Sorry for the long novel and thanks for reading!
I wasn't going to post this thread about my experience with Himel Bros but it's been nothing but positive from start to finish I felt I should.
A bit of background.
I'm not or at least wasn't until recent a huge jacket aficionado like many of you guys. I'm more of a goodyear welted boot guy when it comes to leather having a dozen pair consisting mostly of Vibergs. I prioritize quality over value where it matters to me and I don't scrutinize anything under macro lenses or loupes instead opting for thorough examinations with the naked eye instead.
The leather jackets I have owned were strictly utilitarian for motorcycling and on the lower-end from a Canadian brand, Danier Leather, or Harley Davidson jackets because they get beat up after a few years on the road. They look decent and do the job so good enough. I didn't wear leather jackets away from bikes.
I decided to buy a leather jacket for daily wear in later 2022 and went to a nearby leather store creatively called Leathers. They have a huge selection of mostly imports although they carry Canadian made Ocean West jackets that stood out from the other offerings.
I bought a black lambskin Ocean West that seemed fine in the store but turned out to be rather uninspiring and not my style. It's more of a dressy church goer and I don't wear it.
Being unsatisfied with that acquisition I tried again for something more everyday and drove to a store known in the area called the Old Hide House. It wasn't worth the drive and me lead me to browse online.
I started with the typical google searches for "best leather jacket" which led me to a bunch of youtube review videos, discovering TFL and me registering here so that's good! and also Reddit where r/malefashionadvice has a lengthy buyer's guide. I figured I wanted something mid-ranged around $1 000 and preferably made in N. America. After more research and looking at the options I narrowed it down to a brown Schott P571.
This P571 checked all the boxes I thought. Minimalist, no lining so nice and thin, I didn't want a button collar because my biker jackets all have that although it wasn't a deal breaker. I went to a brick & mortar store to check them out in person and they only had a small selection of black Schott jackets in stock. I specifically wanted brown to go with my brown boots and ordered from Schott's website in December 2022.
I focused on the wrong website photos. The jacket seems lighter in some pictures under studio lights and almost worn in. The lighter shade of brown is what I expected. Eager to buy, my tunnel vision didn't pay attention to the 2 pictures in natural light showing the jacket being much darker. It arrived the first week of January and was very dark. My fault that's OK. I still like it. It's very well made and comfortable. I wear it regularly but deep down I wished it was a lighter tan so I decided to try again and to try high-end this time for a medium brown hide.
I went back to trusty Google and that subreddit, discovered Himel and eventually his youtube channel. Marketing spiel aside, what made me rule out other high-end and Japanese options is Himel is in Toronto, his jackets are made in Toronto and he sources some items locally such as repo zippers made in St. Catherines. I live a stones throw outside Toronto, I work in Toronto, I worked in St. Catherines before, it all just resonated with me and I proudly support Canadian and Ontario companies where I can.
The reason I went into length about the P571 was because I was hesitant to order another jacket unseen and maybe be let down that it wasn't as expected. This being an expensive purchase made me more reluctant to do the easy thing and buy online again.
I messaged Himel Bros on Facebook. David promptly replied suggesting I call him. We had a very positive 30 minute initial conversation and I mentioned that I would like to see the materials in person and alleviate my colour woes. I emailed his team few times after that to make arrangements including measurements my wife took and pictures of my colour preferences. In hindsight, Himel's website pictures look accurate but I had to be sure.
Fast forward a month. I met David and his personal collection or at least some of it. Leather overload! We talked more, he measured me and handed me a few jackets to try on. Those jackets and others I checked out were next level. I mean it. Every jacket I handled felt and looked incredible!
The first I tried was a cream Kensington that I think David said was an old prototype. As soon and I slid into it and looked in the mirror I thought OMG I have to have this! and fought the urge to attempt to procure it. I don't know if I can pull off cream leather but that particular jacket felt like a million bucks as if it were made specifically for me all those years ago. Maybe I'll try and buy it next time. The other jackets were equally impressive but that Kensington stuck with me and I was was sold on Himel right then and there.
David said he had a good understanding of what I was after and that he had the right hide for my jacket at his shop. I placed the order in medium brown that very same day and patiently waited. 5 weeks all in all.
David called once after the order to chat and give me a status update, we exchanged several text messages, both David and his team member later informed me when the jacket was ready. I was too busy with work and fatherly commitments and had it shipped to my home instead of waiting another 2 weeks when I could pick it up. David and I chatted again after the jacket was delivered.
Conclusion. I'm new to TFL and don't post much but the forum has been invaluable for research (the good and bad) and I can only speak to my own experiences. My dealings with David Himel and his team were simply fantastic from start to finish! I couldn't expect better customer service from any business let alone the owner. An easy 11/10.
The icing on the cake is the jacket I received. To say I'm impressed would be an understatement. It's the same feel I got from that Kensington all over again and then some. Its quality, colour, luster and attention to detail far exceeded my expectations and whoever put this together did so meticulously. What became quickly clear is this jacket draws attention and compliments from friends and strangers alike.
Would I recommend a Himel to someone looking for a high-end jacket? Absolutely. Would I buy a second Himel? Absolutely. I came across some awesome looking jackets from other brands but it's safe to say I'll have a second Himel by year's end.
I wasn't going to post this thread about my experience with Himel Bros but it's been nothing but positive from start to finish I felt I should.
A bit of background.
I'm not or at least wasn't until recent a huge jacket aficionado like many of you guys. I'm more of a goodyear welted boot guy when it comes to leather having a dozen pair consisting mostly of Vibergs. I prioritize quality over value where it matters to me and I don't scrutinize anything under macro lenses or loupes instead opting for thorough examinations with the naked eye instead.
The leather jackets I have owned were strictly utilitarian for motorcycling and on the lower-end from a Canadian brand, Danier Leather, or Harley Davidson jackets because they get beat up after a few years on the road. They look decent and do the job so good enough. I didn't wear leather jackets away from bikes.
I decided to buy a leather jacket for daily wear in later 2022 and went to a nearby leather store creatively called Leathers. They have a huge selection of mostly imports although they carry Canadian made Ocean West jackets that stood out from the other offerings.
I bought a black lambskin Ocean West that seemed fine in the store but turned out to be rather uninspiring and not my style. It's more of a dressy church goer and I don't wear it.
Being unsatisfied with that acquisition I tried again for something more everyday and drove to a store known in the area called the Old Hide House. It wasn't worth the drive and me lead me to browse online.
I started with the typical google searches for "best leather jacket" which led me to a bunch of youtube review videos, discovering TFL and me registering here so that's good! and also Reddit where r/malefashionadvice has a lengthy buyer's guide. I figured I wanted something mid-ranged around $1 000 and preferably made in N. America. After more research and looking at the options I narrowed it down to a brown Schott P571.
This P571 checked all the boxes I thought. Minimalist, no lining so nice and thin, I didn't want a button collar because my biker jackets all have that although it wasn't a deal breaker. I went to a brick & mortar store to check them out in person and they only had a small selection of black Schott jackets in stock. I specifically wanted brown to go with my brown boots and ordered from Schott's website in December 2022.
I focused on the wrong website photos. The jacket seems lighter in some pictures under studio lights and almost worn in. The lighter shade of brown is what I expected. Eager to buy, my tunnel vision didn't pay attention to the 2 pictures in natural light showing the jacket being much darker. It arrived the first week of January and was very dark. My fault that's OK. I still like it. It's very well made and comfortable. I wear it regularly but deep down I wished it was a lighter tan so I decided to try again and to try high-end this time for a medium brown hide.
I went back to trusty Google and that subreddit, discovered Himel and eventually his youtube channel. Marketing spiel aside, what made me rule out other high-end and Japanese options is Himel is in Toronto, his jackets are made in Toronto and he sources some items locally such as repo zippers made in St. Catherines. I live a stones throw outside Toronto, I work in Toronto, I worked in St. Catherines before, it all just resonated with me and I proudly support Canadian and Ontario companies where I can.
The reason I went into length about the P571 was because I was hesitant to order another jacket unseen and maybe be let down that it wasn't as expected. This being an expensive purchase made me more reluctant to do the easy thing and buy online again.
I messaged Himel Bros on Facebook. David promptly replied suggesting I call him. We had a very positive 30 minute initial conversation and I mentioned that I would like to see the materials in person and alleviate my colour woes. I emailed his team few times after that to make arrangements including measurements my wife took and pictures of my colour preferences. In hindsight, Himel's website pictures look accurate but I had to be sure.
Fast forward a month. I met David and his personal collection or at least some of it. Leather overload! We talked more, he measured me and handed me a few jackets to try on. Those jackets and others I checked out were next level. I mean it. Every jacket I handled felt and looked incredible!
The first I tried was a cream Kensington that I think David said was an old prototype. As soon and I slid into it and looked in the mirror I thought OMG I have to have this! and fought the urge to attempt to procure it. I don't know if I can pull off cream leather but that particular jacket felt like a million bucks as if it were made specifically for me all those years ago. Maybe I'll try and buy it next time. The other jackets were equally impressive but that Kensington stuck with me and I was was sold on Himel right then and there.
David said he had a good understanding of what I was after and that he had the right hide for my jacket at his shop. I placed the order in medium brown that very same day and patiently waited. 5 weeks all in all.
David called once after the order to chat and give me a status update, we exchanged several text messages, both David and his team member later informed me when the jacket was ready. I was too busy with work and fatherly commitments and had it shipped to my home instead of waiting another 2 weeks when I could pick it up. David and I chatted again after the jacket was delivered.
Conclusion. I'm new to TFL and don't post much but the forum has been invaluable for research (the good and bad) and I can only speak to my own experiences. My dealings with David Himel and his team were simply fantastic from start to finish! I couldn't expect better customer service from any business let alone the owner. An easy 11/10.
The icing on the cake is the jacket I received. To say I'm impressed would be an understatement. It's the same feel I got from that Kensington all over again and then some. Its quality, colour, luster and attention to detail far exceeded my expectations and whoever put this together did so meticulously. What became quickly clear is this jacket draws attention and compliments from friends and strangers alike.
Would I recommend a Himel to someone looking for a high-end jacket? Absolutely. Would I buy a second Himel? Absolutely. I came across some awesome looking jackets from other brands but it's safe to say I'll have a second Himel by year's end.
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