The new official TOJ thread, 2011 - Page 1259

whoa, blast from the past - didn't remember we made that kidney-zip version til now, that was over a couple years ago. Loved that. Notice how it has a yoke across the top while retaining the gusseting. I don't know if the kidney zip detail was good or bad in the end, but it did give a little in the hips. I never got to see it in action, in fit. I like how they look though, they're an interesting add-on to the back.

also, for the record, I never liked that aeglus fit or the washed-out jacket pics. They don't really convey the image of TOJ leather jackets very well. I purposely make things that aren't the wrinkled and washed distressed leather jackets in the vein of the Japanese mid-market goth ninja stuff, yet people try to take the TOJ and go in that direction. I feel it's missing something when you do that anyway. I say stick with the classical leather jacket look, which is more contemporary anyhow. That wrinkled/washed thing is better left behind in 2008.

thank you man, I appreciate that people can see it. The lead times do get on a bit sometimes, because it's a human-made product and it's like one of those insanely popular food stalls sometimes, there has to be a queue. I am happy that people do recognize the intrinsic qualities that are there, ones that are the foundation of the project that will not go away unless I do - I also challenge people to go and try to find something that hits as hard as TOJ for the same price, or even more - it's a really tough proposition. Now that I live in Tokyo, where all manners of good clothes are available and numerous in choice, I like to go out and see what it is other clothiers make - and naturally, I admire some, I dislike some - but nothing comes close the material content or quality that we make for even twice the price. It's really something special.

Interesting note, just saw a Plokhov leather flight jacket that looks like it goes pretty toe to toe with the ribbed collar version of the TOJ CWU - AP's is a more design-y interpretation of the same thing, a couple mode-style details, a couple extraneous, very quickly expiring details (I think it has an iPhone pocket on the breast) - but the leather, once again, is either the same as the TOJ NZ black lamb, or something incredibly similar. Thick and with a nice soft hand, a bit cool to the touch. It might've been a soft calfskin but it seems the materials would be interchangeable at that level of intrinsic quality, neither function less or more than the other. Anyway, it was nice but I didn't care for the design itself, I prefer mine and gotta give a fair nod to the little suede patch I put on the chest of the CWU to interpret the velcro on the surplus version. I have no idea what the AP jacket costs, but I'm sure it's at least 2.5-3 times the TOJ. It's no Tom Ford, at least. I'm still rolling about the pricetag on that TF jacket, because what I make is already 9X% of it at 7% of the price. It feels really good to be lean and hitting hard, that's a powerful feeling.

Agree with you on that last part, there really aren't prescribed outfits or limitations on how to style these things and I encourage people all the more to find new ways to wear the leathers, because they're only ever 1 of three or more pieces in an outfit - it's just that I got a bad 'faux-Julius' thing from that scrunched up wet Moto that aeglus posted. It kinda hurt my feelings because that was the sample, the actual first TOJ leather jacket ever. It's like seeing a vintage 3.0CSL with like, modern BBS RSII's, a new-age single DIN deck, and Sparco seats in it. Just unnecessary and kind of sad.