Olli Twist

soldier material that isnt at all expensive to product/purhcase. you can buy epic shell jackets for around 100 bucks, so for an extra $700, you are paying for the design of the jacket.

True that. I also buy my Porsche from Volkswagen - they use the same vehicle materials and it's much cheaper.

from 2005..?

I think there will be an UC version of the duck boot from this season (or was that what you meant?). there was an UC feature in men's non-no or Huge and the boots in it looked significantly different and much better IMO then the ones in the catalog.

The picture showed the first Duck Boot (Decoy...). You could see a black Undercover label on the tongue. I'll try to get a picture of those. The new ones are significantly higher.

By the way: I just saw this picture in HUGE magazine (39) of an Undercover version of the Duck Boot from 2005. It looked a bit beat-up in the picture (two or three colorways) but very interesting. Could be good... if you happen to have an Undercover store around the corner.

those totes are veri veri expensive

And they are white elk. Nice bag for the shelf.

I think all of these are a bit pesimistic. (apart from 1. , i can see some sales coming) Hopefully all that will happen is Visvim will realise that theyre new direction flopped and they try a lot hard next season. I cant see most of the stuff just not selling, it'll appeal to some.

add this one - 9. visvim starts appearing in tkmaxx

Well, I hope someone over there has been following this. I just can't see how they are off so completely with one line and then so on point with the other. Or is it just the outside influence from companies such as Soph. or Neighborhood or CDG that produces these much better products? Right now I'm just very surprised what has been and is coming. Some stuff is excellent, some stuff is just plain trash. Trying to appeal to too many different customers at the same time? It does hurt the brand. Am I repeating myself...?

Have they changed their branding agent / style advisor? Maybe they know things we don't.

OH - and why is Hiroki showing this stuff on his blog if nobody can actually get it. Is this some sort of a joke? Looky-looky-you-can't-getty-you-can-only-getty-the-crappy-we-give-to-rest-of-worldy???

it's all about patches this time....

I wish those were de-patchable as I quite like the brown/sand color.

Black and brown aren't too bad. Plus your pants will cover the coloring-book-feather-logo-whatever. It just feels as if these shoes are from a new brand altogether. It breaks with everything that we have seen so far. Put these next to the CDG Kiefers and tell me how that works. But then, some of/most of the G Line shoes, etc. are also completely off the usual Visvim track.

Not in the regular line. Elk FBT as before (same colors) - and those 80s ACG FBTs are the only ones. No Ancestors.

Wait 'til you see the rest... You're going to regret not having bought the Nam-Juns, Fangs, or Mowats last fall.

how/why would cancellation due to production difficulties be Europe only?

Felix?

Ask your source what the FCK is going on with Visvim... Maybe they should focus on the main line and cut back on all those collabos? How come they are releasing tons of SHT for Mastermind, Soph, G1950, NBHD, etc. and can't even get their regular stuff right??

oh shit the exact same thing happened to my double tones. weirdly it never happened to my shakers though. i took them into hideout who sent them back to japan to be fixed. i basically had to pay the shipping and that was about it. i did try and take them to a few really good cobblers and they saw em and freaked out! the only way to fix em proper is remove the stitching and start again

Happened to two of my pairs. One pair I sent back to Visvim and got them fixed the other (black ones) I had repaired at a local cobbler - hardly noticeable. With the two-tones it will be more apparent if not done 100%. Contact Visvim - and send them back. It is a weakness in the construction of the shoe - basically Visvim's fault - so I wouldn't pay for shipping.

I'm thinking about dropping by Tokyo for a couple days around mid-July; what is FIL's stock like at any given point, generally? I'm after the K-pack, some Logan highs, and that zip wallet. Am I gonna be sorely disappointed?

I could go to HK around the same time too, is FIL HK selling out shit like hotcakes down there?

Just out of pure curiosity - and because these sort of questions keep popping up. If someone (like myself now: "No, they have nothing interesting, ever") told you that they had nothing, would you not go? If I told you you'd be dissappointed would you go find out yourself? Would you take the risk? Would you go check the shop no matter what...?

I think the chances that they have 'backdoor' stuff is quite slim as these aren't as popular as brands like NorthFace or Jansport. But hey you never know right?

But I wonder where in China it's made? Usually I would think Guangzhou but I think it's bit far. Prolly the northern Chinese provinces like Da Lian or Qingdao?

Are the shoes made in China as well? I have this impression that some Visvim stuff is made in Korea. I'm thinking the actual cost of Visvim stuff is much, much lower than retail, but the design/quality/functionability of the stuff is really well thought out.

Oh, too much of a rant there. anyway x-posting from the pick-ups thread

There is a thread on fake Visvim backpacks somewhere in the back. There are/were some backpacks that look/looked like they were made by the same factory; same shape, same plastic parts just with different fabrics. The shoes are made in Korea.

The perfect white T-shirt for me is actually the one I've had the longest. I like it best when it's washed to death and has this soft and thin feel to it... unfortunately, the collar and seams often break before a T-shirt reaches that state. I've had some by polo from over 10 years ago and they are still holding up...

I guess this is what happens (and should happen) when you start undercutting the prices of your own distributor...

Ok, this might be a bit specific for some, but it is probably the best way to spot a fake. You might want to get your magnifying glass out for this:

The registered mark ® is a good way to see if a label is real or not. On a real T-shirt label the ® will have its tilted/angled "leg" come straight out of the corner where the arch and the vertical line meet. On a fake label, the ® is mostly off - the angled streak will be 'attached' to the arch - just like on this label.

And, yes, the colours/colors bit is an even better, more obvious sign.

this thread is also helping him tell the forgers how to make the bags even better

Imagine: the "forgers" sitting at their computers, reading this thread and taking notes:

A) Must make signet more round

Only use original colors (I told XYZ so, but darn fool wouldn't listen) - ask Visvim for source of materials

C) Intimidate Hideout staff

D) New Idea: yellow backpack with green pony-skin bottom (possible conflict with ?)

The backpack was only released in these colors:

black / black fisherman

black / white fisherman

navy / navy fisherman

navy / white fisherman

The label on the "fisherman" knit should be black. From the picture posted in the auction it looks like a white one (only a fraction visible). The label which is posted as the last image is definitely a sign for a fake as the octagon is too pointy and the font of the "V" is off completely, too. The real Visvim signet has rounded corners and the "V" is a bit stretched. The date is wrong, too. The Northern Isle backpacks were part of the FW 05-06 line "A Dissertation on Layers Relative to the Engineering of a Seasonal Collection".

It could be that the factory in China made a few extra and got a bit experimental with the colors.

Send it back.

Update: Visvim should probably consider using a different factory... These guys are going mad: check this green Liberty fake:

http://cgi.ebay.com/VISVIM-BACKPACK-NEW-WITH-TAGS-GREEN-NEIGHBORHOOD_W0QQitemZ230118193180QQihZ013QQcategoryZ52358QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Sorry to be bringing this thread back up to the front page - it doesn't deserve it. I just had to get this off of my chest. What Visvim is doing in the US goes well against all the principles of creating a sound corporate image. For years they have been building this rather intellectual brand ("artisans of the F.I.L", etc. etc.) and it has worked out. By entering the US market with this new G Line it seems as if they have thrown everything overboard and started a 'new' Visvim alltogether. Now we have a company with two identities. One is the Japanese (and rest of the world) - smart, intelectual as said, and then the US - childish/silly, immature... On the one hand you have Dover Street Market - on the other HUF.

Why does Visvim try to be two things when it was getting good at one? Are they trying to adapt to the LA-trash culture that they are in close proximity now? Do we have to fear collaborations with the whole lot of the new all-over tee/zip-hoodie brands?

I don't even want to get into pricing. But selling the same shoes in the US at almost half the price than what they are in Europe/UK is hard to explain - other than that Visvim is subsidizing in the US?

bagjacks look like shit compared to that visvim thats so elegant and simple. only courier I`d ever go near.

It is not a courier bag. It's a bag that looks like one/pretends to be one but is far from the real-deal. Bagjack looks rougher - maybe not as stylish - because it doesn't pretend to be something else, other than a bag for bike messengers. Just look at the straps of that Visvim in the picture - looks like they'll rip off right away. Wouldn't be surprised if there was a little note telling people not to use the bag when riding a bike .

here's another gem:

"J: How would you characterize the people who are buying WTAPS clothing? What are they looking for in your pieces?

T: WTAPS should always remain true to WTAPS. I think this is what people expect from us. "

haha, OK. can't argue with that!

i am SO tired of these streetwear cliches. you could imagine this dribble coming out of ANYBODY's mouth ... i am sure the designers at old navy could answer this question

"J: Many people who buy and wear your clothing don't know anything about the process of creating it. Could you briefly describe how a piece comes 'to life'?

T: It all starts from rough ideas and finishes as a necessity - adding color comes after. "

with an equally straight face

If you were familiar with the Japanese language, you'd know that vagueness is omnipresent in dialogues. It would have been good to dig a little deeper, I agree, but then from what I heard about this guy TET, he doesn't speak that much to begin with. So I guess for what it is, the interview is quite informative.

In general, it seems that you have been approaching this whole subject of "streetwear" and related topics (I just finished the very long ACR thread) from a very high and demanding standpoint. Maybe you are looking for values that in this field you won't find? Maybe the fact that some of TET's answers appear to be shallow just shows that - well - there isn't much to WTAPS to begin with... other than a few guys doing what they love and producing the clothing that they'd like to wear. I think that a great many people interpret a little too much into some of these brands' philosophies. I guess that at a certain price (for a piece) one expects to find a great deal of thought. We should keep in mind, though, that within their regional market(s) the brands we all love to talk about so much aren't really that expensive. Neighborhood, Visvim, WTAPS, Bounty Hunter, all these brands in Japan cater to a customer between the ages of 18-25. Nobody beyond that age really cares much about these brands. In the US and Europe, however, it's manly people between 25-35 who are into these brands - as they have the income to buy the stuff (as the price doubles when leaving Japan and entering foreign markets). Surely, at 25 or 30 you have a different understanding for 'what's going on' - you are asking questions, you are trying to find answers. But maybe there aren't any. Or at least none that would satisfy the intellect of a grown-up. I guess WTAPS is one of the more charismatic of the brands, but as said, I get the feeling that most of these guys 'just' have fun doing what they love - NBHD riding their motorbikes, WTAPS playing soldiers, Visvim dressing up as Native Americans or Shakers... . The best thing I ever saw that really opened my eyes was a short interview with Takshin/NBHD about his adidas Superstars. They asked him about the idea for the design and he simply said: "Pirate Ship". So much for the depth and thought that went into that shoe...

Regarding the new WTAPS line - there are some (very) small pics on the BGHD homepage, too. Looks colorful. But they also have their standard muted tones, as well. Honestly, I'm glad they finally put some color into their collections - Visvim, WTAPS, and iDiom in the fall with that metallic red and the tartans. I'm extremely bored looking at my almost all-black wardrobe .

It's the spring line for the US - only. It is different from the Japanese/Euro spring/summer gear which will be shown as usual at the end of the year. The Hockneys are patent.

will someone ever care to read what has already been posted???

IT IS FOR SPRING / SUMMER 2007 - US ONLY.

It's the spring line for the US - only. It is different from the Japanese/Euro spring/summer gear which will be shown as usual at the end of the year. The Hockneys are patent.

I know. The dots aren't really new. But I missed the first series... I saw the stuff they had up for pre-order. I'll def. get something 'ACR' later on this year.

New stuff up on The-Glade. Undecisive which colorway to chose from the Dots... I guess everyone is going for black? Any thoughts?