Born and raised on the island of Hokkaido in Japan, Echigoya
– Born and raised on the island of Hokkaido in Japan, Echigoya “Echan” Takayuki moved to the United States in the name of denim.
A passion for vintage jeans compelled him to begin making his own.
“Jeans are originally from the United States of America, so I wanted to make my jeans in America,” he said.
His love of vintage machinery placed him in New York City.
“I love Singer sewing machines, and the Singer sewing machine was originally based in New York,” he said.
He combines his loves of jeans, history, and machines at Bowery Blue Makers, his one-man shop devoted to bespoke raw denim, crafted by hand with help from the antique Singers.
One pair of jeans requires eight to ten machines, each reserved for a specific task like the hem or the buttonhole.
