AL - Simmons Bilt!

[Bunyip]

I was under the impression that WL was in fact running Aero once Ken retired? Why would Aleaxander Leathers hire someone that they couldn't trust? Seems strange to me.

 

[ButteMT61]

Ah, the Drifter comes out of the mires! So nice to see the guy that uses Aero in all his eBay auctions come here to slander the Calders and the fans of Aero. Oh, this ought to be rich! As for Stu - I like the guy - straight shooter and I'm not sure what you're talking about there - he has many fans here. I have two of his jackets in the house.

How are sales there on the 'Bay? Dipping I'd wager...

 

[IXL]

Pansies??!!!

EDIT: after a moderator deleted much of some posts made by Drifterproductions, my "pansies?" comment appears to be a randomly generated word.
Carry on.

 

[Drifterproductions]

Bunyip, Great engineers by the way. Alexanders learned not to trust WL, They like anyone else did not know the entire story and he was always just an employee. Many of those ex employees left not to follow Will they did not want to work under Calder, He has a reputation that goes way back. He needs to concentrate on his business. He sent letters out to every Alexander client he could find about about telling them how Alexander employs Criminals etc. Alexander (Simmons-Bilt) is in good hands. You will see great product from outstanding people at competitive pricepoints that will never sacrifice quality. The new designs that will be coming out in the next few months will speak for themselves. A great loyal customer base has already been built that does not frequent this site and does not care about the Drama that Calder and his weasels is still drumming up.

 

[ButteMT61]

I see there's only two AL jackets left there. Seems Schott is now in favor DP! Wonder why? Isn't this true?
All of those superior materials and master craftspeople came from Aero, as did the patterns. I think the court records do nicely explaining it all - maybe put those into your eBay listings as well so folks know where to get the real deal?


"ABOUT ALEXANDER LEATHERS:


A team of seasoned master craftsmen, all specialists in the art of re creating vintage leather jackets with over 262 years experience between them came together in 2012 to form the Alexander Leather Company.
The team at Alexander Leathers share a passion for authentic vintage leather jackets, our primary focus is to recreate the classics of bygone eras using only the best materials available and employing traditional manufacturing techniques coupled with outstanding attention to detail. Our focus is to meticulously produce high quality vintage inspired leather jackets, incorporating added comfort and functionality where requested to meet the demands of the modern day, for the enthusiast, we will always have the true authentic vintage leather jacket, after all, that’s what we do.

Inspired by 1920’s – 1960’s styling and firmly embedded in the roots of heritage, spirit and authenticity, Alexander Leathers recreates these jackets, previously worn by icons of the big screen and the military heroes of WWl and WWll for the enthusiast, the fashion conscious and for future generations to enjoy.
Our method of manufacture is very labour intensive, each and every jacket we produce is individually hand cut and crafted by one of our artisans right here in Selkirk, Scotland. Our team are not constrained by either time or cost in preparing each individual jacket. Our commitment is to ensure that each and every jacket that leaves our factory will become a valuable companion, built to last a lifetime of wear for a customer who values the highest quality craftsmanship over inferior materials and cost cutting production processes.
The Alexander brand will continually look to recreate more design classics to add to our vintage archive and will always strive to achieve the highest standards in all areas of our production processes and customer service.
At Alexander Leathers, we enjoy working, producing and collaborating with people who share the same enthusiasm and passion for high standards of workmanship and quality materials. We aim to create a product that is built to last and will develop its own patina, character and shape with time and wear.
Although an unending task, we at Alexander Leathers will continually strive for absolute perfection and hopefully work with and make some great life long friends along the way.

Steve Toohey
Managing Director"

 

[Feraud]

Drifterproductions, I strongly suggest you watch how you post towards members on this site or you won't last long.

I'm done deleting your silly posts.

 

[Worf]

Let me get this straight? You think Calder is a nice person?

In my personal and business dealings with him.... yes... I do.

Worf

 

[Big J]

Let me get this straight? You think Calder is a nice person?

Ken, or Mr. Calder, isn't just a nice person, he's a great guy.

 

[ButteMT61]

Pansies??!!!

Yeah, but I'd be careful man, he's got friends doin' time - might put a contract on ya. Just saying...

 

[Big J]

Bunyip, Great engineers by the way. Alexanders learned not to trust WL, They like anyone else did not know the entire story and he was always just an employee. Many of those ex employees left not to follow Will they did not want to work under Calder, He has a reputation that goes way back. He needs to concentrate on his business. He sent letters out to every Alexander client he could find about about telling them how Alexander employs Criminals etc. Alexander (Simmons-Bilt) is in good hands. You will see great product from outstanding people at competitive pricepoints that will never sacrifice quality. The new designs that will be coming out in the next few months will speak for themselves. A great loyal customer base has already been built that does not frequent this site and does not care about the Drama that Calder and his weasels is still drumming up.

You got any proof of that?
So far I haven't been able to find any proof of Aero sending out letters/e-mail.
I'm not a 'weasel', I'm a highly satisfied Aero customer.
Alexander did (is?) employ criminal Will Lauder, who contrary to your deleted post, described himself on the Alexander Leathers site as 'MD'.
All of you posts here are counter-factual and full of insults.
Why don't you tell us who you really are? Are you Steve Toohey?

Why bring LW into it? I've got a great LW G-1. I think you're making a straw man that this site is anti-any one but Aero. Fail.

Designs? Aero own the right to reproduce original Aero Beacon NY patterns. Whose pattern is AL/SB using for its A-2?

If the 'great new customer base' doesn't care or read this site, then what are you doing wasting your time here? Seriously, why don't you just take off and forget all about us if we are a minority with an agenda? Why bother with all your comments and allegations?

I'm never going to buy a jacket from someone that calls me a weasel.

 

[pawineguy]

Are you kidding me? The Aeromarine is not an original Design by Aero? I have true vintage archives and that design was around far before Aero or Calder ever existed.

Aero is clear that they patterned it after a 1920s jacket which they obtained in order to reproduce it. The point is that certain companies don't seem to pick their own vintage jackets to recreate, they just copy what Aero has already done.

 

[Bunyip]

Yeah, but I'd be careful man, he's got friends doin' time - might put a contract on ya. Just saying...

Yep, Orange is the new black, and storse is the new horse....

 

[pawineguy]

Let me get this straight? You think Calder is a nice person?

What's the point if he's not? If he's a tough businessman that demands a lot from his employees? Does that mean he deserves to be stolen from and have a criminal take designs that took years to create and form a competitor?

 

[ButteMT61]

All modern jacket makers of reproductions are honest (sans one) about procuring and using vintage jackets for patterns. What DP is trying to do here is twist that to make Aero/KC look like WL - which is laughable to the extreme.
This maroon is the last step of desperation from a sinking Storse ship...

 

[pawineguy]

Bunyip, Great engineers by the way. Alexanders learned not to trust WL, They like anyone else did not know the entire story and he was always just an employee. Many of those ex employees left not to follow Will they did not want to work under Calder, He has a reputation that goes way back. He needs to concentrate on his business. He sent letters out to every Alexander client he could find about about telling them how Alexander employs Criminals etc. Alexander (Simmons-Bilt) is in good hands. You will see great product from outstanding people at competitive pricepoints that will never sacrifice quality. The new designs that will be coming out in the next few months will speak for themselves. A great loyal customer base has already been built that does not frequent this site and does not care about the Drama that Calder and his weasels is still drumming up.

Why is it going to take them months to come out with a few new designs?? When they launched, they were able to introduce a full line of jackets immediately. How did they get all of that work done so quickly but now needs months for new designs? Oh, wait...

Respectfully,

A Weasel

 

[pawineguy]

All modern jacket makers of reproductions are honest (sans one) about procuring and using vintage jackets for patterns. What DP is trying to do here is twist that to make Aero/KC look like WL - which is laughable to the extreme.
This maroon is the last step of desperation from a sinking Storse ship...

Exactly, and all you have to do is read Aero's website. They are clear on where the designs come from, how they acquired the jackets to pattern, etc...

 

[ButteMT61]

I think you guys are missing the plan here. If AL/SB act sorta stupid, they can claim they got duped by WL, et al. This is the ignorance defense. They're gonna excel here...

Well, I hate to say I told you so...just didn't predict that the DP cat would be the one trying to push it off here! Classic. It's like when the water hit the lower decks of the Titanic - the rats start scrambling like mad!

 

[Sloan1874]

I see from my PMs that it's been a bit rowdy here, but to answer a few points without being drawn into Mr eBay's kack-handed invective: Ken's never been anything but honest, open and friendly with me, everything else is moot, especially from a charming individual like Mr eBay; Aero's jackets are all based on Ken and the staff's designs inspired by vintage models - at no point did any of them get a junior member of staff to copy patterns that didn't belong to them and then stuff them away at their home, along with almost £200k's stuff. And when the machinists went out the door with Will, almost as many came back to work for Aero simply because they were glad to see the back of the convicted criminal. As far as the business goes, well I've seen the figures, and I can tell you that the Will years were very poor. I also know that it was Ken and his family who set the company back on the right path, despite Lauder's best efforts. Oh, and the idea that HMP's guest was 'only a pattern cutter' is, on the strength AL's own original blurb, utter bollocks.
One last point: why is it that those who profess the sincerity and goodness of AL tend to do it in the most egregious and abusive terms? And why is that if Mr eBay detests Aero so much, did he use the company's name over and over again to try and shift that job lot of AL jackets he bought until forced to desist? I doubt we'll ever get answers to either of these questions.

 

[Superfluous]

It was only a matter of time before Bobby – a transparent AL shill who joined TFL shortly after AL was formed, and immediately began promoting AL’s products and his own sales of AL products – would take up AL’s lost cause here on TFL. Respectfully, you need to get your facts straight before you come here making demonstrably false statements.

WL had no Ownership or Management at AL. He was a Pattern Maker only. That simple. He was never anything more.

he was always just an employee.

Really? How then do you explain the following statements made by AL regarding WL:

“Alexander Leathers was formed after a chance meeting between Sandy Alexander, creator of the original Schuh fashion footwear business and vintage connoisseur, Will Lauder, former director and pattern cutter of Aero leathers. They shared a passion for all things vintage and in particular leather jackets, which led them to embark on a unique and uncompromising quest. Their aim is to recreate the timeless design classics of bygone eras with an updated modern fit and interpretation, to bring these vintage classics into the 21st century, while preserving all the heritage and style of the originals. They brought together a team of artisan specialists in Selkirk, with over 242 years experience in the art of vintage leather jacket construction between them, and in 2012 Alexander Leathers was born. http://www.alexanderleathers.com"

http://web.archive.org/web/20131128...erleathers.com/information-menu/about-us.html

https://www.youtube.com/user/alexanderleathers/about

According to the foregoing description, SA and WL jointly created AL (“Alexander Leathers was formed after a chance meeting between Sandy Alexander . . . . and Will Lauder . . . They shared . . . which led them to embark . . . Their aim . . . . They brought together a team . . . and in 2012 Alexander Leather was born”).

Stuarts of London has a slightly different statement regarding AL's founding:

“Alexander leathers is the creation of Sandy Alexander, founder of the Schuh fashion footwear business, and Will Lauder, a leather industry 'veteran' with over 30 years experience of design and pattern cutting in the high-quality leather jacket business with Aero leather."

http://www.stuartslondon.com/blog/20...e-in-scotland/

According to this description, AL “is the creation of Sandy Alexander . . . and Will Lauder.”

According to DenimHunters, “Will is the production manager at Alexander Leathers . . . “

https://www.denimhunters.com/2014/01/made-alexander-leathers-factory-visit/

Now that you have come here to defend AL, please reconcile the foregoing statements with your assertion that Lauder was nothing more than a pattern maker. Moreover, when did the infamous “chance meeting” between SA and Lauder take place?

Separately, what is the source of your knowledge and statements regarding WL's role at AL, AL's discovery of WL's criminality, and AL's rebranding plans? In other words, what is the basis for your statements here on TFL?

Separately, thank you for acknowledging that Lauder was AL’s “pattern maker.” Now, please explain how, notwithstanding the significant time required to create and implement new jacket designs/patterns, AL managed to introduce eight different jacket designs during January 2013, just a couple of months after the company was formed (while concurrently establishing a manufacturing facility and company infrastructure). Given that Lauder was AL’s “pattern maker” and Lauder retained Aero’s patterns after he left Aero and after AL was formed (presumably you are aware of Lauder’s retention of Aero’s patterns), did Lauder borrower from Aero’s patterns in his possession when rushing to create eight new designs for AL in such a short period of time? If not, how did he accomplish such an extraordinary feat that defies the realities of jacket design? Did SA know that Lauder retained Aero's patterns? What is SA's and AL's response to the report from Aero's expert concluding that AL's jacket is a copy of an Aero jacket? Will AL cease selling jackets designed by WL?

Separately, what is your relationship to AL? What is the source of the endless supply of AL jackets that you sell through E-Bay? Are you receiving these brand new jackets directly from AL? Are you AL's outlet?

Alexander (Simmons-Bilt) is in good hands. . . . . The new designs that will be coming out in the next few months will speak for themselves.

Original designs would certainly be a welcome departure from AL’s prior business model.

 

[ButteMT61]

Enter Perry Mason. This rainy night is going to be swell.