Himel Bros jacket, 1st winter update

[Fonzie]

Unfortunately for HB, this thread has the potential of costing him plenty of future customers.
It’s sad it’s gone down this way when it could have been the total opposite if he had acted more gentlemanly.

Too late now, hindsight is 20/20.

 

[newtojackets]

What I want to know is what the silent silent partner aka the ‘other Himel Bro’ of Himel Bros. has to say about this…

All due respect to Himel and his employees, that video calling out Damon as being a troll and bully is one of the most absurd things I have ever seen from a business owner. Himel markets themselves as any other social media brand (IG “tribe” and YouTube slow pouring of coffee couch chat time with your host, Dave). This is where they live and the format they choose to run their business in, which is perfectly fine mind you. But to say that people shouldn’t use social media or the internet (he’s referring to this forum obviously) to post honest reviews/experiences of their products is a bit of a paradox.

I may have missed it, but what video are you referring to. I only saw the posts on instagram, but those just alluded to this thread, never any explicit mentions

 

[Aloysius]

I may have missed it, but what video are you referring to. I only saw the posts on instagram, but those just alluded to this thread, never any explicit mentions

He went on to make a video about Damon:

Here is a new Himel video sadly seems aimed at me. He talks about many things but focuses on bullying. I hardly see how posting pictures of poor workmanship is bullying. This happens all day every day with nearly every single thing, product, or service. People talk about things online

 

[Damon141]

Interesting thread. I've always fancied a Himel bros Heron but the high price was always a deterrent. But I'm convinced now to not take the plunge.

Most expensive jacket i've owned was a flat head delraiser that cost $2500. Lovely, impeccably made jacket if you're looking at craftsmanship and stitching and all that. However, something about me and that jacket never clicked and I sold it off.

Favorite jacket is a $900 type 3 goatskin jacket from Schott due to comfort and quality being at a nice balance. I think I'll stick to jackets in this range even though they are not considered Top of the Line-God Tier-Holy Grail status jacket.

Yeah once you have been here and do the homework. You can see that price has very little to do with a great jacket. Sure you have Top Tier manufacturers like Freewheelers but you will see people just as happy in an Aero, Lost World, Schott, Eastman, Thedi, Fields, Vanson, and many members that have clearly demonstrated that they can obtain any brand they desire.

Many will sell more expensive products in favor of lower price because they just like them or being this is an enthusiast board. Many people will go in phases with certain brands, sell those brands and start buying another brand or category. Tastes change and more money spent doesn't always equal happiness

Unfortunately for HB, this thread has the potential of costing him plenty of future customers.
It’s sad it’s gone down this way when it could have been the total opposite if he had acted more gentlemanly.

Too late now, hindsight is 20/20.

Not the way he sees it, his mind is clouded by the useless likes on IG.
His features in Clutch Magazine etc is what he is worried about but I guarantee the Fedora Lounge is responsible for most of his business.

Lots of people making jackets similar to his for less, he can't brag about materials because Shinki is no hidden secret anymore and I'm willing to bet money on it that we will soon see companies like Aero coming out with Shinki Alternatives, just like Lewis Leather has their Veg Tan Cowhide that members compared with Shinki. It only takes the right Maker approaching the right Italian tannery, I'm surprised it hasn't happened yet.

He went on to make a video about Damon:

His definition of bullying is on par with his definition of Bespoke.
Bringing a clear manufacturing problem to the light of day must be bullying to him. And he isn't tolerant of bullies as he says lol.

We all know when you post videos and IG stories criticizing customers to avoid fixing a legitimate product problem, that's closer to bullying if anything

 

[jonbuilder]

I guarantee the Fedora Lounge is responsible for most of his business.

I doubt TFL is a majority of Himel's business. John Chapland of Good Wear stated that only 10% of his business comes from forum members. I do trust John's statement. The only way to know is to go through all Himel invoices and check against a list of TFL members. I do not have access to either list

 

[Marc mndt]

I doubt TFL is a majority of Himel's business. John Chapland of Good Wear stated that only 10% of his business comes from forum members.

Which forum would that be, TFL? Wouldn't surprise me because the majority of his jackets are repro flight jackets. Not what TFL is about.

Having said that, I would be surprised if more than 10% of Himel's business comes from this forum. How many new Himel jackets do we see posted on this forum yearly, five?

 

[jonbuilder]

Which forum would that be, TFL? Wouldn't surprise me because the majority of his jackets are repro flight jackets. Not what TFL is about.

Having said that, I would be surprised if more than 10% of Himel's business comes from this forum. How many new Himel jackets do we see posted on this forum yearly, five?

It was The Vintage Leather Jackets forum that John was referring to. He is an ex-moderator that posts under Buzztower I am not aware of any posting John does here.

 

[jonbuilder]

Having said that, I would be surprised if more than 10% of Himel's business comes from this forum. How many new Himel jackets do we see posted on this forum yearly, five?

exactly my point

 

[ton312]

Hard to say with any certainty where the customers come from. There's a fair number of lurkers I'm sure who use this forum as a means of research. I can't tell you how many bootlegger questions I've answered from "members" who have never posted. I also think the thread below this one....

So there must be something to it.

 

[handymike]

A part of me wonders if we’ll ever see our new friend again.

 

[Aloysius]

It was The Vintage Leather Jackets forum that John was referring to. He is an ex-moderator that posts under Buzztower I am not aware of any posting John does here.

Good Wear and Himel have extremely different audiences and markets. One is going after the history and “WWII impression” crowd, which is a very demanding but specific audience. The other is chasing the expensive workwear crowd, which seems to always want to be kitted out head to toe in a branded ‘uniform’ hence the collab boots, the “bespoke bucket hat” etc.

Good Wear is well known enough among history enthusiasts in that sense that George Lucas (always a stickler for things like this) tapped Chapman to do the jackets for Red Tails. (A Disney production would just Google the cheapest vendor offering “pilot jackets” and then have a cheap costume shop make a copy of that.)

 

[mumpy]

Not based on any actual data but I would assume the majority of his customers are coming from IG.

 

[Edward]

Good Wear and Himel have extremely different audiences and markets. One is going after the history and “WWII impression” crowd, which is a very demanding but specific audience. The other is chasing the expensive workwear crowd, which seems to always want to be kitted out head to toe in a branded ‘uniform’ hence the collab boots, the “bespoke bucket hat” etc.

Good Wear is well known enough among history enthusiasts in that sense that George Lucas (always a stickler for things like this) tapped Chapman to do the jackets for Red Tails. (A Disney production would just Google the cheapest vendor offering “pilot jackets” and then have a cheap costume shop make a copy of that.)

What a shame (but how very on brand) that Lucas didn't put in anything like the same effort to the script and direction that he did into making it look nice!

 

[Aloysius]

What a shame (but how very on brand) that Lucas didn't put in anything like the same effort to the script and direction that he did into making it look nice!

Well, the Red Tails that we got isn't what he wanted to make.

He wanted to make a trilogy of films following a group of Tuskegee airmen, including their re-entry to the Jim Crow South after the war and the start of the civil rights movement. He wanted it to teach history while keeping young people engaged with things like dogfights (a longstanding initiative of his, hence things like the Young Indiana Jones tv series which was made to teach history).

He was so burnt out by a decade of YOU KILLED MY CHILDHOOD entitlement that he basically handed off the concept (he didn't write or direct the film that did come out). Of course, I think many of these same people are now realising that Lucas as an independent filmmaker at least had an intentionality to what he made. Disney has no such notion.

 

[Edward]

Well, the Red Tails that we got isn't what he wanted to make.

He wanted to make a trilogy of films following a group of Tuskegee airmen, including their re-entry to the Jim Crow South after the war and the start of the civil rights movement. He wanted it to teach history while keeping young people engaged with things like dogfights (a longstanding initiative of his, hence things like the Young Indiana Jones tv series which was made to teach history).

He was so burnt out by a decade of YOU KILLED MY CHILDHOOD entitlement that he basically handed off the concept (he didn't write or direct the film that did come out). Of course, I think many of these same people are now realising that Lucas as an independent filmmaker at least had an intentionality to what he made. Disney has no such notion.

Eh, tbh I don't think Lucas was ever even that. He's a guy who has had some nice ideas, if only he'd left other people to bring them to fruition. I think I'd have preferred him as a producer rather than any kind of creative. I do find it kinda funny , in a dark way, how he's so resistant to letting anyone access the original Star Wars versions because they hate his "improvements". Disney are what they are, though TBH on balance I found their hit rate better than Lucas. None of it's any Star Trek, though.

I'd like to have seen more in that vein of Red Tails, but I think it definitely needed better direction. On the plus side, though, it did get a significant level of attention for a less well known element of the history, all credit to him for that. I don't know about the US, but it's definitely a part of the war's story that wasn't really known at all over here.

 

[Damon141]

Hard to say with any certainty where the customers come from. There's a fair number of lurkers I'm sure who use this forum as a means of research. I can't tell you how many bootlegger questions I've answered from "members" who have never posted. I also think the thread below this one....

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So there must be something to it.

Exactly!!!! Lurkers. Johnbuilder acts like everyone just registers and starts posting about jackets and then modeling them when they receive them to complete strangers. WE ARE A RARE BREED, we are ocd enthusiasts

My statement has no facts whatsoever but when it was my time to look for leather jackets, it led me to Style Forums for the Rag&Bone on up to the Tom Ford, YSL etc. then you stumble across VLJ Forums and notice they are mostly flight enthusiasts so many will find TFL.

They don't stock in that many stores like Standard and Strange type stores but even when you see what they offer, you start researching FlatvHead, RMC, Y2 etc and it will lead many here to TFL too.


Himel doesn't seem to have the paid advertising campaigns on IG or stockists doing the advertising for him.
If you find Himel on IG, you are going to want more information before dropping close to 3 grand on a made to measure jacket.


It's always so hard hard to say where true business comes from (I own 3 coin laundromats and I can never figure it out, my business is more location/convenience based) soon to be 2 because one should be closing in June. This is my smallest but also paid off.
Anyone want to start a leather jacket business? Only half joking,

I'm curious, Someone with such knowledge, tell me what equipment is needed to do it right?

 

[newtojackets]

Exactly!!!! Lurkers. Johnbuilder acts like everyone just registers and starts posting about jackets and then modeling them when they receive them to complete strangers. WE ARE A RARE BREED, we are ocd enthusiasts

My statement has no facts whatsoever but when it was my time to look for leather jackets, it led me to Style Forums for the Rag&Bone on up to the Tom Ford, YSL etc. then you stumble across VLJ Forums and notice they are mostly flight enthusiasts so many will find TFL.

They don't stock in that many stores like Standard and Strange type stores but even when you see what they offer, you start researching FlatvHead, RMC, Y2 etc and it will lead many here to TFL too.


Himel doesn't seem to have the paid advertising campaigns on IG or stockists doing the advertising for him.
If you find Himel on IG, you are going to want more information before dropping close to 3 grand on a made to measure jacket.


It's always so hard hard to say where true business comes from (I own 3 coin laundromats and I can never figure it out, my business is more location/convenience based) soon to be 2 because one should be closing in June. This is my smallest but also paid off.
Anyone want to start a leather jacket business? Only half joking,

I'm curious, Someone with such knowledge, tell me what equipment is needed to do it right?

I have actually seen a few paid Himel bros ads recently on YouTube. Wouldn’t be surprised if Instagram has some too

 

[MattieXMoto]

Ok. I am newish here and binged through 14 pages. I am exhausted. Does He ever come back to reply?

I will be responding in detail in the next couple of days likely my last post on TFL. I am just finishing some research and images of vintage jackets, other makers etc. Stay tuned for my final TFL post!

 

[Aloysius]

Ok. I am newish here and binged through 14 pages. I am exhausted. Does He ever come back to reply?

He replied in the form of a YouTube video accusing the customer in the original post of being a bully.

 

[MattieXMoto]

He replied in the form of a YouTube video accusing the customer in the original post of being a bully.

Damn. I was only 3 more pages away from uncovering it. Thx for the ffwd button. I will watch.

This whole thing make me appreciate being able to go see garments and try things on. Sounds like a headache! The most expensive piece I have is prob Private White Donegal and that thing was perfect.

If i paid 3k for a leather jacket I would expect all of the promised goods. Fit, finish, leather quality, lifetime guarantee and above all else supreme customer service. I am talking champaign popping can I get you some hors d oeuvres.

When you walk into Watches of Switzerland or Patek, it is white glove support. Heck even at Omega they do great.

I will slowly read the rest from page 14 forward. But yeh I would only prob buy Himel pre owned and inspected. I would prob steer clear. Which is sad cuz i am sure he has a lot of good pieces out there.

It seems he see his pieces as art not to be criticized. Almost like it is a priv to be a customer. That is never good.