Edward
Bartender
- Messages
- 25,081
- Location
- London, UK
I find that I store stuff in the Uk, but live with what I need in China or HK. HK has reduced space, of course, but even when I've lived in more spacious places on the mainland, I've carried less. I think you get to a point in the Far East where you're able to buy - and in my case, have - and then just say 'No more tailor-made shirts!' or whatever. I seem to have spent my thirties acquiring stuff and am now in my early forties getting shot of it! If anything, my time in China made me aware of how the urge to conspicuously buy and waste has spread. I've lived in Asia for half my life and find being back in the UK like a museum trip of all my previous stuff. I'm minded, at some point, to just own what I really like and can fit in hand luggage and carry-on. I think if I ever struck it rich, I'd want to look after my nearest and dearest and then shed stuff. Weirdly, I buy on Amazon or in stores in the UK because I get profoundly bored living here- when I'm out in Asia, buying things is the last thing on my mind. It sounds bizarre, but I actually find that owning too much clothing is almost stressful. If only I could feel that way about books...
I think we all end up at a certain point in life when you need to do a stocktake. In preparation for a house move (currently on hold due to the death of the market at the hands of the political and economic situation), I had a massive clearout of my flat in the Summer. I've struggled with hoarding issues for some time, and it had gotten crazy. I cleared out well over half the stuff in the flat, and ended up keeping comparatively little. It was indeed liberating. Though it's going to be hard clearing out the last few bits like costumes I made by hand and such. Still, onwards and upwards. It's been a real relief to get my flat back instead of living in only a small part of two rooms.
This makes me even happier that I got my Clinch boots when I did. I think at this point, I paid $1,000 less than I would have to pay now for the same boots. It's tough to say which option is best. GW method does not seem to be working out, but maybe if better managed, that would work. I know some bespoke shoemakers have 4 year waiting lists, but they deliver on time.
White Kloud's waitlist has now gone up a lot now too, basically 2 years. He also increased his prices recently, perhaps for similar reasons.
I remember when GW put the price up - doubtless in part to cull the growing waiting list. I imagine though it's not easy to manage that style of work as a one-man business, bearing in mind that the money coming in in deposits is what you have to live on until you sell product out at the other end. Can't always be an option for everyone just to close the waiting list for a period of years. It's a shame that side of it is very hard, ass I think that's what puts more gifted craftspeople off going into business.