Viktor Jeans (Bespoke from the Philippines)

[jubei]

Hey guys,

Couldn't find the old Viktor thread, so I thought I'd start a new one and post up some pics of the Viktors I had made in the Philippines while I was there this past winter:

When me and my gf went though it, it wasn't as customizable as we had once thought. To get a completely customized pair of jeans, you have to make an appointment with Ino, who is the head behind Viktor. That being said, there are an extremely generous number of cuts and designs you can choose from. On the men's side, I saw a number of cuts ranging from relaxed to skinny, each with different flourishes (there were a few buckleback models as well)

I decided that since I would never spend the money for Dior Hommes, that I'd get something as close as possible to them (esp. since the whole process would cost me like $120). I was pleasantly surprised to find that the very first pair of jeans I tried on was exactly the fit that I wanted: low rise, low yoke, very slim without being constricting. To get that stacked look, I asked for a 36 inseam (I'm normally about 31-32)

Which brings me to my primary gripe about the experience: The sales staff. When I walked into the store, I was sort of hoping that the store would be staffed by a bunch of denim nerds who would get what I meant when I said "I want a Dior Homme cut". Iactually thought it was fine that he didn't know what Dior Homme was, because it's easy enough to explain what it looks like; my main complaint is that some of the staff lacks imagination and when you deviate even slightly from the samples that they have available, they panic and tell you it can't be done. Case in point, my gf's pair. The guy who took care of my gf went to every length to make sure that her jeans were tweaked to her every specification. We tried to change our backpocket designs so that we could match (yeah, it's cheesy, so what) and by the time the jeans had arrived in our hands, we found that only her backpocket design had been changed. I attributed it to the Filipino mentality of fearing authority and sticking to the rules.

Despite the minor mix up, I am extremely happy with my jeans. The fit is spot on, and so is my gf's (which is amazing because she has the hardest time in the world finding jeans that fit her right). They have tons of fabrics to choose from. My fabric was called Tokyo Blue 2, so I'm guessing from both the name and the texture of the denim that it's sourced from Japan ( as a matter of fact, I compared the denim on my Viktors to some Nudies in Barney's today and I found them indistinguishable as far as color, weight, and hand goes). They're not selvage, but as vets here know, that doesn't really matter. I choose yellow and gold stitching to rep Levi's and all its repros and I thought that by choosing dark blue for my bartacks I'd be able to keep them hidden until the jeans got more worn in, but in retrospect I should've chosen black. The finishing and workmanship on these jeans is amazing. It's the type of crisp neatness in the seams that you can only get from bespoke, I suppose

Wow, long post. I need to get to work so feel free to post q's about the jeans, I'd be happy to answer them. And maybe Ino will come back to comment on this post! (I know he was sourcing denim here a while back) Peace.

[swooc]

you should post some pics of you wearing them!

[xviralx]

wait. so how much were these?

[denimdestroyedmylife]

those jeans are strange!

two watch pockets?

the rivets seem random.

is that a two-button fly?

curious to see fit

props for trailblazing, only a few cats on this board with those jeans

be curious to see some construction pics

[jubei]

wait. so how much were these?

If I remember right, they were 5800 Pesos, which is a little less than 120 US

those jeans are strange!

two watch pockets?

the rivets seem random.

is that a two-button fly?

I think this model borrows a lot of its design elements from the lee 101z and Levis A Type series.

The watch pockets were surprising for me as well... then I realized what the bigger watch pocket was for: my celphone! lol, Filipinos and their celphones...

And the two button fly had skeptical at first as well, but it's actually not so bad. And I figured that if I'm going to go for the whole skinny, stacked pant look, might as well go all the way and get the lowest rise I'm comfortable with It's definitely going to be one of those pieces that I will look at 10 years down the line and say "what the hell was I thinking?"

I'll try getting some pics up tonight, but keep the q's coming

[majikero]

actually, im not a fan o them.. they're too pricey IMHO... i know for some of you, $85 is not that much. for us pinoys, it isnt. considering that he's buying he's materials in Divisoria(where a 1 1/2 yard of 14.5 oz denim cost only 3-5 USD)... for me, not worth the extra $$$. its just me.

[majikero]

If I remember right, they were 5800 Pesos, which is a little less than 120 US

I think this model borrows a lot of its design elements from the lee 101z and Levis A Type series.

The watch pockets were surprising for me as well... then I realized what the bigger watch pocket was for: my celphone! lol, Filipinos and their celphones...

And the two button fly had skeptical at first as well, but it's actually not so bad. And I figured that if I'm going to go for the whole skinny, stacked pant look, might as well go all the way and get the lowest rise I'm comfortable with It's definitely going to be one of those pieces that I will look at 10 years down the line and say "what the hell was I thinking?"

I'll try getting some pics up tonight, but keep the q's coming

they're already 5800 now? the last time i asked them was last sept and they're price is just 3500. WOW!!!

[Haz]

whereabouts did you get them?? Im going to Fil in June

[edmond]

pls dont get from viktopr jeans they are too tacky and just like any other trying hard filipino's( err im actually chinese) like me he overcharges and the stiching is not that good at all ... id rather get a pair of apc's which cost's around 150 us here in manila... viktor jeans are just trying hard copycats note: he even has a copied samurai accuates on some of his jeans will try to take pics and post them here..

[holotekor]

i think they look pretty awesome. im liking the belt loops a lot.

[edmond]

aww come on guys... his denim cloth i think came from mainland china or some denim clith factory here in the philippines.. pure crap..

[jubei]

whereabouts did you get them?? Im going to Fil in June

His shop is on the 4th floor of the Podium Mall... Really easy to find. Takes like 5-7 working days, but you can pay extra for express service.

aww come on guys... his denim cloth i think came from mainland china or some denim clith factory here in the philippines.. pure crap..

I really really hate it when Filipinos only like buying foreign products. Is it the fact that the product comesfrom the the Philippines that turns you off? Because it really shouldn't. I have APCs, Sugarcanes, Warehouse Duckdiggers and I assure you that the finishing workmanship on this product rivals (if not surpasses) all of these.

I'm sure that many of his fabrics come from Divisoria, but guess what? YOU DON'T HAVE TO CHOOSE THOSE ONES. As I wrote in my decription, the denim I chose is pretty much identical to the denim on Nudies (I know because I walked into Barney's and compared the two last week)

I'm sorry but attitudes like that towards locally produced goods are what's helping to sink the country...

rant OVER

[tweeds]

aww come on guys... his denim cloth i think came from mainland china or some denim clith factory here in the philippines.. pure crap..

mainland china is not equivalent to bad denim. it's been stressed over and over again. hidehiko yamane weaves, dyes and manufactures in china, and does it very very well.

[edmond]

awww alright but the design is too tacky.. still man he overcharges

[Roulette]

The denim looks nice, but i find your button fly is super small and the back pockets seem really big.

[bluespring]

I said this over and over again on different boards and I never see the value of his price point. It's a decent price for a custom denim on a 1st world country but living in Philippines is a different story. He even mentioned on an interview that he started to make jeans to have a cheaper alternative to his premium denim addiction and thats the irony which made me not support this guy. Also I dont like his designs so yeah but if you like it enjoi it.

[edmond]

I said this over and over again on different boards and I never see the value of his price point. It's a decent price for a custom denim on a 1st world country but living in Philippines is a different story. He even mentioned on an interview that he started to make jeans to have a cheaper alternative to his premium denim addiction and thats the irony which made me not support this guy. Also I dont like his designs so yeah but if you like it enjoi it.

hell yeah!!! hes into premium denims? premium denims like seven jeans? true religion ( yeah yeah i got 2 of those) .... he doesnt know what hes doing

[ang_kangkong]

Are these sanforized denim? I'd hope so.

Also, what're those little stitches on the outseam, slightly below the pockets?

[edmond]

i just want to bash this guy up trying to ripp people off with a 120 dollars Bespoke jeans made of really cheap denim.... and really bad tailors fromt he province which he pays like 2 dollars a week to make like 12 pairs of his custom bespoke tacky filipino jeans..

[knucks]

pics of being worn

[fade to black2]

made in China isn't bad...most stuff is made in China these days, denim or otherwise

that said, i can't say i'm feelin those jeans too much...the material doesn't look that great from those pics. but hey if you like 'em, do you...

[rocker4life]

nice pair jubei..i also had onemade last year. i'll try to post pics later

[m1lk]

i was actually just in the philippines.

only piece of clothing i ever bought there and held onto for a bit was a track jacket from penshoppe which actually isnt that bad.

but sorry to say, everything else made there is pretty much poor quality or a knockoff... from my firsthand experience. but hey, i hope those things prove me wrong. i guess ill have to pay a visit next where when i go back there

but i will say the nightlife is fucking crazy though

[majikero]

im not bashing viktor like edmond is. im sure viktor jeans are trying their bet to have high quality production of they're jeans. my only problem is the price. it's just too much. not worth the $$$ for me. i have bought 3 different denim cloth from DV and the quality is the best. yet i've only spent $25 the most to have me 5 custom jeans from my tailor. not that tacky and the designs are mostly levi's rip off but the quality is the best. i can post pics if you want. if viktor jeans reduce its price, i might get me some.. but for now, its a no-no for me.

[cultpop 0217]

i like them. i might have gone with a little less flash but the idea of choosing my own details is very appealing. i like the shape of the back pockets and the "fuck you" levis arcuates are nice. i would have gone with just blue or yellow though. but the afct that you have a totally uniquepair is awesome.

oh, fit and construction pics please.

[derdankhund]

if he's selling his jeans, obviously he's appealing to a customer base out there, be they filipino citizens to whom they might come across as exorbitant, or tourists from developed nations to whom they come across as cheaper than the standard boutique fare (TR, Diesel, Seven, Citizen, etc. etc. etc.). Regardless, if you take exception to his prices, don't buy from him; it's that simple. I don't understand from whence springs all this useless hatred; the urge to lambast someone who already bought his jeans is beyond my comprehension...

[majikero]

im not hating the product... heck, they sure look appealing. but im the type of guy who has the mentallity of "will i get what i paid for?". if i can get something with the same quality but lesser price, i'd get them. we're all different.. like what Sherryl Crow said "if it makes you happy, it can't be that baaaaaddd." peace:D

[poly800rock]

if he's selling his jeans, obviously he's appealing to a customer base out there, be they filipino citizens to whom they might come across as exorbitant, or tourists from developed nations to whom they come across as cheaper than the standard boutique fare (TR, Diesel, Seven, Citizen, etc. etc. etc.). Regardless, if you take exception to his prices, don't buy from him; it's that simple. I don't understand from whence springs all this useless hatred; the urge to lambast someone who already bought his jeans is beyond my comprehension...

he used to post on this board.....

I like em. Still devoted to the fit aspect of jeans....the back pocket are a bit much up close, but then again, so are the oni veg's....Good buy, and exactly what I said about levi's. If i could find an american company (let alone bespoke) that made jeans, I'd be all over that. Levi's in boston used to have the same deal....you pick between a few different cuts, a few different denim types, and construct your own jeans...for like $150-$200...I miss those days...

good score! pics of them worn please

[rocker4life]

ok IMO my pair is a freaking good buy. i based mine on the fit of my apc's but i wanted it more tapered through the leg(19cm).the fit is amazing and the denim is quality. i can't get my camera yet. and for those who are eyeing more quality from viktor, he just informed me that they make selvage denim jeans(forgot the factory in japan)and he makes it at about $180-$200.

[chuck.r]

I thought I might as well post this and get my 2 cents in since this thread is pretty new.

I had these made around Feb 05 (I remember cuz the f/w 05-06 season just started), worn on and off a bit since then. I went in with the exact same intentions- I was a broke college student (still am) and the only way I could afford anything Dior Homme-esque was to go to Viktor and have something made.

At the time I’d never even seen a pair of DH in person, had no idea about cut, the low yoke, hem width, etc. I just loved the Spring 05 collection, so I printed out a few looks where I liked how the jeans fit and showed it to Ino, who was pretty willing to try it out. He even said that I was probably in the 2% of guys in this country who wear their jeans that skinny. This was the time that Viktor was being run from his apartment in ortigas, before he opened shop at the mall.

I chose the most basic style with the least embellishments and I wanted it really minimal, like all black stitching, just the simple arcuate, just a couple red accents to keep in interesting.

I wasn’t blown away, but I wasn’t disappointed either. The rise was VERY low, we’re talking low even for chick jeans. And the legs were really pretty tight, especially around the knee down. I was thinking it was fine though since he only uses raw denim and I expected it to stretch. It stretched a little, but not much so I’m guessing the denim’s sanforized. It’s still really tight in the knee, that’s why I don’t wear it as often as I’d want to. I’m pretty pleased with how it looks, but it’s far from the best fitting pair I have.

You can’t fault the quality though. Chainstitched everything except the hems (shame), bright red pocket bags, Viktor rivets, black bartacks. They're pretty tight and I haven't blown a seam yet. I mean, this isn’t just some guy with a singleneedle. The red V belt loops are nice touch imo. Plus Ino’s a stand up guy. And I got them for P3,800 which is like 70 bucks, which I think is fair for jeans that nobody else will have.

The only criticism I have about Viktor though is purely a personal one. Ino’s admittedly a huge Diesel fan, like from way back, and I think Viktors kinda emulate Diesel with the leather embellishments and the colored stitching and whatnot. And that’s fine, that’s his taste, whereas I prefer more minimalist designs like APC or DH. I think the problem arises when you get customizable jeans with really an unlimited choice in trimmings and embellishments, and you present it to people who are not really denim-savvy. They start to thinking the more the better, and things get outta hand. In other words, you get a guy walking around in raw bootcuts with leather strips and colored stitching and all sorts of doodads all over his ass, it’s just not something I wanna look at. But then again, that’s just me. I have seen really nice Viktors before though, don’t get me wrong. But for every one nice pair I see, there are like 3 not so nice pairs. So bespoke sounds like a really good idea for you superfuture guys but that’s because you guys know your denim. Put it in the hands of the general public, especially the Filipino general public, and it ain’t so pretty. I love my peoples, but we are so behind in fashion and trends and stuff here it’s just sad.

With that said, I really appreciate what Ino’s doing with Viktor and what he represents in the landscape of Filipino retail. You can say what you want, but there really isn’t anybody doing what he’s doing over here, and not many do it anywhere else.

Anyways, nice forum you guys have here.