From the LL Bean Archive

Ruth Porter swipes her fob and types in a four digit access code. The mandatory white gloves absorb the sweat from my palms as I grip my heavy Canon. The air-tight door opens with a sound like the popping of a can of Pringles. The stale air, erie tangerine light, and all-white surroundings make me feel like I am preparing to negotiate with Hal for the survival of the human race, not go play in LL Bean's Art and Archives department.

These go for around 25 dollars on Ebay for an original one. They are also available here on Google books.

Special Pipe Tobacco for Hunters and Fisherman.

A lunch box and leather case from the 40's.

Geese decoys from the 30's.

For her, Manolo Blahnik originally purchased at Barneys in 1978 by Leon Gorman himself.

They even have triple stitching, good luck finding these.

I felt like a guy from CSI taking photos of these Vibram soles with my huge camera and flash.

For him, Bean Boot Roller blades from the mid 90's.

A collection of LL Bean knifes including a Gerber from my home town.

Fishing reels from the 20's on.

This was one of my favorites, A Hamilton, mechanical pocket watch from 1962 in mint condition.

A matchbook protector from the 50's.

LL's office chair.

LL Bean's stamp that Mr. Bean used at the bottom of the introduction of the old catalogs.

Visiting the LL Bean Arts and Archive was the highlight of my day. I could have spent weeks in there and I am sure we just skimmed the surface. Max posted a bunch of vintage footwear on All Plaidout. Check back in tomorrow to see clothes from the Archive.

Here are some more links,
Hunting-Fishing and Camping by LL Bean (Google books),
From the LL Bean Archive (Picasa),
All Plaidout,

LL Bean Headquarters

After overstaying our welcome at the Brunswick factory, we headed down to Freeport to see the headquarters and meet with Jim Hauptman in design and Anne Smith in footwear. Here is some artwork from the hallways of LL Bean that caught my eye.

LL Bean is a brand very much anchored in creating great, long-lasting footwear. Our tour of the offices started with a sit down chat with Anne Smith to discuss the Bean boot, LL Bean's current offerings, and what's in the pipeline. Here are some things that caught my eye and be sure to check out Max's article on LL Bean's American made work boot.

I have always liked the silhouette of the high top deck shoe (My love for Rogues' boot prompted me to pursue an internship there). For fall '09, LL bean is releasing this full-grain deck boot. Unlike with many other high top deck shoes, LL Bean makes no compromises on comfort or support.

I am thinking about getting a pair of these to wear in the winter along side my Danner Mountain Lights II.

Full grain Bison Chukka Boot available here for $99.

In addition to the full grain finish, it also comes in waxed Bison leather. Unfortunately, none of these boots are made in the US...

After chatting with Anne for half an hour we walked over a couple cubicles to chat with Jim Hauptman, LL Bean's man in charge of design.

Max and Jim discussing LL Bean's plan to expand retail locations and what it's like to run design for a company that until 6 years ago, didn't have an official design department. We also discussed LL Bean's unwavering stance on the current heritage craze in menswear. Check out Max's article for more on this.

Here's the Idea Board in Jim's Office. I love the trail map printed backpack idea, or maybe even a trail map printed boat & tote?

Be sure to check out Max's article later this afternoon for more on out visit.

Here are more links,
LL Bean Chukka Boots,

Resurrecting a Well Worn Bean Boot

I arrived at 8 Industrial Park Way, Brunswick Maine at exactly 10:31 AM. I was already late. I frantically grabbed my two cameras, their accompanying lenses and a flash and bolted for the door, dropping my sunglasses as I gingerly pried the door open with my pinky finger and then propped it open with my foot. Three weeks ago, Max from all plaidout emailed me asking if I would be interested touring LL Bean with him and taking some photos for some stories he’s writing on American brands. I eagerly agreed, and I was told to show up at 10:30 on the morning of Friday the 13th at the Brunswick factory to meet up with a guy named Max and some PR people from LL Bean to see how Bean boots are made. Other than that, I had no idea what to expect from one of the handful of remaining shoe factories in the US.

I have always associated LL Bean with Bean boots. As a six-year-old I remember trying on my Grandfather's size 14, 8-inch boots that he used for shepherding and tromping around the living room. When I arrived at Colby in the fall of 2006, I was surprised to see kids from boarding school wearing their parents' old Bean boots the moment the sky turned gray. These Barbour clad New Englanders covet the distressed leather uppers of decades ago. Unlike a pair of Nike or Adidas, Bean boots improve with age like a pair of raw denims and I wanted to see LL Bean's legendary tradition of replacing any product at anytime in action.

This well used, fifteen-year-old Bean boot originated from Pennsylvania and needed fresh rubber and shiny new eyelets on the uppers.

First, a bandsaw cuts the rubber lowers off and automatically shoots them into a bin at the end of the work station.

These boots all received a lot of love.

The uppers are then removed from the machine and the old stitching and remaining rubber bottoms are cut out by hand.

The eyelets are then replaced one rivet at a time.

Factory workers inspecting the reworked uppper.

The boot is now ready to be matched with a rubber bottom and sewn together.

A factory worker triple stitching the leather uppers on to the rubber lowers.

Mac McKeever, the man behind LL Bean's Outdoor Discovery Schools, inspecting a shelf of finished, resurrected Boots, ready to be shipped back to their eager owners.

Check out Max's article for more photos and a more encompassing description of LL Bean, the factory, and the iconic Bean boot.

Come back tomorrow see our trip to the company headquarters where we met with folks in production and design.

Here are some more links,
LL Bean Factory (Picasa),
All Plaidout.

A Taste of Maine with Nick and Max

On Saturday I walked around Cape Elizabeth Maine with Nick and Max. Here are some photos from our day.

Max or Johnny Knoxville?

Lost Boy?

1080p with my 5D Mark II. I just got a Vimeo plus account and I hope to incorporate videos into my repertoire and become a video artist like Knox Harrington.

Nick at the beach in Cape Elizabeth.

Smile : )

Max at Higgins Beach. Check out The Fat of the Land for more.

Here are some more links,
A Taste of Maine (Picasa),