Stax,

Long story.

Many years ago I came across a tweed jacket. Totally un-Ivy in design but I fell in love with the cloth. If my memory serves me right the jacket was from Charles Trywitt

I managed to track the fabric down from Moon and spoke to my local tailor about building an Ivy jacket based upon Keydge. The cost was crazy. So I didn't do anything about it.

The Steve McQueen Glen check, as Colin called it, has now been used by a number of companies both in the States and Asia. I also have a feeling that there are different compositions of material ( merino/ shetland, etc) but the cloth is basically the same.

Earlier in the year Sean at JS showed me a range of cloths for Autumn and to my absolute delight the check was amongst the mix.

I knew immediately that it would be a guaranteed purchase.

My visit to London was to exchange the jacket they mailed up to me, as on these you do need to size up.

As you can imagine after about five years of wanting this check I'm delighted.

Sadly, it needs a bit of tailoring to get it perfect  - but that's only because I'm so anal about fit.

Alvey - Nice story, good that you eventually got what you've been looking for, did they take your picture in the ' doorway at 46 ' ?

Some new overcoats that look very nice, and modelled by some attractive young ladies, ( better than the grey bearded old gits that are sometimes in the doorway ! ), very pleased with my JS overcoat from last year, wearing it more than I anticipated, even getting compliments from  the grandkids, hahaha,

I am afraid £500 for a tweed jacket with no lining at all is not on.

Even my Southern California Harris Tweed has a half lining. It is needed for ease of putting on/removing the jacket, especially if you also have a knitwear layer in a cold country like ours.

It is just penny pinching dressed up as a more natural fit. Maybe without Hardy and Johnson they will get away with it.

I am also a tight sod. I looked in TK Maxx Wimbledon recently as I had a few minutes before a train. I did not see anything, but all the talk made me think I should at least have a look.

I was going to say dressing Ivy is an expensive game unless you go vintage but as I was typing this I realised menswear in general has become expensive.

I had ten minutes to spare last night before catching a train home from Birmingham's legendary German market - superb mulled wine and lagers.

I ventured into a large TK Maxx. Even tat is expensive these days. Also, the local Russell and Bromley are selling a college loafer for £245 that's as close to plastic  as leather can get

The PW leather jacket release has I think overshadowed the new Mingus jackets that showed up on the website earlier this week, they look very nice, certainly more Ivy that the PW leathers,

I read on the JS website that the PW leathers are limited per customer - 'Purchasing the jacket is limited to one size per colour per customer' , perhaps they think someone's going to buy them up and re-sell with an additional mark-up based on the ' exclusivity ' of the jackets, not for most of us on here but there will be a lot of PW fans out there who'll think they're great I'm sure,

I did buy a JS/Weller collaboration sweater some while back. But to be fair it was just a Shetland sweater with a special label sewn in it.

Stax,

Most likely marketing, creating the expectation of high demand stimulates the fear of missing out. Consumers will tend to overlook price considerations to satisfy their cravings - for in this case leather jackets.

I don't think it's to stop the re-sale market.

I used the same tactic many, many years ago for a brand that imported tribal rugs from Asia. In truth they were absolutely stunning and reasonably priced for hand crafted quality.

J Simons Modernist film now available on Prime Video. I'll give it a watch tonight

The new  SS Ivy jackets look good for anyone in the market for a jacket, I had a quick browse of the available sizes in the madras shirts, very limited, looks as it they've shifted loads, great for the business,

On a visit yesterday I was impressed by the new Hopsack blazer, a very light and cool fabric for summer, also the linen jackets in plain colour and a Blackwatch tartan. Also liked the new full length raincoat in a gaberdine cloth from Holland & Sherry. Some good new  stuff in there at present and very interesting vintage items on display.