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Himel "The Imperial"

Tom71

Call Me a Cab
Messages
2,397
Location
Europe
Thanks for the nice review!

I like EVERYTHING about this jacket, and consider it one of the very best designs of all time. You nailed the fit, and the jacket has a very nice drape.

Wear it in good health, and best wishes!

Thanks so much! It is maginally cooler this morning, so I was able to take the jacket with me to work.
 

Drdan

Familiar Face
Messages
96
Location
Rome Italy and Hannover Germany
:D In the mornings where I am in Germany it's usually about 15 degrees centigrade (59 degrees F.), so a goatskin HB is seeing a lot of time this summer. Going to southern Italy soon where I'll find hot summer weather where no one in their right mind would wear any kind of leather jacket.
 

Cyber Lip

Practically Family
Messages
737
Location
Seattle
I just ordered an Imperial from Himel. Really excited about it! Mine's going to have a Frobisher back style though. I've already got a similar 3 panel back on another jacket, so wanted something a little different. I was glad they were willing to do it
 

Tom71

Call Me a Cab
Messages
2,397
Location
Europe
Tom71
How is the jacket breaking in?
Update photos?

Hey! Thanks for asking. I attach some photos from today (same office; more or less same attire). We had quite the heatwave here, so not much jacket time lately (plus I have the blue Michigan to take care off).

The Imperial has some additional scars to the coating but not much. Still not much break-in in the traditional sense. Apart from some uncharacteritical (for me) babying of the jacket, that will be due to all the oils and waxes in the hide. Still truly, madly, deeply in love with the piece...
 

Tom71

Call Me a Cab
Messages
2,397
Location
Europe
Imp92.jpg
Imp93.jpg
 

Tom71

Call Me a Cab
Messages
2,397
Location
Europe
Beautiful jacket but doesn't look worn at all. Will look so mich better when losing initial stiff- and shininess.

I know what you mean. It has in fact been worn quite a lot. The leather is so "rich" that it seems to spring back to the original shape after wear. I could work on that of course, but I am not a fan of artificial aging, so I just wait and see. One Thing, though: This is my only jacket that I try not to expose to rain...
 

Tom71

Call Me a Cab
Messages
2,397
Location
Europe
An attempt to slow down natural aging, I guess. As I said in my original post: I liked the look of the hide so much from the get-go that I really doubt it can improve with age.

I believe all other hides (Horween CXL; LW Horsehide; LL horse and sheep most prominentely) look better with some aging, so ONE oddity is ok by me. ;)
 

willyto

One Too Many
Messages
1,616
Location
Barcelona
Wear it whatever the weather. I’m not a fan of baby cared jackets.

They are utilitarian and workwear items. To protect from the elements apart from looking cool.

The more worn it gets the better it looks. That’s why I think as much as impressive they are, most collections here make the wear of leather jackets to their coolest point just an impossible task, they always look new and that is uncool for a leather jacket in my opinion.

I am guilty of that too.
 

Tom71

Call Me a Cab
Messages
2,397
Location
Europe
Once I receive my Himel Kensington made of the exact same batch of dark brown shinki used for Tom71's Imperial we will have to compare how they wear. I'll be sleeping in mine to break it in.

May I suggest, you buy two and only sleep in one of them. If you don´t like the aging, you can hang on to the baby-ed one and sell the worn-in to the aging-afficionados...:D
 

Tom71

Call Me a Cab
Messages
2,397
Location
Europe
Wear it whatever the weather. I’m not a fan of baby cared jackets.

They are utilitarian and workwear items. To protect from the elements apart from looking cool.

The more worn it gets the better it looks. That’s why I think as much as impressive they are, most collections here make the wear of leather jackets to their coolest point just an impossible task, they always look new and that is uncool for a leather jacket in my opinion.

I am guilty of that too.


Not gonna happen, Willyto! I use nearly all my other jackets as daily beaters and love the worn in look. The Imperial however clearly is more of a "sports-jacket" than workwear. Besides: I love it. Why would I want it to change at all...?

Just my 2 cents, obviously…
 

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