'Made with pride and worn for life.' Celebrating a decade this year, Stevenson Overall Co has enjoyed a prosperous revival, having been rediscovered by chance by namesake Mr. Zip Stevenson in 2005 alongside Mr. Atsusuke Tagaya. In true Hollywood style, Mr. Stevenson stumbled upon an old invoice and the rest was history, quite literally. Originally founded in Portland, Indiana in the 1920s, Stevenson Overall Co sold honest, hand made work wear to the local population. Nonetheless the great depression claimed many victims and the company was no more. Only a further chance encounter in Harajuku, Japan, lent the two men to find an original pair of Stevenson Overall jean from the 1920s, complete with highly coveted and extremely rare private branded buttons. With only the single item to go by however, the duo researched functional garments from the 1800s to late 1960s. Coupled with a shared interest in vintage denim and leather goods, this has allowed for great creative freedom. Constructing garments with period features as well as from years gone by, each piece is built from the ground up, with development of the fabric unique and specific to Stevenson Overall. Implementing rare and labour intensive construction methods such as single needle stitching, hand cut pockets and shaped belt loops, their attention to detail is truly unsurpassed. Sewn on vintage machines in Japan, you have to handle each garment to understand. Stevenson Overall Co is the opposite side of the coin. Subtle, beautiful and well made.
