The Weathered Project: Inked Chapter Three

A year has gone by since we launched the Weathered Project in Vancouver – it’s been an honour weaving a story about our community’s love for raw denim. We’ve documented how this versatile fabric adopts the personality and character of its wearer. We’ve learned how perseverance leads to beautiful results. Finally, we’ve witnessed the growth and adventures of inspiring individuals.

For our anniversary post, we return to our very first subject, tattooer, and business owner Mitch Kirilo. In what seems like the blink of an eye, Mitch’s establishment Gastown Tattoo Parlour enters its fifth year and he’s astonished to find that he’s already been at his craft for a full decade. He chuckles, “It honestly feels like I’ve just begun – I can’t believe I’ve been tattooing for 10 years.” At 27, he’s mastered a crisp, clear style and built an expert team of artists that delight a devoted customer base. Years of hard work and patience paved the way for his success.

 

We knew Mitch was just the right expeditious individual to break in a rigid and sturdy pair of Gustave's from our friends at Tellason. After hundreds of hours wearing his denim at his tattoo station, riding in them while exploring the coasts of Kauai and using them as his shield while dirt biking at this year’s Dirt Quake, they’ve perfectly molded to his body.

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The original deep indigo color has faded into a muted cerulean in the seams of the back pockets and leg openings. Mitch’s phone imprint is clearly developing in his front pocket and those honeycombs are starting to come in behind his knees. We can’t wait to see how much further they evolve when we wrap up Mitch’s denim experiment in the Winter. Stay tuned for the conclusion of The Weathered Project: Inked.

Next month, we look at how designer Char Kennedy has thrived in her Nudie Pipe Leds – watch this space for updates.

Photography by Jacquie Shaw