Aero Leather Clothing trial update

[Sloan1874]

I've checked back on my notes, and when Julie was asked about the mislabelling, she said that was to do with Iron Heart, but the PF's question was really aimed at finding out the machinists' knowledge of steer and horse.

 

[AdeeC]

Noticed IH have locked the contentious thread on their forum.

 

[Superfluous]

Fascinating! WL is remarkably brazen about his admitted deception.

 

[AdeeC]

"However, KC told the court that a new problem arose in mid-November when the company received three or four Aero jackets that were made from steer but had been labelled as horse hide."

Sloan, can this comment be explained better? Do you know the circumstances that led to how the jackets turned up.
Thanks.

 

[Fanch]

I've checked back on my notes, and when Julie was asked about the mislabelling, she said that was to do with Iron Heart, but the PF's question was really aimed at finding out the machinists' knowledge of steer and horse.

Since "JL said that the machinists received the leather panels with tickets stamped by WL and JM that would tell them what type of leather they were dealing with," the machinists would have no way of knowing that they weren't given FQHH. If any suspected otherwise and said so, their employment could have been in jeopardy.

 

[Monitor]

I wonder if Skip Horween really agreed that the Steer is a better hide. That doesn't make any sense, really.

 

[Sloan1874]

All the court was told was that these jackets were sent back. Best keep in mind that the theft was the focus of the trial, not the storse. Evidence of mislabelling was led to establish character. I've been as fulsome as I can but witnesses were cut short or, for whatever reason, cut themselves short. What I can't do is stray outside the evidence that was heard.

 

[Superfluous]

Anyone contemplating whether to do business with WL in the future, or any company he is affiliated with, should note that WL has no compunction about intentionally deceiving customers. I suspect he would freely deceive retailers as well. Caveat emptor.

Craig, did WL sell any of the Storse jackets to retailers?

 

[Sloan1874]

Can't help you there, though given what we already know - that this goes back some five years from 2012 - that it wouldn't surprise me.

I wonder if Skip Horween really agreed that the Steer is a better hide. That doesn't make any sense, really.

WL was the only one who gave this testimony.

 

[Fanch]

Craig, did WL sell any of the Storse jackets to retailers?

Like IH?

 

[Sloan1874]

Actually, yes, good point.

 

[Superfluous]

Actually, yes, good point.

What is a good point? Did WL sell the Storse jackets to IH?

 

[Sloan1874]

Julie's evidence was that, as far as she was aware, the mislabelling was to do with jackets sold to Iron Heart when she was making them for the label in 2011. But KC pointed to a storse one among the court's evidence - there was a large rack of jackets in the room for the duration of the trial - which was made in 2007.

 

[Monitor]

Now I'm picturing a lineup scene...

 

[Big J]

It's impossible to know who it was, but serious respect is due to the customer who received Storse and knew it wasn't horse, sent it back, and raised the flag on this scam.

That customer has powerful hide identification skills!(´･_･`)

 

[Superfluous]

Julie's evidence was that, as far as she was aware, the mislabelling was to do with jackets sold to Iron Heart when she was making them for the label in 2011. But KC pointed to a storse one among the court's evidence - there was a large rack of jackets in the room for the duration of the trial - which was made in 2007.

I previously expressed my surprise that that Giles/IH did not condemn Lauder after discovering that Lauder:

• Stole leather jackets and other property from Aero;
• May have stolen IH’s payments due and owing to Aero;
• May have exploited IH and exposed IH to scrutiny and potential claims.

Now, we learn that WL may also have sold Storse jackets to IH and thereby intentionally deceived customers buying Aero jackets from IH. Frankly, this deception far exceeds WL’s other wrongs perpetrated against IH. If WL did in fact steal IH’s payments to Aero for product purchased by IH, that theft could be remedied by a monetary judgment. However, if WL knowingly sold IH Storse jackets, without telling IH about the illegitimate and deceptive jackets, WL exposed IH to irreparable harm. If IH’s customers discovered that IH was falsely advertising steer hide jackets as horsehide, the resulting loss of trust and confidence could have had tremendous negative repercussions for IH.

Based on the foregoing, I again ask: Why isn’t IH mad as hell? Why isn’t IH condemning WL for falsely representing the jackets sold to IH and thereby deceiving both IH and IH's customers? Why is IH willing to help WL? Why did IH offer to testify on behalf of WL at his criminal trial?

If IH did not know what WL was doing, IH is a victim of WL’s wrongdoing. Why is WL’s victim so willing and eager to help the person who deceived IH and exposed IH to a myriad of adverse consequences? Stockholm Syndrome?

To be clear, I am not accusing IH of any wrongdoing. On the other hand, IH's conduct is confounding to say the least.

 

[Benj]

Another person who I feel bad for is Haraki. Keep in mind, I'm pretty sure that the Aero/Iron Heart relationship was brokered by Iron Heart UK. Giles' posts (or lack of posts) about Will and Alexander are the only opinions we get "from" Iron Heart, but the fact of the matter is that Haraki (who started and owns Iron Heart) is not in a position to easily express his opinions (language barriers etc), even though in fact it is HIS brand that may be negatively affected by Will Lauder.

 

[Sloan1874]

It's impossible to know who it was, but serious respect is due to the customer who received Storse and knew it wasn't horse, sent it back, and raised the flag on this scam.

That customer has powerful hide identification skills!(´･_･`)

If I recall, people found the weight of the jackets far exceeded what they expected for horse and that raised suspicions.

 

[pawineguy]

I previously expressed my surprise that that Giles/IH did not condemn Lauder after discovering that Lauder:

• Stole leather jackets and other property from Aero;
• May have stolen IH’s payments due and owing to Aero;
• May have exploited IH and exposed IH to scrutiny and potential claims.

Now, we learn that WL may also have sold Storse jackets to IH and thereby intentionally deceived customers buying Aero jackets from IH. Frankly, this deception far exceeds WL’s other wrongs perpetrated against IH. If WL did in fact steal IH’s payments to Aero for product purchased by IH, that theft could be remedied by a monetary judgment. However, if WL knowingly sold IH Storse jackets, without telling IH about the illegitimate and deceptive jackets, WL exposed IH to irreparable harm. If IH’s customers discovered that IH was falsely advertising steer hide jackets as horsehide, the resulting loss of trust and confidence could have had tremendous negative repercussions for IH.

Based on the foregoing, I again ask: Why isn’t IH mad as hell? Why isn’t IH condemning WL for falsely representing the jackets sold to IH and thereby deceiving both IH and IH's customers? Why is IH willing to help WL? Why did IH offer to testify on behalf of WL at his criminal trial?

If IH did not know what WL was doing, IH is a victim of WL’s wrongdoing. Why is WL’s victim so willing and eager to help the person who deceived IH and exposed IH to a myriad of adverse consequences? Stockholm Syndrome?

To be clear, I am not accusing IH of any wrongdoing. On the other hand, IH's conduct is confounding to say the least.

Yes to all of the above. If this was my "friend", yes, I might support him while he went through this self inflicted adversity. But only up until the point that I found out that he had done it to me! Especially if it was putting my business and my reputation on the line. Look back to that old Storse thread and the fight over whether the jacket would be returned or not so that Aero could inspect it. He was protecting WL from Aero, after WL had deceived both him and his customers. Some friend is WL.

 

[AdeeC]

When these storse jackets are finally flogged off, they should be relabled as "Limited Edition Finest Storse". Will be a big hit and prized collector items.