2010 Samurai 17oz. LHT - The Poll Thread (Now with Joe McCoy's poll!)

[almostnice]

isnt RealMCCoys denim out of production? i read they went into JoeMcCoys.well,thats what is said at superdenim.co.uk.

[hysteric]

I think it was the other way around actually, Joe McCoy was stopped and Real McCoy took over, I could be mistaken though.

[sinjo]

I think hysteric is right, but it doesn't matter since only the name changed and not the denim itself.

[Alex3000]

McCoys would be badass, I didnt know they made a LHT denim.

[LeicaLad]

Something for consideration:

This would take someone doing a bit of work. (I’m off to Laos for a month+ on Tuesday a.m., so that’s my excuse...)

A small brand, one with fantastic denim and a great (reasonable) cut and details, that hasn’t received the recognition they want/deserve MIGHT be a strong prospect.

Gordon could even be approached with the pitch that IF a superb small label would trade a loss-leader contest in exchange for publicity and (here’s where Gordon comes in) being picked up by Blue in Green as a label. . . then we COULD be looking at a really, really cool contest!

The “work†is to find the brand. Assure that the denim is truly majestic. Cut and details awesome, but not OTT (over the top) or stupid. THEN, put it to the board as a really cool contest AND project: Bringing a fabulous-yet-obscure denim into the limelight AND proving/testing it thru a contest.

The loss-leader aspect would be a contest-only pricing with some rules limiting participation to members of SuFu (a minimum time of, say, 6 months?).

If the denim proves itself, the label gets great publicity and picked up for broader distribution and marketing, etc. etc.

Someone feel like doing a bit of spade work???

[geneticdrifter]

Something for consideration:

This would take someone doing a bit of work. (I’m off to Laos for a month+ on Tuesday a.m., so that’s my excuse...)

A small brand, one with fantastic denim and a great (reasonable) cut and details, that hasn’t received the recognition they want/deserve MIGHT be a strong prospect.

Gordon could even be approached with the pitch that IF a superb small label would trade a loss-leader contest in exchange for publicity and (here’s where Gordon comes in) being picked up by Blue in Green as a label. . . then we COULD be looking at a really, really cool contest!

The “work†is to find the brand. Assure that the denim is truly majestic. Cut and details awesome, but not OTT (over the top) or stupid. THEN, put it to the board as a really cool contest AND project: Bringing a fabulous-yet-obscure denim into the limelight AND proving/testing it thru a contest.

The loss-leader aspect would be a contest-only pricing with some rules limiting participation to members of SuFu (a minimum time of, say, 6 months?).

If the denim proves itself, the label gets great publicity and picked up for broader distribution and marketing, etc. etc.

Someone feel like doing a bit of spade work???

this is why we need the SuFu seal of approval or better business bureau. we do this for a few brands and then, they start coming to us. We are the best advertisers they could ever ask for. Wearing the same jeans for a year? how could you do that and not talk to everyone you know about them.

The community here spends sooo much cash we should get more for it as a group. Online marketeers wet their pants over the community here. look at the denimdebate thing. we can let them sell us, OR we can realize our collective power and become the "trendsetters and stylemakers" ourselves, organically, without the pretension of "positive group think." i see this idea as analogous to open source software. Open the process of bringing a brand or product to the masses, to the masses.

great post +rep

[Dioxic]

I 100% agree with LeicaLad and geneticdrifter. If we could work out something a long those lines it truly would be awesome.. + rep

On a side note if that doesn't happen even a brand that doesn't have as much attention like dawei69 was saying could turn out to be pretty cool. I'm particularly keen on FOB.

[weinfeld]

Also on board with what LeicaLad and Geneticdrifter said. Both you guys have really great points, and I definitely think that it could go somewhere. I'm just thinking back the 660 contest, because not only did Warehouse (their pretty big already, but whatever) get advertisement, so did Blue In Green (Lightning Mag had a little feature on the contest).

In terms of brands, I was looking through the Lightning Mag Denim Buyers Guide and there are so many companies that have no exposure outside of Japan (either in the States (through stores) or really on SUFU either). I bet that at least one brand out of all of those would be willing to jump on board.

+ rep to you both for the great ideas.

[itschrisb]

Total support an idea like this, we were trying our best to make this one of the most unique jeans out there with such mismatched options and such. With using an unknown or non popular brand we would barely hVe to do much customization ,aka making it cheaper, to make this contest so unique. And also like everyone has said it was be great publicity and exposure or blue in Greene, superfuture, and the brand we used.

Let's get choppin

[LeicaLad]

The KEY to making an idea like this become a reality is that someONE (or THREE or more) people need to go to work on this. I suggest a couple of PMs to Beatle as a good starting point, simply because Beatle has real experience at bringing a brand on-board and making a contest reality. Kiya might also be asked for advice as his shop might be interested to bring a new brand under his belt. Gordon has been the best supporter of any of the contests, tho, so I am certainly not suggesting he doesn’t get first dibs!

The point is that this will not happen “on its own.†Someone must be willing to step up to the plate, and go to work. (As noted, I’ll be off-line for much of the next six weeks... So, yes, it’s easy for me to say...)

The most recent contests have depended upon Gordon willing to take all sorts of “wants and whines†from the board and turn it into reality. I hear an interest to move beyond the passive consumer pack.

Making this contest “real†may be several distinct stages. The first reality stage is the “contest†to find the best of the little know denim lines, and bring the details to the board. Lots of PMs to those who might know or might suggest others who know better, and then further homework.

So! Anyone think they have basic research skills?

Prove it.

This could be YOUR chance to become a legend!

[TLCA]

Well Aho did start this contest and he has been in contact with gordon so I don't want to put any pressure on him and i know this is a group decision but Aho would be the best one to start this thing, but I dig the enthusiasm LeicaLad

[chambo2008]

yo aho is away for a month......

[mr.invincible]

i can do it.

my qualifications:

i have done 10+ research reports and have gotten A's at a university level.

my current research is on regional urbanization.

[geneticdrifter]

LeicaLad is an inspiration. i want to be involved and i am willing to do whatever. Run contests. work as a liaison of some sort. anything.

i think we should focus more on organizing ourselves than pursuing anyone company. lets lay a framework that can be duplicated with interchangeable actors. kiya or gordon or direct manufacturer. personally i prefer the later. (if the company can't manage a web site or pay someone to do it for them i get scared) also lets not forget we have a symbiotic relationship with SE and BiG. We need one another.

brainstorming idea: imagine if we/i/you could do for denim what has been done for t-shirts. A site where you just design your own jeans. Think, those t shirt sites where you can pick details and they will assemble/screen print for you. its a big stretch, but just an idea.

Imagine if samurai let you order like we did in this poll. like you do with a

high end auto; we wear the bentley of jeans, yes?

OR

if companies focused more on just constructing the denim itself and left design to the individual(s). like buying straight from a mill. The company(s) would just release new denim every season, not new models (since you could just design your own.)

edit: nvm. rambling... ha!

[TLCA]

geneticdrifter, I love the enthusiasm but i feel like it might get a bit complicated. I say we just put up a few LHT pre made models (SDA, Samurai...) and vote on them. I would love to customize a model just as much as everyone else but I also feel like we should get this contest underway.

Edit: I'm not trying to get down on anyone I just feel like people are getting anxious, I know I am.

[technicolor]

Well I am truly sad that we can't get this contest rolling the way it was originally meant (Samurai's LHT Jin denim). I for one have been down with Jin denim and s500 cut from day one.

I feel as though we should postpone this original LHT contest until next year and take the idea of a contest in a different direction.

I say we all consider a different sort of Samurai contest (s510 or s500 [still a rarely used cut] cut) with another rarely used Samurai denim (One of the new Gorin-No-Sho [Elemental Models]). I would love a s500 cut using s5000GX-M or s5000GX-T denim and unique details. In fact I think a jean fitting those exact specifications with SUFU details would be a very SUFU jean!

And then I also think a custom SUFU Pure Blue Japan jean with dyed warp & weft denim would make for a great contest.

[Alex3000]

I'd rather wait tilll next year...

[unknownpleasures]

How about Left Field denim?

They do have a LHT model up on BiG. (They also have jeans with Tweed Weft)

Their prices are relatively cheap, and if we would want to go with a custom cut , patch, etc, I think the price would be equal to or less than what we would pay for a Samurai pair.

-Based on measurements, I don't seem to like either of their cuts, which is my I mentioned "custom cut" above.

With that said, I really do hope that we can stick with Samurai, but due to TIME, I would go along with another brand if price and cut were to be spot on.

[dawei69]

No thanks... I for one dont like upstart american brands that just jump into the raw denim industry...i.e. left field, KMW, jeanshop, personally I would never buy Left field jeans at full price, very often you'll find they for $100 during sales

they make some great stuff, but they lack the heritage, which is quite important for me...

This thread is GOING NO WHERE!!! tbh i dont think this competition is going to happen anymore.... Eternal contest is in october, it's march already.... if we do it too close to one another we wont get much contestants....

[beautiful_FrEaK]

Evisu No.1 contest

I know, I know it's supposed to be a LHT contest...

I doubt any other Japanese company would give us so many opportunities

as Samurai did. So smaller, new brands would make that easier I guess.

But I agree with dawei69. Time goes by so fast

[aho]

lol ahhh sorry everyone I just got back...I should be sleeping but I just wanted to update everyone on what Gordon had to say...

Basically there are 50 spare pairs available of the S0210XJ (not including the pairs Gordon has ordered for his store) and Gordon is going to see exactly what sizes and quantity of each. If things look good, he'll see what customization possibilities we have on top of that so everyone please don't count out the whole Samurai LHT contest yet! Although I'm not sure we can even get 30 people on board for the S0210XJ cut...

If all else fails, I'm not sure I'd want to organize another contest as the Eternal is coming up fast indeed. I would, however, be VERY interested in a pair of Warehouse DW760 (http://item.rakuten.co.jp/bears/dubbleworks-dw760/) which happens to be a vintagey cut, with a type of denim from Warehouse that hasn't been documented, and only costs 15,750 Yen...And to be honest, if we DID have a contest, I'm sure we could probably mass order these for a little over $100...Either way, that's what I'm thinking...Just going to wait out and see what Gordon can squeeze out of Samurai...

[undcvrsm]

lol ahhh sorry everyone I just got back...I should be sleeping but I just wanted to update everyone on what Gordon had to say...

Basically there are 50 spare pairs available of the S0210XJ (not including the pairs Gordon has ordered for his store) and Gordon is going to see exactly what sizes and quantity of each. If things look good, he'll see what customization possibilities we have on top of that so everyone please don't count out the whole Samurai LHT contest yet! Although I'm not sure we can even get 30 people on board for the S0210XJ cut...

If all else fails, I'm not sure I'd want to organize another contest as the Eternal is coming up fast indeed. I would, however, be VERY interested in a pair of Warehouse DW760 (http://item.rakuten.co.jp/bears/dubbleworks-dw760/) which happens to be a vintagey cut, with a type of denim from Warehouse that hasn't been documented, and only costs 15,750 Yen...And to be honest, if we DID have a contest, I'm sure we could probably mass order these for a little over $100...Either way, that's what I'm thinking...Just going to wait out and see what Gordon can squeeze out of Samurai...

Should we choose sthg other than warehouse and samurai? Like a Buzz Rickson contest? People can choose either the xx cut or wwII cut since it's the same denim, and the cuts are similar.

http://denim-gallery.heavy.jp/sugarcane/buzz-m43023a.html

[geneticdrifter]

geneticdrifter, I love the enthusiasm but i feel like it might get a bit complicated. I say we just put up a few LHT pre made models (SDA, Samurai...) and vote on them. I would love to customize a model just as much as everyone else but I also feel like we should get this contest underway.

Edit: I'm not trying to get down on anyone I just feel like people are getting anxious, I know I am.

i completely agree, i was trying to discuss setting up a framework for something bigger than this contest. I still assumed aho would spread his jelly over this contest in what ever form it took.

I want to establish a new paradigm where we can constantly run contests and bring on new brands. where we as a community can decide what we like by forming a sort of Union.

i'm down to wait on the samurai contest. I would rather have something custom than to buy another pair of off the shelf sam's. especially with Musashi model, wrangler model and, hopefully, goodbye 2010 at the end of the year. I honestly think our idea was just too close to what they were already doing so they said, thumbs down.

so aho what we gonna do for your contest? Will Gordon work with you with another brand?

[aho]

Still in discussion with Gordon...I'm not sure of the whole denim politics of everything but I don't want to hurt Gordon's relations with Samurai so I'd like to pursue this Samurai contest still as I said before. Although it doesn't seem that many would be interested in the S0210XJ? Keeping in mind it's not the cut we voted on, we could only customize the patch, and there would be no discount (limited at best)...

I'm thinking we should have a new poll and see how many even want the S0210XJ. If there isn't enough interest then I will respectfully bow down and do my own little Warehouse thing...but let's not count things out just yet!

[mr.invincible]

buzz rickson or real mccoys is good. i agree going with a smaller brand that we haven't done before and needs the spotlight besides FH, IRON heart, skulls, etc.

an evisu no.1 sounds good, but no one is going to pay 350-400 for a pair. but then again, they don't know what theyre missing out for not having these jeans.

[BrownMetallic]

Still in discussion with Gordon...I'm not sure of the whole denim politics of everything but I don't want to hurt Gordon's relations with Samurai so I'd like to pursue this Samurai contest still as I said before. Although it doesn't seem that many would be interested in the S0210XJ? Keeping in mind it's not the cut we voted on, we could only customize the patch, and there would be no discount (limited at best)...

I'm thinking we should have a new poll and see how many even want the S0210XJ. If there isn't enough interest then I will respectfully bow down and do my own little Warehouse thing...but let's not count things out just yet!

.

i'm still down on any jins model. i think we should already start asking whose still [ in ] asap__ to see exactly how many ppl we actually got before this train ran out of steam. if it's doable, let's just do it already.

would love a WH project, too, but i still got the 1001xx on queue. however, i would be interested in something like : KAPITAL Cisco Greencast or Zipang. i think Cisco retails for about $175 equivalent, so we could prolly negotiate the price down to 150-ish if there's enough interest.

[Raoul Duke]

buzz rickson or real mccoys is good. i agree going with a smaller brand that we haven't done before and needs the spotlight besides FH, IRON heart, skulls, etc.

an evisu no.1 sounds good, but no one is going to pay 350-400 for a pair. but then again, they don't know what theyre missing out for not having these jeans.

I'd be down with an evisu no. 1 contest as well. I'd gladly pay the price tag as part of a contest.

[Freshdave]

Has there ever been a (SF made) Levis 501 contest?

Don't hate me.

[Alex3000]

I'm down to buy the 0210xj those would be a great pair for a

contest even though might be smaller scale. And with

the eternal contest this year I'm fine with

waiting, dint understand the big rush

for this

contest.

[aho]

Here's more word from Gordon:

"I just spoke with Samurai and one other option they can offer is an 18oz Texas cotton denim in the cut of choice, in this case seems to the be the S0500XX. Please see if this will be of interest and if not then we can discuss using another brand. They have a left hand twill Texas cotton debuting this summer and offered that denim as well but would need to wait until the end of the year.

Regards,

Gordon"

Not sure where I stand on this just yet...LHT Texas Cotton seems intriguing if it is a new denim and I personally don't mind the wait but let me know what you all think! My only concern with the 18oz Texas cotton denim is that we'd basically be having the first Samurai contest all over again (not necessarily a bad thing) but certainly far from the original intention of this contest...