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Grady Mac Denim Co., a new craft denim line, is what president Jamie Davenport likes to call 'Southern, but not rural. Classic, but with a bit of Nashville edge.” Manufactured just an hour south of Nashville by Davenport's family business, Tullahoma Industries, the line debuts this month. Davenport named the brand after his late grandfather, whom he describes as a southern Renaissance man and lover of music.
Since 1969, Tullahoma Industries has been manufacturing quality textile products, serving clients like Champion and Russell Athletics with high-performance fleece and the Department of Defense with polypropylene thermals and fire-resistant combat uniforms; they've also been contracted by Lucky Brand Jeans. Davenport and his father, CEO Richard Davenport, recently decided it was time for Tullahoma Industries to pursue its own ventures, starting with craft denim. First order of business: enlisting local Pinterest phenom Daniel Bear Hunleyhe has more than 1.6 million followersas brand manager.
Grady Mac jeans are constructed from Cone Denim fabric, made at one of the country's oldest denim producers, White Oak Mill in Greensboro, North Carolina. '[They use] vintage 1940s shuttle looms [to] give the denim unique character and depth,” says Davenport. Grady Mac also plans on making small-batch, limited-production runs using Italian and Japanese fabrics. 'Italian fabrics have great color depth and a buttery softness,” he adds.
The modern machinery at Tullahoma can laser-cut the fabric precisely, which 'eliminates the variances that could affect the fit,” says Davenport. 'Apart from the cutting, the process has changed little over the last century. We rely on our talented seamstresses, some of whom have more than 40 years of experience, to expertly craft each pair of jeans.” After being cut, the fabric is hand-stitched and goes through a meticulous finishing and washing process to add whiskering and abrasion details.
'Hand-detailing is an art,” says Davenport. 'Years of experience have allowed [the seamstresses] to know just the right pressure and technique to achieve the aesthetic we want.”
The goal at Grady Mac is to offer the perfect fit for everyonewhich they're attempting to meet with their online Fit Pack program, wherein customers are shipped three pairs of jeans in varying styles and sizes with the option to choose one and send the others back. 'This enhances the e-commerce experience and comforts the customer in spending more for something custom,” explains Hunley.
At launch, Grady Mac will offer three fits for men (Relaxed, Straight Leg, and Bootcut) and four for women (The Skinny, Mid Rise Bootcut, Boyfriend, and Straight Leg), all washed and finished to best highlight the cut of the jean.
Grady Mac Denim launches online March 14, and all jeans will be sold at a special price of $74.99 for one month; gradymac.com.
Photos by Brady Waggoner