The most ridiculous Himel yet? Freenote Collab Beck.

[Marc mndt]

Just looked this guy up. A bit of a weird wardrobe for Northern Canada… jeans are not something you should be wearing in a blizzard lol.

This is one of those guys who is sponsored by jacket makes. Apparently he influences people.

 

[Aloysius]

This women's Himel with hair-on-hide collar and D-Pocket looks considerably better including in proportions, making the long-body-stubby-arm combination on the Freenote Himel Perfecto even stranger.

 

[TheBigEraser]

This is one of those guys who is sponsored by jacket makes. Apparently he influences people.

He influences people by exchanging 100+ meaningless comments under each post consisting of clap/fire/fist/heart/pray/bomb emojis, where 40 out of the 100 comments come from the same guy his best pal Deyvis...

 

[handymike]

I don’t dare look him up or the algorithm will start spamming my feed.

 

[ChewingWax]

He influences people by exchanging 100+ meaningless comments under each post consisting of clap/fire/fist/heart/pray/bomb emojis, where 40 out of the 100 comments come from the same guy his best pal Deyvis...

I don't know how Instagram even works but it doesn't look like he's posted anything since August. I'm a little worried about him. Or I could just be using this thing wrong.

 

[dudewuttheheck]

I don't know how Instagram even works but it doesn't look like he's posted anything since August. I'm a little worried about him. Or I could just be using this thing wrong.

He posts every single day still

 

[ChewingWax]

He posts every single day still

Oh that’s good news. See. I’m clueless.

 

[Jasonissm]

I don't know why so many makers make jackets so long and slim with tiny shoulders as stock. You don't even have the 'Japanese market' excuse because all the jackets I see like this don't fit Japanese guys either.

I feel like a lot of the time, they are built to the director/designer's physique and preferences specifically, rather than to the broader audience or trying to accomodate as many body types as possible. As a result, they can sometimes end up with very weird measurements that can be based of one specific person's physique and preferences. Everyone else who can get themselves into it, considers that as a fit. I have seen all sorts from wide shoulders, narrow chest, often narrow throughout and much too long, to boxy and long.

 

[dudewuttheheck]

I feel like a lot of the time, they are built to the director/designer's physique and preferences specifically, rather than to the broader audience or trying to accomodate as many body types as possible. As a result, they can sometimes end up with very weird measurements that can be based of one specific person's physique and preferences. Everyone else who can get themselves into it, considers that as a fit. I have seen all sorts from wide shoulders, narrow chest, often narrow throughout and much too long, to boxy and long.

Yeah I've noticed that happen a lot. I don't get it. If I were designing a jacket to sell to a relatively broad audience, I wouldn't design the jacket for my body. My physique is weird and a jacket made for me would fit very few people. Going overly specific to many peoples' physiques would leave out a lot of others.

Plus, let's be honest- I think a lot of people understand nothing about patterns and how jackets should fit.

 

[Aloysius]

The thing is I doubt a person exists who’s shaped like these jacket measurements. And if they were built to fit a Freenote or Himel employee there wouldn’t be three equally weird sizes.

 

[dudewuttheheck]

The thing is I doubt a person exists who’s shaped like these jacket measurements. And if they were built to fit a Freenote or Himel employee there wouldn’t be three equally weird sizes.

Hence why I also mentioned that most people don't understand fit.

 

[Aloysius]

Hence why I also mentioned that most people don't understand fit.

Absolutely. This was just me thinking aloud in amusement.

 

[Brandrea33]

So it begs the question … why these measurements?

Love him or hate him, David Himel knows as much or more about making leather jackets than anyone here, (I say with respect) and is known for making jackets that fit very well through his bespoke pattern process.

 

[Aloysius]

Himel has made some beautiful jackets for sure, but I must say that many that I’ve seen, while expensive-looking do not fit particularly well.

I also dislike his use of “bespoke” and “you deserve bespoke” marketing, although that misuse isn’t limited to him. Real bespoke means being measured by the cutter, who then draws up your individual pattern and cuts it. I do not think this is happening at Himel. Indeed, it would be an impossibility.

 

[Brandrea33]

Himel has made some beautiful jackets for sure, but I must say that many that I’ve seen, while expensive-looking do not fit particularly well.

I also dislike his use of “bespoke” and “you deserve bespoke” marketing, although that misuse isn’t limited to him. Real bespoke means being measured by the cutter, who then draws up your individual pattern and cuts it. I do not think this is happening at Himel. Indeed, it would be an impossibility.

I met with David in person and he measured me for an Imperia Jacket.

I can’t say for sure how the measurements he took were translated into the pattern but I assume it was tweaked to suit my specific body type. Perhaps not bespoke in the manner you’re referring to, but I don’t know that anyone does that. If the jackets are expensive now, they’d be stratospheric lol

I always thought his “bespoke” or custom made to measure jackets fit most very well. That seems to be one of his strengths.

I’ve heard other complaints about his stitch work, and customer service, but generally I think even his detractors would say that that his jackets fit very well through his custom fit process.

 

[Jasonissm]

I met with David in person and he measured me for an Imperia Jacket.

I can’t say for sure how the measurements he took were translated into the pattern but I assume it was tweaked to suit my specific body type. Perhaps not bespoke in the manner you’re referring to, but I don’t know that anyone does that. If the jackets are expensive now, they’d be stratospheric lol

I always thought his “bespoke” or custom made to measure jackets fit most very well. That seems to be one of his strengths.

I’ve heard other complaints about his stitch work, and customer service, but generally I think even his detractors would say that that his jackets fit very well through his custom fit process.

I'd wager Himel does made-to-measure or alterations to existing stock patterns rather than bespoke. Also I've seen Himel jackets that fit not so well, there was a case here a few months ago with a poorly fitting Himel, although may blame can be on both sides for it (e.g. okaying a poorly fitting fit jacket).

 

[Tom71]

I'd wager Himel does made-to-measure or alterations to existing stock patterns rather than bespoke. Also I've seen Himel jackets that fit not so well, there was a case here a few months ago with a poorly fitting Himel, although may blame can be on both sides for it (e.g. okaying a poorly fitting fit jacket).

For sure the negative examples are the more memorable ones….

This not least because TFL makes sure, every Himel thread is enriched with a reminder of Dave’s past follies.
I am not denying that he made some very well documented communication errors, although my personal preference would be talk TO him not about him in a public forum, should I have an issue.

I have had four Himel’s over the years, and all of them fit. Irony is that the one that fits best has been custom made, but for somebody else… .
Still, I got what I paid for every single time, so I remain positive about Himel, his brand and his product.

@Aloysius, as a member of the opposite camp, I’d have a field day if you would re-name the thread title into, “Parker did it!”

 

[Jasonissm]

For sure the negative examples are the more memorable one….

This not least because TFL makes sure, every Himel thread is enriched with a reminder of Dave’s past follies.
I am not denying that he made some very well documented communication errors, although my personal preference would be talk TO him not about him in a public forum, should I have an issue.

I have had four Himel’s over the years, and all of them fit. Irony is that the one that fits best has been custom made, but for somebody else… .
Still, I got what I paid for every single time, so I remain positive about Himel, his brand and his product.

@Aloysius, as a member of the opposite camp, I’d have a field day if you would re-name the thread title into, “Parker did it!”

100% this, it's always the more negative experiences that stick in your mind, but also I have no doubt Himel can execute a top tier jacket and that has been proven with multiple examples. It is to say, no maker is perfect, but they still can put out an excellent product!

 

[NYDRH]

I'd wager Himel does made-to-measure or alterations to existing stock patterns rather than bespoke. Also I've seen Himel jackets that fit not so well, there was a case here a few months ago with a poorly fitting Himel, although may blame can be on both sides for it (e.g. okaying a poorly fitting fit jacket).

I agree with this based on my understanding of his process. Customers are getting a pattern adjustment at the most not your own individual pattern.

I also dislike his use of “bespoke” and “you deserve bespoke” marketing, although that misuse isn’t limited to him. Real bespoke means being measured by the cutter, who then draws up your individual pattern and cuts it. I do not think this is happening at Himel. Indeed, it would be an impossibility.

Bespoke in the last ten years of marketing parlance has lost all of its intended meaning where I see people on IG suggesting that choosing the colors on your Nike swoosh makes them bespoke.

@Aloysius is correct, at a minimum if you're not physically there being measured by the maker(cutter/front house guy whatever) and having your own individual pattern produced, I couldn't possibly consider that bespoke based on the way I understand the word from my experience with tailoring.

However, I think you can get a very good fit with pattern adjustments and mtm for sleeves etc. In general leather jackets don't need that level of tailoring perfection to get a good fit, it's like jeans.

The deerskin Himel chevalier that had it's own thread a little while back.
https://www.thefedoralounge.com/threads/himel-an-existential-review.107576/page-9
Customer service issues aside, I thought the end product was excellent. I would have been very happy with that for his price and offering.

 

[Aloysius]

I met with David in person and he measured me for an Imperia Jacket.

I can’t say for sure how the measurements he took were translated into the pattern but I assume it was tweaked to suit my specific body type. Perhaps not bespoke in the manner you’re referring to, but I don’t know that anyone does that. If the jackets are expensive now, they’d be stratospheric lol

Unless David is making and cutting the patterns specifically for you, this is no different from being measured up by a salesman.

To be quite frank, though, his branding and whole marketing campaign is an act of fraud. It’s not bespoke. It’s made-to-measure.

Yes, ‘bespoke’ has been misused a lot as a word but it’s one thing when a $200 online made-to-order company is peddling that lie. No one will believe it.

It’s the same reason why it was such a scandal when TAG Heuer proclaimed it had developed a new in-house movement that turned out being a (very good) existing Seiko movement. Likewise when Bremont did something similar. If a budget brand had made a similar claim it would have been annoying but not as much of a flare up.

Himel prices himself in a bracket that could get you bespoke clothing. Furthermore he routinely pushes his product as being superior to other, made-to-measure makers like Aero on the basis of its bespoke-ness. But it’s not bespoke!

Finishing and expensive materials do not bespoke make. Ralph Lauren Purple Label has extraordinary finishing and fabrics, but is ready to wear and made to measure. However, Ralph doesn’t claim that RLPL is bespoke. Similar honesty from David would be appreciated.

I’m sure the Himel fans are reading this as yet another attack on their long suffering jacket designer, but bespoke fraud has mattered to me a whole lot longer than leather jackets have. It’s driven the real thing out of business in many cases.