The Prototype "MD1" - Matt Deckard Apparel Fedora!

[clevispin]

The Bold Life

Deckard: Dude knows his stuff - not doubt whatsoever. Turned me unto high armholes, etc. Deservedly a legend on these boards.

He's also a big cheese here and his responses on threads involving his goods are pretty sparse. Don't know why - it seems a little arrogant. Or the enterprise is so lightweight he's afraid to commit. Or - I don't know - its simply not what I would expect from a guy so thick in it here. FL is the main market and he's not fully participating - Bad business. I'm gonna insist on Art Fawcett levels of interaction/participation if you want my money.

There is a hat apparently - enough of a hat that you can pre-order it. So lets have the full specs and 38 pics detailing every inch of it. There is some dude on this site - think his name is Matt - that would demand as much from anybody else. But what if the specs change? Then they change and we can see revised specs and pics - STUFF WE ALL LOVE. Takes about 15 minutes to write the specification and 20 minutes for snapshots. NO EXCUSES.

While I appreciate Chevalier's filial affections and everyone's hope for Deckard's success, I'm turned off by the lack of documentation of the goods and a weak and incomplete website. We deserve much better from a guy who is certainly capable of delivering it - IF he gets his s**t together. Do it right or don't do it at all. Or fail and do it right the next time. Make a BOLD move one way or the other

m

 

[Marc Chevalier]

I see your point, and I honestly don't know for certain why Matt is doing it this way. It frustrates some folks and excites others. I think that Fedora Loungers are not as apt to spend a chunk of money on suits as are, say, the dudes at the Ask Andy About Clothes forum. Hats, however, are another story: Fedora Loungers put their $$$ into those custom jobs.


Does Matt need the Fedora Lounge for his business? I'm not so sure. He's got plenty of customers already who don't look at the Lounge. Perhaps Matt just likes to share a bit of his work around here. Does he expect us to open up our checkbooks and buy the stuff? Maybe not so much.


Just my two cents' worth, of course.


.

 

[John in Covina]

Put down the bucks!

I plunked down the $$$ for one just yesterday.

I can't spell out the dimensional info, but I have had the advantage to have seen and held the prototype. I liked the design and the color scheme. It has a good look and the feel of it is outstanding for a production hat, so in my eyes it represents a good value.

As I see it some of you are debating a production hat versus a custom hat. The MD is a production hat with design and features specified by Matt to achieve a specific look. His vision is one that is more 1930's in effect but evokes a classic fedora look that would not be out of style for today either. When I spoke to him he said he is in close communications with the maker to get where we are right now, moving forward. I'd say, look for more info soon.

 

[Feraud]

Any updates? Pics, news, customer comments, etc.?

 

[John in Covina]

As the wait continues, the President and CEO of Matt Deckard Apparel is getting ready to read aloud from a prepared statement. :eusa_clap

(Word is: They are finally in production after several manufacturer hold ups.)

 

[John in Covina]

I recently opened a fortune cookie and it said:

"Look for good things to come in mid October!"

 

[matei]

The pics of the prototype hat look great.

Another question... do any of you know if it is rabbit or beaver fur felt?

 

[metropd]

I really hope he does not use granite grey for his grey color. I really do not like that color.

 

[BellyTank]

So big, you could fit your head in!


B
T

 

[metropd]

So big, you could fit your head in!


B
T

I don't understand.

 

[mannySpaghetti]

This lid's swell, but I've never plunked down that much dough for a hat since I've gotton some great vintage ones for far far less. Not saying that I'd be opposed, but I wanna hear what people really have to say about it before I'd consider it. I won't deny that it's a great looking hat though. We'll see.

 

[BellyTank]

Great Detective work, there...

I don't understand.

Does anyone know how big the arm holes are?

B
T

 

[John in Covina]

Production Values.

Very understandable view point. The spectrum of available hats are:

1) Vintage! Which can sometimes be found in second hand or antique stores. It's best if you can see, try on and handle the hat so you can assess for yourself the color, fit & conditon, whether it's good to go or needs a clean and reblock or some type of refurbishing. Ebay is a good source but one must take some chances as many sellers are truly clueless about hats and can't figure out the size or how respond to your questions reliably. Many wonderful hats are out there to be had in the vintage realm.

2) Custom made hats. A great choice for those that have the budget for it. We have some really superb makers associated with the Fedora Lounge. So within the specifics of available materials you can get an extraodinary hat made to your specific style with a selection of colors that's fitted just for you. We have a growing number of Loungers that go this route and have been ecstatic with the results.

3) Production hats. Production hats are the (hopefully) careful consideration of a designer to evoke a style or image. The materials run the gamat from excellent to awful and the colors can be classic to outlandish. (Well, it looks good on YOU!") The selection is pretty big and there are a lot of styles represented but the vast majority of current production fedoras have a basis in the 50 and 60's they have stopped there in design progression and are not quite spot on for the vintage look. There are a only handful of fedoras that have retained their 30's, 40's and 50's roots and are of the style of an earlier era.

In the case of the MD-1, It is a production hat for which Matt has selected a specific period for the main influence (1930's-ish) hat that works well as a vintage inspired hat. It will go with a vintage suit or a vintage inspired suit but it is excellent for today, too. And that is the concept of this project as I understand it. (I personally saw the prototype and handled it and plunked down some money as soon as my budget allowed because I thought it was a swell lid.)

 

[KeyGrip]

Vintage hats, as nice and cheap as they are, can be a pain to find for those of us with large and funny shaped heads. Hopefully the MD1 will supply those who want vintage sensibilities but need modern sizing.

Personally, I think I see a space opening up for a grey fedora. Now if it had a black ribbon...

 

[Ordinary Guy]

I sent an email to the address on his site but no answer...

Anyone know for sure the brim crown and ribbon size???

 

[marvelgoose]

I found this thread a week after I ordered two production hats.

I think it is great that Matt wants to give us a production hat that has so many vintage touches. As we saw in the old Whippet thread, it was impossible to get a hat with what we wanted.

So, guess I will be saving pennies and selling old hats to get up some scratch.

 

[Fedora]

Best of luck Matt on your new line. As most here know, Matt knows his vintage like hats and I know he will give you guys a really nice hat.

If I were in the market for hat from Matt, I really would not have to know much about it, as I trust his judgement. But that's just me!

And I personally love the granite gray, but again, that's just me. It actually is a holdover color from the old days, IF that is the color he is using. So, accurate to the old days. It's not like it is a new color, or a modern color, if you will. My fav gray is called a dove gray though, but granite is my second fav. Fedora

 

[Lexybeast]

I got a look at one of these today. Despite rigorous application of thumbscrews I couldn't get Matt to divulge his production method, but they've got a solid look and feel to them. I've handled hats at this price point that have been poorly sanded and a little rough around the edges, but this looks very nicely finished. Good feel and even colour, as well as nice brim binding.

Also, regarding the blocking, it really does look vintage in a way no other production hat does, at least that I've seen. Nice brim and crown height proportion, and that crown is straight up and down! No bulbous dome here, it's a sheer drop.

I did forget to ask about the material. I'll bring that up next time I see him. But seeing as how vintage hat prices on ebay top the $300 these days, this seems like a good alternative to achieve the look.

Just make some more colours, Matt.

 

[John in Covina]

I am looking forward to getting my MD1 shortly then.

 

[mike]

I am looking forward to getting my MD1 shortly then.

You have faith it's yours?