Inspiration LA Vol. "Super Original" 2016 Recap

Part flea market, part trade show, part rockabilly motorcycle party; the eighth iteration of Rin Tanaka’s Inspiration show came and went this past Friday and Saturday in Los Angeles. Inspiration is arguably the best vintage and vintage-inspired clothing gathering in North America, if not the world.

You know how every once in a while some special item like a deadstock pair of 501s from the 50s graces the pages of eBay? Inspiration is where they all turn up at once. Whether your addiction is denim, leather, t-shirts, boots, or anything that can be dyed indigo, the show has the highest of the high quality and rarest of the rare finds to feed your needs.

Hardcore workwear aficionados turn out in droves to swap stories and swap product before the Rose Bowl Flea Market the following Sunday. This year brought out the usual suspects in vintage and new brands.

Josh Warner from Good Art Hollywood.

True Fit, a must own for any vintage denim fan.

Dave Himel of Himel Bros.

Taka Okabe, Atsu Matsushima, and Shogo Koike of Clutch Magazine.

Indigo dyed wood at the Freenote Cloth booth.

Unmarked of Leon, Mexico makes all of their footwear by hand and incorporates traditional Mexican styles. This boot’s sole is made from an airplane tire.

They’re also fans of the cut-down test.

Comedian and friend of the site Dean Delray picked up a new moto jacket in midnight blue from The Real McCoy’s.

Only the best vintage can be found at Heller’s Cafe.

Cordovan as far as the eye can see at Julian Boots.

And just as much in veg-tan at Made Solid.

Fardin Sefidpar sticks to the old ways at Whitefeather Mfg.

Hand-lasted, welted, and tacked–the boots Brian the Bootmaker makes at Role Club more than speak for themselves. Get in line now, he can produce about five pairs a month and the waiting list is only out until October.