A Craftsman’s Passion: American Jeans

NEW YORK TIMES Neighborhood Joint  By LISA M. COLLINS Photo DEVIN YALKIN

Echigoya Takayuki Singer is a denim artist working at the intersection of tools, history, and making.

After decades of working with vintage clothing and producing his own jeans in New York, he developed a deep focus on early sewing machines and historical garment construction.

By collecting and restoring antique Singer machines, he continues to produce denim using methods shaped by the physical realities of past industrial eras.

In spring 2025, he relocated his studio to Osaka, Japan, where his practice has evolved into a living workspace — part atelier, part archive.

His work is not only about creating jeans, but about allowing time, sound, and craft to remain visible in each piece.