Fashion

Introducing: Bruce Chino

*Update: Some sizes are already starting to sell out. We’ll be taking pre-orders for restock this week, so everyone will have a chance to pre-order before they arrive in 2-3 months. We will also add more sizes. To receive notifications, please join the waitlist on our store page*

For almost five years I have been trying to develop the perfect casual chino. It first started out as a way to duplicate mine. old military chinosBut after it turned out I couldn’t get the fabric, I went down the rabbit hole of Japanese suppliers and worked with manufacturers to try and make a more everyday version than what I saw on the market.

After a few samples didn’t work out, we had to abandon that supplier and ended up working with another Japanese factory with an agent in London. It was going well until it turned out we couldn’t really afford what we needed.

This was all very disappointing, and I was very happy to not have to rely on this product to run my entire brand in certain seasons. But salvation finally came while filming in Naples last year. That’s when I started talking to photographer Lorenzo Sodi about his friends in Florence Maker. east harbor surplus.

We met with our next piti, Fabrizio from East Harbour, and were very impressed with the job they did. It wasn’t the Japanese purism we were used to and were initially after, but they made quality, long-wearing staples reminiscent of the polo chinos that Lucas and I grew up with.

So, we worked with Fabrizio to design our own model, starting with Axl as a template and tweaking every part: changing the rise, altering the waist, replacing seams, and adding French keepers. We also dyed our own colors and increased the number of washes to match Ralph Lauren’s Lucas pieces from the 90s.

1 year later and Finally they came – You can dress them up for a modern office, but for everyday wear, these are everyday chinos with sneakers, boots, t-shirt and chambray. We are very satisfied with them.

style

The Bruce Chinos are mid-rise, sit just below my hip bones, and have straight legs. The seat and hip area are designed to be comfortable but not sloppy.

The leg opening is 8.7 inches (22.1 cm) for a comfortable, casual feel (my dress pants are usually 21 cm). My rubato chinos are almost 9 inches, using a reference that many of my readers know.

Of course, everyone will have their own context, both in their own wardrobe and with their contemporaries. But to me, this cut is easy, subtle, almost anonymous, and very versatile.

I tend to let the hems of my chinos touch the top of my shoes these days, but sometimes I fold them down for more casual or warm weather use (see above). Especially in summer, it’s great to wear with soft loafers or canvas tennis shoes.

Bruce’s chinos have an open hem so you can wear them in any length you like.

cloth

The fabric is double twisted cotton gabardine with twill on the right. like we mentioned beforeThe twill on the right is denser and stronger, but can become a bit stiff, so washing the garment will soften it and create a really nice handle.

They basically look and feel the same as old Gap or Polo chinos, but they’re stronger and last longer.

Another advantage of washing clothes is that all shrinkage disappears. I washed it three times and it shrunk about 0.5cm in length.

I chose two colors of fabric for versatility. Beige is (to me) the Platonic ideal of beige. Slightly faded, slightly grey, not too yellow or brown, it is the most versatile color among neutrals and a variety of colors.

Khaki is a dark, grayish olive color, but it is actually as versatile as beige. In the various outfits pictured we have seen them in cream and black (for Manish), pink and navy (for me) and cigarette (also for me).

Below I’ve also shown close-ups of the fabric using color 8 cordovan and black horsebit shoes to further illustrate this combination.

Both chino colors were very thoughtful choices, which is probably one of the best aspects.

design details

Chinos have different seams on the inside and outside of the legs. We used a flat seam on the outside but a plain seam on the inside. This gives the flat seams more bulk for a more casual look, and makes it easy to change the inner seams if you want to taper the legs.

The side pockets are deep and comfortable. The back pockets are plain and open. Again, the emphasis is on practicality over attire. We’ve also specified a slightly lower and shallower coin pocket than most for ease of use. (I keep my house keys there.)

It’s made of sturdy brass and has a zipper fly (I always prefer zippers). The button is free corozo. The inside of the waistband is finished with a soft fabric that feels like washed canvas.

Permanent style pieces never feel like a collection. Because that’s not how collections are made. There are a lot of chinos like these out there, but if nothing replicates the U.S. Army World War II style, we’ll probably try to make the latter.

Our chinos aren’t about elevating casual wear to something elegant – like pieces from Rubato, The Anthology or Anatomica are to me – but rather creating a really cool style that you can wear on the weekend and shake off the shabbiness. If you wear chinos often, there’s room for both in your closet. But if you wear them more often for one purpose or another, I would say choose one that better suits your lifestyle.

Oh, and the name too. East Harbor uses male names for its models, as does some older Polo models. We wanted to replicate that and the ‘Axl’ model reminded me of Axl Rose from Guns ‘n’ Roses. My favorite models have always been Iron Maiden rather than GNR, especially singer Bruce Dicksinson. So we went with Bruce. You went to have fun where you could, right?

Resize and change

I’m wearing size 48 here, which corresponds to a 34 waist. My actual waist circumference is 34.5 inches, and my seat and thighs are quite wide compared to my waist. I find this size classic and comfortable.

So if I normally wear a size 50 jacket in European sizes, I would recommend sizing down from your regular suit size.

Manish is a little bigger and wears a size 50. Lucas wears size 54. If anyone has a question for any of us about a specific fit (e.g. something we wear from a different brand), please ask.

The waistband of chinos was intentionally separated to make it easier to carry. You’ll need to cut out the inner lining, which isn’t that difficult. The simple interior seams allow for easy tapering through the legs if desired.

The waist can be removed and there is a bit of inlay to make this possible, but there is some marking where the original seam would have been. However, if you’re not sure, it’s better to size up and tuck in your waist rather than taking it out. Having slightly wider legs compared to your waist size looks better than having slim ones.

Chinos come without hemlines. I usually sew the material 4cm from the bottom when hemming (also known as a chino finish).

size chart

	46	48	50	52	54	56
front rise	31cm	31.5	32	32.5	33	33.5
waist	82	86	90	94	98	102
well aware	52	54	56	58	60	62
femur	32.5	33.5	34.5	35.5	36.5	37.5
hem	22	22.2	22.5	22.7	22.9	23.1

	46	48	50	52	54	56
front rise	12.2”	12.4	12.6	12.8	13	13.2
waist	32.5	34	35.5	37	38.5	40
well aware	20.5	21.25	22	22.75	23.5	24.25
femur	12.8	13.2	13.6	14	14.4	14.8
hem	8.6	8.7	8.8	8.9	9.0	9.1

Size summary:

Chinos fit true to size. A comfortable fit is recommended.
The size refers to the chest size of the suit, but a size 48 is a 34 waist.
In the photo, Simon is wearing size 48. He has a waist measurement of 34.5 inches and the hem of his chino pants reaches 31.5 inches on the inside of his legs. Manish is wearing 50.
Front rise measurements include waistband. Thigh measurements are made on the fork.
There are very few contractions. Up to 1 cm.

Product Summary: