Behind the seams: Canoe club x engineered garments
With the launch of our highly-anticipated collaboration with Engineered Garments fast approaching, we’re taking you behind the seams to share a closer look at the Club Coat and the Fatigue Pant, and how this collaborative collection came together.
When we first heard from the Engineered Garments team about the collaboration, doing a matching “kit” came to mind right away. We at the shop are very fascinated by the idea of uniform dressing. We’ve long felt that it’s a very unique and interesting way to make a statement. We kept that in mind and give people the opportunity to style these items their way, leaving room for that interpretation. We also wanted to make sure that the pieces represented Canoe Club while staying true to what Engineered Garments is at the same time.
We kept asking ourselves “If you could only wear one type of jacket and one pair of pants every day, what would that look like?” With that in mind, we landed on using this Cotton Twill fabric that would lend itself to everyday wear. It’s a fabric that will start aging as soon as you start wearing it and something that will only gonna get better with time. We often think of rugged, hard-wearing clothes when it comes to workwear, and there are definitely elements of that here. But we prioritized keeping the person first, and making something more for the everyday person.
As far as color goes, we have done a lot of things in washed black, like the Grindle Tee we have as an example. In this case, we went with an Ink color that will act more as a canvas, and we wanted to give the person wearing the pieces to see the evolution of the fade and the color of the fabric. On the other hand, we sought to create something unique with the Storm colorway. It’s based on the uniform of Japanese mailmen, but more muted and calming. The result is a very wearable color that’s workwear-adjacent, without it feeling too on the nose, and it goes well with everything.
Blackwatch to us is synonymous with EG, and we made sure that’s represented here. The result is Blackwatch lining on the Ink color of both the Club Coat, and Fatigue Pant. Initially, we were going to do Blackwatch on both colors, but Daiki Suzuki suggested that EG had a different tartan pattern that would work better with the Storm color. As soon as we saw the sample, we thought it was made specifically for the Storm color. It’s Daiki, after all.
We knew we had to do the Fatigue Pants. That is EG’s icon, and it’s safe to say that we’ve become a Fatigue Pant store to some degree. Our community certainly knows to come to us for Fatigue Pants. It just didn’t make sense to do any other pant. We referenced a specific model from a few seasons ago, specifically for the drawstrings on the leg opening, which made its way to our version. The rest of the pant stays true to the EG classic, featuring a roomy top block, a straight fit, and the signature secret zip pocket on the left side. It’s a pant that perfectly accompanies the Club Coat, and any other top in your wardrobe.
When it comes to the Club Coat, we started with a piece that we all loved here at the shop, which is the Driver’s Jacket from previous seasons. We liked the simplicity up front, and its ease of wear for anybody’s style. We shortened that existing silhouette to get a boxier fit, closer to what you would see in a classic work jacket like a Carhartt Detroit Jacket. Along with shortening the silhouette for more mobility, we ensured that the Club Coat came with a 2-way zip. With wearability always at the top of our minds, the dual-zip in tandem with the shorter silhouette makes it easier to keep your Club Coat on at all times. Another thing Daiki recommended was the use of an O-ring zipper. It seemed like a minor change initially, but now we couldn’t imagine the Club Coat without it. The O-ring draws attention to the zipper and it gives another level of tactility to the piece. Snap buttons were used to maximize ease of use and effectiveness, and we used custom antique buttons that will contribute to the overall look as you put wear into these pieces. We’d be remiss not to mention the pockets we’ve all come to know and love from EG, and the Club Coat comes with a large interior stash pocket, along with the chest and side pockets on the exterior.
Rounding out all these details are the contrast corduroy hits in the collar and sleeve cuff lining. As we drew inspiration from English workwear, we knew right away we needed to have a contrast corduroy collar, and we added the sleeve cuff lining thanks to Daiki’s suggestion. These elements combine for a piece that is comfortable to wear, with just the right amount of contrasts and details throughout.
The Club Coat and the Fatigue Pant are the epitome of everyday wear for us. Timelessness, versatility, and utility. Worn together or separately, we’re excited to see how everyone puts these together. Whether it's your first time wearing them or your hundredth, we look forward to seeing them become and integral part of your daily life.
