The Horror

[Anonymous]

That's Jeff Clyman the president of Avirex with some "Red Tails" actors wearing his mall jackets. Wow! The man who almost single-handedly RUINED the repro business is trying to hop on the bandwagon. Jeff Clyman is the man who invented the "Mall Jacket" ! Think disgusting "Top Gun" lambskin G-1s and/or CBI uderwear! This is also the man responsible for RUINING the current USAF A-2 by somehow cajoling the government into using his ugly Avirex pattern with its hideous pockets and hideous epaulets... sad, sad, sad... Jeff Clyman, Burt Avedon, and Stewie Clurman dominated the repro business during the 80's- their fine work and "knowledge" can be seen on display in that fine tome "Hell Bent for Leather"... sad, sad, sad..." The Horror...the horror...t h e h o r r o r "...

 

[Dr H]

Looking forward to the latest iteration of the website...

 

[Persimmon]

That's Jeff Clyman the president of Avirex with some "Red Tails" actors wearing his mall jackets. Wow! The man who almost single-handedly RUINED the repro business is trying to hop on the bandwagon. Jeff Clyman is the man who invented the "Mall Jacket" ! Think disgusting "Top Gun" lambskin G-1s and/or CBI uderwear! This is also the man responsible for RUINING the current USAF A-2 by somehow cajoling the government into using his ugly Avirex pattern with its hideous pockets and hideous epaulets... sad, sad, sad... Jeff Clyman, Burt Avedon, and Stewie Clurman dominated the repro business during the 80's- their fine work and "knowledge" can be seen on display in that fine tome "Hell Bent for Leather"... sad, sad, sad..." The Horror...the horror...t h e h o r r r o r ...

Well there is a name from the past.
I must actually sing Jeff Cluman's praises here.
I met him and his business partner Frank Machese about 20 years or so in their shop/factory in NYC
Being a stranger from the UK and interested in flight jackets he spent some time with me trying to express his vision of the A2 jacket and showed me his original collection.

I never did buy one of the well worn look (lambskin jackets) but I enjoyed having the conversation.
He also offered me a ride two days later across the bay in New Jersey on his T-6 so all in all to me he was a great guy.

And yes his replica vision was all wrong. Lamb. Side pockets etc etc
And of course it is goodbye Avirex. Hello Cockpit these days I believe.

 

[atkins]

He's wearing a not so bad Cockpit though.

 

[John Lever]

The horror.. Kurz I believe ?
Makes the other posts about Redtails almost surreal.

 

[Anonymous]

Atkins:

He's wearing a not so bad Cockpit though.

"Not bad" from a 100 yards away maybe...

 

[Anonymous]

John:

Kurz I believe

Kurtz, Brando, whatever... "The horror...the horror..."

 

[Rutger]

Tasteful, modern cut jackets, classics already.
I'd think the actors wouldn't be allowed to advertise anything but the brands worn in the movie.

 

[Vcruiser]

Tasteful, modern cut jackets, classics already.
I'd think the actors wouldn't be allowed to advertise anything but the brands worn in the movie.

I don't think they really are. Just acting like it..

 

[derleicaman]

Yup, its Kurtz.

Also brings to mind Smeagol's obsession with the "Precious" in our pursuit of the perfect A-2.

I hate to admit that I was taken in by the Avirex take on the A-2 way back when in the 80s when for most folks they were the only game in town.

 

[DJS48]

Regarding Avirex/Cockpit, it was a learning expierence for me. It seems an evolution of sorts as to where "we" are today in the repro. market.

Cheers,
Don

 

[nogbat]

he will have to be silenced,,,,

 

[Peter Graham]

My God, those jackets are bad.

 

[CBI]

http://redir.shopwiki.com/redir?c_sid=9 ... eSingleton

look at the bright side: if you can't decide which Red Tails squadron patch you want on an A-2, this way - you can have them all!!!!!

 

[Marv]

after looking at those, it makes my 80's Cooper look positively brilliant

 

[ButteMT61]

after looking at those, it makes my 80's Cooper look positively brilliant

:lol:
:lol:
:lol:

 

[Jaguar46]

I would think his reproductions would be valued (low), sometimes you don't appreciate how good something is, until something bad comes along to compare with it. It just so happens, the bad came before the good in this case.