About Blackhorse Lane Ateliers
“We are the salmon swimming against the current in the fashion world,” says Han Ates, founder of Blackhorse Lane Ateliers. “I just wanted to make the best jeans in the world—and do it properly.”
Founded in 2016 in Walthamstow, East London, Blackhorse Lane Ateliers began with a simple but radical idea: to revive London’s long-lost tradition of denim garment-making, and to build a brand grounded in quality, integrity, and craft.
A former tailor and lifelong maker, Han brings decades of experience in garment production to a project fuelled not by trends, but by purpose. “There was no roadmap—just passion, curiosity, and a love for great clothing.” That spirit of curiosity remains at the heart of the brand today.
Each garment begins with the fabric—natural fibres that feel good, age beautifully, and are designed to endure. From our signature selvedge denim jeans to chore jackets and linen shirts, everything is made with a blend of traditional construction and contemporary design. No shortcuts. No gimmicks. Just honest clothing, made well.
Our garments are an investment—in quality, in craft, and in culture. We’ve lost the traditions our parents and grandparents once held: caring for clothes, repairing what wore out, and supporting local tailors and boutique shops. The pieces they bought weren’t just worn—they were handed down, passed down generations, like family lore.
At Blackhorse Lane Ateliers, we’re not reinventing the wheel. We’re simply rekindling those old traditions—with your help.
Blackhorse Lane Ateliers is about more than just garments. It’s built on three pillars that guide everything we do: Quality, Community, and Eco-consciousness.
Quality
We combine the precision of tailoring with traditional construction methods to create garments of unmatched quality. From fit to finish, every detail of our jeans is carefully considered. Jeans that are the first to be produced in London in over 50 years.
Community
“Think local, act global” is more than a phrase to us. Our Walthamstow atelier is home to a thriving ecosystem of makers. We employ and train local machinists, offer shared ownership to every team member, and our in-house R&D Wash Lab, where we experiment with new finishes and techniques.
On weekends, our workshop also hosts Slowburn—a pop-up restaurant known for some of the finest food in East London. Together, we’re building a stronger, more connected maker community.
Eco-consciousness
We don’t chase trends—we challenge the culture of disposability. Using organic cotton and the best selvedge denim from Italy and Japan, we work to minimise the environmental impact of every garment we make. Our lifetime repair policy is a stand against fast fashion, encouraging thoughtful choices and long-term wear.
This is clothing made with purpose—meant to be worn, repaired, and loved for years to come.
“I’ve never seen much of an argument for different levels of
make in a jean; Blackhorse Lane Ateliers changes that, largely by
rethinking the assumptions of the industry”
– Simon Crompton, Permanent Style