Check out ELC's new-look website!

[thor]

The new Eastman site is nice however being in the U.S. I love the new HPA site! All sorts of drop down tabs and links to specific jacket measurements in varying sizes. The Devon fleece Irvin is a limited edition jacket and from the description it is very difficult to procure the proper fleece and to produce the jacket. The HL Block A-2 is also rather pricey (costing more than the BoB Irvin). You do get a really nice product from ELC and I suppose if one is looking for a specific "ultimate" leather jacket then price is relative.

 

[aswatland]

I agree about the new HLB Corp A2 and await the first reviews.

 

[JumpBoot]

I think the site works much better now than the old one. I don't go to the Eastman site often, since I have to order through the HPA, but I do like the new look.

 

[Sloan1874]

It still comes off as not matching the premium prices being asked IMO. While Good Wear and Aero have their needs, I like using both of those sites and give the nod to GW, even though it could probably use some spicing up now. JC's jacket pics are the best around IMO.
A site needs to give info, be easy to use, and have great product pics.
The one thing a site does not need is MUSIC piped in when you load a page. That is something that reminds me of the 90's when everyone discovered how to do that. Don't.

BK's perpetual piping of bloody big band music was another 'oh god, no' red line for me, it's the jacket equivalent of that damn dancing baby. All I'm looking for is an unfussy, elegant lay-out with good clear pics, nicely written blurbs and, above, prominent pricing.

 

[Monitor]

Good looking site. Though I wish they would update the jacket photos to match their motorcycle line of clothes. Really great quality pics there, best I've seen online. And thankfully, they seemed to have removed that ridiculous hipster biker video... Now if they drop selling those crappy 3/4 helmets, we'd be good.

it's the jacket equivalent of that damn dancing baby.

lol True.

 

[Stearmen]

When I try to click on Kit Bags and Apparel, I get the log in window? Is there more products after apparel?

 

[Dumb&dumber]

Good to know there are makers like BK, Aero, GW and Aces High.

 

[jback]

[huh] I've been looking on and off for a Devon fleece Irvin for the past two years. Now I spotted them on time, but the price....

I have two voices in my head, in addition to myself. One is saying "Go for it! You live only once and might be dead tomorrow." and the other one "WTF! Are you out of your mind even considering?!?!"

Which one to listen to?

Jonathan

 

[Edward]

Running OK on my new Mac. Might be the electrons traveling from afar, but it's not bad.
Overall look seems better, but images slow to load on occasion.
It still comes off as not matching the premium prices being asked IMO. While Good Wear and Aero have their needs, I like using both of those sites and give the nod to GW, even though it could probably use some spicing up now. JC's jacket pics are the best around IMO.
A site needs to give info, be easy to use, and have great product pics.
The one thing a site does not need is MUSIC piped in when you load a page. That is something that reminds me of the 90's when everyone discovered how to do that. Don't.

Ha.... I thought of the music thing too. It's a cute idea and all, but having it default switched to 'on', as some did / do, is a pain. Also saves any need to pay any appropriate royalty fees for music and/or recordings still in copyright.

It's worse than that. 1600 pounds.
It's the Devon fleece. Rather rare, apparently - so it's a premium price.

Oh, plus Tax. Shipping. Duties. Handling fee. Black eye from the girlfriend.

Yeesh. Yeah, it's lovely and iconic, but I couldn't bring myself to pay that for one, given that the standard £800 these days (when I was first interested, a new Irvin was £500, and my 42 pattern was bought used, as new, for £300!!) is already a serious indulgence for me.... I could have both a prewar and a CC pattern repro for that sort of coin.

TBH, in recent years ELC has more generally started reaching a price across the board that is a fair bit north of what I'd be willing to spend, but there's obviously a market prepared to do it or they wouldn't still be around charging that... I'd assumed most of their customer base was in the Far East nowadays....

I like the new site. The hike in the price of the Devon Fleece Irvin puts it out of the reach of many but it should be snapped up in China!

Indeed. More millionaires in Shanghai alone than in the whole of the UK (and that's Sterling Millionaires, not even Renmenbi!), plenty of them on the hunt for the next status symbol / luxury purchase.

 

[ausreenactor]

Just check out the locations of the 'Stockists'. One in the USA, three in the UK, one in Japan and four in China. Start saving up your pennies. The powerhouse that owns the majority of the World's debt is setting the price.

 

[Dumb&dumber]

ausreenactor, I can 1000% agree...
I will stop looking for these things.

 

[Big J]

I don't think Eastmans jackets are flashy/gaudy enough for the Chinese nouveau riche. They are made with WW2 era technology- China has only just climbed out of that industrial level. It's too early for them to get 'retro' and nostalgic about it I think. Most of the rich Chinese I know (not that I know a lot) want modern and big designer names.

But hey, Eastman only makes jackets for tiny guys, so they should go ahead and knock themselves out.

 

[nick123]

To be fair to Eastman, I remember someone here mentioning the costs of the particular fleece they use going up. Maybe that's part of the price increase.

 

[Sloan1874]

I wonder what the impact of the crashing Chinese stock exchange will have. It's kind of been lost in the Greek tragedy but livelihoods are being lost by the hour over there with dozens of companies suspending trading to preserve their share price.

 

[Monitor]

Chinese millionaires wearing US flight jackets really makes hell of a lot of sense. Big J is right, though, big fashion brands are all the rage in China nowadays. Sadly. There's a market for the repro stuff but it's insignificant... These things cost way too much any way you look at it. It's idiotic, really, taking the prices this high up. People who have no trouble spending the kind of money these companies are asking for their stuff, have already moved on to some other, more income appropriate hobby and don't really give a damn about jackets anymore. Like, buying actual WWII air planes.

 

[Dumb&dumber]

Right! for this kind of ££££, a ( maybe even two) WW2 original can be found, put back in a wearable state and it has more merits than any ( even close to perfect... except the RiRi zips ) but still repro jacket.

 

[Stand By]

… I know that Gary has size 50 patterns for some of his jackets, but refuses to make them since they were never issued in that size. Until he changes his mind, neither will I.
If he wants my money, he better start working for it.

Ohhhh. So you're big on the chest! Ah. I thought maybe Big J referred to something else … !

 

[ButteMT61]

If you lined up 10 guys with A-2's that cost from $100 to $2000, and had those guys stand in a line, 99% of the public would not know the difference. If that effects your decisions at buying time then don't spend as much. If you know and care, then buy what makes you happy...

 

[Fanch]

If you lined up 10 guys with A-2's that cost from $100 to $2000, and had those guys stand in a line, 99% of the public would not know the difference. If that effects your decisions at buying time then don't spend as much. If you know and care, then buy what makes you happy...

Well said Scott. I think most of us tend to buy what makes us happy and could care less what 100% of the public might think. [huh]

 

[Stand By]

Well said Scott. I think most of us tend to buy what makes us happy and could care less what 100% of the public might think. [huh]

+1!