That headline is a mouthful, innit?
This past week, we were on location in Chicago, IL, attending a pre-release party at one of Huckberry’s two physical locations. We were invited to a private showing of Huckberry’s upcoming partnership with Chicago-based music culture brand, FRET12! FRET12 is the music shop located within Chicago’s Salt Shed and partners with local musicians to produce some incredible music products.
At this event was the official release of the FRET12 x Huckberry RAIL JACKET, a suave railroad jacket that was naturally dyed using coffee beans from Metric Coffee (also local to Chicago – their coffee rocks!). When we got the invite, I couldn’t help myself – y’all know I love coffee, so I had to see for myself what the hubbub was about. The jacket was on full display in its three colorways (Tan, Blue Stripes, and Black Stripes) and looked equally durable yet stylish. It would easily fit into wardrobes of music lovers who frequent Chicago’s SALT SHED, Los Angeles’ Lodge Room, and more. Check out the jacket in its full glory below:
FRET12 has been tight-lipped about the Rail Jacket’s full release. Hopefully we can get more information soon. Beyond that, this is what they had to say when we asked for some additional information behind the jacket’s design:
The Rail Jacket began with a familiar piece of American workwear. For FRET12’s first exclusive piece with Huckberry, we revisited the vintage railroad jacket and considered how it could be made for today’s makers, creatives, and musicians. The name draws from two places: the front-row rail, where the band and the crowd meet, and the railroad system that has long shaped Chicago and connected the city to the rest of the country. Both speak to movement, connection, and the people brought together along the way. Three distinct versions are naturally dyed using locally roasted Metric Coffee, adding another layer of Chicago to the piece.
I’ll most definitely keep an eye out for when this jacket goes live. It looked incredible in person and I’m kicking myself for not pre-ordering it while I could.
Beyond the tasty coffee, immaculate vibes, and stylish jacket, FRET12 invited Giant Pit of Glass (a Chicago indie rock band) to play some tunes and complement the evening. Their soft rock meets grungy slowcore has seeped their way into my current music rotation as I test some hi-fi headphones. Check out their recent FRET12 session below:
The Huckberry x FRET12 event was an incredible celebration of Chicago’s music scene. As an LA-native who misses the persistently thriving music scene, this event was truly one for the books. Many thanks to the FRET12 crew for inviting us out!
