gcollins
One of the Regulars
- Messages
- 270
- Location
- Shanghai, China
Originally posted by fedoralover
Well I must say, this has been one of the most educational threads about fedora's that I've read in a very long time. Keep em coming.
Agreed 100%. I have no problem with Fedora for sure except the radical capitalist comes out in me when one assumes that a product is overpriced because of some relation to the cost of materials. The hat business is not a cost plus business, it is market based, and defintely not high volume low mix--what someone is willing to pay for a nice hat is a reasonable price to the buyer, regardless of whether he buys the product for its perceived quality of materials, craftsmanship or friendly customer service. Whatever.
And if you're only making 6-8 hats a day max, you have to cover your overhead somehow through the pricing. If you're collecting $2400-3200/day in revenue and paying livable salaries to employees...you don't make millions each year. But perhaps a nice living and what's wrong with that?
Two of the best hatters in the US make very different types of hats, but serve their markets well--whether custom, private label, or movie deals. Those two would be Graham and Trent Johnson. They are great craftsmen who do a fine job in the high end for profitability contribution and some private label, more high volume, private labelling, for paying the bills. We should celebrate them for making a fine business in a tough environment for the independent craftsman. They are dedicated to customer service, and with a very personal hat world, that goes a long way.
There's not many hat makers around for fine hats. To find one is a gift for the hat lover. Art will soon be one of these (check out my super soft collegiate!), and so perhaps is Brent Black already. All of the great, established pros don't take the hides of their competitors on internet forums--They don't need to! They are not in the "value" business; they sell themselves as best-in-class and the prices reflect that. And of course the quality of the hat is the final test as to whether they can keep that business model up.
Fedora, however, is bringing on the real stuff to the forum. He's telling us that the felts are not as rare or expensive as we might imagine. And we're all interested. And he is defending a product that he feels is superior--doesn't matter whether we like Zane or not. I don't take his comments about Graham's felt pricing as a personal attack on Graham. We all have to agree on the quality of service and product from Optimo.
Speaking of unpopular felts. I wish you could feel the silky smoothness of my custom Trent Johnson 100% beaver jet black hat--oh man! Art has seen it. It is cowboy stiff and fitted perfectly to the shape of my head. Feels awesome. Not favorite characteristics to the fellas here, but I've never had a higher quality felt or hat before. Unbelievable craftsmanship and materials! When I get back to Shanghai, Ill post some photos and an evaluation.
Rock on Fedora and Kevin! Keep up the creative tension!
G