Eastman - a new direction?

[havocpaul]

just checked out the website, it seems only the clothing is made by Eastman, everything else is outsourced for them. I can't help thinking this is firmly made for the Japanese market and fair enough if that's where the big spenders are but I would expect Lewis Leathers would have their name and heritage as a big advantage already in this area. I see they have a civilian B-3 at a massive £1200 tag, the other jackets are influenced by various American styles, would have been good to see a British 1950's type rockers jacket too but overall I wish them all the luck with the new venture. Now again I ask can we have that USN M-444 promised a year ago please?

 

[nightandthecity]

I don't see this as going in the Averix direction, more as going in the Aero direction of covering classic mid-century American civilian styles. IMO they've been moving towards it for a while. Things like their USN sweaters and T-shirts seem more geared to the vintage/classic style market than to re-enactors. Indeed, surely the whole repro military jacket market always has been as much (probably more) about classic style as aviation collecting and re-enacting. What surprises me is how long it has taken Gary to branch out even this far.

I'm still waiting for someone to start reproducing mid-century British civilian leather jackets....

And for Gary to repro some proper DOT zips for his BoB Irvin....

 

[HDRnR]

I think prices are starting to get a bit insane. Not sure who is buying this stuff.

 

[Sloan1874]

I think Aero's heading to more 20s and 30s designs, rather than the mid-war stuff.

 

[Smithy]

I can't help thinking this is firmly made for the Japanese market

I'm pretty sure you've hit the nail on the head. As I mentioned earlier in this thread ELC are already popular in Japan and I reckon this new line is set up as a purely new revenue stream to run parallel to their WWII milspec stuff with a focus on the Japanese market first and foremost.

We know the Japanese are willing to pay silly money for vintage inspired clothing and especially Americana, and I'd say that this is what ELMC is mostly about.

Just my 2c worth.

 

[bn1966]

I'd love a pair of those engineer boots but not at that price I'm afraid....too rich for my blood . Planning a new Eastman jacket this year but I don't think it will be from the ELMC site. Those 'Treasures' are well beyond my pocket too, tend to put together my own pieces from vintage bits. Quite liked the T shirt (would prefer no motif) but sizes run too small for me. I wish Eastman well with this one

 

[bn1966]

Love that 'Windward' but think I'll stick with my D1 plan. Can afford a Key Wallet . Have just about worked out how to navigate the website.

 

[Sloan1874]

I like the B-3 (though not that weird rosette on the pocket) and the engineer boots, but those are 'do-what-now?' prices. I get buyer's remorse just looking at them and I'm not even contemplating getting either!

 

[Smithy]

Love that 'Windward' but think I'll stick with my D1 plan. Can afford a Key Wallet . Have just about worked out how to navigate the website.

It's not a naturally intuitive site to navigate that's for sure!

So no more disco nylon on the horizon BN?

 

[Ishmael]

Aimed at the Japanese market? Think if I was aiming at the Japanese market I'd probably put a little Japanese on my website.

 

[Justhandguns]

Aimed at the Japanese market? Think if I was aiming at the Japanese market I'd probably put a little Japanese on my website.

Well, they have a couple of dedicated local Japanese dealers there, no worries about them, they have their own niche of fans in Asia.
But they will face stern competitions from the likes of McCoys/Buco or Rainbow Country.

But seriously, almost 200quid for a studded ELMC matching belt?! ........

 

[rocketeer]

Hmm! £60 for a watch cap similar to what I can get in Camping and General for £4 is certainly a bit steep. The boots look ok, I may(but unlikely to) invest in them but would need to see and try first. £1300 for a B3 that is basically their Merino model with a concho and some fake wear for an extra £100!
And that slightly 'Highwayman' looking jacket, really Gary you should be ashamed of yourself, a split back as well made it a no no for me. But imitating something near could be seen as the best form of flattery I suppose
Yes £200 is also a bit much for a belt, then again Lewis charge something like that as well for theirs. I wonder if they do them without the logo
The video? Yes it goes dead after a couple of mins. What they did get right at least was the weather haha.

 

[Edward]

The Roadstar belts I think are absent the logo, which is a bit Country and Western for me. Overall, a nice collection. I do not care for the B3, and the shirt collar jacket is nothing special, but the Roadstar has always been lovely. All the other bits and pieces are nice. The Engineer boots are gorgeous, but I'd be wanting two pairs for the price. Overall, clearly priced for the Japanese market, well out of my league. Good luck to them with it, though.

 

[pipvh]

Lovely stuff, especially the Californian. And I suppose, things being the way they are, that the prices aren't particularly out of line with ELMC's competition (which I'm not for a moment suggesting is a good thing, but it is what it is...).

A much bigger upset, though: I was waiting for Ivybridge to make its fashion debut in the video! Having said that, I doubt even £600 boots could make Ivybridge look cool.

 

[Stand By]

Thanks. Good to know I make sense once in a while!




I still shake my head at how popular culture has embraced the biker/tattoo/punk sub-cultures. Parents giving children mohawks, moms sporting tattoo logos on their purses and clothing, the entire Ed Hardy licensing thing. For pete's sake there are hair dryers decorated with tattoo flash! :eusa_doh:

Oh, those brush-cuts on the kids ... Jeez! Don't get me started ....
And do you remember a few years back when the thing to do with your jeans was to pull one leg up to the knee ?!?! Thank God nobody on the Gustin Jeans thread does that - or wears their denim with the waistband down on the thighs - to get that MC Hammer pant look !!!
Last week on Breakfast TV, I heard a "fashion guru" saying that the "in" look for this Spring for the girls is for "crotch pants" and that they're " so very Bohemian"- you'll know what I'm talking about when you see them. They're the pants that are like leggings but they have a great excess of material on the butt and it hangs there - so it looks like you've just taken a massive dump and filled your pants. Real sexy ...

Jesus Christ! Listen to me !!! I've turned into my dad !!!! ;-)

 

[Grayland]

Oh, those brush-cuts on the kids ... Jeez! Don't get me started ....
And do you remember a few years back when the thing to do with your jeans was to pull one leg up to the knee ?!?! Thank God nobody on the Gustin Jeans thread does that - or wears their denim with the waistband down on the thighs - to get that MC Hammer pant look !!!
Last week on Breakfast TV, I heard a "fashion guru" saying that the "in" look for this Spring for the girls is for "crotch pants" and that they're " so very Bohemian"- you'll know what I'm talking about when you see them. They're the pants that are like leggings but they have a great excess of material on the butt and it hangs there - so it looks like you've just taken a massive dump and filled your pants. Real sexy ...

Jesus Christ! Listen to me !!! I've turned into my dad !!!! ;-)

Get off my lawn!

 

[Smithy]

Jesus Christ! Listen to me !!! I've turned into my dad !!!! ;-)

Don't we all, and especially once you have kids

 

[Edward]

Oh, those brush-cuts on the kids ... Jeez! Don't get me started ....
And do you remember a few years back when the thing to do with your jeans was to pull one leg up to the knee ?!?!

Must have been a Canadian thing... Never saw that over here. The waist worn far too low and crotch round the knees thing is here, though. Hip hoppers wear 'em baggy - the prison chic look, and hipsters wear 'em tight (typically with the latter it's because they are wearing girls' skinny jeans which are, well.... cut for girls).

Don't we all, and especially once you have kids

I'm turning into my folks in some respects for sure... probably worse, given that I opted for cats instead of children!

 

[Stand By]

Yeah, the one-pant-leg-up thing is another look from the prisons - a visual to distinguish the gang. It's no wonder they got caught and went to prison - you can't run properly from the Po-Po when the pants are around your thighs!

 

[Stand By]

And what about the thing that all the young 'uns do with their fingers whilst taking their "selfies" - making gang signs !!! - that kills me. They'd all NEED those crotch pants if any of them ever strayed from the safety of their malls and rich parents' neighbourhoods and ran in to some real gang members !!!
I hope that contagion never catches on around here ... otherwise, when people ask for pics of a new jacket, instead of seeing this:

[

They'll get this ....!!!



For sanity's sake, let's keep it real, gentlemen ...