A Visit to Bond Street

With everyone and their Uncle Milton buzzing about Billy Reid's collaboration with Levi's, I knew I had to visit Billy Reid in person to check out the goods.

Took a trip to Billy's NoHo shop on Bond St. yesterday. At first sight, you don't even realize you're at the right place. Walking up the steep steps from the sidewalk, you're greeted by the large, heavy wooden doors. Quite impressive and almost intimidating.

Walking in, the space is quite open and welcome in feeling. High ceilings, lots of rustic wood-work...almost like a log-cabin feeling. The Levi's collection was in plain sight right when you walk in.

To me, the most striking piece in the collection is the denim work shirt. More like a jacket than a shirt, this is a substantial piece. If you're used to slipping on a light chambray, this will be quite a surprise. When you're wearing this, you're gonna know it. And so will everyone else. I tried on the Large, which fit perfectly. The indigo die was bleeding already just from my brief handling, so careful if you're considering this piece. Looks like everyone is loving this, as it seems to be sold out on-line already.

The 501s were pretty much as expected. Raw selvage, made in the USA, though not of USA-sourced denim. Would have loved to see these made with Cone Denim. A lost golden opportunity here, in my opinion.

The 505s were more interesting. Quite heavier than what I expected after seeing photos. I didn't expect the large patches on the front thighs to be attractive, but they actually work well on the pants. I really like the color on these.

White oxford: quality piece, but clearly takes the back seat to the denim work shirt.

I couldn't decide if I liked the Wool trucker or not. If you're gonna be needing a wool jacket, are you really gonna go for a trucker style? Interesting concept, but I don't know about its real-life wearability.

The blogs are thick with positive chatter about these pieces, so better move fast if you're heading off to the mines soon and need some new threads