Since I have received numerous emails regarding what is coming up, I thought it would be a good idea to kind of preview everything on my plate that might be of interest here.
1) Factory is sending 150-200 pair for direct offers....same sort of thing - a few of this, a few of that....mainly fashion production. Should be here and available in about 3 weeks. I will be updating the blog to preview the styles when I get all the details.
2) Franco's has asked me to help him offer some of the goods that he is interested in discounting....especially Borgioli, as the retails have risen, according to a conversation with him today, to around $550. Since I had always bought them direct, and retailed for a fair $395, this jump will be hard for him to swallow, and if he doesn't go there, they probably won't want to supply the shop. He has some Pertini, Gravati (a few) and Moreschi as well.....these will go on the ebay site.
3) I have a pretty good friend who is a tie manufacturer in Como. I have known him for over 5 years now, and we always talk and visit a bit when I am working in Milan and staying in Como. He has asked me numerous times to help him in this market, and I have always said I was too busy with my own thing to get into something different - even though I have worn his ties over the years and always thought he had a great deal. Anyway, this time I am going to see if his work has any legs here....I just received 15 ties as samples from his production and am looking for a group of guys to give me a good test/feedback on his ties. Basically he does 4 folds and 6 folds.....all self-tipped, saddle stitched, wool interlinings...way too many options for silks - some really great, most very good, some awful....pretty standard situation. Except, I think he has a pretty good price point.....$75 for the 4's and $90 for the 6's and he takes real small orders, so everything stays pretty unique. He makes everything in his shop/home....a couple of older gentlemen help.....I like him and I like his ties so I would like to see about the interest here (by here I mean USA). I paid him for the ties, so I am not going to offer free wear trials, but I am going to offer a few that are interested a 20% discount and ask for a one month wear trial and some good, honest feedback. If you don't like them at all, then I will refund the money, but I need some good info from the market before I go out on a limb. If they meet with good response, I'll jump in since it's something I have thought about for about 5 years now. SOOOO....if anyone is interested in helping me out here, please PM me and I will have pictures and more information available by the weekend at the latest.
4) Thru no fault of either Tom Park or myself, or the factory, we will NOT be supplying LeatherSoleHawaii with a Shell Cordovan program.....seems someone else was not so happy about competition. It happens, and is no big deal. I feel bad for Tom, as he was very upset, but it's not the first time big brother hammered a small retailer - and won't be the last. More importantly, the factory want's to return all the Shell Cordovan I had them buy (which was basically all the supply in Europe [and here also] that was not #8 or black) and I don't want this to happen. I received the samples today that were planned for Leathersole and they are fantastic, in my very biased opinion. We came up with a great hand stitched algonquin, did the Lucca and that plain 3 eye chukka, as well as a new wingtip. I will post pictures on the blog, but at this piont I have about a week to organize enough business to save this order of Shell Cordovan. I have already received the sample of the #6 I custom ordered from Horween, and I really want this program to work as I think there is a real need for more updated patterns in this material....I aim to fill it.
Who likes Shell Cordovan?!? And wants custom shoes made in the rare Natural, Whiskey, Mahagony and #4? I'll make anything I can in my archives! As most of you know, the supply of Horweens SC is very small and is in very high demand. Prices are going to be between $550 and $850, depending on the pattern, work, etc. and I will offer $100 off for all members of SF or AAAC for advance orders, either in stock patterns or special make-ups. Since the intent of this program was to work exclusively with Leathersole, I never offered to any other retailers, and now we can't wait until Fall to try to place....makes for a very good opportunity for my individual clients!
Please PM me (or use my regular email: riders5r at comcast dot net) if you are interested in doing something unique in this great leather!
Well, that's SOME of what I have going on.....there is also a hosiery program, working on my own real horn shoehorn line.....trying to get lasted shoe trees on the market....boxes of belts arrived today that are NOT the standard fare....but I'll stick with the 4 main points for now. Let me know if I can serve you!!
Thanks,
Ron
1) Factory is sending 150-200 pair for direct offers....same sort of thing - a few of this, a few of that....mainly fashion production. Should be here and available in about 3 weeks. I will be updating the blog to preview the styles when I get all the details.
2) Franco's has asked me to help him offer some of the goods that he is interested in discounting....especially Borgioli, as the retails have risen, according to a conversation with him today, to around $550. Since I had always bought them direct, and retailed for a fair $395, this jump will be hard for him to swallow, and if he doesn't go there, they probably won't want to supply the shop. He has some Pertini, Gravati (a few) and Moreschi as well.....these will go on the ebay site.
3) I have a pretty good friend who is a tie manufacturer in Como. I have known him for over 5 years now, and we always talk and visit a bit when I am working in Milan and staying in Como. He has asked me numerous times to help him in this market, and I have always said I was too busy with my own thing to get into something different - even though I have worn his ties over the years and always thought he had a great deal. Anyway, this time I am going to see if his work has any legs here....I just received 15 ties as samples from his production and am looking for a group of guys to give me a good test/feedback on his ties. Basically he does 4 folds and 6 folds.....all self-tipped, saddle stitched, wool interlinings...way too many options for silks - some really great, most very good, some awful....pretty standard situation. Except, I think he has a pretty good price point.....$75 for the 4's and $90 for the 6's and he takes real small orders, so everything stays pretty unique. He makes everything in his shop/home....a couple of older gentlemen help.....I like him and I like his ties so I would like to see about the interest here (by here I mean USA). I paid him for the ties, so I am not going to offer free wear trials, but I am going to offer a few that are interested a 20% discount and ask for a one month wear trial and some good, honest feedback. If you don't like them at all, then I will refund the money, but I need some good info from the market before I go out on a limb. If they meet with good response, I'll jump in since it's something I have thought about for about 5 years now. SOOOO....if anyone is interested in helping me out here, please PM me and I will have pictures and more information available by the weekend at the latest.
4) Thru no fault of either Tom Park or myself, or the factory, we will NOT be supplying LeatherSoleHawaii with a Shell Cordovan program.....seems someone else was not so happy about competition. It happens, and is no big deal. I feel bad for Tom, as he was very upset, but it's not the first time big brother hammered a small retailer - and won't be the last. More importantly, the factory want's to return all the Shell Cordovan I had them buy (which was basically all the supply in Europe [and here also] that was not #8 or black) and I don't want this to happen. I received the samples today that were planned for Leathersole and they are fantastic, in my very biased opinion. We came up with a great hand stitched algonquin, did the Lucca and that plain 3 eye chukka, as well as a new wingtip. I will post pictures on the blog, but at this piont I have about a week to organize enough business to save this order of Shell Cordovan. I have already received the sample of the #6 I custom ordered from Horween, and I really want this program to work as I think there is a real need for more updated patterns in this material....I aim to fill it.
Who likes Shell Cordovan?!? And wants custom shoes made in the rare Natural, Whiskey, Mahagony and #4? I'll make anything I can in my archives! As most of you know, the supply of Horweens SC is very small and is in very high demand. Prices are going to be between $550 and $850, depending on the pattern, work, etc. and I will offer $100 off for all members of SF or AAAC for advance orders, either in stock patterns or special make-ups. Since the intent of this program was to work exclusively with Leathersole, I never offered to any other retailers, and now we can't wait until Fall to try to place....makes for a very good opportunity for my individual clients!
Please PM me (or use my regular email: riders5r at comcast dot net) if you are interested in doing something unique in this great leather!
Well, that's SOME of what I have going on.....there is also a hosiery program, working on my own real horn shoehorn line.....trying to get lasted shoe trees on the market....boxes of belts arrived today that are NOT the standard fare....but I'll stick with the 4 main points for now. Let me know if I can serve you!!
Thanks,
Ron