Lost Worlds

[Monitor]

I spoke with Stewart over the phone regarding shipping to Europe and he was very helpful and nice enough. I wasn't sure about making a call for some time because of his reputation, plus my English is far from perfect, but while he didn't exactly sound like he's trying to make a friend, in all honesty, due to his straight-to-the-point, no nonsense professionalism, it was one of the finest dealings I've ever had.

 

[Highwaymanman]

I find the products and workmanship look outstanding, but cannot quite bring myself to buy from a company that puts that much (unintentionally) camp 'Grrrrr!' into product description. I dig the phrase 'blog queens' though. It's genius. I recommend both Aero and LW to friends, and people definitely see the incredible quality on display.

Nail on head. It's inadvertandly camp as a row of tents. As Susan Sontag writes:

The pure examples of Camp are unintentional; they are dead serious. The Art Nouveau craftsman who makes a lamp with a snake coiled around it is not kidding, nor is he trying to be charming. He is saying, in all earnestness: Voilà! the Orient!

Stuart is that craftsman. Except it's not Voila! the orient! it's Hey buddy, the essence of true manhood! Which makes it all the camper. I'd still love one of his jackets, of course.

 

[Sloan1874]

If Stu's reading this, he may have just set fire to his workshop.

 

[zebedee]

He has 'dethroned the serious' (I think that was Sontag's phrase). I'd also quite like one of his jackets, but I'd just hear 'via pretensa' every time I put it on. That or something along the lines of 'quadrilatric shill nations of pandering shrill meemies' and such. Sorta Mickey Spillane in a tutu.

Guy's pea coats are works of art- be cool to see a comparison with Aero mariner.

 

[Deleted member 16736]

I tried getting leather samples from them recently and was told they don't send them. How anybody can buy a leather jacket without examining the leather first is a mystery.

 

[HDRnR]

I tried getting leather samples from them recently and was told they don't send them. How anybody can buy a leather jacket without examining the leather first is a mystery.

That would be like going to Per Se and asking for salt.

 

[Tinytim]

I had recently in early February, bought a jacket & 2 vests from the lost worlds, I communicated with Stuart via email. He responded to all my queries promptly. He is a man of few words, always straight to the point. There was some pretty bad weather around his area at that time & I believe they were snowed in, Stuart warned me of possible delays in shipping, but he some how managed to get the items to me within a week. I believe he is just serious about his work, and will not take any nonsense from anyone, that's his work style, we should just respect it.

 

[Seb Lucas]

I tried getting leather samples from them recently and was told they don't send them. How anybody can buy a leather jacket without examining the leather first is a mystery.

I've bought many leather jackets without samples - it's never been a problem for me.

 

[GregO]

I believe he is just serious about his work, and will not take any nonsense from anyone, that's his work style, we should just respect it.

I can respect it. But last night I paid Diamond Dave to build me a modified J-100. I went with DD instead of LW because the communication with DD was great, he answered each of my 8 or 9 emails within an hour or two, and it is obvious to me that he stands behind his product -- I was really swayed by the TFL member who recently posted about DD building him a new jacket at no additional charge because the first one simply didn't fit (the guy with the New York accent who posted the video clip of him in the jacket).

Stu may be a great guy as well (I have never dealt with him directly), but in light of some of the rants that I have seen, I was worried about how the post-sale period would go if I had a problem with the jacket upon arrival (fit, etc.). In other words, I thought DD was a safer option, so I went that way. I'll post up picks when I get the jacket -- DD said about a month.

And I'm not trying to take anything away from LW with this thread and post -- his Buco repros really do look great.

 

[zebedee]

There's no doubt that the man does wonderful work (you quisling inferiors with biceps like chicken fillets strapped to a twig) for men- real men I tell ya!



No-one has to buy from him if they don't like the interface online, but the question is whether some who would buy are put off by the tone- I was fully prepared to buy a peacoat until I read the stuff below, and then went Aero. I wonder what customers are persuaded by the guff, and how many would buy anyway due to the high quality on offer and ignore the bluster.

 

[Sloan1874]

It's slightly sad, isn't it? To me it reads like a man cutting off his nose to spite his face. We all know he makes bullet-proof stuff that's up there with Aero, GW and Himmel, but his chat is awful - denigrating of jacket boards as "internet buddy coercion", which, to be blunt, is b*****ks - undercuts his product terribly. It's a bit like creating a Faberge egg and then sticking it in a shop front full of day-glo signs: you're left doubting the product itself. Self-defeating, really. [huh]

 

[ykurtz]

It's slightly sad, isn't it? To me it reads like a man cutting off his nose to spite his face. We all know he makes bullet-proof stuff that's up there with Aero, GW and Himmel, but his chat is awful - denigrating of jacket boards as "internet buddy coercion", which, to be blunt, is b*****ks - undercuts his product terribly. It's a bit like creating a Faberge egg and then sticking it in a shop front full of day-glo signs: you're left doubting the product itself. Self-defeating, really. [huh]

His antics might alter the perception of his products, but the products are what they are. Once you see/feel the product, I think a lot can be forgiven. Also, if we see it in a shop front full of day-glo signs, it won't matter, because the jacket is the jacket. If given the choice between an arrogant ass who happens to be one of the best neurosurgeons in the country and a really nice guy with a great smile and handshake with a so-so track record in brain surgeries performed (and with a money back guarantee to boot--if the patient dies, you pay nothing), who are you going to have cut into your loved one's head? It's a 'no brainer' for me: I'll take the guy with the talent every time.

Of course the analogy is pure hyperbole, but I suspect most will get the point.

 

[ProteinNerd]

His antics might alter the perception of his products, but the products are what they are. Once you see/feel the product, I think a lot can be forgiven.

But thats the thing, with no showroom and simply because I'm guessing he does a lot of out of state or international orders, the majority of his prospective customers won't have ever seen one, I certainly have never seen one in person.

All we have to base a decision on, are pictures on a questionable looking website and an over the top aggressive speal. I think he is trying to pitch his jackets at a typical Mall Jacket buyer who will probably never "get" high quality jackets anyway and in so doing is putting off people that are actually into, and more likely to drop the $$$ on one.

I've just ordered a Buco J-100 from DD, I did look at LW but to be honest, if there is something wrong with the jacket that arrives, I have no doubts the DD will look after me and get me the jacket I want. The impression I get from LW however, is if I don't like it, then I'm wrong in what I want.

I've purchased 3 Aeros and 2 AL jackets as well, knowing if something isn't right, they will fix it....AL did do just that once for me no questions asked. There is no mention on LW what they will do if something is amiss.

 

[ykurtz]

But thats the thing, with no showroom and simply because I'm guessing he does a lot of out of state or international orders, the majority of his prospective customers won't have ever seen one, I certainly have never seen one in person.

All we have to base a decision on, are pictures on a questionable looking website and an over the top aggressive speal. I think he is trying to pitch his jackets at a typical Mall Jacket buyer who will probably never "get" high quality jackets anyway and in so doing is putting off people that are actually into, and more likely to drop the $$$ on one.

I've just ordered a Buco J-100 from DD, I did look at LW but to be honest, if there is something wrong with the jacket that arrives, I have no doubts the DD will look after me and get me the jacket I want. The impression I get from LW however, is if I don't like it, then I'm wrong in what I want.

I've purchased 3 Aeros and 2 AL jackets as well, knowing if something isn't right, they will fix it....AL did do just that once for me no questions asked. There is no mention on LW what they will do if something is amiss.

LW doesn't appear to offer a 'safety net', I agree. And the pictures on his web site aren't very good. In fact, the pictures of LW's here on TFL are much more compelling and bring out the better features of his product. I don't claim to understand what LW's business model is but it doesn't appear to be one of exponential growth and brand recognition. Perhaps he doesn't want to scale his business and only wants a 'manageable' clientele. That said, Goodwear has an 18 month waiting list and as a person who has not seen one in person, etc., I certainly don't want to wait 18 months for a jacket I may or may not ultimately like. So I understand.

 

[GregO]

His antics might alter the perception of his products, but the products are what they are. Once you see/feel the product, I think a lot can be forgiven. Also, if we see it in a shop front full of day-glo signs, it won't matter, because the jacket is the jacket. If given the choice between an arrogant ass who happens to be one of the best neurosurgeons in the country and a really nice guy with a great smile and handshake with a so-so track record in brain surgeries performed (and with a money back guarantee to boot--if the patient dies, you pay nothing), who are you going to have cut into your loved one's head? It's a 'no brainer' for me: I'll take the guy with the talent every time.

Of course the analogy is pure hyperbole, but I suspect most will get the point.

LW doesn't appear to offer a 'safety net', I agree.

I think this misses the point. When I was selecting the "neurosurgeon" to make my jacket, I didn't have to decide between "one of the best neurosurgeons in the country" and "a nice guy with a so-so track record." I chose between Diamond Dave and Lost Worlds -- both apparently excellent at what they do. Lost Worlds lost because of attitude. DD won because of attitude. And there are obviously other makers out there that understand what it means to stand behind a product (with a smile on their faces). To get superb quality in leather, I don't need to deal with an attitude, and don't need to run the risk that I'll be told that I'm the problem if a jacket doesn't fit, look or sit right.

A "safety net" should come standard with a $1k+ purchase that is made blindly without ever having tried on the product. Its called customer service.

 

[ykurtz]

A "safety net" should come standard with a $1k+ purchase that is made blindly without ever having tried on the product. Its called customer service.

I don't think this is universally true. I've bought many things for much more than $1k without such a safety net. I think it's just a question of 'risk tolerance'. If losing $1K or so on a jacket is going to hurt that badly, then, yes, I agree, don't buy it if you can't get a safety net for the ride. That is every buyer's prerogative. I guess I'm willing to take more chances if I think the quality of a product is worth it.

 

[zebedee]

I'd buy from the person who came across as less of a plonker (and offered a refund, which would be proof, to my mind, of being less of a plonker) if the products were similar. As he is not the sole provider of decent leather jackets, I'd go elsewhere because I could choose not to buy from someone who advertises their expertise so pretentiously (but might not back it up with a safety net).

'Blog Queens' is still genius. 'Internet metrosexuals' not so much. But the best one's got to be 'Seeing is believing.'

Hence:
'Can I see a sample?'
'No.'

 

[Don Tomaso]

Well, LW seems to have solid business, so what? I could imagine that quite some folks dig that super-manly attitude and buy because, not in spite of.

 

[ykurtz]

I'd buy from the person who came across as less of a plonker (and offered a refund, which would be proof, to my mind, of being less of a plonker) if the products were similar. As he is not the sole provider of decent leather jackets, I'd go elsewhere because I could choose not to buy from someone who advertises their expertise so pretentiously (but might not back it up with a safety net).

'Blog Queens' is still genius. 'Internet metrosexuals' not so much. But the best one's got to be 'Seeing is believing.'

Hence:
'Can I see a sample?'
'No.'

I will eventually have a sample of a jacket from the 'best' vendors and then and only then will I be personally certain re: how the quality of one stacks up against another, etc. In the meantime, I've learned a lot from the people on the site with actual experience with the vendors' products. I don't learn as much hearing reasons why someone doesn't or won't buy, especially if those reasons have NOTHING to do with the product. I value customer service, ease of communication, etc., as well, but I value the product (in this case) so much more that those things don't sway me as much. Also, I don't feel like I necessarily have to like a vendor or his personal views to buy his product, provided he isn't saying or doing anything I think is unethical. The guy has obvious pride in his work; he just has a strange and unpopular (to some) way of communicating it to prospective customers.

 

[NavyDoc]

I have a Easy Ryder jacket from LW that is absolutely perfect. While the russet color doesn't have the depth that Aero or GW leather has, it is the thickest by far that I've ever come across. Nothing else compares. Really. The sizing is simple and fits in chest, shoulder and sleeve dimensions exactly as any suit I've ever bought off the rack (comforting after dealing with the variances in Aero sizing.)
I was less impressed with their G-1, which I returned after messing with a faulty zipper. The goatskin was not what I was expecting, either, especially after my experience with the horsehide. It was just kind of bland, and lacked grain and toughness. Almost fake-looking.
My experience with Stu was that he was very easy to work with, was helpful and responsive when needed, and very curt but not rude when I returned the G-1. Seems like a business man who knows his craft to me. No complaints. Get an Easy Ryder if you like that style. You will have to work to get it broken in, but you will be happy when you do!