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),

A Day At LL Bean with Max from All Plaid Out

Yesterday I met up with Max from All Plaid Out and toured LL Beans offices, archives, tote and boot factory. This coming week we will posting some great stuff. I took 800 photos. Here is a small taste.

Set of Bean boots hot off the press at the Brunswick Factory.

An LL Bean pocket watch by Hamilton from the archives.

Here are some more links,
All Plaid Out,
LL Bean.