Wabash stripe

I have been working on creating new designs and offerings for Monsivais & Co. I believe it is time to grow and offer more of what I have been drawing up in notebooks. I had a hard time looking for certain denims and novelty prints so I decided to make some of my own.
  I discharge printed my own design on a base of Cone mills 12 oz. red selvedge denim to test out on certain samples like the bag previously shown and this cap below. For those that ask, Discharge printing is a process similar to screen printing but instead of adding paint the process uses a special chemical that "bleaches" the cloth back to its natural undyed color. This process was used by decorated work wear cloth makers since the late 1890's up to the 1930s.

I do like it enough to continue with it and I have already done variations on the designs soon to come in.

Live By Night

     I have been busy, during this past summer I was contacted by the costume designers for a new period film. I was invited to visit the costume designers offices where they held the most amazing vintage collection anywhere. They had garments I have only seen in illustrations and pictures.

   After two meetings with the top notch designers I was hired to make two different designs for the main character Joe Coughlin. I am flattered and happy to have my work featured on the big screen. The film is in its early filming stages and set to be released in 2017.

I have designs ready for the next stage of Monsivais & Co. And will start small runs in the next month. I have come to an agreement with a friend and will be moving into a new much needed studio space early next month. Keep a look out for new offerings inspired by early 1900's menswear.

I have Been working on samples and  new ideas for future offerings.

I'm using leather, denim and canvas

Leather and 13 oz denim with a self discharge printed wabash stripe.

Large Tote made from  vintage waxed canvas tarp. Had to make some patching repairs.

Le Montmartre- French Design Cap

 

"Le Montmartre"

 Worn throughout the early part of the 20th century, "Le Montmartre" is a flat cap design popular in France during the 10's, 20's, and 30's. This particular design which is not found in American caps consists of a 10 inch wide crown and a 2 1/2 inch peak with a decorative strap and cloth covered buttons.

Worn by a French Apache

Still from "Underground" 1928

Snap up and pulled back

1920s "Elina" Cap makers advertisment

Side by side comparison to an original 

Get on made now!

The Aviate

The Aviate

Early 1920s full pleated crown cap

   

Advertisement from 1921

 

   A very popular design of the period. This cap has 8 inverse box pleats wear seams would normally be on a one piece crown with a full band to close the pleats.
    These caps would always be found to be full cut (11- 11 1/2) with peak's ranging from 2 inches to 3 inches.
  It can be seen in films and in candid photography of the period being dressed up in a suit or dressed down in a shawl collar and gaiters.
   I have reproduced it and has been made available in the Haberdashery.

 

A still of a character wearing this cap from the 1921 Harold Lloyd film "A Sailor-made Man"

Back View

Working men with the cap's crown lifted up

Green Check Flannel

From a previous post I had shown the back of this jacket I had picked up a while ago and had to sell to a friend due to it being to small for me.

It's a green check flannel cloth jacket with 3 patch pockets with buttons. High 3 button stance with sloped shoulders and a pinch-back. Perfect and rare sports jacket circa 1917. Better images will come soon.

Original Advertisment of the maker 

Digging through piles of vintage photographs looking for something that will catch my eyes I found this photograph of a young man wearing a novelty jazz suit from the late 1910s. This suit has the high and close 3 button stance with an ultra long front skirt and the chest pocket is curved up on one end. It is very similar to the one posted in a previous post but without the extra piping.

And into my handpicked selection it goes.

Late 1910s suit

A "new" suit I was able to get a hold of. It dates from the late 1910 through the early 1920s. The cloth it is constructed from is a light weight summer wool that was originally a purple with hints of green.  Single breasted with rounded peak lapels make it a very attractive suit.High button stance and 3 patch pockets with the bottom 2 buttoned.

A great example to make a sample copy in the near future. 

 

The Helmsman

  The Helmsman

Late 1910s-1920s Reproduction one piece crown cap in Rich Brown Donegal Tweed

A new model to be made on custom basis. This is a great novelty cap popular in the late 1910s up to the early 1920s. 5 Box pleats decorate the back of the crown and a band to hold it all together. Made of a medium weight rich Donegal tweed with a 3 inch square leather peak that was popular among young man of the period. It is finished with a yellow silk liner and contrasting green moire.

• 5 Box Pleat Back
• 3 Inch Leather Peak
• Stitched Back band
• Full leather sweatband
• United Carr Snap button 
• Two Tone Liner

The Gerrard- 8/4 crown cap

This was commissioned to me by a friend who had been saving a great wool cloth to make a hat someday. The cream colored flannel has a great two tone over plaid that reminded me of a period advertisement from the early 1920s of Merton Sport Caps.  He entrusted me with this task and this was the result.

Cloth covered Buttons finish the decorative band

Back view

-Matching over plaid

-Stitched seams 

-Stitched Waterproof card board peak

- United Carr snap fastener

-Full Leather sweat band

-Lined in green moire and silk.

New cap Models February 2015

   I attended Inspiration LA and had some caps for sale with  my friends booth from Wearing History. Saw lots of great things and had a great time. Two new designs where on display here. A 5 box pleat model and another Pencil Seam cap.

A friend wearing  my latest addition to my portfolio. It is a box pleated full cut crown with a 3 inch leather square peak, he is modeling it with   a late teens pinch back jacket acquired from my small collection

Profile view of the new cap.

Another friend wearing another new model. Full cut one piece crown with a back band and 6 Pencil Seams.

Tour de France