Ginew is a true heritage brand. More than merely referencing garments from yesteryear, husband and wife team Erik and Amanda look to their own Native American legacy and tribal customs to create time-honored Americana products with tangible links to their ancestry.
The Thunderbird Coat from Ginew‘s collection is a standout piece that encapsulates the very essence of the brand. Drawing an undeniable influence from the Lee 101J Stormrider jacket, Ginew have fused the core elements of this archetypal workwear classic with charmingly personal details using the designs and symbols of their tribes.
“A piece that is built so it may stand the test of time, so that it can be worn and carried through a journey, a life…it is a piece truly inspired by shifting of events, the shifting of the seasons and the great changes which come on the edge of big moments, of thunderstorms.” – Erik of Ginew
Cut from 13.75oz. Cone Mills White Oak raw selvedge denim, the Thunderbird Coat features dual chest pockets, felled seam construction, contrast stitching, and custom Ginew hardware throughout. The collar is overlaid with contrasting roughout deerskin, a hide sourced from deer hunted by Amanda, Erik, and Erik’s father. Tanned in a small tannery in Minnesota, this deerskin will develop a rich patina while the denim crocks and fades into a rugged pallet of Americana-blues.
The Thunderbird Coat is lined with Ginew’s exclusive ‘WE WALK TOGETHER’ woolen blanket, woven by none other than Pendleton Woolen Mills. This fabric is inspired by the customs of Erik and Amanda’s Ojibwe and Oneida tribal heritage. The contrasting white shapes on the dark blue strips of this fabric represent Ojibwe and Oneida dwellings—a pattern mimicked under the collar with decorative contrast stitching—and the circular crest is a fusion of symbols of both the Ojibwe and Oneida tribes. It’s details like these that make Ginew products so special.
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The Thunderbird Jacket is finished with a subtle chainstitched Thunderbird emblem inside the sleeve cuff, a detail applied by the Texas chainstitch aficionados at Fort Lonesome. A symbol of the Ojibwe nation, the Thunderbird will become visible from the outside of the cuff over time as pressure from daily use etches an impression of the symbol into the denim.
“Over time, as someone wears the coat, pressure will eventually reveal a Thunderbird facing West at the ready for the changes which may come in a moment, a day, or a life. How they wear the coat will determine how their changes are expressed, how the thunderbird presents itself. “– Erik of Ginew
Coming complete with quilted silk sleeve linings, raw denim locker loop – and a custom woven Ginew neck label – The Thunderbird Coat is available for $695 from Ginew.
