An interesting development just announced !!!

[Plumbline]

Copied from Facebook ( which is where it was announced ... SO DONT SHOOT THE MESSENGER) and the Alexanders "Product Information" page ....

Horween Leather CompanyTM

We at Alexander Leathers are delighted to announce that Horween Chromexcel Steerhide 1.4mm is now available to pre-order in Black, Havana Brown and Dark Burgundy.

looks like Horween will have another customer in Scotland. I've seen the Havana Brown and the Dark Burgundy in the flesh in Chicago and they are STUNNING. I guess they will also be available from Aero so more choice for the consumer methinks.

Don't let it degenerate please guys .. just passing on the info.

 

[Sloan1874]

No horsehide?

 

[Plumbline]

No Idea .. just copied what's on the facebook page and the website.

 

[Sloan1874]

Fair enough. Interesting. Do you know where they've sourcing their hides from generally?

 

[Plumbline]

When I spoke to Amanda a few weeks ago the sheepskin was detailed as UK, the steerhides are from a variety of sources and the jerky horse is European ... that is all I know.

The new oil-pull steer I would guess is from Turkey (... based on the fact that Sandy was there 6 weeks ago) and the samples look GREAT. The Russett and Seal Buffalo are the last of a consignment which was originally sourced in 2005/6 by Aero and is UK ( although this may not be the origin of the hide itself just the tannery).

I know Sandy was in the Far East over the last couple of weeks so there may be some new stuff from that trip and the Horween was the most recent announcement.

They have a LOT of different hides ( 16 at last count from the website ... don't know how to copy them but you can go look in the options page under any of the jackets) ... some of them really nice. They have a New "Crazy Horse" which is very similar to Horween vintage horse the base is sort of light brown and the topcoat very dark brown almost black, when you crease it it comes up mid/light brown but then when you rub it it settles back down ... it's REALLY nice and an ideal weight .... will probably be a "Roadster" for me ( unless I see something of interest in Aero's new stuff) ... have a look at the "Alexander GT Mark IV" pics ... that jacket is made with this hide .... no idea where it's from but it's my current favourite of their range ( before the Horween was announced ..... the Horween "Dark Burgundy" is AWESOME )!

 

[ButteMT61]

No horsehide?

I dunno - I think steer gets a bum steer here and other places! It's a great hide, and if done right, looks as good as any HH does. I predict a comeback of Cow in the coming years...

 

[ButteMT61]

Steer from Turkey? What about Storse from the UK? It gets so confusing... lol

 

[Plumbline]

Storse is only a native of SCOTLAND .... like Haggishide and Nessieskin ( before the other three nations try to defend themselves ) .......

 

[Scotia_steve]

I'm looking at that GTIV and living it. If like Horween FQHH - do you think that will be used?

Steer hide though in black, tempting! Although I already have two roadsters, I'm thinking a Detroit in black!

 

[Plumbline]

The Crazy Horse hide ( as per the GTIV pics) can be used NOW in most of the jackets I've been told .... I have been discussing a Roadster in it .... but this news re Chromexcell steer throws a spanner in those particular works for all the right reasons !

I haven't seen anything to suggest Alexanders will have Horween Chromexell FQHH only Steerhide ( which is the more expensive hide but doesn't have the kudos or mystique of horse on FL perhaps unfairly IMHO) ...... but then I have only seen what is posted on faceache and the Alexanders website.


Will be interesting to see these in the flesh when they arrive ( exact colours) ... not sure when that will be as there are no further details in the posting .... these are quite unusual colours and unlike the current offerings from Aero et al ( but then I assume all other Horween customers will have access to these if they wish) .. black is black of course but the "Havanah Brown" is a really nice mottled dark brown slightly darker than the current Aero shade ( vans did some sneakers in this hide some time ago), the "Dark Burgundy" is a really deep red brown with ox-blood tones ( I love it) a couple of shades darker than the CXL Burgundy shown below .... there are some samples in other products here in shades not too far away:

http://www.mitchell-leather.com/Horween_Leather_Options.html

at 3.5oz it's a little heavy for my taste but there might be some lighter stuff ... 3oz would be PERFECT ( but it is steer so will wear in quicker than FQHH)

all in all though ( as mentioned before) good for us the consumers

 

[hpalapdog]

the jerky horse is European ... that is all I know.

I was told tanned in the UK. The horses no doubt come from Romania and Eastern Europe.

 

[schitzo]

PL its called 'crazy steer' not crazy horse

That Mark III - or whatever it's called - was, apparently, way too heavy. So they've been looking at thinning it out, to around the 3oz mark I think. I've got a sample and basically when you scratch it the top layer, which is a very dark brown, comes away to reveal a lighter brown underneath. It does look good.

There are plans afoot to release an 'Indiana' jacket, and to my mind crazy steer would be an ideal choice for that one

 

[Grayland]

...

 

[schitzo]

...

Grayland, I know what this means in Chinese, but Chinese you aint?

 

[Dr H]

S in Morse?

 

[Sir Jacket]

The Crazy Horse hide ( as per the GTIV pics) can be used NOW in most of the jackets I've been told .... I have been discussing a Roadster in it .... but this news re Chromexcell steer throws a spanner in those particular works for all the right reasons !

I haven't seen anything to suggest Alexanders will have Horween Chromexell FQHH only Steerhide ( which is the more expensive hide but doesn't have the kudos or mystique of horse on FL perhaps unfairly IMHO) ...... but then I have only seen what is posted on faceache and the Alexanders website.


Will be interesting to see these in the flesh when they arrive ( exact colours) ... not sure when that will be as there are no further details in the posting .... these are quite unusual colours and unlike the current offerings from Aero et al ( but then I assume all other Horween customers will have access to these if they wish) .. black is black of course but the "Havanah Brown" is a really nice mottled dark brown slightly darker than the current Aero shade ( vans did some sneakers in this hide some time ago), the "Dark Burgundy" is a really deep red brown with ox-blood tones ( I love it) a couple of shades darker than the CXL Burgundy shown below .... there are some samples in other products here in shades not too far away:

http://www.mitchell-leather.com/Horween_Leather_Options.html

at 3.5oz it's a little heavy for my taste but there might be some lighter stuff ... 3oz would be PERFECT ( but it is steer so will wear in quicker than FQHH)

all in all though ( as mentioned before) good for us the consumers

Those colours do sound appealing, possibly more so than the Aero cordovan, for example, with its tendency towards purple. There don't appear to be links on the Alexander site to any of the leather colours.

SJ