Aero Leather Clothing trial update

[AdeeC]

One wonders why so many staff went with WL. No doubt many were cultivated, misled and corrupted.

 

[Ishmael]

In Sloane's other thread he states that Giles of IH was not allowed to testify by the sheriff. Any idea why?

 

[AdeeC]

In Sloane's other thread he states that Giles of IH was not allowed to testify by the sheriff. Any idea why?

Possibly because he was a hearsay witness or with no link to the specific crimes that WL was actually charged with. All sorts of damning things come out in court.

 

[Monitor]

I like the AL Roadster. But even that's a near copy of the Highwayman. And most of the AL jackets just look like rushed Aero knockoffs. Without the refinement. The whole AL website and sudden surfacing has always left a bitter taste in my mouth. So it doesn't surprise me what went on.

It's exactly that.

First I've heard of Aero was back when I was still lurking Filmjackets.com and this forum, but my budget at the time didn't allow it. Then at some point, a lots of eBay auctions with both Aero and Alexander Leathers in the listing title began popping up on eBay, all from the same seller and for much less than what these jackets would normally cost. The descriptions purposely made the origin of the jackets unclear, so you couldn't figure out whether it was Aero that made 'em or not. I wasn't sure what was going on, figured Aero must've closed or something but the whole thing felt really dodgy so I decided not to risk it and instead go with Schott. Glad I did.

I'd catch bits and pieces of the story here and there later on and I would see people post their AL Cafe Racers and Roadsters, and while they're no doubt very nice jackets, made by ex-Aero employees after all, I never quite understood why would anyone support this Shanzhai company that's clearly selling knock-offs and to be honest, up until the trial, I was still half convinced that Aero and AL are in some way working together because I just couldn't believe anyone would sunk so low as to steal and plagiarize designs which are in turn already heavily inspired by other, classic designs.

I've said it many times before that I don't want to see AL going out of business. Now, I no longer view them any better than those Chinese counterfeiters.

 

[Sloan1874]

Possibly because he was a hearsay witness or with no link to the specific crimes that WL was actually charged with. All sorts of damning things come out in court.

It was a technical thing to do with entering new evidence, but as the jury wasn't sitting when it was discussed, I can't go into detail.

 

[nick123]

It's exactly that.

First I've heard of Aero was back when I was still lurking Filmjackets.com and this forum, but my budget at the time didn't allow it. Then at some point, a lots of eBay auctions with both Aero and Alexander Leathers in the listing title began popping up on eBay, all from the same seller and for much less than what these jackets would normally cost. The descriptions purposely made the origin of the jackets unclear, so you couldn't figure out whether it was Aero that made 'em or not. I wasn't sure what was going on, figured Aero must've closed or something but the whole thing felt really dodgy so I decided not to risk it and instead go with Schott. Glad I did.

I'd catch bits and pieces of the story here and there later on and I would see people post their AL Cafe Racers and Roadsters, and while they're no doubt very nice jackets, made by ex-Aero employees after all, I never quite understood why would anyone support this Shanzhai company that's clearly selling knock-offs and to be honest, up until the trial, I was still half convinced that Aero and AL are in some way working together because I just couldn't believe anyone would sunk so low as to steal and plagiarize designs which are in turn already heavily inspired by other, classic designs.

I've said it many times before that I don't want to see AL going out of business. Now, I no longer view them any better than those Chinese counterfeiters.

Can of worms, but the first thing that entered my mind when you wrote this, after I'd wrote my comment was how we'd said the same thing about Kelso knocking off the Aeromarine. But the thing about Kelso, is as a company, they at least have their own thing going on, as a company and identity, and aren't located so close to Aero. AL just seemed to try to cut in line over the achievements and presence of an entire company, not just one jacket.

 

[breezer]

"LC also voiced misgivings about the company's web site"

Remember how shoddy the Aero website used to be, with really terrible photography. I mentioned to Will a couple of times that I would be more than happy to help out with some new photo content, but he was't interested. The court case and Sloan's reporting has helped illuminate quite a few things.

 

[Capesofwrath]

I'm in a rotten mood tonight, so excuse the sour tone. Of course there's merit in the AL jackets. I'd love to own many I've seen posted here, and I'm sure many people are delighted with their jackets. What is missing from them, I think, is not only that distinctly Scottish? refinement that magically expresses itself in the Aero jackets, but also that rich company history. To me, that's a huge selling point with Aero. You're buying history. I can't comment on the employees who went to AL. I'm sure they're good people the same as Aero. But I know Aero heavily endorses psychedelic music because they've more or less lived alongside it. So besides the jackets, I've always found that to be my little love affair with them. The history. It's something special. Are Aero perfect? No. But they're damn cool. And they've always treated me well.

Bit OTT all that. They are all just leather jackets.

I’ve bought a fair few new Aeros and a lot more used ones over the years, and almost all have been moved on now. But the jacket that I am most happy with was made by a long time Aero machinist who went over to AL. She used her skill with Horween CLX leather to make me a jacket which is better made and fits better than any Aero I’ve owned. Including two made by her when she was at Aero. I had an input into its design too, so it wasn’t an Aero rip off. It was a post war Hercules rip off if it was anything. But then many Aero jackets are too.

 

[Big J]

"LC also voiced misgivings about the company's web site"

Remember how shoddy the Aero website used to be, with really terrible photography. I mentioned to Will a couple of times that I would be more than happy to help out with some new photo content, but he was't interested. The court case and Sloan's reporting has helped illuminate quite a few things.

That's really funny. I told them back in the day that they needed all new photos to do their jackets justice on the website.

 

[bretron]

They are all just leather jackets.

Hope you aren't saying that with a straight face

 

[Capesofwrath]

Hope you aren't saying that with a straight face

There was once a famous manager of Liverpool FC by the name of Bill Shankly, who said that football wasn’t a matter of life and death, it’s much more serious than that.

He said it with a straight face too. But he was joking.

 

[pawineguy]

Bit OTT all that. They are all just leather jackets.

I’ve bought a fair few new Aeros and a lot more used ones over the years, and almost all have been moved on now. But the jacket that I am most happy with was made by a long time Aero machinist who went over to AL. She used her skill with Horween CLX leather to make me a jacket which is better made and fits better than any Aero I’ve owned. Including two made by her when she was at Aero. I had an input into its design too, so it wasn’t an Aero rip off. It was a post war Hercules rip off if it was anything. But then many Aero jackets are too.

Well, good for you that she was able to use that skill that she acquired over many years at Aero to make you a nice jacket.

To me, this is why this thread IS important and why I want to know the whole story, or as much of it as can be known. I have come close multiple times to buying something from AL off of the sales page, but the dimensions and designs never seemed to align for me. I'm not sure how I'd feel if I had purchased one in the past and found out all of this after the fact. Most likely it would end up on eBay, cheap. How I spend my $ is often about more than just what design or price is appealing to me.

 

[Jägernaut]

Yes aeros jackets were copies of old originals but they put in the time and expense in making the patterns only to have that sob steal the patterns.

 

[Big J]

Yes aeros jackets were copies of old originals but they put in the time and expense in making the patterns only to have that sob steal the patterns.

Well, I guess it's just a textbook example of 'business is war'. if you lie and cheat and steal, and get away with it people call you a business genius. WL didn't, and goes to prove that 'a friend is just an enemy whose motives you don't understand yet'.

it's a sad fact of life that in business you just can't trust anyone, because there really are so many people who will cheat you out of (relatively) even small amounts, given the perceived chance. Sad but true.

 

[Dickie Teenie]

Stock, patterns, employee's, jacket's, jeans, patch's, labour and I'm sure there's more I missed but good god what TH. What a nightmare to be faced with and i hope they get more than actual damages listed.

 

[tropicalbob]

One thing that baffles me is why WL sold the jackets, patches, etc. at so far under cost. I can well understand a "priced to move" philosophy (esp. under the circumstances), but the risk:reward ratio seems absurd.

 

[Capesofwrath]

Well, good for you that she was able to use that skill that she acquired over many years at Aero to make you a nice jacket.

To me, this is why this thread IS important and why I want to know the whole story, or as much of it as can be known. I have come close multiple times to buying something from AL off of the sales page, but the dimensions and designs never seemed to align for me. I'm not sure how I'd feel if I had purchased one in the past and found out all of this after the fact. Most likely it would end up on eBay, cheap. How I spend my $ is often about more than just what design or price is appealing to me.

I have one AL sales jacket which I bought in the opening offers. It’s a pretty good jacket in black goatskin. Really nice skin BTW. It’s a pre war French cycling jacket rip off design really. Like the leather jackets which people think of as Luftwaffe pilot’s jackets. it’s similar to an aero Highwayman except it has two breast pockets and the goatskin. But Aero didn’t design the Highwayman either, it was a fifties MC jacket originally and they also took the name from it.

In fact KC sued the latest incarnation of Lewis Leathers a few years ago to keep that name when they claimed it and intended to use it. He’s quite litigious I think so I’m quite sure he will be going after Al. Whether he wins is another matter as it may not be so easy to prove as a theft. AL’s designs don’t do a lot for me either in the main. But you can take a design and change it and get good results that way. They don’t have a lot of variation as standard though.

I can’t say I like many of Aero’s latest offerings much either. But they do add to the designs regularly unlike AL. Aero have dropped some jackets which Will Lauder designed though.

 

[Big J]

One thing that baffles me is why WL sold the jackets, patches, etc. at so far under cost. I can well understand a "priced to move" philosophy (esp. under the circumstances), but the risk:reward ratio seems absurd.

'Stack 'em high, sell 'em cheap!'. After all, his 'costs' were $0.00, anything was profit (+ I'm guessing he ain't too smart since he got caught).

 

[wdw]

Tropicalbob, I suppose the theory was that even small amounts of free money is better than no free money at all, especially when you didn't need to work for it.

 

[Capesofwrath]

One thing that baffles me is why WL sold the jackets, patches, etc. at so far under cost. I can well understand a "priced to move" philosophy (esp. under the circumstances), but the risk:reward ratio seems absurd.

Yes, I though that was odd. Particularly the 99 pence patches. What was the point of that?