeans,” he said. For more information, call (949) 607-0995. —Erin Barajas
