In February of last year, Eternal released its 886 jacket. The jacket is built to resemble the famous Levi’s Type II with a boxy frame and two patch pockets. Renowned denim retailer Blue In Green carries both the 886 and 887 (modelled after the Type III) and I got the chance to try both on. Unfortunately the 887 was a bit short and slim for my frame, but the 886 fit perfectly.
Details
- Name: Eternal 886 Jean Jacket
- Weight: 14 Oz.
- Denim: Eternal original Japanese selvedge denim
- Fit: Standard Type II style
- Other details:
- 30 times dyed genuine Indigo warp yarns
- One wash
- Available at: Blue in Green for $345
Denim
The jacket is made with the same 14.5 oz Japanese red line selvedge denim as the 811 and 883 jeans that has been washed once to keep the indigo from running. The denim has been dyed thirty times and features genuine indigo warp yarns. The denim is stiff and dyed deep indigo, almost black, but over the course of three days in New York City, the denim started breaking in nicely.
By the time I’d brought it back home to Washington, D.C. the jacket had already moved from the uncomfortable first stage of raw denim to still-stiff, but softening state and was really comfortable. Though the indigo is very deep blue, once in the sunlight, the various shades really pop out.
Even only a month in, I can tell that popular opinion is correct. The fades on Eternal denim will take a long, hard time. But if they come out like the 3rd place winner in the brand’s contest back in 2012, the wait and hard work will be worth it.
Hardware and Construction
The construction of the jacket is impeccable. You can tell that Eternal takes special care when creating their garments. Anybody who’s worn their jeans can attest to the fact that the Kojima line is a top-flight brand and this jacket just confirms that. I’ve paid comparable prices for clothing made by big name designers and the construction of the 886 is far and away better.
The hardware rates just as high. Everything Eternal does is the perfect mixture of modern and classic. The buttons pay homage to those on a Levi’s trucker jacket (with the requisite Original Eternal Clothing emblazoned) as does the brand’s tab on the left breast pocket, albeit it’s blue and not red.
Additionally, one of three labels inside the jacket is modeled directly off the traditional rectangular United Garment Workers of America union label design that donned clothing from the 1930s to mid-1970s. Their homage and reverence to American workwear is apparent.
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Fit
Since the jacket is modeled off the Levi’s Type II, it has a fuller, boxier fit than the more standard Type III style. It’s also a bit longer in the torso. There is plenty up room under the armpits and in the chest, which is nice for those of us who aren’t exactly svelte.
Even during the initial try-on, with the denim stiff as cardboard, the jacket was really comfortable. It was very noticeable how much roomier the 886 is than the 887, which features a shorter and slimmer torso. But even with that, the boxiness of the 886 isn’t so pronounced that it looks draped. The jacket tapers slightly through the torso so it gives the look that it’s slimmer than it really is.
Overall thoughts
This is definitely a top tier jacket on par with the Samurai S552XX and The Flat Head Type II 3XXX. The construction is impeccable and the attention to classic detail makes this jacket timeless. Eternal did an incredible job of making the Type II style their own, while still adhering to classic American workwear detailing.
The 886 is easily the best constructed garment I’ve owned and it’s easy to tell that Eternal takes pride in their craftsmanship. If you only want one denim jacket that you can wear in almost any weather or situation and one that will just get better as it ages, then this is definitely one of only three or four being made today that I would recommend.
Photo source: Stephen Ward
