Himel: An Existential Review

[Guppy]

How long before the Master himself joins in to tell us we don't understand what it's like to be him and that we have no idea what it's like to be the best in the world...

Apparently in about five months...

But seriously, I don't have anything against Himel Bros. They look like great jackets. More $$$ than I can afford, but I would love to own one. I think 5 months wait is totally reasonable, but what is not reasonable is five months wait when told two months, and then getting a bunch of excuses, runaround, and being put on ignore. That's not what I call service.

All's well that ends well, and it looks like the jacket ended up very well.

 

[ton312]

There is something so….I can’t find the word so I’ll make one up. Pussy-fying to me about considering a leather jacket a luxury process or product. I hate that notion. It’s what I’ve ranted on and on about before. It’s just so diametrically opposed to what the garments are meant to be, the roots from which they were born. It’s just plain wrong!

I think it’s why many of the repro makers really bother me. Really, really bother me. That is what they put fourth. Luxury in leather. PUKE. One good thing? Piss off. I’ve got twelve good things made decades before this silly notion was swimming around in daddy’s pants.

I better stop typing. I feel like the spirit of Stu is swelling up within me. I will quietly retreat.

 

[red devil]

Lewis Leathers is actually my favorite jacket maker! Haha. I guess what I mean is they're more mainstream than Himel, and though expensive for the average joe, way more affordable than Himel.

And yes, their sheepskin and Veg tanned stuff is great. I have 2 customs from them and another on order!

By comparison, I get no less satisfaction from my Lewis jackets than I do from my Himel, except maybe that the Himel is a nicer hide and a rarer pattern. I could have 2 LL jackets custom made under the cost of the one Himel.

I've also had pretty good service from them: while they can be slow to respond, all jackets have fit great, are awesome quality, and my last one was done several weeks early. They're pleasant to deal with, though / and I've not had to fight with them on anything.

Not contradicting you, just wondering, are they more mainstream? I only heard about them after I heard about Himel. Granted in this forum Himel had more presence in the past, although that seems to be slowly changing.

I only own one jacket from them, a turquoise lightning and was planning to get a universal racer in one of the veg tan hides. I don't own any Himel, I enquired about a Wolverine years ago, but didn't go through with it. I found other makers I preferred.

With Himel, not sure what you are getting with all the money spent, although I have to say that the chevalier is probably his most interesting design.

I better stop typing. I feel like the spirit of Stu is swelling up within me. I will quietly retreat.

Good one lol

More seriously I understand you, I won't say I completely agree though. But yes, it reminds me how things went with quite a frew people here. I suspect quite a few of us here went through the fashion version of jackets thinking thin and smooth leather is more refined and high end - I am guilty of this big mistake. - only to realise that good leather is actually on the other end of the spectrum.

And yes, it seems that there is a trend of brand fetichisation even in our more product focused group here. Not sure what I was trying to say exactly, but I think I wanted to add some nuance to your thoughts

 

[Monitor]

There is something so….I can’t find the word so I’ll make one up. Pussy-fying to me about considering a leather jacket a luxury process or product. I hate that notion. It’s what I’ve ranted on and on about before. It’s just so diametrically opposed to what the garments are meant to be, the roots from which they were born. It’s just plain wrong!

I think it’s why many of the repro makers really bother me. Really, really bother me. That is what they put fourth. Luxury in leather. PUKE. One good thing? Piss off. I’ve got twelve good things made decades before this silly notion was swimming around in daddy’s pants.

I better stop typing. I feel like the spirit of Stu is swelling up within me. I will quietly retreat.

To what motorcycle jackets are meant to be?

One good thing angle is incredibly annoying because one good thing will never, ever cost $2650. It will cost as much as Sears jacket used to cost in 1962 (adjusted for inflation, of course). It's why Ship John pisses me off to no end, tryna sell an inferior copy of a Carhartt jacket for the price of four Carhartt jackets. But people buy into the story & that's not the issue.

The issue I got with most repro brands is that they're trying to advertise luxury fashion as something that it most definitely is not. I've zero issues with anyone paying $2650 for a leather jacket. All the power to you! I want to be able to drop $8000 on a leather jacket that I want and there are several that cost as much or way more! But I came to terms with it being a pure flex. Kind of flex one should be proud to embrace, instead of pretending we're getting a piece of workwear or anything of the sort 'cause at $2650, we're so not.

But it's cool to buy things that make us happy. Buying vintage is fashion statement in an equal measure, not significantly different than being clad in that imbecilic Gucci jogging suit.

 

[El Marro]

All the power to you! I want to be able to drop $8000 on a leather jacket that I want and there are several that cost as much or way more! But I came to terms with it being a pure flex. Kind of flex one should be proud to embrace, instead of pretending we're getting a piece of workwear or anything of the sort 'cause at $2650, we're so not.

That is the gospel truth Brother!

 

[ton312]

To what motorcycle jackets are meant to be?

One good thing angle is incredibly annoying because one good thing will never, ever cost $2650. It will cost as much as Sears jacket used to cost in 1962 (adjusted for inflation, of course). It's why Ship John pisses me off to no end, tryna sell an inferior copy of a Carhartt jacket for the price of four Carhartt jackets. But people buy into the story & that's not the issue.

The issue I got with most repro brands is that they're trying to advertise luxury fashion as something that it most definitely is not. I've zero issues with anyone paying $2650 for a leather jacket. All the power to you! I want to be able to drop $8000 on a leather jacket that I want and there are several that cost as much or way more! But I came to terms with it being a pure flex. Kind of flex one should be proud to embrace, instead of pretending we're getting a piece of workwear or anything of the sort 'cause at $2650, we're so not.

But it's cool to buy things that make us happy. Buying vintage is fashion statement in an equal measure, not significantly different than being clad in that imbecilic Gucci jogging suit.

Starts to feel like ssense.com Which of course it is, but with an angle that better suits raw denim, engineer boots and a beard.

 

[navetsea]

congrats, I bet the leather will darken beautifully, honestly man, I won't mind about the wait at all, to me the wait is part of the fun once we receive the jacket in hand sure is fun, but then the project is over and there is this sense of emptiness again , from what I see all these leather workshops are small operation unlike mass production jacket like schott, so if one of the crew is injured or caught covid whatever, then it affects the whole thing. I once ordered a custom design boots from my own drawing, somehow it took 1 and half year to finish, but 8 years later it is still my most worn boots.

 

[navetsea]

The problem is not that one waits 2/5/12 months, if this was agreed upon, but that the agreed delivery date was not met and that this fact was handled absolutely unprofessionally by Himel.
In the review, the sparse communication reads more like excuses and evasions. Seamstress injured? You can believe it or not. But healed faster? Then not after all? Then the leather doesn't exist, then again? Then the replacement leather is posted on Instagram (and I wouldn't be surprised if it was actually Canadian instead of NZ).
That's exactly the point.
If someone tells me that delivery will take 5 months, then I can decide whether I want to take that or not. If I'm told 5 and wait 10, then it annoys me because I probably wouldn't have ordered then.
Then he should just say that he doesn't give any delivery dates. When it's ready, it's ready. Take it or leave it.

But I'm probably too German to be more relaxed about it *lol*, and besides, I hate waiting. That's why there's no new Field Leather at the moment.

in other part of the world like in my country people are laidback, it is normal for leather jacket project promised to be done in 1 month then it turned out to be 3 months. and it seems like the more returning customer you are the less prioritized your jacket is in term of completion hahaha

 

[zebedee]

I really like Himel's Canuck, but I don't want to pay those prices - I don't know what effect tighter stitching has (beyond the aesthetic), and I doubt that the advantages of the manufacturing process in whatever dimension, be it fit, durability, etc. (if I could tell) would - or could - be detectably significant to me. I'm happy enough to pay around 900 GBP for a leather jacket and around 200 GBP for boots, although people have told me that those prices seem a lot.

How much a person is willing to pay and his or her accommodation of waiting times are going to be personal factors. Whether or not these jackets are workwear, riding jackets or costuming - or a combination of all those elements - is part of the oddness of the hobby. It's a pity that the OP had to wait so long, although the jacket looks like a one-of-a-kind item and hopefully is worth it in the end.

 

[Damon141]

I think of the prices were lower the wait time would shoot through the roof.

Plus a shortage of skilled craftsmen like when all of these great original jackets were made.

*edit: privately I envy the 5 month wait because a couple months ago when I joined this forum for fit advice, I went ahead and put down for Fields Leather jacket with a year plus wait. I just wanted something that fit right, and built tough like before mass production, a lifetime piece.

 

[navetsea]

To what motorcycle jackets are meant to be?

One good thing angle is incredibly annoying because one good thing will never, ever cost $2650. It will cost as much as Sears jacket used to cost in 1962 (adjusted for inflation, of course). It's why Ship John pisses me off to no end, tryna sell an inferior copy of a Carhartt jacket for the price of four Carhartt jackets. But people buy into the story & that's not the issue.

The issue I got with most repro brands is that they're trying to advertise luxury fashion as something that it most definitely is not. I've zero issues with anyone paying $2650 for a leather jacket. All the power to you! I want to be able to drop $8000 on a leather jacket that I want and there are several that cost as much or way more! But I came to terms with it being a pure flex. Kind of flex one should be proud to embrace, instead of pretending we're getting a piece of workwear or anything of the sort 'cause at $2650, we're so not.

But it's cool to buy things that make us happy. Buying vintage is fashion statement in an equal measure, not significantly different than being clad in that imbecilic Gucci jogging suit.

luxury high price workwear hype is over now everyone wears cheap parkas and cargopants right now which is more honest price and function wise than workwear cosplay hype we have been through, perhaps all these small operation company starts to realize there is less client willing to pay price tag the asking for.

 

[Viking752]

I am gonna need you to pay me in full, in return I will give you a moving target for a completion date and then sprinkle that with some excuses. Things happen as we all know but that level of arrogance is hard to stomach when you are operating at this level. I have no dog in this fight so this is just my humble take on the situation.

 

[Geekrobot]

I am gonna need you to pay me in full, in return I will give you a moving target for a completion date and then sprinkle that with some excuses. Things happen as we all know but that level of arrogance is hard to stomach when you are operating at this level. I have no dog in this fight so this is just my humble take on the situation.

Yes, agreed that paying in full feels stupid once you're in a situation where you lose trust or faith in the seller. It seems fair enough until you're at risk for not getting what you were expecting, be it a deadline or some other aspect of the experience.

To their credit, Langlitz only took $200 as a deposit when i had my order in with them. That small gesture of mutual trust in not requiring the full payment upfront really goes a long way after an experience like I had with Himel, where they had all the money, my fit jacket, and their no refund 'policy.' I was thinking of filing a charge back with my card company when communication was at its worst, but was actually worried they might 'lose' my fit jacket if I pulled my funds out my own way.

 

[HarryLime]

Langlitz is going to be better than a Himel period for on and off the bike, and their real leathertog jacket cost less. I can also get a Johnson custom leathertog jacket that will be half of what a Himel designer leathertog would cost.

Where on their website is their leathertog jacket ? Everything on the site looks frumpy and I don't see anything that looks like a leathertogs to me. It looks like they have the same product photgrapher as Vanson, lol.

 

[El Marro]

Where on their website is their leathertog jacket ? Everything on the site looks frumpy and I don't see anything that looks like a leathertogs to me. It looks like they have the same product photgrapher as Vanson, lol.

Most of Langlitz’s most interesting jackets and jacket options are not actually on their website. Google Langlitz Japan and check out their Instagram. You will see the Comstock and plenty of other cool jackets there.
This is a really odd thing about Langlitz, and it’s been this way for a long time now. Once you find something you like on the Japanese website you can order it from the folks in Portland, but if you don’t find it yourself they will never tell you about it…. It’s like a secret menu for leather jacket nerds.

 

[TheDonEffect]

I don't think it's a matter of being able to wait or patience on the client end, but rather the way it was handled by Himel. There no reason a jacket should cost that much unless you're providing some intangible benefit, like a brand or an experience, so perhaps Himel thinks it's the brand.

Me personally I tend to let alot go, part of the promise, until I feel like I'm being strung along. And I think that's where the OPs frustration is coming from.

At those prices it becomes a luxury good since the garment is priced well beyond objective measures. Doesn't mean that you need a opulent showroom with attractive staff, but hell I get regular updates and a handwritten thank you card for my artisan made wallet that cost a tiny fraction of a jacket.

@ton312 these are luxury goods man lol. Well made, durable, low key, rugged, but still luxury.

 

[red devil]

so perhaps Himel thinks it's the brand.

I think he does, he keeps talking about his "tribe" or something of the sort

 

[Monitor]

I think he does, he keeps talking about his "tribe" or something of the sort

That I just cannot understand and comprehend. If they truly believe that, they're 100% disconnected from reality.

 

[Marc mndt]

If they truly believe that, they're 100% disconnected from reality.

Himel Bros seeing / presenting themselves as a brand makes total sense to me.

More than once have I talked to guys who are into the 'rugged menswear' scene who thought a Himel Bros jacket is the best leather jacket one can get, the cream of the crop. They thought Himel represents the highest level achievable.

Regardless of whether that's actually true or not, they somehow had this notion without necessarily knowing a whole lot about leather jackets and the different makers currently on the market.

IMO there's only one explanation for that and it's called branding/marketing.

Why else would people spend $50 on this yellow beanie? Because they've bought into the Himel brand.

Edit : typo

 

[red devil]

That I just cannot understand and comprehend. If they truly believe that, they're 100% disconnected from reality.

It is marketing, marketing he tried to disguise as having a "deeper" meaning, a lot of people fell for it.

Himel Bros seeing / presenting themselves as a brand makes total sense to me.

More than once have I talked to guys who are into the 'rugged menswear' scene who thought a Himel Bros jacket is the best leather jacket one can get, the cream of the crop. They though Himel represents the highest level achievable.

Regardless of whether that's actually true or not, they somehow had this notion without necessarily knowing a whole lot about leather jackets and the different makers currently on the market.

IMO there's only one explanation for that and it's called branding/marketing.

Why else would people spend $50 on this yellow beanie? Because they've bought into the Himel brand.

View attachment 420356

Pretty much. Himel can't compete against the big fashion houses, so he tried to create his brand in a niche group, and by all accounts he is reasonably succesful. No need to go very far, he was put on a pedestal here a few years ago.