Superfluous
My Mail is Forwarded Here
- Messages
- 3,995
- Location
- Missing in action
Beautiful jacket Mark!!!
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Himel Brothers Leather Co.
- Thread starter bretron
- Start date
Mysteryo
One Too Many
- Messages
- 1,260
- Location
- Nantes (FR)
Smart choice! Himel's Avro is one of his most beautiful designs!
mr.himel reached out to me and told me mine is ready as well.
this is beyond better than what I had imagined it would look like.
tmitchell59
I'll Lock Up
- Messages
- 7,487
- Location
- Illinois
Wow! Two nice ones coming up.
jon11
A-List Customer
- Messages
- 310
- Location
- Northern.Ireland
another super jacket stunning
Superfluous
My Mail is Forwarded Here
- Messages
- 3,995
- Location
- Missing in action
Not mine
Benj
One of the Regulars
- Messages
- 240
- Location
- Los Angeles
You know, I love Himel more than the next guy, but is it just me or is the stitching around the shawl not up to the usual standards? It seems kind of wonky, and I think I'd be a little unhappy if I paid himel prices but saw stitching like that in such an obvious place.
Benj
One of the Regulars
- Messages
- 240
- Location
- Los Angeles
Unfortunately, there's no "they", just "him." That may explain why the answering is slow!
BobJ
Practically Family
- Messages
- 609
- Location
- Coos Bay, OR
Looks like the stitching is closer to the edge on the right side, as compared to the left.
dudewuttheheck
I'll Lock Up
- Messages
- 4,296
There's definitely some wonky stitching on the collar there. First time I've seen that on a Himel.
The extreme contrast between leather colour and stitching shows every detail. That is a big challenge.
But I don't think it's only him anymore. I think he has a little team by now. Am not sure, but I think I've read it in his posts.
When everything's collapsing, trust the kids!
- www.zekimin.com -
But I don't think it's only him anymore. I think he has a little team by now. Am not sure, but I think I've read it in his posts.
When everything's collapsing, trust the kids!
- www.zekimin.com -
dudewuttheheck
I'll Lock Up
- Messages
- 4,296
He's had a team for years. He has pretty much never done all the sewing himself.
This is the worst stitching I've ever seen on a Himel and I've looked at and handled quite a few!
- Messages
- 16,495
Jesus Christ! As much as I dislike Himel, the stitching is not wonky. It's just stitching. What A1 said, it's contrast stitching. It's like that all over the jacket and it's just as wonky on all of your jackets (and any other jacket) but you just don't notice it 'cause it's all in one tone while here, the black thread on white leather accentuates the characteristics of a hand made product.
I told you people don't really know what they're paying all that money for...
I told you people don't really know what they're paying all that money for...
ProteinNerd
My Mail is Forwarded Here
- Messages
- 3,892
- Location
- Sydney
I always thought the whole point of spending the $$ on a Himel was you got one obsessive perfectionist doing the work.
How do they justify the prices vs Aero or RMC or Eastman or any of the other small scale factories?
I'll add, I'm not against Himel at all and I'm not a stitch obsessive perfectionist either but whenever people talk about a Himel jacket, its almost with religious reverence and they are perfect. I just dont see how somehow the Himel factory employed all the worlds perfect craftsmen and the other makers got the rest.
maybe because the leather is very pale, they couldn't draw the sewing line guide, and so did it on the fly, resulting in less than perfect stitching?
imo skill is not really the biggest factor in producing a perfect stitching, because all these jackets are machine sewn, as long as their company can afford to spend more time on single item, theoretically they all can have perfect stitches.
imo skill is not really the biggest factor in producing a perfect stitching, because all these jackets are machine sewn, as long as their company can afford to spend more time on single item, theoretically they all can have perfect stitches.
Sewing a half circle on a shawl collar like that can't be easy. I must be stitch blind. I had to really look at it to see the "errors". I think the folds and bends in the collar also exacerbate the wonky stitching optics. I wouldn't care. But I also wouldn't pay north of $2k for it either.
- Messages
- 16,495
I think that's what people really want to believe. I've said this before but the best stitched jacket I've ever seen was my Made in China Alpinestars. If I didn't know any better, I would've thought the jacket had been made by a robot. But that's not so surprising considering how many jackets that same seamstress made prior to mine. Seamstress that makes jackets for Zara or H&M makes approximately 200 times more jackets a year than the entire Himel's team. So of course her work is unrivaled.
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Benj
One of the Regulars
- Messages
- 240
- Location
- Los Angeles
I think that most of the brands we like on this forum have great craftsmen, the differences are just in what the makers are trying to accomplish.
For himel, I think you're paying for:
Very expensive leather (shinki)
Very unique designs
High stitch count, with thread that doesn't perforate the leather
Very clean seams that are sewn super close to the edges, which I think looks a LOT better
And like most other brands, good craftsmen.
Those first 3 things have to be a deliberate choice with the maker. For instance, if you're using crazy thick leather and certain kinds of machines, you're not going to get the high stitch count or the small spaces between edge and stitching. It has nothing to due with the skill of the craftsmen, just the approach of making the jacket.
For instance, look at the inner panel stitching near the zipper on this aero:
And compare it to the same area on the Himel shown. That's the kind of stuff you're paying for... You might not care, but there is a difference.
