It’s good to see independent brands supporting each other. After covering Peanut’s brand without a name in New Threads, the plug himself, Peanut, referred me over to Najeeb Sheikh. I checked out his website and noticed the two tone khakis he created. Where were these pants when my parents dragged me to church as a child? I was intrigued by the simple alteration to a semi-formal piece of clothing that I thought was otherwise too boring to even re-imagine in any other way. After contacting Mr. Sheikh, I found out that he had a collaboration with fellow Philadelphia native, skater, and sweatpants afficionado, Jimmy Sweatpants. My intrigue went to the next level.
Lo and behold, the two minds came up with a dual colored line of sweatpants. Now something the stoner and the sartorialist can share in common. “The pants combine Sheikh’s color blocked silhouette, 100% cotton, 7 oz. ripstop, and 550 parracord with JSP’s 100% cotton, 22 oz. french terry. The ankles have classic elastic jogger cuffs.” As with most independent brands, they run in limited quantities (30/color & 4 color ways). You can cop your pair for $120 at Najeeb’s website, JSP’s, Peas and Carrots’s store in Los Angeles, Reign in Philly, and The Apartment 120 in Tokyo.
Check out our interview with both creators and then hit the jump after that for the look book shot in North Philly.
For those unfamiliar, New Threads is a fresh column we’ll be executing to celebrate independent fashion companies and the minds behind them. A teenager in an American suburb with a dope idea and a few bucks should be given mad props, if they’re due, just like your favorite luxury brand. We’ll pick a creator that deserves your attention and ask him/her a few questions, including our Final Four questions we ask all of our creators for that month. What’s the requirements to be featured on New Threads? Originality and quality. And please, make something you’d wear proudly. Hit us up on Twitter if you know someone who has or you yourself have a dope brand on the rise. Or send us an email to SYLR@thesource.com.
What was it about each other’s brands that made you want to collaborate with it on this piece?
NS: I really enjoy working with people I’ve known before I started the brand. There is always a connection outside of clothes and that usually translates into a better product. I’ve known Jimmy probably since 2005. So when it was time to use a sweat-pant fabric, it was a no-brainer to link with him.
JSP: I have a ton of respect for Najeeb’s general outlook on fashion.
Najeeb, why did you decide to take your design to the realm of sweatpants? Jimmy, why were you open to doing something different with your brainchild?
NS: I’ve always been a fan of sweats. I tend to wear some 3-4 days a week so it was something I wanted to do from day one.
JSP: I love the twist Najeeb has put on the jogger pants. His fabrications and materials are next level.
When I first saw your khakis, I thought of Quailman from Doug and how superheroes wore something on the outside of their tights. What was the inspiration for the two tone design?
NS: Men’s pants tend to be pretty boring, with not too many options. I was just trying to do something different, and fun and this is what I ended up with.
