Headporter Products. Tell Me All You Know Please!

[Aotearoa]

I've been aware of Headporter products for a long time now, but am unaware of who they market themselves towards? Are they actually marketed towards the 'streetwear' crowd or is that something that has been appropriated?

Can anyone give me some brand history etc.

Also want to know what warrants the exorbitant prices?! Have heard that the quality is top notch, can anyone confirm this?

Close to 20 000 yen for this bag alone seems ridiculous! :

[englandmj7]

HeadPorter is a division of Yoshida Porter and Co., Japan's most renowned luggage/accessories maker......Head Porter is designed by Hiroshi Fujiwara for the most part and is essentially a more youth-targeting division of the company which specializes in clothing (HQ shop is in Harajuku). The prices are not ridiculous in comparison to many brands; $130 for a long-sleeved shirt last time I was at the HP store is essentially RL prices.

Search the forum, you will find many posts on this......

[Aotearoa]

Thanks England!

I often wondered the difference between Porter & HeadPorter, thanks for the explanation. Know of any Japanese online stores stocking Porter? I know Ace Web stocks HeadPorter.

You don't agree that the bag I posted a photo of is exorbitantly priced? (Around US $180 for a simple bag like that seems rediculous no?!)

[docdoom]

Yeah lots of head porter is mad expensive, £50 odd for a plain black nylon wallet that you could get in most pound shops. Still, it does look pretty good for the most!

[englandmj7]

www.slamjam.it

www.hideoutstore.com

There are also a ton of other Rakuten stores that carry it but I can't remember their names right now.......you could try just searching it on Google?

And yes, the prices are pretty expensive for some of the luggage, but you might pay $160 for a simple Diesel/Energie tote as well........

[red]

all iknow is i bought a nylon wallet from a japanese thrift shop, and now it has air bubbles underneath where the nylon is glued onto the wallet. its either a fake or headporter is shit.

[Guest sauce1]

is there any way for a guy in the states to get that Porter Apple Pbook messenger bag from the apple japan site?

thanx.

someone took my niketalk name here.

[LanceP]

They have nice looking products for sure. Don't have much experience with them, so not too sure on quality.

[xcoldricex]

actually headporter in japan is used by almost everyone- its not just the streetwear crowd. business men carry around headporter bags, business cases, etc.

there stuff is very well made, i've never had a problem with any of the headporter things i've owned over the last 6 or more years. the pricing isn't that bad in japan- it gets bad outside of japan- though i hear NYC's HP shop is getting a bit better with pricing.

i can get HP stuff for people also.

[rakis]

I believe that most of HP products are over-priced outside of Japan. Inside Japan, there is demand for them but as the runs are quite small for most items, they do sell out very quickly hence demand stokes the prices upwards.

It has often been said that HP is of a higher grade of quality. I posted on this before but to be part of Yoshida/Porter/HP as an apprentice is a very big honour and items are hand-sewn/manufactured. This prices are higher due to that. The Yoshida company has been around for aeons in Japan and like most other trends on the streetwear scene today, it has been appropriated and adored as a consequence. I have the same bag in that pic but in olive and it costs me £75/US$140. That is about the price you would expect to pay for HP. Porter is cheaper.

Anyway, just so I don't repeat myself, this is what I posted previously:

Yes, there are fakes of Porter and Head Porter...the fakes are from either China or Korea.....how to tell? Well, the fabric is a good guide (for the tanker series which seems to be most faked)....authenticity cards are easily faked so that is no really a true indication of authenticity (see the number of fake Gucci, Dior, Fendi etc. bags on ebay that are less that $100 but come with an authenticity card plus the necessary holograms on the tags, card etc....)....its all fakeable so be aware....best bet is probably a hook-up/pick-up from Japan or from the store in New York (above Stussy if I remember correctly).....here is a link to Porter stuff online...have used them in the past and they are reliable:

http://ace-company.net/~coolcat/index2.htm

Note, this is Porter and not Head Porter...there is also Porter International....this if I remembered correctly is a brand that registered itself in Taiwan and has "inspired" Yoshida & Co. designs.....the actual status of this has been debated extensively before on another forum:

http://www.frontallabs.com/nfrontal/web/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=15384

Decide for yourself:

http://www.ll-porter.com/home.htm

I have a number of Porter and Head Porter items. Head Porter does feel much better to the touch in terms of quality (for the Tanker series which is really the only one that I have bought) but workmanship is just as good for both....however, the outer tags are the same and it is only on the inside that there is a "head Porter" tag.....both use YKK zips as well....

My personal view is just stick to Porter and Head Porter....Porter International is just as expensive but a little dubious since it is made in Taiwan and not Japan...interesting fact, iit is indeed a great privilege for those Japanese interested in becoming apprentices at the Porter factory.....also, you can actually order/customize a bag of a specific design and they will make it for you...but of course there is a waiting list and this applies for Porter products only....

Hope this helps.

[englandmj7]

Edited by englandmj7 on May 22, 2006 at 10:18 AM

[high_contrast]

How is the price and selection of the Headporter store on top of Stussy compared to, let's say, getting someone like coldrice to get it from Japan and shipping it to you?

I've narrowed my choices for a pc briefcase from either a Jack Spade Technical Nylon Briefcase or a Headporter briefcase (looking at Tanker, Black Beauty or Smoky). Now, for the Headporter ones most of the time I have no idea if the briefcases are actually suitable to hold laptops because I can't read Japanese and online translators aren't that much help. I know there are the PC cases that are held but I prefer one with handles.

Is this suitable to hold a laptop?

http://headporter.org/tanker/n_brief.html

Thanks.

[red]

i guess i got duped.

and youd save way more money by buying from coldrice. i saw the prices there and couldnt believe a bag cost that much. so i headed over to supreme and bought a scatterweave.

[mlproject]

i saw the stuff last time i was in NYC and the quality was superb. they also had a pair of the visvim mocs right after the brand dropped.

the prices there were insane though... a nylon ipod case was $130!

[DaBestSpoona]

porter is like jansport in japan, you can find it almost anywhere

there are tons of fakes, and some fakes are surprisingly better made than the real deal.

[sassafras]

rakis

thanks for the link to ace-company, they seem very efficient and prices are quite reasonable.

[rakis]

Yes prices are reasonable, selection quite varied and they are efficient. Just be aware that it is Porter and not Head Porter that they sell. You can't really tell the difference anyway as there is usually a small "Head Porter" tag inside the bag. Nothing is on the outside. The other way to tell would be the particular line of product for eg. Brownie, Black Beauty, Shakti etc.

For some variations have a look here on HP products:

http://www.dreamreload.com/forum/showthread.php?s=5c9689343da75c8f22c4bf84d96c3f3f&threadid=36773&perpage=15&pagenumber=1

Also for your information, here is a little write-up on Porter vs. Porter International (Taiwan based not Japan):

Porter originates from Yoshida Company, Japan. In1989, Yoshida Company agreed in written form that Gallant Co., Ltd registering as well as operating Porter and its related trademark outside Japan.

Porter International Company Limited, the international version created under the authorisation of Yoshida Company, was launched as an international brand in 2001.

Two companies respectively develop their own brand, one does not relate to the other.

In English, Porter means “a person employed to carry luggage and suppliesâ€. In French, Porter is a verb, meaning â€to carry†and “prêt-â-porter†means “ready-to-wearâ€, that is, trendy outfits. The synergy at such levels of its meaning makes Porter become the name of trendy backpack/luggage. Porter International product series is the best partner for those who values a trendy lifestyle, especially in collecting daily belongings and surprises.

Porter International launches new product series after successfully registering the international trademark of Porter as well as the right for design, manufacturing and operation. Some of product structures are inherited from the traditional design and others are new and innovative design of Porter International. In accordance to the global market differences, the best quality products are designed to meet market demand. Porter International transforms Porter to become an international brand as to expand global market.

Porter International is a brand which developed in Taiwan, yet it has worldwide network for design, manufacture and operation. Porter International has legal ownership of Porter's trademark.

For Head Porter see: http://headporter.org/ (although link may be down)

For Porter see: http://www.yoshidakaban.com/

There was also a book released last year on the 70th anniversary of Porter which narrated the story behind the compnay as well as the very many lines that are carried by them:

http://www.junku.fr/fr/detail.php?id=6315

Price points are generally slightly higher for HP. Good luck and do let us know how you get on in your search. <u> </u>

[poly800rock]

this bag will be mine one day

[bluespring]

http://ace-company.net/~coolcat/

another good site of porter bags

[su8m3rg3d]

headporter is very commonly used by the hypebeasts in my country.

[high_contrast]

Anyone know the approximate price range for wallets and computer briefcases in the NYC store?

[englandmj7]

A nylon computer briefcase would be around $450 I suppose.

[peteyross]

Way off on the pricing. Pricing has gone WAY down at Head Porter NYC. Briefcases range from $180 to $280. Ipod cases are $60. I picked up a nylon briefcase (Black Beauty) for $210 and the matching Ipod case for $60.

[englandmj7]

Wow, decent deals for HP.....

[Circa]

I paid $350CDN for the Porter 3-way locally. Japan MSRP was around $240 IIRC, factor in shipping to NA, + taxes, it would be roughly the same as ordering IMO and I at least got it in the same day. Solid bag, very well made. Stussy bags look good as well though, and are a fraction of the cost. Here's mine:

Can be worn messenger, carried as a briefcase or as a backpack with the stowaway straps.

[unmetro]

I saw a "Yoshida" branded messenger bag over at Dover St. Market in London, where does this fall in the heirarchy of HP and Porter? I'm assumin tats a class above them both, no? It was actually on sale for around 100-200$US (i'm thinkin now I should of bought it...hehe)

[englandmj7]

Porter is "Yoshida & Co."

It is the basic core brand. The largest of them all.

[poly800rock]

house33 x porter, heard about it today...this fall...

[DJ2xTech]

I remember making a topic a few months back asking how to tell if an HP bag is fake or not.

Does anyone know specifics? Thanks.

[Guest ARCANGELO]

I got a very nice HP bag in NY 4 years ago, (Orange inside, Army Green canvas shell on outside) it was a small tote style bag.

in Italy slam jam has them.