Berets, Anyone?

[RJR]

A very foggy day in Wellington and with my wife taking the car for the day, a good walk through the mist over the hills to the post office in Khandallah to post beret parcels (yes, including yours RJR!).
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I dare say: no post office in New Zealand has dealt with so many berets as this small office in the northern Wellington hills! (and yes, some dedication eh, orders are posted within 24 hours whenebver possible).
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The béret de jour is the Tolosa Tupida PG in 32cm Bordeaux; one great shield in the mist!

Talking to the manufacturers in France and Spain last night, planning my meetings there in May, I was amused by the reaction of two of these gentlemen (together good for almost 100 years of beret manufacturing experience!) when sharing with them the ongoing posts on this forum about which is "The Best" beret. Unaware of the other's response to my comment, both said that the competitor probably is better!
What a great attitude and it is this kind of humbleness and manners that I associate with boineros (and bonetaires).
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Meanwhile, some of you will have received a survey in your inbox about my business, South Pacific Berets. 350 customers have been selected randomly and the result (68, so far) is humbling for me. On a scale of 1 - 10 the lowest number is an 8 (apart from one person giving a 3, finding me too expensive), with an average of 9.2! Thanks to all who have responded! Once all results are in, with comments, I shall respond here with a reaction to the various suggestions and ideas. So far, the most common complaint is that there is too limited a choice in cotton berets and, I'm happy to say, from late May there will be a brand new selection of small and medium diameter cotton Basques by Laulhere.

 

[Bouwerij_Jongen]

Tolosa Tupida 32cm in Navy and Bordeaux.
The Navy is pretty dark blue as seen against a fairly dark indigo kendo gi that seems dark in natural light .
The Tolosa Tupida in Bordeaux is in color very similar to the Txapeldun in Bordeaux.

 

[Babbo Philipe]

your mustache might be ready for some wax

 

[Kreissaege]

With matching neckerchief, badge included, albeit only in navy.
Nice!

 

[NoHorse]

9.5 pouce for this pin head here

 

[NoHorse]

post office in Khandallah

I wonder if the good people of Wellington know that in their placid midst lurks the mastermind of the global beret conspiracy....

Daan, you owe it to yourself - and all of us, your customers and beret fans - to import a beret making machine and hand craft exclusive Wellington berets, made of NZ wool. I would even consider wearing a "reality shield" of 30mm if it was made in Wellington.

Easier, and entertaining for us, would be a video of your stock, you preparing a shipment, driving to the (now international landmark) Khandallah post office and interacting with the staff as you post the packages. Throw in some glimpses of NZ scenery, fog, and local color. Can't hurt your sales...

 

[NoHorse]

Tolosa Tupida 32cm in Navy and Bordeaux.
The Navy is pretty dark blue as seen against a fairly dark indigo kendo gi that seems dark in natural light .
The Tolosa Tupida in Bordeaux is in color very similar to the Txapeldun in Bordeaux.
View attachment 70931
View attachment 70932

I see that you have a left hand and a right hand french horn pin on your beret. What are they?

 

[Kreissaege]

Waking the dog in baggie shorts, a vintage Ray Ban and my cotton TT.
The first really warm day here, 20°C.
Nice.

 

[RJR]

I wonder if the good people of Wellington know that in their placid midst lurks the mastermind of the global beret conspiracy....

Daan, you owe it to yourself - and all of us, your customers and beret fans - to import a beret making machine and hand craft exclusive Wellington berets, made of NZ wool. I would even consider wearing a "reality shield" of 30mm if it was made in Wellington.

Easier, and entertaining for us, would be a video of your stock, you preparing a shipment, driving to the (now international landmark) Khandallah post office and interacting with the staff as you post the packages. Throw in some glimpses of NZ scenery, fog, and local color. Can't hurt your sales...

+1

 

[Studebaker Driver]

I wonder if the good people of Wellington know that in their placid midst lurks the mastermind of the global beret conspiracy....

Daan, you owe it to yourself - and all of us, your customers and beret fans - to import a beret making machine and hand craft exclusive Wellington berets, made of NZ wool. I would even consider wearing a "reality shield" of 30mm if it was made in Wellington.

Easier, and entertaining for us, would be a video of your stock, you preparing a shipment, driving to the (now international landmark) Khandallah post office and interacting with the staff as you post the packages. Throw in some glimpses of NZ scenery, fog, and local color. Can't hurt your sales...

I'm adopting "reality shield" as my noun of choice for berets.

 

[Yarbles]

Waking the dog in baggie shorts, a vintage Ray Ban and my cotton TT.
The first really warm day here, 20°C.
Nice.
View attachment 70948

Here in OZ 20c is a winters day!

 

[Daan]

I wonder if the good people of Wellington know that in their placid midst lurks the mastermind of the global beret conspiracy....

Daan, you owe it to yourself - and all of us, your customers and beret fans - to import a beret making machine and hand craft exclusive Wellington berets, made of NZ wool. I would even consider wearing a "reality shield" of 30mm if it was made in Wellington.

Easier, and entertaining for us, would be a video of your stock, you preparing a shipment, driving to the (now international landmark) Khandallah post office and interacting with the staff as you post the packages. Throw in some glimpses of NZ scenery, fog, and local color. Can't hurt your sales...

Ha, the pressure is building up... Video (or photo's) must be possible; give me some time and I'll work on it.
Manufacturing quality "Wellington Berets".., nah - beret making is for professionals; artisans who typically learned the trade from their father (like he did from his father).
Of course, berets have been made in Wellington. Hills used to be a quality beret manufacturer, supplying the NZ, Australian and some Pacific nation's militaries with high quality berets (and some good Basque models in the mix). Alas, the business stopped in the 1970's and although Hills berets are still made (by a Singapore based company) and available, they are produced in Pakistan and finished here (and the quality difference is evident).

Some of the very last NZ made Hills military (and a few Basque) berets are offered at practically no cost at the One-Offs page.

 

[Kreissaege]

Here in OZ 20c is a winters day!

Good god, at 20c I am unable to wear a woolen beret anymore

 

[RJR]

Good god, at 20c I am unable to wear a woolen beret anymore

+1

 

[Daan]

Not an April Fools Day Joke

Usually, on the 1st of April, you would read an interesting story here pulling your boinero's leg, like on Cuba levying copyright fees on Ché Guevara merchandise; about US sheriffs having to change from Stetson hats to berets; Tarte Chasseurs for James Bond and the like (see here to refresh your memory: 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013).

This year I had a few ideas for interesting stories lined up, but since Donald Trump's decree of 28 March, one idea became obsolete and really, who needs an April Fools day joke when the reality is this funny outrageous?

For those outside the US who missed the announcement (and American boineros who failed to understand the implications of decree #131, or the Importation of Foreign Manufactured Goods Act, appendix 12F, ref's. CDE), this simply means that from 1 May 2017 no Basque berets can be imported into the United States without a certificate issued by the US Custom Department stating that no equivalent can be found or made within the territory of the United States of America.So? Yes, there are berets made in the US (Parkhurst, New York for example; Bancroft) and therefore, no more French, Spanish, Italian and South American made beret will make it to US shores without being taxed at 280% of sales value (and added US Customs fee at $82.00/shipment) - effectively banning foreign berets.

What that means for South Pacific Berets with some 60% of customers in the US? I dread to even think about it... I spoke to the people at Laulhère this morning who believe they can bypass the ruling by opening a webshop based inside the US...

It'l be very hard for America to be Great Again.

 

[Kreissaege]

So no more free trade, at least in one direction.
What a way to run a country and being backed in this by sixty million voters.

The question arises, who is in charge of issuing said certificate and on what grounds?
Is this centralized, with one certificate being issued for one type of goods, after a thoroug research, or to be decided individually with every incomig parcel?
If the former, a manufacturer/distributor could, theoretically, ask for one certificate which he includes in the parcel every time he dispatches it. Of course, given the volume and diversity of imported goods, this is impossible.
With the latter, the officer checking the incoming parcel may stick to his limited view of the world and say "you can get these berets at $ 1.50 over at Walmart, no way" and then do as he pleases for the sake of his country.

I still cling to the thought, this must be an april fools day joke.
Because this is the reality of shopping in the USA or elsewhere in the western world: do a google search with "trump cap made in china"

 

[Daan]

I still cling to the thought, this must be an april fools day joke.

Ah, that's what I think every time when I hear Mr Trump announcing one of his plans, whether it's 1 April or not!
But, it was real nice of him to contact me this morning, twittering this "decree #131" really is a good, no GREAT idea!

Personally, I think it will go down the same way as his ban on Muslim travelers, the Obamacare repeal and reinstating coal mines. If not, I know a few good people, really great Canadian people, who'd happily set up a smuggling line of berets across the border.

 

[NoHorse]

All because I called you the "mastermind of the global beret conspiracy"

 

[Kreissaege]

Its cold outside this morning. But what a better way to start my holidays than being dressed up warm,
drinking coffee, reading a good book and wearing the new BE 1858 (13,5"/31,5cm/138gr.) with its beautiful silver lining?

 

[Nico]

Its cold outside this morning. But what a better way to start my holidays than being dressed up warm,
drinking coffee, reading a good book and wearing the new BE 1858 (13,5"/31,5cm/138gr.) with its beautiful silver lining? View attachment 71130 View attachment 71131

Very nice.