Himel Dark vs. Medium Brown

[VestCoast]

I am thinking about ordering an Avro from Himel and am torn between the dark brown oil tanned horsehide and the medium brown oil tan horsehide. Pretty set on the Japanese striped Troy wool liner, but am looking for opinions/experiences with the hide finishes to help me make up my mind. Part of the problem is that both options are so good...

 

[Lebowski]

Between these two leathers you're choosing from I'd go for a medium brown oil tanned HH one 'cause it's going to darken in some places with the natural time being and so it's going to look even more gorgeous than when new.
But for Avro I'd also look at blackened brown Shinki HH, just love this hide.

 

[sweetfights]

Tough one.
Comes down to personal preference.
What other jacket colours do you have?
What matches your skin tone and wardrobe?
I personally love the dark oil tanned Shinki from Himel and have a Kensington being made currently in dark brown.

 

[Grayland]

I don't have a Himel leather jacket, but have/have had GW Shinki in seal and dark seal. Of the two, I preferred the seal as the leather showed better variation and depth (simply due to it being lighter in color). The dark seal is quite nice though and many people find that is a more versatile hide color.

 

[VestCoast]

Tough one.
Comes down to personal preference.
What other jacket colours do you have?
What matches your skin tone and wardrobe?
I personally love the dark oil tanned Shinki from Himel and have a Kensington being made currently in dark brown.

I've got mostly black jackets which is why I am looking at the brown options from Himel. Skin tone is on the paler side which is why I was leaning towards the dark brown, but the medium brown will probably show a little more variation with age. I saw on your Kensington thread that you had some samples--were they difficult to get from Himel?

 

[sweetfights]

I've got mostly black jackets which is why I am looking at the brown options from Himel. Skin tone is on the paler side which is why I was leaning towards the dark brown, but the medium brown will probably show a little more variation with age. I saw on your Kensington thread that you had some samples--were they difficult to get from Himel?

I live close to Dave and where his small crew manufactures Himel jackets.
I dropped off my black Kensington for them to size my new dark brown Kensington. I held both colors.
The new dark brown shinki is slightly lighter in weight than the older stuff. Almost identical to my Good Wear dark seal Arcadia in weight and colour.
A superb leather! I am partial to the darker colour and was so impressed with Tom71's Himel Imperial, - https://www.thefedoralounge.com/threads/himel-the-imperial.100703/ that I had to check it out for myself.
I think the darker brown is more versatile but it is such a personal choice. Lighter colours of course will show more obvious variation in colour with age but the darker colour is just so rich and the leather itself will mature and show increasing graining and depth with age and use.
Tough decision.

 

[Grayland]

Be a baller and get one of each!

 

[Carlos840]

This is Dark Brown Shinki.
Like you i got it because i mostsly had black jackets and i ffelt like i had to get into brown.
I very very rarely wear it, brown just isn't my colour.

https://www.thefedoralounge.com/threads/himel-bros-chevalier-bis.93446/

 

[sweetfights]

This is Dark Brown Shinki.
Like you i got it because i mostsly had black jackets and i ffelt like i had to get into brown.
I very very rarely wear it, brown just isn't my colour.

https://www.thefedoralounge.com/threads/himel-bros-chevalier-bis.93446/

That is some nice dark brown shinki!!! Damn....

 

[handymike]

@Carlos840 You are crazy if you aren’t wearing that Chevalier! If brown isn’t your thing, dye it black. It fits too well and looks too good to be locked up.

 

[Carlos840]

I wear it, but not often, i would say 90% of the time i am in the mood for a black jacket, meaning i probably wear it 10 times a year... Not enough i know.

 

[red devil]

@Carlos840 You are crazy if you aren’t wearing that Chevalier! If brown isn’t your thing, dye it black. It fits too well and looks too good to be locked up.

We need to create clones of ourselves... to wear more jackets more often

 

[dudewuttheheck]

They're both great. I would choose based on what shade my brown boots are. Can't go wrong either way IMO.

 

[VestCoast]

They're both great. I would choose based on what shade my brown boots are. Can't go wrong either way IMO.

This is how I arrived at the browns--I was always interested in the Avro in pigment black but it seems silly to have a bunch of black jackets when the majority of my boots are brown.

 

[red devil]

Ask for burgundy, goes with black and brown

 

[Cyber Lip]

the medium has great depth and complexity and is very gorgeous, plus it ages better. I'd go with that

 

[diabel]

Between the two choices I’d go with the medium brown as it is more interesting color. If your skin is paler white then for sure stay away from blacks as the contrast is not flattering. Burgundy would be a good color as it most likely will work well with your skin tone and wardrobe. Other interesting choices are navy or medium to dark grey.