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Staff changes at Aero Leather

cuthbert

One of the Regulars
Messages
224
Location
VR
I didn't know that Amanda had left either!!! I have a 30's HB with a lot of modifications and small details on order, so I hope when they get to making the jacket, it is has all the small details that I e-mailed Amanda about. Who do we contact now if we have any questions or if we want any small changes done?

The same for me...now I'm quite confused, I haven't received answers to my last mails and now I found out why in this thread.
 

Todd M.

One of the Regulars
Messages
150
Location
Orlando, Fl.
I just read this entire thread. As a business owner for over 20 years their are things you can't discuss. By reading between the lines though, their may have been some shady dealings between wholesalers and employees? Aero is my favorite Jacket Co. and the quality is second to none. You will only get stronger as a company when the family runs the business.
 

robrinay

One Too Many
Messages
1,489
Location
Sheffield UK
^ That sounds like it will be a beauty. Looking forward to seeing how it turns out.

I'll be pleased to post a picture when it arrives - it will be my first new Aero jacket and perhaps even the first model of the new design (excepting the prototype of course).
 

cuthbert

One of the Regulars
Messages
224
Location
VR
From the mails I received I guess there's a lot of confusion in this transition...
 

trapp

Practically Family
Messages
544
Location
bay area, ca
Wow, just caught up on all this. Never worked directly with Will but I'm really sorry to hear that Amanda has left. She could not possibly have been more responsive to the chains of emails I sent as I put together an order with her a few months back. My experience with Amanda was fantastic.
 

Peacoat

*
Bartender
Messages
6,312
Location
South of Nashville
Wow, just caught up on all this. Never worked directly with Will but I'm really sorry to hear that Amanda has left. She could not possibly have been more responsive to the chains of emails I sent as I put together an order with her a few months back. My experience with Amanda was fantastic.

Yes, agree 100%.
 

cloudylemonade

A-List Customer
Messages
404
Location
Glasgow
I just made my way through this entire thread as well - also haven't heard back from a couple of recent e-mails to Aero. I guess I'll wait a couple more days, and if I don't hear anything, contact Holly.

Sorry, we're working flat out 24/7, 7 days a week to get on top of everything. Please bear with us, and we will be back in touch as soon as possible. But, yes, if you've not heard anything in a few more days feel free to email me on holly@aeroleatherclothing.com

Thanks for understanding!
 

wdw

One Too Many
Messages
1,260
Location
Edinburgh
I was at the factory again this morning and I'm pleased to say that (as majormajor and robinray said earlier) the place is a hive of activity and just seems to have a purposeful air about it. I met a few of the staff, including Christine the new receptionist, Julie who'll be doing my Stockman, and Paula who made my HWM earlier this year. I'd say morale was definitely high.

Considering how very busy he is, Ken was very generous with his time this morning and was kind enough to give me a quick tour of the inner sanctum of Chateau Aero, which was hugely interesting for an Aero jacket buyer like me.

From what I could see, I'd say that we as customers need have nothing to fear, although as Holly has said, there does seem to be a heck of a lot of work to get through, which is obviously why they're now working 7 days a week. I can only wish them all the best and hope they get back on top of the workload soon.
 

rocketeer

Call Me a Cab
Messages
2,605
Location
England
I was at the factory again this morning and I'm pleased to say that (as majormajor and robinray said earlier) the place is a hive of activity and just seems to have a purposeful air about it. I met a few of the staff, including Christine the new receptionist, Julie who'll be doing my Stockman, and Paula who made my HWM earlier this year. I'd say morale was definitely high.

Considering how very busy he is, Ken was very generous with his time this morning and was kind enough to give me a quick tour of the inner sanctum of Chateau Aero, which was hugely interesting for an Aero jacket buyer like me.

From what I could see, I'd say that we as customers need have nothing to fear, although as Holly has said, there does seem to be a heck of a lot of work to get through, which is obviously why they're now working 7 days a week. I can only wish them all the best and hope they get back on top of the workload soon.

Its great to have a look around and see the machines and factory workings, a rare sight these days with so many manufacturing going to the Far East nowadays.
And Kens 'Museum'. A bit like the old Thrift Shop from thee 1980s

Did you get to see my old jacket while you were there? The A2 with the little Hepolite wing badge?
 

wdw

One Too Many
Messages
1,260
Location
Edinburgh
Did you get to see my old jacket while you were there?
I'm afraid I missed that, spending more time in the workshop. It's difficult to know where to look, though, as there's just so much vintage stuff and new jackets to take in. The styles, colours and the smell of leather is overwhelming, especially after reading so much about it all on here.

Strange to think that some of the jackets I was looking at might very soon be on their way to Lounge members.
 

Fanch

I'll Lock Up
Messages
4,490
Location
Texas
I was at the factory again this morning and I'm pleased to say that (as majormajor and robinray said earlier) the place is a hive of activity and just seems to have a purposeful air about it. I met a few of the staff, including Christine the new receptionist, Julie who'll be doing my Stockman, and Paula who made my HWM earlier this year. I'd say morale was definitely high.

Considering how very busy he is, Ken was very generous with his time this morning and was kind enough to give me a quick tour of the inner sanctum of Chateau Aero, which was hugely interesting for an Aero jacket buyer like me.

From what I could see, I'd say that we as customers need have nothing to fear, although as Holly has said, there does seem to be a heck of a lot of work to get through, which is obviously why they're now working 7 days a week. I can only wish them all the best and hope they get back on top of the workload soon.

WDW, it was most interesting to read your post regarding your recent visit to the Aero factory and experience there. I suspect that your issue regarding sleeves too short on your Stockman will be resolved with your new and improved jacket soon to be made. Like you, sleeves that are too short drive me crazy, and there is a "sweet spot" for everything regarding the fit, although a jacket that is too tight or sleeves that are too short will keep the jacket in my closet and rarely, if ever, to be worn. Hopefully, Aero will alter their QM model and more carefully inspect jackets prior to shipping so that measurement errors are minimized. I do think that the fewer modifications that we as customers make to our orders, the less likelihood there is of errors occurring, although that was clearly not the case with your order.
 

wdw

One Too Many
Messages
1,260
Location
Edinburgh
Fanch, it shows how important the job of the cutter is. I gather that the assumption (and reasonably so) is that the cutter has done his/her job 100% in accordance with the specs of the buyer. If the cutter gets it wrong in terms of altered length, tapering or other non-standard requirements, then I can't see who'd even notice until it gets to the buyer. It's a big responsibility for the cutter, and the accuracy of their work is easily measurable in terms of the amount of returns due to not meeting spec.

Like you say, the more mods, the more possibility for error.
 

majormajor

One Too Many
Messages
1,713
Location
UK
Another problem with sleeves is that not everyone agrees on just how long a sleeve should be.

One person's "perfect fit" is another's too long or too short. Some folks will want to allow for hard FQHH scrunching with wear and thereby shortening the sleeve.

Not easy to cut.:eeek:
 

wdw

One Too Many
Messages
1,260
Location
Edinburgh
I was lucky and was able to have my sleeves measured at the factory each time, where Will significantly over-measured to allow for wrinkling. I thought they were too long at first, but now know better.

For those who don't know anything about the properties of FQHH (like me at my first order), I would suspect that many might order "normal" lengths and end up regretting it a few months or years later. The first jacket can be an expensive trial run, but at least you can use it as a base to get the next few right.
 

Fanch

I'll Lock Up
Messages
4,490
Location
Texas
Although I have never owned a FQHH jacket, I am impressed that the consensus seems to be that creasing can easily shorten the sleeves of a FQHH by at least 1/2 inch, so that longer seems better, in that long sleeves can always be shortened at a later time if needed, but short sleeves cannot be lengthened. In viewing numerous pictures that have been illustrated on this forum, I have seen a significant number of instances in which sleeves appeared to be simply too short but rarely, if ever, too long. However, I do agree with majormajor that there is significant variation in perception of what is acceptable to one but not another regarding "the perfect fit."
 

Deacon

Familiar Face
Messages
50
Location
Northern California
I too have been in the process of working out the sizing for a jacket order with Amanda and was a bit surprised to find her responses to my emails, when she deemed to respond, rather lackadaisical. So this latest news of her departure makes sense. I hope Aero is able to get things straightened out.
 

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