AVANT Magazine Volume 1 — An Anthology of American Workwear

AVANT Magazine is a biannual magazine founded by Eric Maggiori. It focuses on the relationship between clothing, history and its impact on our current society. In this first volume, An Anthology of American Workwear, AVANT dives into workwear clothing through one of America’s most mythic chapters: the California Gold Rush. We meet key voices who shaped today’s workwear culture — Brit Eaton (denim archaeologist), Rin Tanaka (founder of The Inspiration Show), and collectors Bryan and Melody Kahtava to talk denim hunting and the thrill of discovery. We also paint a portrait of Jacob Davis, inventor of the rivet and the man behind Levi’s early success. Beyond the frontier, we explore United Costume, one of Hollywood’s most reputed costume houses, investigate the love of American workwear in Japan, and share practical collector tools — including how to recognize a garment’s era from its tag. This issue is part history book, part collector field guide, and part love letter to the garments that built the modern American silhouette.