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A2 or Half Belf, which one first?

Cooperson

One Too Many
Messages
1,165
Location
Midlands UK
Ishmael - that's a cracking jacket/coat. Nice length, button cuffs, button front but no half-belt, I could wear that all day long. It's like traditional car coat from the back, but a Maxwell from the front - Killer! I would probably loose the throat latch though.
 

Seb Lucas

I'll Lock Up
Messages
7,562
Location
Australia
I reckon Johnson might be able to do one similar for around a third of that price. Tempting. And Ish, the designer may well be a hell of a nice guy but he still looks a hipster and I'm not keen on the hipster aesthetic - just my opinion so it matters not a jot. Nice jacket.
 
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zhz

Practically Family
Messages
890
Location
China, London and Coventry UK
Seb, if you look in the market, the Japanese made jackets are generally expensive than Western brands, and Freewheel is one of the most expensive one in Japan. I am sure someone can make a similar jacket with cheaper price, but is it the same quality, I mean the leather used, the hardware etc.
I always believe what you pay is what you get, especially in the vintage repro game.

I reckon Johnson might be able to do one similar for around a third of that price. Tempting. And Ish, the designer may well be a hell of a nice guy but he still looks a hipster. I'm not keen on the hipster aesthetic - especially how it presents over here. Nice jacket.
 

Ishmael

Practically Family
Messages
546
Location
Tokyo, Japan
That particular jacket is not $2500. Close, and getting closer, though.

He looks like a hipster? Not really sure what that means. I find this anti-hipster angst pretty silly. In an era of more enlightened views on homosexuality, it's like the hipster is the new fag, someone it's ok to hate on for not being like me. Honestly, if you don't want to look hip, consider moving away from leather outerwear entirely.
 

Seb Lucas

I'll Lock Up
Messages
7,562
Location
Australia
I certainly don't want to look hip (whatever that means) and never have. I don't hate hipsters. Well, some of them... I just find the often pretentious commodification of the hipster aesthetic lame. My mate had a business that caters to that crowd over here so I got to know a bunch of them (I'm close to a few) but many were terribly up themselves. The new fag? Are you kidding? You can't help who you love. But you can help how you choose to posture. Anyway, are you happy to move on? I'm done.
 
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Seb Lucas

I'll Lock Up
Messages
7,562
Location
Australia
Seb, if you look in the market, the Japanese made jackets are generally expensive than Western brands, and Freewheel is one of the most expensive one in Japan. I am sure someone can make a similar jacket with cheaper price, but is it the same quality, I mean the leather used, the hardware etc.
I always believe what you pay is what you get, especially in the vintage repro game.

I'm well aware of the Japanese market and I believe the jacket I could get form Johnson would tick all my boxes and I reckon it would be pretty close to the same quality.
 

tropicalbob

My Mail is Forwarded Here
Messages
3,954
Location
miami, fl
zhz -- What you pay is what you get? These days? Take a gander at the leather jacket sections of the dept. stores. $3,500 for lamb-skin men's girdles with the consistency of toilet paper. Value and who's doing what right is what these threads are about.
 

tropicalbob

My Mail is Forwarded Here
Messages
3,954
Location
miami, fl
Didn't mean to sound pissy, but if you read the recent JC interview you can see the justifications for his prices. Not all the makers are the artisan he is. I look at everything in a guitar-value ratio: is that jacket a telecaster or a stratocaster?; that car's worth four Guild 12-strings? etc.
 

Seb Lucas

I'll Lock Up
Messages
7,562
Location
Australia
Didn't mean to sound pissy, but if you read the recent JC interview you can see the justifications for his prices. Not all the makers are the artisan he is. I look at everything in a guitar-value ratio: is that jacket a telecaster or a stratocaster?; that car's worth four Guild 12-strings? etc.

We can parse value until the cows come home. Bottom line; you can still get a magnificently hand crafted leather jacket for a realistic price. I'm not one to compare a jacket to guitars, violins or cars for that matter. And zhz is right, you can get a lambskin piece of fashion crap for $1500, proving that the adage you get what you pay for is utterly lacking in precision. As it happens, I have no problem with people paying vast money for a jacket or having a zealous faith in various makers over others. It's up to the individual and their values.
 

tropicalbob

My Mail is Forwarded Here
Messages
3,954
Location
miami, fl
We can parse value until the cows come home. Bottom line; you can still get a magnificently hand crafted leather jacket for a realistic price. I'm not one to compare a jacket to guitars, violins or cars for that matter. And zhz is right, you can get a lambskin piece of fashion crap for $1500, proving that the adage you get what you pay for is utterly lacking in precision. As it happens, I have no problem with people paying vast money for a jacket or having a zealous faith in various makers over others. It's up to the individual and their values.

?
 

zhz

Practically Family
Messages
890
Location
China, London and Coventry UK
Well, mate, more those mall jacket, the price is for that brand name. I mean, maybe Aero/BK/ELC/GW is far better than a Gucci/Armani leather jacket, but if you ask someone on the street, most likely they can recognise the mall brand easily. That is what you paid for.
I also said that my statement is more suitable in vintage repro industry.

zhz -- What you pay is what you get? These days? Take a gander at the leather jacket sections of the dept. stores. $3,500 for lamb-skin men's girdles with the consistency of toilet paper. Value and who's doing what right is what these threads are about.
 

Sloan1874

I'll Lock Up
Messages
8,418
Location
Glasgow
Once you get into the margins, it's terrifying. I sometimes go into the Belstaff shop in Glasgow, just to laugh at the prices! :D
 

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