Optimo south side mobsters

[Jabos]

It`s all about MARKETING! Even I am tempted to get a platinum now that I know the stocks are low...and a ox-blood, and.........oh no $$$$$$$......

I agree with you! If the Oxbloods are "flying off the shelf" I doubt they would retire the color forever. I wonder who does their felt. I don't recall seeing anything about that on FL (there is probably some great detailed link I should be responsible to find before bringing this up and I'll be gigged for not looking first ). We talk about how great Optimo hats are and then describe, in part, the wonderful felt. Shouldn't that aspect of quality be attributed to the outfit that provided them with the felt? I assume that the felt is provided by another source to Optimo because from my discussions with Art it seems he obtains his felt from another source. Is the felt just a raw generic product and the "magic" in the finishing out of the felt? Can we beg Art to find the same color and then get an oxblood at half the price?

 

[daizawaguy]

Portugese I believe, or was led to believe. Someone had posted the link to the felt maker on this lounge once. Can`t vouch if it is true, or if all the felts are from there. As for another hatter providing the same felt, I guess optimo are pretty asute business people to have figured that one out before. And there again, each hat maker has their own style, and way of finishing, and it may be better to see different felts from different makers. But it seems that if an exiting hat maker changes his range of felts, orders may just multiply. Wonder if the hat maker you mention is reading this and gets the idea..?!

 

[handlebar bart]

I agree with you! If the Oxbloods are "flying off the shelf" I doubt they would retire the color forever. I wonder who does their felt. I don't recall seeing anything about that on FL (there is probably some great detailed link I should be responsible to find before bringing this up and I'll be gigged for not looking first ). We talk about how great Optimo hats are and then describe, in part, the wonderful felt. Shouldn't that aspect of quality be attributed to the outfit that provided them with the felt? I assume that the felt is provided by another source to Optimo because from my discussions with Art it seems he obtains his felt from another source. Is the felt just a raw generic product and the "magic" in the finishing out of the felt? Can we beg Art to find the same color and then get an oxblood at half the price?

I bet Art could make some magical looking lids with that oxblood in his own style. I would definately get one.

 

[Lefty]

Portugese I believe, or was led to believe. Someone had posted the link to the felt maker on this lounge once. Can`t vouch if it is true, or if all the felts are from there. As for another hatter providing the same felt, I guess optimo are pretty asute business people to have figured that one out before. And there again, each hat maker has their own style, and way of finishing, and it may be better to see different felts from different makers. But it seems that if an exiting hat maker changes his range of felts, orders may just multiply. Wonder if the hat maker you mention is reading this and gets the idea..?!

Cut and paste this into Google:

fepsa site:thefedoralounge.com

 

[StylinLA]

Optimo Oxblood

As it happens, I got an Oxblood from Optimo in August (posted a couple pages back in here).

I posted a pic of it in another forum I belong to, and a guy PMed me raving about it.

He's from a town in Portugal and he seems quite certain that Graham got the Oxblood felt from a company in his town called Fespa. Seemed pretty sure that the felt for the hats made for PUBLIC ENEMIES came from them. Perhaps local press covered it?

He seemed very interested in hats, knew a bit about them, and I suggested he check out FL.

We swapped a few PMs and I gather that Fespa is very prominent company in his town. He wasn't certain whether the felt was 100% beaver or a blend.

It's a fantastic hat. Great color and ribbon; nice underwelt. Heaviest felt I've seen to date. Sturdy. I can see where it probably would be moving pretty fast, especially with the maroon ribbon.
Very versatile and deceptive looking color. Can look almost black, or really dark purple or brown.

I'd say it's my favorite, but dang, they're all my favorite.

 

[Bruce Wayne]

When i called Optimo earlier today, Tiffany told me they have less than ten raw bodies left & that they can only make hats for size 7 3/8 & less.

 

[Bruce Wayne]

Also, this is completly fftopic: but i cannot believe that this thread has been going for as long as it has. Thank you to everyone who has joined the syndicate.

 

[Tomasso]

Thank you to everyone who has joined the syndicate.

In Chicago that would be The Outfit.

 

[BobC]

When i called Optimo earlier today, Tiffany told me they have less than ten raw bodies left & that they can only make hats for size 7 3/8 & less.

That's an interesting comment. Is that because the bodies are smaller than usual and can't be stretched over a larger size block?

 

[Bruce Wayne]

That's an interesting comment. Is that because the bodies are smaller than usual and can't be stretched over a larger size block?

True.

 

[BobC]

True.

Makes me even happier I got one when I did. I really thought I wasn't going to like the color, but when I saw it that all changed immediately. The first one they showed me was one that one of the ladies was sewing a sweatband in. It had a 9 ligne brim binding, and I kept going back to look at that hat again after every hat I tried. The second oxblood they showed me was one that was boxed up waiting for a client to pick up. I don't remember surely, but it may have had an underwelt. I tried that one on because it was finished and it just happened to be a 7 1/4. It really is a gorgeous color and much more versatile than I thought it would be.

 

[StylinLA]

Also, this is completly fftopic: but i cannot believe that this thread has been going for as long as it has. Thank you to everyone who has joined the syndicate.

It's about time we got some action in here.

 

[gtdean48]

Seem to be a lot of near new Optimo 7 5/8's floating in the 'Bay lately too. Somebody let a collection go based on the initials in the sweatband. [huh]

 

[Colby Jack]

I was watching those Optimo's as well...Amazing how they all suddenly ended...I wonder who they belonged to...

 

[Bruce Wayne]

I was watching those Optimo's as well...Amazing how they all suddenly ended...I wonder who they belonged to...

I wonder who they belong to now?

 

[Colby Jack]

So true BW...They all sold at approximately the same time...I thought that maybe they were pulled...I guess we can hope someone will pop on with some new pics soon!

 

[Lefty]

could be the fakes [huh]

 

[Neil]

Me

They now belong to me.
Actually, the grey one was mislabelled. It was a Gary White hat.
I bought it anyway, along with the brown and the green. Left the light blue, because I bought just that hat from Optimo last summer for full price (ouch).
I just called the store and asked what his Buy it Now was for the three I wanted.
In my experience, 7 5/8 hats don't come along too often, especially Optimos.
Most expecially at those prices.

 

[Colby Jack]

Congrats to you Neil!:eusa_clap :eusa_clap :eusa_clap
Can't wait to see pics!:eusa_clap

 

[BobC]

Congrats, Neil. I'll be looking forward to seeing them too.