Zeeko Salvage

Vests and Jackets

Last minute additions for 'Prepare for the Playa'.

Retooling a few firemens turnout coats, and finishing a few oilcloth and mesh vests.

We'll be on the street at 650 Indiana, SFO - Sunday 12-7pm

Fire coat backpatch with art from Dragonboy.

Firecoat bling

Oilcloth vest with hemp

Mesh vest with firehose

Mesh vest

Oilcloth vest - only new materials in this are the zipper, trim and thread.

Dragonboy backpatch on mesh leftover from commercial printing job.

Filed under // clothing shows

Posted August 12, 2011

Corset On Model

The fire hose corset has made contact with a real person. We tried it on two very different bodies, and we're pleased with it's adjustability.

Thanks to our friends for being trying it out. Of course, we recommend wearing this item without any clothing underneath?!?!?

Filed under // clothing playa

Posted July 10, 2011

Burner Very-Mini-Skirts

Here's another look at what we're making for Burning Man. This is the making of a very-mini-skirt, made out of fire hose, leather and lace.
---

I took pieces of embossed leather scrap cut in to organic shapes, and added reflective tape behind to make unique reflective elements for our clothing. We want burners to get some glow out on the playa.

The finished product is slightly tapered to fit around hips. Garnished with rivets on top and lace below. Snaps in the back and is adjustable. Sorry this isn't the best quality pic!

Filed under // clothing playa

Posted July 10, 2011

Fire Hose Corsets

Back into the shop!

We are finally in gear to build up inventory for the Burning Man rush.

Last year we realized that our friends in the City weren't very into our hillbilly camo collage cutoff shorts and coverall jumpsuits, but the fire hose utility belts and Mad Max body-armor fire hose miniskirts sold out, so this year, no WT theme. Just post-apocalyptic desert survival fashion... and CORSETS, of course.

Starting point - a dress form with duct tape mold/pattern.

Fire hose - this one is based upon a form that we made of our friend Katrina. It will have a separating zipper up the front when it is done, and optional/detachable hip pouches of the same material.

Lacing - the duct tape is for a pattern, and is not part of the corset.

We like our rivet details. This one has about 60 of them.

We can make one of these in any size, email us if you are interested!

We are going to be vending as part of a fundraiser party for the Chico Urban Artists Collective artcar project, at GRUB on 7/23 see you there!

Filed under // clothing fire hose bags playa

Posted July 5, 2011

ReUp Leather Pants

Had a pair of Black Leather Pants with enough leather in each leg below one scuffed knee to make matching belt pouches.

First full leather bags that I have made, I think. After wrestling fire hose for a year, leather stitches like a dream.

For sale at the Chikoko Yard Sale tomorrow - size 32.

IMG_4215.JPG

Filed under // clothing

Posted August 20, 2010

In the city with Aunt Betsy and Asiatica

Had some work meetings in the city this week that lined up with one of my Aunt Betsy's Trunk Shows. She is on a West Coast tour, selling her clothing at shows that she sets up in hotel suites in LA and SFO. We saw her in March, at her shop in KCKC, but I have never actually been to one of her traveling shows. I got to spend an evening and morning with Betsy between work meetings. She is fearless, and is a good guide. She grew up in the Bay Area and knows the city well.

On my way to my meeting in Berkeley I walked past the house that we lived in until I was 5. It is still the funkiest neighborhood I passed thru, this is in front of our old house.

(download)

Had fun field-testing the utility belts in the city and enjoyed looking at what other people were carrying. They work pretty much just like good cargo pockets, but you don't have stuff banging on your knees. I need one that is just a touch larger, and need to make some with snaps or other closures, they felt pretty pickpocketable.

Betsy with her jackets. They are a mix of vintage silk from recycled kimono, and modern Japanese and Italian fabrics. Clients try them on, and then can pick different fabrics and order a custom one, or have them custom tailored to fit. Betsy was traveling with her patternmaker Angela, who measures, pins, tailors, takes notes for the girls in the shop back in KC.

Parallel-stitching on a collage of vintage kimono fabrics.

They use every scrap.

Jackets

This is a modern fabric from a Japanese textile house called Nuno.

I love this one.

Collage of Nuno fabric and Indian silk.

Aunt Betsy

(download)

We had pisco sours and then walked to the end of the pier by the Ferry building. She told me a story about riding on a Matson Lines freighter back from Taiwan in 1969 with a bunch of her antiques. 13 days reading on the deck, she arrived with the best tan of her life.

I slept on a rollaway in the 'shop' room of the suite, and woke up looking at antique silks.

(download)

I love the frayed edges, and the idea that people will pay a lot of money for something that looks like it was made by hand. She has given us some ideas to play with like this.

SFO

We stopped to look at my Grandma's old house and got a flat tire there, so had some time to look around - met a neighbor that remembered my Oma, who moved away 30 years ago.

Betsy and Angela (patternmaker) near my Grandma's old house above Haight Ashbury.

Filed under // clothing

Posted August 19, 2010

Super Directional firehose utility belt and sash, Iron Curtain skirt.

Often I have a lot of small hose scraps let after I cut for a bag. They make perfect triangles, and lately this has been a theme. Here is a toolbelt that I made a few weeks ago that we are posting on Etsy tonight.

The dressmakers form/model is wearing a hemp duffel bag skirt and firehose sash. In fact, the whole ensemble will be up on Etsy tonight, so don't hold back!

Reminds me a bit of fish swimming upstream

Fu*%ing' Tough!

Movement

Toolbelt comes with firehose sash-inspired belt.

Starry belt and rivets

Front view - Indian belt from Cheyenne Wyoming Thrift Store.

Filed under // clothing fire hose bags utility belts

Posted August 12, 2010

Seamonster and Mona's Yard Sale

We took our wares to the streets today, ended up with some good barter action. It was a nice way to spend a Sunday morning.

I like events that we can ride to. We ended up bartering Skyler some utility belts for a Greg Degouvia-built bike trailer, so the pack up and ride home was easier.

I am making cargo jeans now where I piece in new fronts using cotton twill from old coveralls. I made a smaller size, and Mona modeled them for me.

We needed a larger bike seat for our kiddo trailer and found one yesterday at an estate sale. Erika made a new cover for it and made it fit in the trailer.

Seamonster took the stage name Madame Titty Bop for the event. Her top - called 'The Magic Twins' - and lacquered citrus slice necklace were made by Goat.

Dutro

'I think that it is a little small for me'.

'Let's see, you got an owl, a ceramic horse, a reel to reel tape, some anatomy flash cards, and a rock - that will be $2'.

Michelle Wurlitzer, our most loyal customer. She has chosen a yellow theme for her bike tour, just found a dress to match the panniers that we made for her, and bought herself some yellow utility belts.

Filed under // clothing shows

Posted August 8, 2010