New ELC .50 Cal B-3?

[Hawkeye]

Anyone going to Duxford? Apparently ELC will be debuting a .50 Cal B-3 and B-2 cap at Duxford on Sept. 5-6.

 

[Roughwear]

Yes I shall be there weather permitting! I will check it out.

 

[John Lever]

Eastman have a knack of staying a head of the game. Though I'm not crazy about the Broken Finish, this one could be interesting.

 

[havocpaul]

I bought a B-2 cap from them last year that was only available as a special at the show and had been given the well-worn treatment to the leather and a turned-up peak, but it is different to that currently on the site so maybe the new one will be like the one I got; if so, it will be a winner!

 

[Roughwear]

Gary had several of the new .50 Cal B-3s on show at Duxford. The are very nice indeed. They have been given the "time-worn" treatment so they look as if they have seen some service. Gary also had on display a "time-worn" late war Irvin test jacket made from a particular breed of Devon sheep. The jacket could easily be mistaken for an original. The skin side is 100% authentic-no plastic textureon this one. The body fleece was very shaggy, whilst the collar was made of shorter, closer pile fleece. He hopes to make a short production run of them. This jacket is by far the closet ELC have come to an original.

 

[John Lever]

Gary had several of the new .50 Cal B-3s on show at Duxford. The are very nice indeed. They have been given the "time-worn" treatment so they look as if they have seen some service. Gary also had on display a "time-worn" late war Irvin test jacket made from a particular breed of Devon sheep. The jacket could easily be mistaken for an original. The skin side is 100% authentic-no plastic textureon this one. The body fleece was very shaggy, whilst the collar was made of shorter, closer pile fleece. He hopes to make a short production run of them. This jacket is by far the closet ELC have come to an original.

I'd better prepare my bank manager....
The Irvin sounds very interesting. I have asked Gary several times about the possibility of a used look on sheepskin and he always denied it.
With the new Real Deal from Aero and their better Irvin skins, some healthy competition between makers can only be good for the consumer.

 

[Cliff]

I had a word with ELC's Nigel about that Irvin apparently they will be selling some from the American Classics store on the 19th September. I think he said they will be doing the BOB and the 42 pattern as well with that fleece. I didn't know thjat it would be a limmited run using that fleece though. I am very tempted to blow the budget on one of these jackets though still have doubts about the finish of the skin. Maybe it will look better once broken in.



cheers

cliff

PS Sorry I missed you yesterday Andrew, have PM you.

 

[stanier]

Sorry to be slightly off topic, but I did go to Duxford yesterday and I did visit ELC's stand, but I picked up a D-1 and I'm wowed by it. Looks the part just on a hanger and I can't stop glancing at it! I just don't want to put it back in the box which is going to have to happen later.

Looking forward to the 19th and American Classics, though better not go in the pub over the road first and then into AC which is wallet fatal!

Cheers all

 

[Roughwear]

Could you take some pics of your D-1 so that we can admire it too?

 

[better duck]

(...) and I'm wowed by it. Looks the part just on a hanger and I can't stop glancing at it!

Oh oh, you've got the virus really bad! I'll drink one to your health, while gazing at my 6 (six) jackets that I just put up on the bedroom wall .....

 

[John Lever]

I had a word with ELC's Nigel about that Irvin apparently they will be selling some from the American Classics store on the 19th September. I think he said they will be doing the BOB and the 42 pattern as well with that fleece. I didn't know thjat it would be a limmited run using that fleece though. I am very tempted to blow the budget on one of these jackets though still have doubts about the finish of the skin. Maybe it will look better once broken in.



cheers

cliff

PS Sorry I missed you yesterday Andrew, have PM you.

I would expect to pay top dollar from there. Perhaps go try one on then buy direct from Eastman.

 

[Hawkeye]

This new Irvin sounds great, guess I better start saving the pennies

 

[deeb7]

I would expect to pay top dollar from there. Perhaps go try one on then buy direct from Eastman.

Do you think they'll be asking London prices, John?

Without the excuse of imported/currency/shipping/duties, that would be likely to piss off the customers.

 

[havocpaul]

I will be most interested in seeing what their pricing will be like, realistically they should be the same as ELC as they will be a retail outlet for Eastman in the same way they used to be sold through the IWM shops. However, A.C. have always been more expensive with their stock, whether it be Buzz Rickson, Alpha, Avirex or Barbour for example so we'll have to see. Their clientel has been the 'celebs'/trendies/Covent Garden-rich so maybe they'd get away with charging extra. I'm going along on the day to see what's happening.............now why did no-one take pics of their 'new' B-3 or irvin?!?

 

[bristolherc]

Looking forward to the 19th and American Classics, though better not go in the pub over the road first and then into AC which is wallet fatal!

Yeah...the pub over the road ......had a few in there when we visited AC twice last Sept., a nice spot just to sit and watch the world pass by.

I thought AC's selection of LVC denim to be very good, also some good Edwin Lee's and from memory there was a denim/workwear shop across from AC with some of the Japanese brands.

BEVAN

 

[John Lever]

I would expect to pay top dollar from there. Perhaps go try one on then buy direct from Eastman.

Do you think they'll be asking London prices, John?

Without the excuse of imported/currency/shipping/duties, that would be likely to piss off the customers.

It's only a guess, and I could be way out, but to make a profit I would say there could be £100 mark-up.

 

[John Lever]

I will be most interested in seeing what their pricing will be like, realistically they should be the same as ELC as they will be a retail outlet for Eastman in the same way they used to be sold through the IWM shops. However, A.C. have always been more expensive with their stock, whether it be Buzz Rickson, Alpha, Avirex or Barbour for example so we'll have to see. Their clientel has been the 'celebs'/trendies/Covent Garden-rich so maybe they'd get away with charging extra. I'm going along on the day to see what's happening.............now why did no-one take pics of their 'new' B-3 or irvin?!?

I've asked Gary to send me some shots. If he does I'll post them here.

 

[deeb7]

It's only a guess, and I could be way out, but to make a profit I would say there could be £100 mark-up.

I assumed that American Classics would buy at a wholesale rate, discounted back from the existing retail, to create their margin ... no point in doing it otherwise.

You can't have customers searching online to learn more about their new treasure, then finding that they could have bought direct for £100 less.

Without the justification of it's imported, and we've made it easy for you .... they are liable to become grumpy.

 

[John Lever]

It's only a guess, and I could be way out, but to make a profit I would say there could be £100 mark-up.

I assumed that American Classics would buy at a wholesale rate, discounted back from the existing retail, to create their margin ... no point in doing it otherwise.

You can't have customers searching online to learn more about their new treasure, then finding that they could have bought direct for £100 less.

Without the justification of it's imported, and we've made it easy for you .... they are liable to become grumpy.

To get a significant discount though, you would have to order in bulk and have excess stock in order to allow for all sizes. Totally against Kaizen principles. Also remember that West End businesses have very high overheads.
Do you think they could be to order only ?

 

[deeb7]

Do you think they could be to order only ?

Yes, maybe Eastman are putting in a sample range, or just a small initial stock.