We Talk to Third-Generation Bootmaker Brett Viberg About New Directions

[Find Finn]



The issue is that he sells very little product in Japan through his current distributors and he's going solo so that he can better represent the line the way HE sees fit.
The Japanese have a way of reappropriating classic American styles and exaggerating certain aspects of the garment or shoe that doesn't bode well for the owners of the lines back home. There are ones which have enough balls stand up and speak against this (such as Brett), the others just take the money and produce whatever is asked for.

It's not only Japan some of the European dealers, have made some truly awful boots.


C Store

Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!

The (former) retailer in Copenhagen had a pair as well.

 

[KyleTFH]

I thought Japan and Asia were roughly the biggest market for Viberg stuff? There sure are a lot of sellers on Rakuten; searching on there, I see some weird stuff - like those 66 Hiker boots and Pachena Bay - but most of it looks pretty similar to what people are talking about on here; with the exception of the Japanese engineer and western short shift boots, those deserve more attention.

I was reading this article (http://www.workboot.com/these-boots-were-made-for-style.html) and Brett sounded like he was gushing over Japan, so I guess it's surprising that he's so quickly gotten cynical about the market there. It's no big deal for me personally, I don't even like workwear, but considering that Viberg made a name for themselves (workboot.com?) as a manufacturer of work boots, it's interesting how they're trying to distance themselves from that.