Lost Worlds’ founder Stuart interviewed

[AeroFan_07]

Wondering if this would pass FDNY inspection.

Pretty valid point here! I see no indication of fire supression, and there's a lot of electrical and oily products in that small space....

 

[ton312]

Has anyone else received their LW in a L’Oréal box? I found that to be quite hilarious. My first j-23 was delivered to my work in that box to which the dock receiver joked I must wear a lot of make up.
After seeing the pics of the “factory” I think I have a better understanding of Stu than I did before.

 

[itsallgood]

If I were a jacket manufacturer, I would stay away from forums like tfd too. I might do some promotion but I would certainly not get involved in any of the discussions. There will always be people who somehow dislike what you do or the way you conduct your business. Starting a discussions with them will never make you look good. No matter who's wrong or right.

Over in the hat forum, Art Fawcett walked that line for a long time. TFL members generally have a high degree of respect and think fondly of him. He's retired now, but you can still see his dedicated thread.

https://www.thefedoralounge.com/thr...-custom-hats-official-affiliate-thread.71408/

 

[Carlos840]

Has anyone else received their LW in a L’Oréal box? I found that to be quite hilarious. My first j-23 was delivered to my work in that box to which the dock receiver joked I must wear a lot of make up.
After seeing the pics of the “factory” I think I have a better understanding of Stu than I did before.

He is the Ron Swanson of leather jackets...

 

[AeroFan_07]

Has anyone else received their LW in a L’Oréal box? I found that to be quite hilarious. My first j-23 was delivered to my work in that box to which the dock receiver joked I must wear a lot of make up.
After seeing the pics of the “factory” I think I have a better understanding of Stu than I did before.

Mine came in something similar. I regret now not taking a photo of it, but is was a box from a product line typically known for female products. It was certainly not a new box. At first my gut was to say - "Wow a $1700 Jacket comes in some old used box" but then I realized again that a dollar saved is still indeed a dollar earned, especially since the product arrived in perfect shape, so the old box did it's job.

 

[sweetfights]

Has anyone else received their LW in a L’Oréal box? I found that to be quite hilarious. My first j-23 was delivered to my work in that box to which the dock receiver joked I must wear a lot of make up.
After seeing the pics of the “factory” I think I have a better understanding of Stu than I did before.

Yes!
After about 7 Lost World’s I became conditioned to excitement when seeing the
L'Oréal box.

 

[Guppy]

If I were a jacket manufacturer, I would stay away from forums like tfd too. I might do some promotion but I would certainly not get involved in any of the discussions. There will always be people who somehow dislike what you do or the way you conduct your business. Starting a discussions with them will never make you look good. No matter who's wrong or right.

I think some of the industry people have been assets to the community here. It's certainly possible to ruin your image, but I think members like David Himel, Theodoros from Thedi, and the folks who work for Aero are welcome and have been good contributors. They don't get overly involved in the community, but chime in on occasion, and represent themselves well. Avoiding arguments and keeping things positive and informative is the way to go.

 

[dudewuttheheck]

Wasn't it also revealed that someone from Schott was annoyed about things said on this forum as well?

I think the fact that Stu sells to the Japanese market in such high volumes shows that what he says in interviews and on his website is exaggerated even if he does believe it. As someone else said earlier, when he actually meets with and talks to these people he supposedly hates on the phone or in person, he see's that they also leather jacket enthusiasts so they're a friend.

I would bet that indeed most makers do not like the forums even though we are responsible for a lot of their business and they likely make more money with our forums existing than if they didn't. This isn't because we're so wonderful or anything (though I do love this place), but rather because we're talking about and showing off jackets which makes other people buy more jackets.

A lot of makers don't like forums because they are more critical than the average blog/review website because those are usually just promotion platforms that say everything is great. Trust me, I have actually gotten some pretty frosty responses to a lot of my own reviews because I don't sugar coat things on my site. However, I don't necessarily blame them. They're used to "reviews" just being promotion so that's what they expect. In fact, this is what makes me heartily dislike most "reviewers" and review/blog sites. On actual forums, people are usually more honest so we open up about the flaws of a product, even if we still really like it. Personally, I think fellow enthusiasts/consumers should always come first so even if we do ruffle a few feathers on here, I think it's better that we are all more informed.

 

[dannyk]

Wasn't it also revealed that someone from Schott was annoyed about things said on this forum as well?

I think the fact that Stu sells to the Japanese market in such high volumes shows that what he says in interviews and on his website is exaggerated even if he does believe it. As someone else said earlier, when he actually meets with and talks to these people he supposedly hates on the phone or in person, he see's that they also leather jacket enthusiasts so they're a friend.

I would bet that indeed most makers do not like the forums even though we are responsible for a lot of their business and they likely make more money with our forums existing than if they didn't. This isn't because we're so wonderful or anything (though I do love this place), but rather because we're talking about and showing off jackets which makes other people buy more jackets.

A lot of makers don't like forums because they are more critical than the average blog/review website because those are usually just promotion platforms that say everything is great. Trust me, I have actually gotten some pretty frosty responses to a lot of my own reviews because I don't sugar coat things on my site. However, I don't necessarily blame them. They're used to "reviews" just being promotion so that's what they expect. In fact, this is what makes me heartily dislike most "reviewers" and review/blog sites. On actual forums, people are usually more honest so we open up about the flaws of a product, even if we still really like it. Personally, I think fellow enthusiasts/consumers should always come first so even if we do ruffle a few feathers on here, I think it's better that we are all more informed.

Yeah a lot of “reviews” you’ll find on YouTube or on certain blogs are just people getting things for free or at steep discounts. Of course you’re going to be sugar coat, don’t want to ruin your sweet deal.

If I were a maker I would also be hesitant about places like this. Because for the most part we are not nor have ever been makers ourselves. All the hard work, skill, labor and materials. Just have guys like us complaining one stitch isn’t right or some other maker is selling the same leather for cheaper. It just wouldn’t end. On the other hand they can chime in here and there and not only get more honest feedback on their product but help for lack of a better word educate us on the process. If we had more access behind the scenes and to the people actually doing this work, maybe we would be less critical or those little mistakes.

 

[Hh121]

I think the fact that Stu sells to the Japanese market in such high volumes shows that what he says in interviews and on his website is exaggerated even if he does believe it. As someone else said earlier, when he actually meets with and talks to these people he supposedly hates on the phone or in person, he see's that they also leather jacket enthusiasts so they're a friend.

It's about money, nothing else. He once told me those Japanese reseller wants him to change his size number (jacket made in 42 will put size 44 on the jacket), he said why not, it's money.

 

[Superfluous]

we are responsible for a lot of their business

While it likely varies from manufacturer to manufacturer, I suspect that TFL members comprise a negligible percentage of business for any individual manufacturer.

The greater impact of TFL might be for those inquisitive potential customers who do internet searches before making their purchase and stumble upon TFL. Discovering TFL would likely send any potential purchaser into a tailspin as they endeavor to wade through the oversaturation of information.

 

[Marc mndt]

The greater impact of TFL might be for those inquisitive potential customers who do internet searches before making their purchase and stumble upon TFL.

I recognize that myself. Before I was active as a member on tfl, whenever I googled anything about premium leather jackets, tfd always showed up on top of the search results. I learned pretty quick that unlike 'Heddels', tfl actually provided useful information.

 

[ton312]

While it likely varies from manufacturer to manufacturer, I suspect that TFL members comprise a negligible percentage of business for any individual manufacturer.

The greater impact of TFL might be for those inquisitive potential customers who do internet searches before making their purchase and stumble upon TFL. Discovering TFL would likely send any potential purchaser into a tailspin as they endeavor to wade through the oversaturation of information.

Agreed. Google image search any high end leather jacket manufacturer and you’ll be pointed right to TFL’s front door.

 

[Will Zach]

My first j-23 was delivered to my work in that box to which the dock receiver joked I must wear a lot of make up.

That would be consistent with an unmanly TFL user.

 

[dudewuttheheck]

While it likely varies from manufacturer to manufacturer, I suspect that TFL members comprise a negligible percentage of business for any individual manufacturer.

The greater impact of TFL might be for those inquisitive potential customers who do internet searches before making their purchase and stumble upon TFL. Discovering TFL would likely send any potential purchaser into a tailspin as they endeavor to wade through the oversaturation of information.

Good point. I should have said something different than "a lot." I really have no idea how much of it we comprise or assist with, but even if it's 5% that would be "a lot" to me. "A noticeable portion" or something along those lines would have been better wording on my part though. It is also difficult not to be biased when my leather jacket purchases have been so heavily guided by this place.

Saying "a lot" sounds like I'm saying 25-50% depending on how you interpret it. I'm thinking more like 5-7% or something like that. Plus, I have no idea what the actual numbers are. It could be higher or lower and like you said, probably depends on the manufacturer.

 

[AbbaDatDeHat]

Not sure why so many here get bend out of shape about what some opinionated graduate school dropout thinks about them. We're just a bunch of weirdos with a leather fetish.... He's a weirdo, we're weirdos, all square, time to move on.

In a nutshell....i get this,WZ.
Favorite saying:
“We’re all just Bozos on this bus”.
B

 

[Marc mndt]

I think it says a lot that Thurston bros is active with their own thread here. I know, Thurston bros is not a manufacturer. But I do think they generate quite some business here, must be more than 5%, otherwise it wouldn't be worth their time. Also, I assume that for startup businesses like Field Leathers tfl generates a substantial part of their sales.

 

[Sloan1874]

Taking jabs at other makers is one thing but constantly crapping on your entire market is another. Couldn't pass taking a dump on Tokyo even thought they only got the Japanese to thank for still being in business.

What's with the constant disparaging of forums and fans like us? Who the hell else is expected to buy his multi-thousand dollar jackets? Christ, extensive research and indeed, interest in fashion is the only way to even get to LW as I don't think random people just wake up one day and decide they're gonna drop $2K on a brand they never heard about.

Owns a company that's making exclusively hipster clothes and then complains about hipsters and fashionistas? Come on, man, get off your high horse...

Dude, we're literally all you got.

Imagine being a random punter looking for a leather jacket and you arrive on the Lost Worlds site. Would you even pause for longer than two minutes on it? Other than to marvel at the weird awfulness of it and wonder why they're charging that amount of money for their jackets. Stu may have utter contempt for the people on this site, but they are exactly the sort who look past everything to his product. He should really get a grip.
Oh, and having read the article, he really is as pretentious, pompous and boring as I've always thought he was, the self-important little twerp.

 

[jonesy86]

In a nutshell....i get this,WZ.
Favorite saying:
“We’re all just Bozos on this bus”.
B

"I'm Artie Choke, and we're just a joke".

 

[Bfd70]

While it likely varies from manufacturer to manufacturer, I suspect that TFL members comprise a negligible percentage of business for any individual manufacturer.

The greater impact of TFL might be for those inquisitive potential customers who do internet searches before making their purchase and stumble upon TFL. Discovering TFL would likely send any potential purchaser into a tailspin as they endeavor to wade through the oversaturation of information.

I landed here when i was googling leather jackets and found a pic of @handymike . Several makers have since reaped the benefit.