Um Kiliwatch… is it a thrift store, vintage, a brand?
Kiliwatch is basically a Parisian thrift store, which has become multi-brand over time. Long criticized because of its prohibitive prices for second-hand goods, the sales area has the merit of evolving over the years.
And this development is now reflected in its own clothing line, which is starting to expand well.
Presentation of the thrift store department
This is where I bought my first leather jacket 5 years ago.
150 € for a piece with a good fit and which lasted me over time: not bad. Of course it's not the most incredible leather in the world (a few irregularities in different places on the garment), but it had its effect and is still going strong.
However, I do not recommend leather in thrift stores the rest of the time : it is too risky to find the right quality. And then a leather jacket must be chosen a little tight to then adapt to your body shape by relaxing where it is tight.
That said, we are talking here about “vintage” jackets, in fact new but made from recycled raw materials (scraps of leather, old skinned pieces). We can therefore be confident in their durability.
I also bought my famous GATs ( German Army Trainers ) there for around twenty euros.
These are trainers (= training sneakers) which were in stock in the German and Austrian armies before the fall of the wall in 1989 (i.e. hipster before Berlin became swagg .
We continue to find quite a few in thrift stores and on the internet, although stocks are becoming scarce and prices are increasing.
In any case, it's a good pair of sneakers for all purposes. I've dragged mine across 3 continents for 2 years, and they've barely moved.
To finish the overview of what this type of “high-end thrift store” can bring you, I will again mention the warm nylon jackets in the fighter pilot style, the lumberjack shirts and all the occasional accessories such as scarves or Bow Ties.
What if I want something new?
Well they are distributing quite a few interesting brands now, especially on jeans and chinos.
In summary, there are 3 things to remember from Kiliwatch:
- Quality second-hand clothes , with a lot of sorting work upstream, which partly justifies the premium charged compared to competing second-hand clothes.
- “Vintage” clothing lines (with recycled clothing) and other “vintage style” lines that we are going to discover.
- Tattooed and dark saleswomen throughout the store . To the point that it seems to be their No. 1 recruiting criterion. It doesn't change anything about the clothes, but we still approve.
Testing Kiliwatch “Vintage style” jeans
But let's test the semi-slim jeans . First things first: yes, these are faded jeans. Those who have read our e-book know that raw jeans are a priority when building your wardrobe.
However, washing cannot be ruled out:
- when the fading is subtle (= close to a natural result) and of good quality (= no vulgar things done in 30 seconds with bleach or a jackhammer).
- when it (really) adds something , like here some slight tears and a more grunge effect than what you will get on your own with the aging of raw jeans.
You should still keep in mind that faded jeans cost more than raw jeans (all things being equal). In fact, the actions undertaken to age the jeans logically require additional working time in the factory.
Hence the imperative to put a little money into the deal (at least as much as for raw jeans of equivalent quality). And to keep in mind the maxim: “ cheap faded jeans are a bit like bringing a girl home on ethanol and discovering her without makeup when you wake up ”.
Quality of the canvas and the wash
The canvas is okay, standard, it does the job. It is still good enough to withstand the treatment inflicted by washing (which remains wear, therefore an attack on the material).
The regularity of the frame is correct, but nothing more: not too many “vertical lines” that are too marked. As confirmed by the photos taken in the balcony box (a BonneGueule innovation).
The canvas is of course thinner than a selvedge: so plan for a good size relaxation after a few wears.
In a few places, we also find wear on the fabric. It's very well done, it's realistic: I agree.
Quality of manufacturing and details
The construction is good, nothing special to highlight on that side. Regular, neat stitching is OK.
Note that the wear inflicted on the piece did not damage the manufacturing. However, this is a recurring problem in entry-level and mid-range faded jeans.
Finally, some nice little details have been maintained, despite the fair price of the part:
- chain stitch seams , and a well-made zipper.
- A good quality back patch , not something thrown out because you had to put one on.
- And attention paid to thread colors . Although the seam could have been a bit more reinforced here. It remains well laid out, but hey, over time we have become a little demanding on the site.
Jean fit and wearing experience
I expected the jeans to relax quite a bit, so I took them tight (not to say tight) and I wore them for a short week before taking photos after relaxing the canvas, in my room hotel ( because I'm too heavy for the flower box ).
A very elaborate photographic composition.
Good silhouette overall: the jeans didn't fall too low as they relaxed at the waist. It's semi-slim, so it goes well with a slightly loose top like this Kowtow t-shirt (test coming soon). I was surprised by the fact that the jeans fell very low in the back, a slight fit problem in my opinion.
Once worn, the washes are found in the right places on the silhouette: whiskers on the crotch, fishnets behind the knees, good wash on the leg. The first impression of “natural” is verified.
Review of the Kiliwatch jeans test
In the end we have a pair of well-priced faded jeans (€99) for those who are a little fed up with heavy Japanese raw material. This is undoubtedly one of the good surprises of the season, and which confirms the interest of Kiliwatch productions.
You can order the test jeans HERE on SoJeans .
Note that other jeans exist, including a grey/rust model which is also successful.
