You know the drill! In this case, you probably know it as khaki. Khaki drill was developed by the British military in the mid-1880s. It is a dense twill weave, similar to denim but with a diagonal bias. The earthy tan color took center stage during the North Africa campaigns of WWII. By this time, both the United States and Canada had adopted khaki uniforms. Returning servicemen started wearing their dress khakis in civilian life, and the rest — as they say — is history. Except for the fact that you rarely find original drill khaki these days because it was replaced by lighter cotton twill long ago.
That’s where Oni Denim comes in, with the new Type II Trucker jacket in British Drill. The aloof yet renowned Japanese manufacturer swapped out denim for a low-tension woven selvedge drill. It has undergone one wash before hitting the market so there is a stiffness but it is not crispy. The heft of the fabric is similar to a mid-weight denim but the texture is softer, more like a Filson-style canvas. As described by retailer Hinoya, “The strong, uneven yarn produces many neps on the surface, and the low-tension weave on an old-style power loom produces clear ridges.”
When resurrecting a mid-century fabric, why not use a mid-century jacket design? Oni contrasted the military origin of British Drill by making it into a distinctively American workwear jacket. The Type II jacket was officially introduced by Levi’s in 1953 and became a favorite of miners, ranch hands, and pretty much anyone who got their hands dirty for a living. While it has been massively overshadowed by the subsequent Type III, the Type II has seen a rise in popularity over the past couple of decades thanks primarily to Japanese brands like Oni. This khaki British drill with selvedge detailing visible on the inner placket makes for a truly unique twist on a certified classic.
Available for $270 from Hinoya.
