Canuck Panda
Call Me a Cab
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- 2,422
It's pretty awesome. Can't wait for the review.
Field Leathers
- Thread starter MrProper
- Start date
As far as I know, the shoulders are intentional, I happen to like them a lot. I know it is a matter of taste but to my own taste it gives the jacket a dressier structure that I really enjoy in terms of the overall silhouette, I also find it way less restrictive than say any of my McCoy jackets, for example. They will probably become less noticeable over time as the jacket breaks in tho.
Haha shitty Italian cowhide indeed, and let me tell you, I'm in love with it. I did my homework with the sample Greg sent me, I sanded it to different levels, scratched it... and the distress happened so easily and so naturally, with a very nice creamy undertone, I have no doubt this will age incredibly, its also much more supple than horse which for me is also a very welcoming change from my other jackets, it's just much easier to wear, and the colour is gorgeous no matter the lighting condition.
Haha shitty Italian cowhide indeed, and let me tell you, I'm in love with it. I did my homework with the sample Greg sent me, I sanded it to different levels, scratched it... and the distress happened so easily and so naturally, with a very nice creamy undertone, I have no doubt this will age incredibly, its also much more supple than horse which for me is also a very welcoming change from my other jackets, it's just much easier to wear, and the colour is gorgeous no matter the lighting condition.
Sounds like it's a great product with the bonus feature of giving aneurysms to certain people when they find out we "rejected Shinki".
Boulderunner
New in Town
- Messages
- 23
you mean cowhide right? Get your ungulate straight man
to me what looks FL is the collar and the shoulder, I think it will look nice once broken in, I imagine it will crease like un padded blazer with crushed in shoulder dimple, the upper back would be cool if tapers toward the half belt and then the kidney panel flares out a little towards the hem, to give some hourglass from profile view
TooManyHatsOnlyOneHead
Call Me a Cab
- Messages
- 2,159
Very nice design choices and obviously the construction is on point as always. Think this is a perfect example of what we talk about when we talk about "breaking it in." It's not a question of stretching it out or anything like that, it's more about getting it to settle down, lay flatter, etc. Right now, the jacket is wearing you, but I imagine with a few dozen wears, you'll get some nice form shaping going. Congrats!
I think my turn is coming up very soon. Need to inquire about the shoulders though because if more rounded is now an option, I'm all for it. Although I will say my Route 66 has settled down a lot especially in the shoulders. I'll try and find a good before pic so I can do a side by side. Another example of the breaking in process and some patience paying off.
TooManyHatsOnlyOneHead
Call Me a Cab
- Messages
- 2,159
Here, think I found a pretty good example of the shoulders settling in. This is the teacore shinki leather. Not sure if that makes a difference since it's supposed to be the same weight as the other stuff. It's not exact apples to apples because I think the before is more exaggerated because I was holding the phone and creating more lift vs. the after where I was hands free. But I think it still illustrates how it will evolve with time and wears.
Before, maybe 2 days of wear:
After (almost 2 years of occasional use):
Before, maybe 2 days of wear:
After (almost 2 years of occasional use):
Boulderunner
New in Town
- Messages
- 23
Man the black shinki tea core in your first pic looks astounding. I’m thinking of getting my build changed to black if I’m not feeling the brown option and he won’t let me pay for badalassi. I will say though that I feel like in the second pic your jacket looks slightly too small for my taste, and the reason I say that is this; do you see in the second pic the way the leather pinches or bunches around your shoulder and neck? I feel like that is usually due to the garment being too small in the neck and shoulder. That’s for me anyhow, obviously people have different preferences and the jacket is lovely regardless. Greg could also make the shoulders less rounded by making the angle he attaches the arms to the shoulders less acute if that makes any sense.
TooManyHatsOnlyOneHead
Call Me a Cab
- Messages
- 2,159
the teacore definitely grew on me. I wasn't overly excited when I first got it, but with some rain and wears, it has blossomed.
Without getting into a lot of details, there's a few things I would have done differently with the sizing, most importantly probably added more front drop. I actually just went back and padded some measurements before they cut my new jacket (Manhattan style as base) to hopefully give me some more margin for error and avoid the same issues.
The neck lines you're talking about I think are a pattern issue, although I'm sure some sizing parameters doesn't make it any better. They're similar to some of the Aero discussions we've had before with certain slopes of the shoulders combined with certain body types make for a bad combo. I think I remember hearing his Route 66 pattern was tweaked about a year after I got mine.
Boulderunner
New in Town
- Messages
- 23
Himel may not have perfect stitching (in my experience) but both my Himel jackets fit incredibly well and make me look like a rockstar, as a 2600$ jacket should.
Boulderunner
New in Town
- Messages
- 23
Are you saying Most people don’t think their Himel fits well? Or most people think the stitching is lazer straight and tight? Mine has out of place stitches for sure. But both have really great patterns that fit so well and just look great on while actually not being horribly uncomfortable
I was saying that most Himels I‘ve seen fit poorly. Though not all, of course. I haven’t seen yours but Damon on this site has a really nice fitting one. There’s also someone here with a nice Himel Grizzly.
Everything is a tradeoff, though. Vanson has probably the highest standard of patterning, but limited options in other respects. Field has amazing materials and workmanship, but as a new business he’s still developing his base pattern set. Himel (like Kelso in this respect) will make up rare designs in great materials, but if it doesn’t work out you’re up the creek without a ladder. Buzz Rickson’s (and the rest of Toyo) have some of the best patterning out of any Japanese company (I saw a cool clip with their pattern maker, from a Japanese magazine), but take a less ‘luxe’ approach than some of their competition. It goes on. (And in some cases, the ‘tradeoff’ might not be a tradeoff at all for someone’s tastes–such as if you want the rugged materials at Vanson or the period repro construction at Rickson.)
Everything is a tradeoff, though. Vanson has probably the highest standard of patterning, but limited options in other respects. Field has amazing materials and workmanship, but as a new business he’s still developing his base pattern set. Himel (like Kelso in this respect) will make up rare designs in great materials, but if it doesn’t work out you’re up the creek without a ladder. Buzz Rickson’s (and the rest of Toyo) have some of the best patterning out of any Japanese company (I saw a cool clip with their pattern maker, from a Japanese magazine), but take a less ‘luxe’ approach than some of their competition. It goes on. (And in some cases, the ‘tradeoff’ might not be a tradeoff at all for someone’s tastes–such as if you want the rugged materials at Vanson or the period repro construction at Rickson.)
Marc mndt
I'll Lock Up
- Messages
- 5,388
There's lots of himel threads, this is not one of them.
Here's a few with critiques, if you were wondering.
https://www.thefedoralounge.com/threads/himel-bros-imperial-fit.109138/
https://www.thefedoralounge.com/threads/himel-an-existential-review.107576/
https://www.thefedoralounge.com/threads/himel-bros-still-in-business.107097/
https://www.thefedoralounge.com/threads/my-himel-experience-v2.103586/
https://www.thefedoralounge.com/threads/himel-bros-chevalier-bis.93446/post-2780119
Edit: typo
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Yeah, they run a bit small compared to off the rack jackets but he takes the measurements off of your favorite jacket and then he tweaks it in a way that will better adjust to his patterns and then he stamps the size tag which at the end of the day really doesn't mean that much because it is gonna fit you perfectly
Again I will do a more in-depth review but generally speaking, I don't consider myself a jacket expert nor a pattern expert by any means so I couldn't tell if the jacket shoulders have technical flaws from a tailoring point of view. All I can say is that apart from the laser straight stitching and finishing which is actually impressive to see in person and has set up a new standard for me, I've always liked the aesthetic of his jackets and that mine is extremely comfortable to wear.
I see the fit on myself in the mirror and I love it and it feels in sync with the rest of my jackets, but it gives me a range of motion that it is way ahead which is the main reason I went with custom. It also makes me feel like a rockstar (who would have said) as many other pieces I have in my wardrobe that do not cost nearly as much but I don't really see the point of numbering them here anyway.
What I was talking about applies more to the earlier jackets and stock jackets.
The Route 66’s he made more recently for himself seem to fit him amazingly. The stand collars are shorter and the neck hole seems more on top of the shoulders than in front like a dress collar might be.
I don’t want to highjack the thread talking about other manufacturers but I was asked a question for a build which made sense to me. About my body’s shoulder slope.
Might be worth mentioning because if a jacket is cut with horizontal shoulders for a body that has an inclined slope, and vise versa, it will never lay flat.
I imagine the mock up would’ve sorted this out if someone went bespoke especially if you take your time and really think about the way your mock up fits and picture how it will lay and move on the body when actually leather. Plus gather advice from others more experienced. We all saw Marc made so many observations on his mock up and changed a lot and it turned out perfect from my perspective.
It's been a couple of days wearing this jacket for several hours and as I won’t be able to make a real review until after a longer period of wear I can already tell you guys some of my first impressions.
Getting a jacket from Greg was something that has been on my list for a long time. I recommended Field Leathers to a friend of mine who was looking to purchase his first “good” leather jacket and didn’t want to risk his money on getting something expensive off the rack because he wasn’t sure about the fit. He went with it last year and when he finally got it we met up for a drink and I saw his new Manhattan in person. I placed my order that same evening.
Honestly, I was in shock with the finishing, I've never handled a Rainbow Country which is supposed to be the world's top 3 in that sense, but I've seen Freewheelers and I own and have owned Real Mccoys, Buzz Ricksons… I think Greg beats them all in terms of finishing. Maybe I haven’t seen enough high-end jackets yet but I've seen enough to convince me. I also know that finishing is not everything in a jacket, we have the design, the pattern, the fit, the leather… I will try to go through all these on my own jacket.
In terms of design, one thing I like about Greg’s styles is that they are contemporary jackets with a vintage twist. Mainly because of the fit and proportions. I don’t think Field Leathers is the place anyone would go for a 100% true repro jacket unless that is your specific project and you take it to the next level as some people in this forum have done with excellent results, at least for now. For the rest of us is either choosing one of his standard models as they are or choosing one and tweaking it, which is what I did.
I wanted a 30s deco-inspired aviator piece. I went through a lot of catalogues, internet photos (thanks Marc) and through some modern companies that make vintage styles and created a mashup of references of all I liked, I also drew a sketch of the final piece in my head and created a mood board with all that and sent it to Greg with the message: Can we adapt this to a Manhattan? And that’s exactly what he did.
When I received the test jacket I barely made any changes. The shoulders were too wide but that was my fault because I mentioned, after the measurements, I sent him based on my RMC Buco, that I would like more space in the shoulders because my Buco feels a bit too tight in that area. He added that extra cm and turned out it was too much, because the problem with my Buco is probably not about the shoulder length but about the way the pattern is structured, and that’s why it feels too tight. The other thing I asked him to change was the front drop, I wanted it to be an inch longer, and the last one was the back design, I wanted the central piece to be not completely rectangular but shorter in the base, as well as a thinner waistband. That was all.
Now, I know that Greg’s signature shoulders are an issue for some people here. That is fair enough. I don’t think they are a flaw tho. The rest of the jacket is on point in terms of pattern and construction, he has years of experience and works with professionals in the industry, so why would the shoulders be an accident? I think they are a decision, one that I particularly appreciate and enjoy. I like fashion in general, and I like shapes and silhouettes, I like how they block proportions and give the garments a character. I understand that that’s not what a lot of people are looking for in a leather jacket. In my opinion, there is no right or wrong in this particular matter, I know that tailoring works differently than jacket-making. I am not saying that I went with him for this reason, or that I prefer it over a more conventional design, I have plenty of these, I'm just saying that I like it as it is. I consider this jacket an author piece.
Picking up the leather was a bit of a struggle just until the moment I got the samples. I wanted a brown leather and I did consider the Shinki pony, but 2 things were happening at that point, even though it looks insanely beautiful I wanted something darker and less reddish, and second, well, he didn’t carry that stock anymore. The only brown option was the pigment Shinki horse and a mysterious yet-to-be-branded "shitty" Italian Cowhide. I liked the cowhide shade a lot in the pictures, but I wasn’t sure if it would be as good as Shinki… I was even considering going black, either tea core or full aniline even though that’s a colour I don’t associate with a 30s jacket… That kept me up all night (not really) until, as I mentioned, received the samples.
The cowhide was gorgeous. Not only had the right tone and shade I was looking for, but it was smooth and prone to create a lot of grain over time, and also had a beautiful distressing, very natural and easy to create. It was also supple which was something I was really looking for after most of my jackets being Shinki horse. That said, I fell in love with the black full aniline. That's gonna be one for the next one for sure.
For the lining I allowed myself a bit of eccentricity, I've always liked vintage military patterns and I have a soft spot for the Vietnam tiger stripe. I asked them about it because I saw it in a picture months ago and they told me they didn’t have it in stock but they would be able to get it, and I'm so glad they did because I love how it looks and works with the brown.
The jacket wears like a glove. The range of motion it gives me doesn’t feel like the one you would get out of a thick heavy leather jacket. It is comfortable, either zipped or unzipped, you can sit down or do whatever you want in it and won’t feel any areas of discomfort or friction. The only thing I would change however is the hand warmers. I chose the design and I'm happy with it, but I didn’t think of their complete functionality. They wear like totally normal pockets when the jacket is unzipped, zipped up however, they end up being a bit too close, so getting both hands inside at the same time makes your fists push against each other a bit. Not a big deal and honestly, I wanted to have them for small storage and practicality mainly, because having my hands in there all the time would deform the shape and I wouldn’t like that.
My favourite part of the final piece has to be the back. I particularly love 30s deco backs and I tried to design this one in a way that was different to any other I've seen, at least in general, but also in a way that it would feel authentic from that era. Well one thing is the design and a very different thing is the actual jacket, I see a work of art here, not only do the proportions work perfectly in my opinion but the laser straight stitching makes it even more impressive to look at.
So in general, as you can imagine, I couldn’t be happier. I designed this jacket to be a beater, to be functional and easy to wear but also stylish and a bit of a statement, to be easy to integrate with my wardrobe and with details that most people would think are nice but jacket aficionados would recognise and appreciate, like the back or the 30s repro buttons (thanks again, Marc), and I believe it ticks all the boxes. As if that wasn’t enough Sam and Greg are a delight to work with. Easy to talk to, very professional, open to new ideas and suggestions and most importantly very efficient problem-solving people. Not only I would recommend getting a Jacket from them, but I will also get another one myself eventually.
Getting a jacket from Greg was something that has been on my list for a long time. I recommended Field Leathers to a friend of mine who was looking to purchase his first “good” leather jacket and didn’t want to risk his money on getting something expensive off the rack because he wasn’t sure about the fit. He went with it last year and when he finally got it we met up for a drink and I saw his new Manhattan in person. I placed my order that same evening.
Honestly, I was in shock with the finishing, I've never handled a Rainbow Country which is supposed to be the world's top 3 in that sense, but I've seen Freewheelers and I own and have owned Real Mccoys, Buzz Ricksons… I think Greg beats them all in terms of finishing. Maybe I haven’t seen enough high-end jackets yet but I've seen enough to convince me. I also know that finishing is not everything in a jacket, we have the design, the pattern, the fit, the leather… I will try to go through all these on my own jacket.
In terms of design, one thing I like about Greg’s styles is that they are contemporary jackets with a vintage twist. Mainly because of the fit and proportions. I don’t think Field Leathers is the place anyone would go for a 100% true repro jacket unless that is your specific project and you take it to the next level as some people in this forum have done with excellent results, at least for now. For the rest of us is either choosing one of his standard models as they are or choosing one and tweaking it, which is what I did.
I wanted a 30s deco-inspired aviator piece. I went through a lot of catalogues, internet photos (thanks Marc) and through some modern companies that make vintage styles and created a mashup of references of all I liked, I also drew a sketch of the final piece in my head and created a mood board with all that and sent it to Greg with the message: Can we adapt this to a Manhattan? And that’s exactly what he did.
When I received the test jacket I barely made any changes. The shoulders were too wide but that was my fault because I mentioned, after the measurements, I sent him based on my RMC Buco, that I would like more space in the shoulders because my Buco feels a bit too tight in that area. He added that extra cm and turned out it was too much, because the problem with my Buco is probably not about the shoulder length but about the way the pattern is structured, and that’s why it feels too tight. The other thing I asked him to change was the front drop, I wanted it to be an inch longer, and the last one was the back design, I wanted the central piece to be not completely rectangular but shorter in the base, as well as a thinner waistband. That was all.
Now, I know that Greg’s signature shoulders are an issue for some people here. That is fair enough. I don’t think they are a flaw tho. The rest of the jacket is on point in terms of pattern and construction, he has years of experience and works with professionals in the industry, so why would the shoulders be an accident? I think they are a decision, one that I particularly appreciate and enjoy. I like fashion in general, and I like shapes and silhouettes, I like how they block proportions and give the garments a character. I understand that that’s not what a lot of people are looking for in a leather jacket. In my opinion, there is no right or wrong in this particular matter, I know that tailoring works differently than jacket-making. I am not saying that I went with him for this reason, or that I prefer it over a more conventional design, I have plenty of these, I'm just saying that I like it as it is. I consider this jacket an author piece.
Picking up the leather was a bit of a struggle just until the moment I got the samples. I wanted a brown leather and I did consider the Shinki pony, but 2 things were happening at that point, even though it looks insanely beautiful I wanted something darker and less reddish, and second, well, he didn’t carry that stock anymore. The only brown option was the pigment Shinki horse and a mysterious yet-to-be-branded "shitty" Italian Cowhide. I liked the cowhide shade a lot in the pictures, but I wasn’t sure if it would be as good as Shinki… I was even considering going black, either tea core or full aniline even though that’s a colour I don’t associate with a 30s jacket… That kept me up all night (not really) until, as I mentioned, received the samples.
The cowhide was gorgeous. Not only had the right tone and shade I was looking for, but it was smooth and prone to create a lot of grain over time, and also had a beautiful distressing, very natural and easy to create. It was also supple which was something I was really looking for after most of my jackets being Shinki horse. That said, I fell in love with the black full aniline. That's gonna be one for the next one for sure.
For the lining I allowed myself a bit of eccentricity, I've always liked vintage military patterns and I have a soft spot for the Vietnam tiger stripe. I asked them about it because I saw it in a picture months ago and they told me they didn’t have it in stock but they would be able to get it, and I'm so glad they did because I love how it looks and works with the brown.
The jacket wears like a glove. The range of motion it gives me doesn’t feel like the one you would get out of a thick heavy leather jacket. It is comfortable, either zipped or unzipped, you can sit down or do whatever you want in it and won’t feel any areas of discomfort or friction. The only thing I would change however is the hand warmers. I chose the design and I'm happy with it, but I didn’t think of their complete functionality. They wear like totally normal pockets when the jacket is unzipped, zipped up however, they end up being a bit too close, so getting both hands inside at the same time makes your fists push against each other a bit. Not a big deal and honestly, I wanted to have them for small storage and practicality mainly, because having my hands in there all the time would deform the shape and I wouldn’t like that.
My favourite part of the final piece has to be the back. I particularly love 30s deco backs and I tried to design this one in a way that was different to any other I've seen, at least in general, but also in a way that it would feel authentic from that era. Well one thing is the design and a very different thing is the actual jacket, I see a work of art here, not only do the proportions work perfectly in my opinion but the laser straight stitching makes it even more impressive to look at.
So in general, as you can imagine, I couldn’t be happier. I designed this jacket to be a beater, to be functional and easy to wear but also stylish and a bit of a statement, to be easy to integrate with my wardrobe and with details that most people would think are nice but jacket aficionados would recognise and appreciate, like the back or the 30s repro buttons (thanks again, Marc), and I believe it ticks all the boxes. As if that wasn’t enough Sam and Greg are a delight to work with. Easy to talk to, very professional, open to new ideas and suggestions and most importantly very efficient problem-solving people. Not only I would recommend getting a Jacket from them, but I will also get another one myself eventually.
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^ Great post and review! The jacket looks to be an absolutely perfect fit and the hide is lovely! In thinking about the shoulders, they remind me of 50's leather jackets that had shoulder pads sewn into the seams, like this campus jacket:
I have always removed the padding but the square shoulder does remain. I don’t know if this aesthetic is by choice for Greg or not but is certainly not without precedent in vintage pieces.
I have always removed the padding but the square shoulder does remain. I don’t know if this aesthetic is by choice for Greg or not but is certainly not without precedent in vintage pieces.