Fine Creek Leather

[jeo]

Looks like they are talking about how the curve at the edge of the front panel where the zipper is influences how the collar sits.

Why so much focus on it? They seem to be extremely passionate about what they do that they geek out on small details like that which most people won't appreciate. Cool video.

 

[ton312]

Just watched this video on YouTube.
Why is there so much focus on the collar? Auto translation sucked so I didn’t quite understand, but leather is real deal.

First one I actually like from them.

 

[navetsea]

in the video he looks very short legged helped by longish jacket and drop crotch baggy pants. I can see he is into hiphop street style than workwear.

 

[Canuck Panda]

I was always under the assumption that FCL jackets photos on instagram were photoshop enhanced. They are NOT. These videos tells the whole story. Very impressive leather they use on these jackets. I still cannot stomach the high retail prices but solid leather options indeed. I also subscribed to this Youtube channel. Lol.

 

[HarryLime]

Damn I really want to try on this new "Anne" jacket

 

[Blackadder]

in the video he looks very short legged helped by longish jacket and drop crotch baggy pants. I can see he is into hiphop street style than workwear.

Different coordination. It is Japanese street style. Inner Harajuku etc. Some Japanese street style is influenced by hiphop a little like the leather with sweat but not the baggy pants.
The baggy pants has been around since early 80s. Common attire for deliquent gangs in Japan. It is indeed an US influence but not hiphop.
https://aesthetics.fandom.com/wiki/Yanki
https://www.stylegods.com/japanese-style/

 

[Canuck Panda]

I also wore a lot of sweat pants during the WFH period, sometimes no pants with leather jacket.
Fine Creek jackets looks real good. Not liking the prices though. But jacket looks really good.

 

[navetsea]

Different coordination. It is Japanese street style. Inner Harajuku etc. Some Japanese street style is influenced by hiphop a little like the leather with sweat but not the baggy pants.
The baggy pants has been around since early 80s. Common attire for deliquent gangs in Japan. It is indeed an US influence but not hiphop.
https://aesthetics.fandom.com/wiki/Yanki
https://www.stylegods.com/japanese-style/

I see their construction worker also wear really baggy pants and ninja tabby shoes. I wonder why would they do that style seems like it is easier to get caught snagged on protruding things at construction site. perhaps tabby shoes make for more grip and stability at climbing on steep roof.

 

[sshack]

Hey guys, posting my Fine Creek Ale jacket.

Great pics. I was going to possibly buy this jacket when I visit Tokyo this winter. If you don't mind:

1). How does this leather feel compared to Chromexcel horse? I have a few cxl horse jackets and they are too heavy/uncomfortable for me as I'm getting older.

2). What size is that jacket?

3) Is that a burgundy color?

 

[Motocann]

I wonder if by your logic, the IH denim jackets would be a poor knock off of Levi's and Lee seeing that many complained about the cut and returned their jackets.
I don't own any FCL and don't plan on buying one. I just don't understand all the hate on FCL and all the love for IH when both seem to be selling botched copies of classic designs.

IDK about FCL so much. But, Iron Heart is definitely not botched copies. I find their jackets far superior to just about any other on the market. Also, It’s a pretty well known fact, Levi’s clothing brand has really hit rock bottom. Once it went full corporate, they brought some individuals into management who were either grossly incompetent or hell bent on destroying the 100 year old brand. Sadly, Levi’s products just got worse and worse over the years.

 

[Motocann]

Hello. I own a few higher end jackets and some lower end jackets. In my opinion the item that trumps everything and determines how much I will wear any jacket is FIT!

I like my fine creek type 3 a lot. Great grab and go jacket. Now here’s a crappy picture of me in a great looking and well made jacket.

View attachment 324552

Indeed, I couldn’t agree more. Fit is so very important! That jacket looks great on you!

 

[dublinprem]

Great pics. I was going to possibly buy this jacket when I visit Tokyo this winter. If you don't mind:

1). How does this leather feel compared to Chromexcel horse? I have a few cxl horse jackets and they are too heavy/uncomfortable for me as I'm getting older.

2). What size is that jacket?

3) Is that a burgundy color?

Thank you, I don't own a CXL jacket but I have heard they are pretty heavy and require a lot of break in. The leather on the ale jacket is not heavy at all. It is one of the lightest jacket I won. The leather starts out stiff but after a few wears becomes smooth and pliable especially in the arms. The jacket I am wearing is 42 and yes its burgundy. They also make them in black.

 

[Blackadder]

IDK about FCL so much. But, Iron Heart is definitely not botched copies. I find their jackets far superior to just about any other on the market. Also, It’s a pretty well known fact, Levi’s clothing brand has really hit rock bottom. Once it went full corporate, they brought some individuals into management who were either grossly incompetent or hell bent on destroying the 100 year old brand. Sadly, Levi’s products just got worse and worse over the years.

I seem to remember IH did botch at least one batch of their denim jackets. Copy of the Lee 101J? Sleeves too long? Members here had to return or cancel order. Ton and Monitor probably knows more about it.
Incidentally I find the original type 3 70505 has a bad pattern itself. Sleeves are too long for most people.

 

[Bfd70]

I like IH very much but they miss plenty. Particularly with sleeve sizes.

 

[Canuck Panda]

Fine Creek & Co (Not Leathers) Long Hill horsehide model (not deerskin). Size 42. Same sizing as Rainbow Country slim cuts, 19" Shoulder, 22" P2P. Other FCL / Fountainhead models runs a size smaller, Size 42 = 18" shoulder, 21.5" P2P. My subjective opinion is that they did it for cost cutting. Japanese Size 44 or larger usually cost ¥30k more in Japan, so by making a size smaller I paid more for the Fountainhead size 42 or they made more money with it. Hope my logic made sense.

This is not a model most FCL buyers goes for. Only stocked in Japan, not through its US retailers. I think. I got it at the Hangar-M shop in Japan for less than a RC jacket at Japanese pricing, not American ones. That shop also carries RC and FW.

The jacket looks long but is only 26" with the beaver tail and 24" without. Sleeves are 26" long. The front has a comical overhang. Leather is about 3oz thick. Smells the same as the leather RC uses on the Herc but not the thick ones used on the Racer. There is actual a good 4" drop or taper from chest to hem, just like the La Brea drop ratio. But the pointy bottom is misleading and looks reverse taper.

I have a feeling this jacket is either made at the RC factory with cheaper lining or the person who made this jacket (and the Fountainhead) are somehow connected to RC factory and was trained there. The way the machine work looks just too similar, same with the way they fold and pound those edges. Very neat. The shells are excellent made, but they cheapen the lining to cut cost. So RC outside shell, not RC lining.

Based on this jacket experience I would buy another FC & Co jacket, but not Fountainhead. Even though the Fountainhead is just as nicely made I felt like I got ripped off by the sizing. The FC & Co jackets cost less than a Fountainhead one too in Japan.

Gunning for an "Anne" jacket next.

From what I can there is a big range in the jackets Fine Creek offers, like Y2 Leather, but Fine Creek is on a higher quality level, despite the cheap lining. I am also only getting FC jackets that has been liked by the RC guy on instagram. I am really just looking for RC jackets or very similar to RC jackets. Hope these intel on FCL helps. And honestly I think they give the crappier stuff to their ROW customers and charge more (because their distribution channel). Japanese premium jackets are best sourced from the origin.

This is the what the repro was suppose to base on I think. FC&Co went a bit off the trails.

 

[ton312]

View attachment 463544 View attachment 463545 View attachment 463546 View attachment 463547
View attachment 463555 View attachment 463557 View attachment 463558

Fine Creek & Co (Not Leathers) Long Hill horsehide model (not deerskin). Size 42. Same sizing as Rainbow Country slim cuts, 19" Shoulder, 22" P2P. Other FCL / Fountainhead models runs a size smaller, Size 42 = 18" shoulder, 21.5" P2P. My subjective opinion is that they did it for cost cutting. Japanese Size 44 or larger usually cost ¥30k more in Japan, so by making a size smaller I paid more for the Fountainhead size 42 or they made more money with it. Hope my logic made sense.

This is not a model most FCL buyers goes for. Only stocked in Japan, not through its US retailers. I think. I got it at the Hangar-M shop in Japan for less than a RC jacket at Japanese pricing, not American ones. That shop also carries RC and FW.

The jacket looks long but is only 26" with the beaver tail and 24" without. Sleeves are 26" long. The front has a comical overhang. Leather is about 3oz thick. Smells the same as the leather RC uses on the Herc but not the thick ones used on the Racer. There is actual a good 4" drop or taper from chest to hem, just like the La Brea drop ratio. But the pointy bottom is misleading and looks reverse taper.

I have a feeling this jacket is either made at the RC factory with cheaper lining or the person who made this jacket (and the Fountainhead) are somehow connected to RC factory and was trained there. The way the machine work looks just too similar, same with the way they fold and pound those edges. Very neat. The shells are excellent made, but they cheapen the lining to cut cost. So RC outside shell, not RC lining.

Based on this jacket experience I would buy another FC & Co jacket, but not Fountainhead. Even though the Fountainhead is just as nicely made I felt like I got ripped off by the sizing. The FC & Co jackets cost less than a Fountainhead one too in Japan.

Gunning for an "Anne" jacket next.

From what I can there is a big range in the jackets Fine Creek offers, like Y2 Leather, but Fine Creek is on a higher quality level, despite the cheap lining. I am also only getting FC jackets that has been liked by the RC guy on instagram. I am really just looking for RC jackets or very similar to RC jackets. Hope these intel on FCL helps. And honestly I think they give the crappier stuff to their ROW customers and charge more (because their distribution channel). Japanese premium jackets are best sourced from the origin.

This is the what the repro was suppose to base on I think. FC&Co went a bit off the trails.

View attachment 463559

Since you have a seemingly never ending closet, and plenty to wear, I won’t pull any punches. Not a fan of that hem design. Looks like a females jacket with that super sharp and pointy front drop. Return or sell and don’t look back. Too bad as the rest of it looks good but this looks like a text book case of trying too hard. Big swing and a Ms.

 

[Monitor]

100% agreeing with @ton312 here.

Except maybe that it doesn't look like anything other to me than an ill fitting jacket. Zipped and unzipped moreso, it's just very off. From the vintage example in the scanned page, it's obvious to me they've butchered yet another classic design.

Also, having recently handled FCL... I'm reluctant to comment further on this brand but I'm honestly baffled whether the whole thing is just an inside joke I wasn't let in on or my whole experience and knowledge on what I believe(d) constitutes a quality leather jacket, has all this time been wrong.

 

[Canuck Panda]

Since you have a seemingly never ending closet, and plenty to wear, I won’t pull any punches. Not a fan of that hem design. Looks like a females jacket with that super sharp and pointy front drop. Return or sell and don’t look back. Too bad as the rest of it looks good but this looks like a text book case of trying too hard. Big swing and a Ms.

Yeah the front drop was also my major concern. I don’t know what was the inspiration behind that design decision.
Unfortunately it’s no return for direct Japan purchase. I’ll hang on to it a bit longer just to see if anything changes after broken in. Cant possibly get worse can it.

100% agreeing with @ton312 here.

Except maybe that it doesn't look like anything other to me than an ill fitting jacket. Zipped and unzipped moreso, it's just very off. From the vintage example in the scanned page, it's obvious to me they've butchered yet another classic design.

Also, having recently handled FCL... I'm reluctant to comment further on this brand but I'm honestly baffled whether the whole thing is just an inside joke I wasn't let in on or my whole experience and knowledge on what I believe(d) constitutes a quality leather jacket, has all this time been wrong.

I know you have doubts about FCL build quality with first hand experience and so do many as I’ve read here. Which are all very valid. My opinion on the build quality is not to undermine yours and others but simply show that there is a big difference between the build quality within this brand. That’s why I used the Y2 reference because I feel they also fall under this category. Unfortunately these brands are all selling at the same price levels outside of Japan regardless of the build quality difference between models.
Pattern shape aside, the machine work and leather quality of this FC jacket is on par with some of the best built jackets I have. And I do believe there are inferior built FC jackets out there. So no inside joke here, just more confusion…

 

[Canuck Panda]

I figured it out. It follows the un tuck shirt hem... Not saying it's right or wrong, but now I get why the front and back curve on this thing. I've always been a straight hem guy and I do tuck my button downs mostly.

There's also a lot more overlap Xzip action than most of my other aviators which are mostly just more or less a straight zip but pushed over a bit. The mysteries had me hooked on this design.

I get the hate on FCL designs. They smash a lot of things together. Which was also probably why I was drawn to it, trying to figure it out. It's an aviator jacket with an un tuck shirt hybrid bottom. Yeh or Nay?

 

[Marc mndt]

This is the what the repro was suppose to base on I think.

To me it looks like a horsehide repro of an 80s Aerobics outfit. LOL