Meet AYR, Your New Favorite Jeans Inline
Photo: David McGillivray1/8Wonderland’s vintage archive houses jeans from all over the world - Dick's personal library of vintage wash standards, collectsed over a lifetime spent in denim.
Photo: David McGillivray2/8Here I am using sandpaper to create a whisker pattern on the jean. This strips away indigo to create a high-low pattern that mimics actual wear. It helps the jean look more authentic and broken-in.
Photo: David McGillivray3/8Dick is like a mad scientist when it comes to wash (I called him Walter White—I hope he knows I meant it as a compliment!). The Crinoline and Spray booths pictured are where particular processes are applied. Crinoline advances the break-down process of the fabric, which gives the denim a specific worn-in, vintage character. The Spray booth is used to apply localized finishes and pigment sprays to the jean.
Photo: David McGillivray4/8The jars of tint are applied during wet processing to alter the shade of the jean - especially for more authentic-looking, heritage-y washes.
Photo: David McGillivray5/8Indigo is a natural dye, which means it crocks (rubs off) when it touches water or when you use abrasion on it. Luckily it does wash off, which I happen to know for a fact, as I was once dunked in indigo as part of an Ice Bucket Challenge. (Told you I was obsessed with denim!)
Photo: David McGillivray6/8Here Dick is "dry processing,” or hand-sanding the seat. This creates a flattering wear-pattern on the jean. When done well, it flatters and enhances the shape of the bum. (When done badly, it looks cheesy as anything. Thankfully, Dick never does it badly.)
Photo: David McGillivray7/8Along with the more scientific processes, Dick also uses the natural Kentucky sun to dry the denim, softening them to perfection and fading them just-so: the sunlight actually mimics the way your body heat would soften and mold a pair of raw jeans after wearing them over and over.
Photo: David McGillivray8/8
