Five Star Leather Jackets

[unhatted]

The jacket I sent was a 46 L in 1960s sizing . The jacket he made was size 50 for me . He extrapolated

Ah thanks–yours looked great so that's encouraging about scaling this jacket. I'd be going down to a 36, which is a bit further, but it seems enlarging carries more risks in terms of pocket layout looking off etc. Will post the results here, thanks for providing the original!

 

[Pyritez]

It's kinda comical reading this thread & looking at the results of some of the custom...er, 'bespoked' lol.... jackets that are being commissioned by folks who should really strictly be buying off-the-rack stuff.

Seriously, if you are shaped like a fire hydrant for example, there is no way that a stock jacket in a size large enough to cover your bulk *won't* fit you, & thinking that your own design of a 'custom-fitted' jacket *will* fit you 'perfectly' like a runway model is the height of lunacy... particularly when the company making it will not say 'no' to improper garment designs submitted by, literally, sewing amateurs, lol.

(NOTE: If you can't operate a sewing machine yourself you likely have no business trying to have made your own 'bespoke' one-off jacket design based on your own measurement ideas.)

Then...to top it all off...expecting a full refund or remake when your custom-submitted one-off design & measurements don't fit??? Come on. Lol....good luck with that.
(If I were 5* I would immediately change my policy to reflect that a certain amount of responsibility -- say 50/50 -- rests on the person submitting what may turn out to be an ill-fitting design result...without first doing a sample model in inexpensive fabric to check the exact design fit parameters for accuracy.)

It appears that 5* needs to likely learn to start just saying a giant 'NO' to some custom requests, like other makers do, in order to stay in business & not;

A) get a bad rep for ill-fitted custom jackets, &

B) not have to eat the $$$ costly mistake of bogus design & measurement requests that some folks come up with & submit...& then expect 5* to 'make right' on 5*'s own dime when things go south.

FACT:
5* can crank out some really nice custom stuff for really great & reasonable $$$....
But let's be honest here...shite in=shite out...& there is no getting around that formula/fact.

 

[TartuWolf]

Wisdom dump by @Pyritez !

 

[MrProper]

It's kinda comical reading this thread & looking at the results of some of the custom...er, 'bespoked' lol.... jackets that are being commissioned by folks who should really strictly be buying off-the-rack stuff.

Seriously, if you are shaped like a fire hydrant for example, there is no way that a stock jacket in a size large enough to cover your bulk *won't* fit you, & thinking that your own design of a 'custom-fitted' jacket *will* fit you 'perfectly' like a runway model is the height of lunacy... particularly when the company making it will not say 'no' to improper garment designs submitted by, literally, sewing amateurs, lol.

(NOTE: If you can't operate a sewing machine yourself you likely have no business trying to have made your own 'bespoke' one-off jacket design based on your own measurement ideas.)

Then...to top it all off...expecting a full refund or remake when your custom-submitted one-off design & measurements don't fit??? Come on. Lol....good luck with that.
(If I were 5* I would immediately change my policy to reflect that a certain amount of responsibility -- say 50/50 -- rests on the person submitting what may turn out to be an ill-fitting design result...without first doing a sample model in inexpensive fabric to check the exact design fit parameters for accuracy.)

It appears that 5* needs to likely learn to start just saying a giant 'NO' to some custom requests, like other makers do, in order to stay in business & not;

A) get a bad rep for ill-fitted custom jackets, &

B) not have to eat the $$$ costly mistake of bogus design & measurement requests that some folks come up with & submit...& then expect 5* to 'make right' on 5*'s own dime when things go south.

FACT:
5* can crank out some really nice custom stuff for really great & reasonable $$$....
But let's be honest here...shite in=shite out...& there is no getting around that formula/fact.

And what exactly qualifies you to launch into this „all-round attack“?
Have you already received several jackets from 5* with good results?

 

[Pyritez]

And what exactly qualifies you to launch into this „all-round attack“?
Have you already received several jackets from 5* with good results?

Answer:
I know how to sew. Both by hand & operate a sewing machine...including a sailcloth/leather machine.

Plus...I can read & look at photos. lol.

That & a dash of common sense is really all that is needed to fully comprehend what is happening in this thread.

 

[MrProper]

Answer:
I know how to sew. Both by hand & operate a sewing machine...including a sailcloth/leather machine.

Plus...I can read & look at photos. lol.

That & a dash of common sense is really all that is needed to fully comprehend what is happening in this thread.

Ok, so not expertise, but opinion. That's what I thought.
But that's ok. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion.

 

[TartuWolf]

Entitled to their opinion? Sure. Blatantly mocking the community participating in this thread and acting like he is doing us a favor? You betcha! Elegant writing style to boot! Glad we have a new contributor on TFL.

 

[AHP91]

Entitled to their opinion? Sure. Blatantly mocking the community participating in this thread and acting like he is doing us a favor? You betcha! Elegant writing style to boot! Glad we have a new contributor on TFL.

Same guy has been randomly commenting on people’s classified postings trashing their listings for no reason. I for one hate that practice more than anything else

 

[Pyritez]

Ok, so not expertise, but opinion. That's what I thought.
But that's ok. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion.

Er...wrong.

I can make my own leather jacket(s). I would call that more 'experience' than anyone here...unless you can do the same.

And know what? I buy off-the-rack leather jackets. Because frankly, 'custom made' has more to do with largely satisfying one's own inner itch for something more 'personal' than what is found on a shelf. Add to that the prevalence of OCD in that same personality type...& it's no surprise that 5* has some difficulties satisfying their clientele.

Leather is not a perfect medium... it's actually a pain to work with, & the fact that a stitch here & there that may not line up perfectly throws some folks right over the edge...I do not envy 5*'s position trying to satisfy those folks, lol. Not one bit.

It's cool that 5* makes custom stuff for very little money to customer specs.
It's *not cool* when 5* customers try to hold them to standards set by makers that cost 5x the amount 5* charges.

You wanna pick nits...pay for it. Don't drag down a maker trying to make a living in an industry(s) that many 1st world countries have totally abandoned, i.e. tannery & manufacturing.

Your privilege is showing here, lol.

 

[ton312]

I can make my own leather jacket(s). I would call that more 'experience' than anyone here

Prove it, I don't believe you.

ecause frankly, 'custom made' has more to do with largely satisfying one's own inner itch for something more 'personal' than what is found on a shelf. Add to that the prevalence of OCD in that same personality type...& it's no surprise that 5* has some difficulties satisfying their clientele.

Nonsense. The thread documents pattern failures, cheap leather, shoddy materials etc. Read it. it also seems you don't understand what custom means.

t's actually a pain to work with, & the fact that a stitch here & there that may not line up perfectly throws some folks right over the edge...I do not envy 5*'s position trying to satisfy those folks, lol. Not one bit.

Again, read the entire thread. There is very little if any critique related to how the jacket is sewn. Pointless statement.

It's *not cool* when 5* customers try to hold them to standards set by makers that cost 5x the amount 5* charges.

Wrong again. 5 Star is now nearly equivalent in cost to other makers putting out what is generally accepted as higher end product, 5 times the cost??? No, wrong...again

You wanna pick nits...pay for it.

This is exactly what is happening with people who purchase from 5 Star. They are paying for and holding 5 Star accountable

Don't drag down a maker trying to make a living in an industry(s) that many 1st world countries have totally abandoned, i.e. tannery & manufacturing.

Shocker!!!! Wrong again. I can name 10 makers in the US alone and 10 tanneries. Your ignorance is showing here, lol.

 

[spectre6000]

I think the answer is somewhere in the middle.

I have worked leather, and can work a sewing machine (I can also work ON sewing machines), and stitch by hand. I've never made a jacket, but I've never seen a decent pattern and never had the time to make one myself (though I have entertained the idea, and have a box of materials to that effect buried somewhere in my shop right now). I don't know that I can name ten jacket makers AND ten US-based tanneries off the top of my head, but I'm sure I can at least come up with a handful of each.

I've also read every. single. word. of this thread from start to finish. I understand the frustration. I also understand the enthusiasm.

I think Fivestar is saying they can make custom jackets, which they can, but not in the way a US manufacturer would. Garbage in, garbage out applies hard here. You aren't paying for the expertise to get around that, which is why it's relatively inexpensive. It's just not at an equivalent cost. If the "custom" jacket being sought is essentially an off the shelf model, I'm not sure the point in going through the exercise. It's a lot of work, and since they're on the exact opposite side of the clock (for me at least, swap AM for PM to know local time), your money saved is because you're doing a lot of the work. This appeals to some people, doesn't others.

I'm in the process of putting my money where my mouth is. I'm working on getting samples now, and simultaneously figuring out all the many, many, many details and nuances of what I would like to have made. I will also be getting a prototype jacket made. I'm playing the "long game" as it was recently called. Hopefully it pays off. If not, I've been warned. If so, I'll have a pretty awesome jacket to wear... Probably just in time for the weather to get too warm to wear it!

 

[Pyritez]

Prove it, I don't believe you.

Nonsense. The thread documents pattern failures, cheap leather, shoddy materials etc. Read it. it also seems you don't understand what custom means.

Again, read the entire thread. There is very little if any critique related to how the jacket is sewn. Pointless statement.

Wrong again. 5 Star is now nearly equivalent in cost to other makers putting out what is generally accepted as higher end product, 5 times the cost??? No, wrong...again

This is exactly what is happening with people who purchase from 5 Star. They are paying for and holding 5 Star accountable

Shocker!!!! Wrong again. I can name 10 makers in the US alone and 10 tanneries. Your ignorance is showing here, lol.

Prove it? What is this, kindergarten? Lol. Sewing is not that difficult. Why & how would I need to "prove it"? I've been sewing since I was a kid...so, like 50+ years. That is plenty of time to gain proficiency at something. It's basically just pattern-making and operating the machine. Duh. &...Believe it or not...it makes no difference to me either way, lol.

5* makes custom jackets for well under $500US. Other popular major jacket makers on here charge $2500 for similar custom creations to your own design & measurements. 500x5=2500

Wow....10 tanneries & makers. Small mom & pop operations, all. Pakistan has thousands of tanneries, for example. It's a major industry there, fyi.

Custom means 'one off' in this context. It doesn't necessarily convey 'quality', simply that the object is one-of-a-kind made to order.

And there are plenty of threads on here about other maker charging way more than 5* does having similar quality control problems with materials. Again, leather is not a perfect medium. And sourcing good stuff consistently these days is difficult in many industries. Even Apple has problems with iPhone components...& they'e a trillion dollar company. (iPhones are largely manufactured in China, I might add, lol.)

Get leather samples. Pay to have a cloth version made of your creation 1st. Don't leave any little detail that will throw you over the edge up to the maker, like zipper angle on pockets, pocket placement, etc. Spell it all out if you're OCD. Even the army didn't spec every little thing making WW2 jackets though...the maker filled in the blanks. And they were low-bid contracts...with those jackets being worshipped today, lol.

 

[Aloysius]

Even the army didn't spec every little thing making WW2 jackets though...the maker filled in the blanks. And they were low-bid contracts...with those jackets being worshipped today, lol.

True, they didn't start giving exact specifications until the Cold War years, however they provided an overall template that was then developed by established pattern makers from a then thriving garment industry.

No not everything was better 'back in the day', but the average pair of men's pants until a few decades ago got more shaping and pressing in the factory than the most expensive clothes get today.

There are high quality traits that you just get by osmosis in the right setting.

 

[MrProper]

Er...wrong.

I can make my own leather jacket(s). I would call that more 'experience' than anyone here...unless you can do the same.

And know what? I buy off-the-rack leather jackets. Because frankly, 'custom made' has more to do with largely satisfying one's own inner itch for something more 'personal' than what is found on a shelf. Add to that the prevalence of OCD in that same personality type...& it's no surprise that 5* has some difficulties satisfying their clientele.

Leather is not a perfect medium... it's actually a pain to work with, & the fact that a stitch here & there that may not line up perfectly throws some folks right over the edge...I do not envy 5*'s position trying to satisfy those folks, lol. Not one bit.

It's cool that 5* makes custom stuff for very little money to customer specs.
It's *not cool* when 5* customers try to hold them to standards set by makers that cost 5x the amount 5* charges.

You wanna pick nits...pay for it. Don't drag down a maker trying to make a living in an industry(s) that many 1st world countries have totally abandoned, i.e. tannery & manufacturing.

Your privilege is showing here, lol.

It all reads rather arrogantly to me. But that may be due to my poor English.
Anyway, I'd recommend you just have a few jackets made by 5* and then make your own judgement when you have your own experience.
I've ordered >10 jackets from 5* (if I remember correctly) and I think I can make a judgement.

Oh yes, I have my own sewing machine and an overlock and I have sewn leather items (although not jackets) by hand. I might even fancy making a shearling jacket myself one day. And there are a few others here on TFL who are skilful. So you have less USP here than you think.

 

[ton312]

Wow....10 tanneries & makers. Small mom & pop operations, all. Pakistan has thousands of tanneries, for example. It's a major industry there, fyi.

Dude you are just embarrassing yourself. Yeah small mom and pop outfits like Schott, Vanson, Lost Worlds. And tiny tanneries like Horween and Herman Oak.

Sure Pakistan has thousands of tanneries and makers pushing out shit quality crap for Amazon and other chain store junk outfits. Great point.

And I bet you can’t even punch holes in a piece of strap to make a belt.

 

[ton312]

It all reads rather arrogantly to me. But that may be due to my poor English.
Anyway, I'd recommend you just have a few jackets made by 5* and then make your own judgement when you have your own experience.
I've ordered >10 jackets from 5* (if I remember correctly) and I think I can make a judgement.

Oh yes, I have my own sewing machine and an overlock and I have sewn leather items (although not jackets) by hand. I might even fancy making a shearling jacket myself one day. And there are a few others here on TFL who are skilful. So you have less USP here than you think.

No this guy is another noob loudmouth, zero cred. Just strutting around like a pigeon shitting all over the board.

 

[ton312]

I think the answer is somewhere in the middle.

I have worked leather, and can work a sewing machine (I can also work ON sewing machines), and stitch by hand. I've never made a jacket, but I've never seen a decent pattern and never had the time to make one myself (though I have entertained the idea, and have a box of materials to that effect buried somewhere in my shop right now). I don't know that I can name ten jacket makers AND ten US-based tanneries off the top of my head, but I'm sure I can at least come up with a handful of each.

I've also read every. single. word. of this thread from start to finish. I understand the frustration. I also understand the enthusiasm.

I think Fivestar is saying they can make custom jackets, which they can, but not in the way a US manufacturer would. Garbage in, garbage out applies hard here. You aren't paying for the expertise to get around that, which is why it's relatively inexpensive. It's just not at an equivalent cost. If the "custom" jacket being sought is essentially an off the shelf model, I'm not sure the point in going through the exercise. It's a lot of work, and since they're on the exact opposite side of the clock (for me at least, swap AM for PM to know local time), your money saved is because you're doing a lot of the work. This appeals to some people, doesn't others.

I'm in the process of putting my money where my mouth is. I'm working on getting samples now, and simultaneously figuring out all the many, many, many details and nuances of what I would like to have made. I will also be getting a prototype jacket made. I'm playing the "long game" as it was recently called. Hopefully it pays off. If not, I've been warned. If so, I'll have a pretty awesome jacket to wear... Probably just in time for the weather to get too warm to wear it!

This I respect more than a loud mouth braggart with nothing but his words to back him up, as seen above…Go through the process and report back. I am happy to observe this thread and the results it’s yields from the sidelines.

 

[Pyritez]

Just saying...if you're gonna slam someone, slam the maker charging $2600 US for a jacket with "reprocessed" wool fill, lol.
(!Cough! Real McCoys !Cough!)

& *Not* the small maker doing custom stuff for dirt cheap (& a quick turnaround from order to finished product).

Competition for the big makers benefits the consumer, always.

 

[El Marro]

It all reads rather arrogantly to me. But that may be due to my poor English.

Your english is just fine. This guy is incredibly arrogant.

 

[ton312]

Just saying...if you're gonna slam someone, slam the maker charging $2600 US for a jacket with "reprocessed" wool fill, lol.
(!Cough! Real McCoys !Cough!)

& *Not* the small maker doing custom stuff for dirt cheap (& a quick turnaround from order to finished product).

Competition for the big makers benefits the consumer, always.

I slam anyone who F’s up and doesn’t stand behind their work. I don’t see a difference. If you f up, own up. I have been vocal in threads where big $ makers f up too. I don’t discriminate.