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FiveStar Leather 1930's Cafe Racer in premium , waxed goat

MotionDesign

One of the Regulars
Messages
114
So I wanted to run an experiment with FiveStar leather and see how ordering a custom leather jacket would go. Their 1930's Civilian Cafe Racer seemed like a great candidate. I decided to stick to one pattern and order three jackets in the span of three months, making necessary corrections in between to improve each iteration.
The first jacket was a 2mm brown steer, and it came out pretty good with some minor issues. The second jacket was a black 2mm steer that came out much better but still had some issues. The biggest one being a broken zipper insertion pin. But that's a subject I'd like to review in detail in a few months as I rate the jackets' quality after having a chance to wear them for a while.

IMG_9764 copy.jpg


This review will focus on the third jacket. A refined 1930's cafe racer that was meant to be the crowning achievement of the money and time investment over the last three months. A reward for patience, subtle experimentation, attention to detail, constant improvement, and working with just one pattern to limit the variables. And It came close, very close. But it didn't quite hit the mark.

Here's the list of good things:

-The premium waxed goat leather feels pretty good. It's stout but not too thick, at least compared to the 2mm steer. -The leather is cut very well, and the dimensions are even and symmetrical.
-On the inside, the olive cotton drill looks great, and the black sateen in the sleeves is nice and slick.
-The brass YKK zippers look and work great.

IMG_9787.jpg


IMG_9791.jpg



Here's the list of awesome things:

-The 4mm stitching with 6 ply thread is one of the best I've seen. The lines are straight, and the overlapping matches the pattern of the neighboring cut.

IMG_9793.jpg


IMG_9768 copy.jpg


IMG_9769 copy.jpg


And here's the list of not so good things:
-The uniformity of the premium goat ranges from 1.6mm to 1.1mm on a few panels. I did ask for uniform thickness, but I guess that's the best they could do.
-Some of the measurements from the spec sheet were not acknowledged. With all fairness, I did send the updated spec sheet that had the same file name as the previous one, so this could be on me.
-The measurement QC photos were a bit theatrical. The most obvious example was an arm opening that was spec'd at 10.75". That was confirmed by 5*, as per the picture below. However, the true measurement was closer to 11.5". Again, not a huge deal. With the rest of the measurements, 5* was certainly within 0.5", which is an industry standard.

Picture from 5*
IMG20230317182125.jpg


My measurement
IMG_9878.jpeg






And now, here's the item that could potentially spoil the cake:

-The size of the inside drill lining seems like it was meant for a jacket at least two sizes bigger. I understand it's customary to leave a bit of slack on the inside to accommodate for the leather being stretched and formed to the body as the jacket is being worn, but what I received seemed a bit excessive.

IMG_9710.jpg



There is an additional 5 inches of cotton drill hanging from the seam of the jacket, which makes wearing it feel like a permanently sewn-in crumpled flannel shirt on the inside. It's a pity because, other than that, the jacket is pretty amazing. However, correcting this issue would require the services of a competent tailor, which would cost an additional $100 to $150. This would put the jacket closer to $500, which is still good, but there are other options available at that price range.

IMG_9807.jpeg


I sent an email to 5* last week with a few pictures but I am yet to hear back from them. Despite this issue, I will continue to wear the jacket as I like it quite a bit. Eventually, I will find a professional to correct the inside lining. I was considering another order but I think my experiment with 5* may be coming to a close. It has been a great learning experience and they did produce three unique, custom, and perfectly wearable leather jackets for a good price. I wish the best of luck to anyone who is at the beginning of their journey in search of the perfect jacket.
 

Canuck Panda

I'll Lock Up
Messages
4,130
5Star Strength:
Clean machine jobs that is on par with jacket that cost a lot more.
Will say no to nothing. (This is also their biggest weakness)

5Star Weakness:
Will say no to nothing. This can lead to non related details that gets overlooked.

Overall I believe 5Star's pricing offsets its weakness. However, dollars do add up after a few jackets.

I believe OP you did well on your 5Star journey. Three solid jackets with some minor issues that isn't really known to anyone but yourself. Making the jackets very wearable. Enjoy.

FWIW, I do rate off rack 5Star A2 jackets quite high. He does a very good job there. Could the ribs be tri layer wool like the Japanese, sure but those are very minor details considering the cost of the jacket.

IMG_1175.JPG
 

MrProper

My Mail is Forwarded Here
Messages
3,839
Location
Europe
Yes, unfortunately, this is exactly the problem with 5*. They are not designers and have no sense of the beautiful and practical. Normally every jacket manufacturer should be clear that such a lining is not acceptable. Same with different thickness leather and photos of measurements that are partly faked.
If you then complain, you only get a discount on the next jacket. Sending it in for repair at least costs shipping and who knows what will go wrong.
Too bad they don't just charge $100 more, but work cleanly for it.
 

navetsea

I'll Lock Up
Messages
6,711
Location
East Java
So I wanted to run an experiment with FiveStar leather and see how ordering a custom leather jacket would go. Their 1930's Civilian Cafe Racer seemed like a great candidate. I decided to stick to one pattern and order three jackets in the span of three months, making necessary corrections in between to improve each iteration.
The first jacket was a 2mm brown steer, and it came out pretty good with some minor issues. The second jacket was a black 2mm steer that came out much better but still had some issues. The biggest one being a broken zipper insertion pin. But that's a subject I'd like to review in detail in a few months as I rate the jackets' quality after having a chance to wear them for a while.

View attachment 502577

This review will focus on the third jacket. A refined 1930's cafe racer that was meant to be the crowning achievement of the money and time investment over the last three months. A reward for patience, subtle experimentation, attention to detail, constant improvement, and working with just one pattern to limit the variables. And It came close, very close. But it didn't quite hit the mark.

Here's the list of good things:

-The premium waxed goat leather feels pretty good. It's stout but not too thick, at least compared to the 2mm steer. -The leather is cut very well, and the dimensions are even and symmetrical.
-On the inside, the olive cotton drill looks great, and the black sateen in the sleeves is nice and slick.
-The brass YKK zippers look and work great.

View attachment 502578

View attachment 502579


Here's the list of awesome things:

-The 4mm stitching with 6 ply thread is one of the best I've seen. The lines are straight, and the overlapping matches the pattern of the neighboring cut.

View attachment 502580

View attachment 502586

View attachment 502587

And here's the list of not so good things:
-The uniformity of the premium goat ranges from 1.6mm to 1.1mm on a few panels. I did ask for uniform thickness, but I guess that's the best they could do.
-Some of the measurements from the spec sheet were not acknowledged. With all fairness, I did send the updated spec sheet that had the same file name as the previous one, so this could be on me.
-The measurement QC photos were a bit theatrical. The most obvious example was an arm opening that was spec'd at 10.75". That was confirmed by 5*, as per the picture below. However, the true measurement was closer to 11.5". Again, not a huge deal. With the rest of the measurements, 5* was certainly within 0.5", which is an industry standard.

Picture from 5*
View attachment 502581

My measurement
View attachment 502582





And now, here's the item that could potentially spoil the cake:

-The size of the inside drill lining seems like it was meant for a jacket at least two sizes bigger. I understand it's customary to leave a bit of slack on the inside to accommodate for the leather being stretched and formed to the body as the jacket is being worn, but what I received seemed a bit excessive.

View attachment 502583


There is an additional 5 inches of cotton drill hanging from the seam of the jacket, which makes wearing it feel like a permanently sewn-in crumpled flannel shirt on the inside. It's a pity because, other than that, the jacket is pretty amazing. However, correcting this issue would require the services of a competent tailor, which would cost an additional $100 to $150. This would put the jacket closer to $500, which is still good, but there are other options available at that price range.

View attachment 502584

I sent an email to 5* last week with a few pictures but I am yet to hear back from them. Despite this issue, I will continue to wear the jacket as I like it quite a bit. Eventually, I will find a professional to correct the inside lining. I was considering another order but I think my experiment with 5* may be coming to a close. It has been a great learning experience and they did produce three unique, custom, and perfectly wearable leather jackets for a good price. I wish the best of luck to anyone who is at the beginning of their journey in search of the perfect jacket.
great review, since your jacket has leather backing all around, you can just cut the bottom of the lining to free it from ballooning, so the effect is just like wearing untucked mid layer shirt instead. and then just shorten and finish the edge of the liner, perhaps places who offer jeans hemming can easily do that for small cost, but leave some margin from the bottom so the remaining lining fabrics that is still connected to the leather backing/ facing around the hem can be re-stitched to properly finish it and not fraying. as for the liner excess width perhaps you can create a pair of pleats once the bottom of the liner hangs free and iron it, and hand sew the end of the pleat fold to make it close on neutral position, so the pleats only activate when you reach forward or upward, can be a pair of smaller pleats or 1 big pleat on the center back.
 
Last edited:

Damon141

Practically Family
Messages
928
great review, since your jacket has leather backing all around, you can just cut the bottom of the lining to free it from ballooning, so the effect is just like wearing untucked mid layer shirt instead. and then just shorten and finish the edge of the liner, perhaps places who offer jeans hemming can easily do that for small cost, but leave some margin from the bottom so the remaining lining fabrics that is still connected to the leather backing/ facing around the hem can be re-stitched to properly finish it and not fraying. as for the liner excess width perhaps you can create a pair of pleats once the bottom of the liner hangs free and iron it, and hand sew the end of the pleat fold to make it close on neutral position, so the pleats only activate when you reach forward or upward, can be a pair of smaller pleats or 1 big pleat on the center back.
Here is a picture that reflects what Navetsea suggested.
It is apparently a feature that some vintage jacket makers utilized
D3A72E5E-7B74-4766-8B95-457CE445FCC4.jpeg

AADE8487-F1B2-42CC-BF32-A99F5EEA5141.jpeg
 

MotionDesign

One of the Regulars
Messages
114
@Damon141 I just saw your reply, thank you! I finally heard from 5* and they offered to fix the lining if I ship the jacket back to Pakistan. That would be over $150 in total shipping costs. Well, at least they offered :)
 

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