Hertling USA to Remain Open for Business!

[Caustic Man]

@Epaulet thanks is for your reply. Would you mind if I copied it in a comment to the original piece (credited to you, of course)? I think readers of Ivy-Style would like to hear your perspective as well.

 

[Epaulet]

Well are they truly going concern? If they’re, I might, otherwise zero interest in having MTO money stuck in nearly running out cash entities.

I’ll probably reach out to them see how much configuration I can do with hertling direct, not really interested in their stock MTO.

@clee1982 sure, I'm not sure honestly what kind of personalized MTO they're going to offer as not. As I know of right now, they're just selling the stock online which is in their own distinct shape. By only offering their design, they're not directly competing with people like us, Ben Silver, Sid Mashburn, etc.

We'll have all of our shapes (Walt, Rudy, Taylor, Gable, Driggs) available for MTO work if you like any of the fabrics that they're showing. Figure the price for a single unit is about $25 more than their MSRP. And I anticipate getting some new fabrics next week. Of course if you buy it with us, we'd refund you if the product isn't delivered. But after our conversation today, I think that they're good for at least the next few months. We'll try to do what we can to build out the volume that they need.

 

[Epaulet]

@Epaulet thanks is for your reply. Would you mind if I copied it in a comment to the original piece (credited to you, of course)? I think readers of Ivy-Style would like to hear your perspective as well.

@Caustic Man sure thing, go right ahead. Thanks for asking.

 

[M635Guy]

Well are they truly going concern? If they’re, I might, otherwise zero interest in having MTO money stuck in nearly running out cash entities.

Honestly, that thought didn't cross my mind. If I was looking for something now, I'd go on the basis that my Hertling stuff is fantastic and I have zero doubt about Mike being an absolute stand-up guy - he's demonstrated it over and over. Why not support two good small companies?

 

[Funcheese]

I know. Just busting chops for no reason.

Are you this charming in person?

 

[clee1982]

Honestly, that thought didn't cross my mind. If I was looking for something now, I'd go on the basis that my Hertling stuff is fantastic and I have zero doubt about Mike being an absolute stand-up guy - he's demonstrated it over and over. Why not support two good small companies?

Epaulet sure, but Hertling might be difficult now given how Southwick has more flexibility (slight tweak in measurements), it costs more out the door but given how expensive alteration is in NYC, Southwick probably come out cheaper, and if I go the Epaulet route, things has to be fulfilled through NYC to CA back to NYC..., as suppose to MA to NYC for Southwick (i.e. quicker).

I like Walt fit, but I'm not wedded to it (might change a few things slightly here and there), I'm open to Hertling stock shape if I can tweak, will probably try to reach out to them to see what can and cannot be done.

 

[M635Guy]

Epaulet sure, but Hertling might be difficult now given how Southwick has more flexibility (slight tweak in measurements), it costs more out the door but given how expensive alteration is in NYC, Southwick probably come out cheaper, and if I go the Epaulet route, things has to be fulfilled through NYC to CA back to NYC..., as suppose to MA to NYC for Southwick (i.e. quicker).

I like Walt fit, but I'm not wedded to it (might change a few things slightly here and there), I'm open to Hertling stock shape if I can tweak, will probably try to reach out to them to see what can and cannot be done.

My money has gone to Epaulet because I have a good relationship with them and I trust Mike. I mainly know Hertling through him, so next time I need something, I'll look that way first.

 

[bry2000]

Are you this charming in person?

sounds like you are asking for a date, creeper.

 

[dieworkwear]

In order to know what went on at Hertling, one would need to assimilate contemporaneous accounts from management, investors, employees, vendors, and customers. Information from any subset of those groups is going to be incomplete (and typically self-serving for the subset giving the account). To unequivocally assert something was said or not said is silly. Things get weird when businesses run out of money and the public story that follows when a business survives that type of event is almost universally going to reflect some spin.

I’m sure everyone involved is happy to hear Hertling is continuing its business, I certainly am, and I look forward to reading your press release/interview on behalf of Justin.

+1

Someone reached out to me last November or December about interviewing Justin regarding his takeover. I think we talked shortly after that -- maybe in January? And then I published something at PTO, basically naively taking him at his word. Which turned out to be mostly PR fluff. It's hard doing investigative style journalism on this kind of stuff because you're writing on a blog, where things move quickly, and unless it's something you've built up a bit of resistance against (fluffy language about handsewn seams or whatever), real journalism requires real feet on the ground.

That said, when I heard they were closing just a month after I published my post, i was a bit disappointed and even annoyed at being misled. And annoyed at myself, having written about this stuff for a while and knowing how this PR stuff works. But I really at the time just had no inkling about the problems.

I think Patrick is right, the Ivy piece mostly seems to be the same PR spin. Which is, I suppose, what you'd expect from the head of a struggling company.

After I heard Hertling was struggling, I called some people around the business. And I interviewed Justin in a more forthright, pressing way, pushing back against his assertions. And asked him tougher questions about things I've heard from others. I'm surprised CM would take Justin so easily at his word given what I've been through. I have an 1.5 hour audio file of my second interview with Justin, where he absolutely said they were looking to close the factory -- they were trying to avoid that, certainly, but it was was distinct and even likely scenario.

Maybe they got another round of funding. I do wish them the best. And I agree, we're talking about pants here, not North Korea. And it would be great if the factory survives. Should a bit of positive online PR help with that effort, great. I'm just a little butthurt over being taken for a ride last winter.

 

[Patrick R]

Don’t be too hard on yourself, Derek. That’s exactly what businesses use blogs for in these situations.

 

[SpooPoker]

And I agree, we're talking about pants here, not North Korea.

But we can -

George fit, or Scott fit? Definitely not Jake or Garda.

 

[Caustic Man]

FWIW, I did reach out to a couple people to confirm various parts of Justin’s story, which they did. You can argue that I went to the wrong people, and that’s fine. But I wasn’t out to find out what happened with the rumors as much as I was out to announce that Hertling was remaining open and to introduce the community to Justin. Right or wrong, that’s what I did.

It’s also clear to me that some people connected to this issue remember it differently than others. This complicated things, for sure.

 

[Goodman]

Situation is pretty straight forward. You get financing and you can keep the doors open to buy time to try and create and implement a viable business plan going forward or you don't get financing and your done.

I did have a thought though. I do think it's possible that Epaulet's final MTO (and our participation in that sale) may have laid the groundwork to buy Hertling some of this time and keep the doors open. I'm envisioning a scenario where Justin can't secure financing, reaches out to Epaulet (and Luxeswap) to blow out the last of the fabric (and samples) and then gets a glut of orders from Epaulet. Armed with this onslaught of orders and with a humming factory floor as his backdrop, he reaches out to his "Angels" one last time and brings them in to the factory to sell them on the potential of what is possible... It's pure conjecture but it does seem that the future was bleak and then a final "hail mary" saved the day.

Personally, I'm thrilled I got great trousers at a great price both from Epaulet and Luxeswap and Hertling lives on. I don't feel misled by anyone and would happily purchase more trousers from Hertling (except for the fact that after the final MTO and sample sale I really don't need to order another pair for a while).

 

[dieworkwear]

wow incredible front page to the nyt today

 

[bry2000]

Ha maybe he should be writing for putthison.com instead.