No, not a prom date with Posh or Baby Spice. 
Okay, it's obvious the most vocal members here have a love affair with authenticity and quality, which translates into high-end repro makers selling A-2s for about $1, 150 and up, but Bill Kelso was in the process of disrupting that equation (on paper and in images, for the most part) until a few days ago. Now, it would seem, we're back to dropping the big bucks and, if it's a GW jacket, waiting longer to receive the jacket than it takes to produce offspring. I think it's safe to say that all of the major makers pay some attention to what forum members think, up to a point, and GW, it may be said, was created for the membership here. It is in that same vein that I think we should speak up now and say just what it is we want and maybe BK, ELC, BR, et al or some enterprising forum member will respond to these calls and give us exactly what we want.
I say we treat this as we did birthdays, Christmas, etc. when we were kids: Make a wish list that is extravagant but that is also founded on some sense of reason and see what we end up with (it would be futile to ask for custom options and sizes in a precise A-2 copy and have it sell for $150, so that's what I mean by remaining within reason). Okay, fellas, I'll go first:
I'd like many A-2 style choices based on precise copies of the primary (no less than 6-8) wartime A-2 contracts and contractors and RW must be one of the contractors. The authenticity and quality must be no less than 95% spot on, meaning they must have the correct features and details that allow us to see each A-2 as being what it is supposed to represent (RW 27752, Perry 16175, Bronco 29191, etc.), which includes authentic zippers, hardware, etc. The leather must feel and look like what we see on vintage jackets as best as we can determine they would have looked like when new, which means that not every A-2 looks like it's made from some old stallion. The leather need not be the finest Italy has to offer but it must be as good as the industrial hides the government used during the war, and it can be horsehide, cow/steer or goat, as correct for any given contract/contractor, and it must age correctly. In fact, I'll say that I really don't care what leather type is employed, as long as it looks exactly like what I see on the vintage A-2s. Availability and delivery must be when I want it and not at some projected date in the future (reasonable supply issues understood), though if it's being made custom for me, a reasonable waiting period is acceptable. I don't care who makes the product or in what land it is made as long as the workers are treated fairly and humanely who make the products, and as long as the USA is not embargoing trade against this nation. The fit should be trim and not at all sloppy, thus they must follow the original A-2 of each respective contractor and contract being copied, but slight modification for differing body types, especially armholes, is acceptable; after all, we are buying these vs. being issued one by Uncle Sam. The quality of assembly must exceed what the government was sold during the war, though a few small wiggly stitches would be okay, and the selling price must be less than $800; ideally, it should less than $700.
At the end of the day, these must be within 10% or so of ELC & GW quality and detailing and sell for wayyyyy less. Can BK make this happen? Am I dreaming???
Saunders
Okay, it's obvious the most vocal members here have a love affair with authenticity and quality, which translates into high-end repro makers selling A-2s for about $1, 150 and up, but Bill Kelso was in the process of disrupting that equation (on paper and in images, for the most part) until a few days ago. Now, it would seem, we're back to dropping the big bucks and, if it's a GW jacket, waiting longer to receive the jacket than it takes to produce offspring. I think it's safe to say that all of the major makers pay some attention to what forum members think, up to a point, and GW, it may be said, was created for the membership here. It is in that same vein that I think we should speak up now and say just what it is we want and maybe BK, ELC, BR, et al or some enterprising forum member will respond to these calls and give us exactly what we want.
I say we treat this as we did birthdays, Christmas, etc. when we were kids: Make a wish list that is extravagant but that is also founded on some sense of reason and see what we end up with (it would be futile to ask for custom options and sizes in a precise A-2 copy and have it sell for $150, so that's what I mean by remaining within reason). Okay, fellas, I'll go first:
I'd like many A-2 style choices based on precise copies of the primary (no less than 6-8) wartime A-2 contracts and contractors and RW must be one of the contractors. The authenticity and quality must be no less than 95% spot on, meaning they must have the correct features and details that allow us to see each A-2 as being what it is supposed to represent (RW 27752, Perry 16175, Bronco 29191, etc.), which includes authentic zippers, hardware, etc. The leather must feel and look like what we see on vintage jackets as best as we can determine they would have looked like when new, which means that not every A-2 looks like it's made from some old stallion. The leather need not be the finest Italy has to offer but it must be as good as the industrial hides the government used during the war, and it can be horsehide, cow/steer or goat, as correct for any given contract/contractor, and it must age correctly. In fact, I'll say that I really don't care what leather type is employed, as long as it looks exactly like what I see on the vintage A-2s. Availability and delivery must be when I want it and not at some projected date in the future (reasonable supply issues understood), though if it's being made custom for me, a reasonable waiting period is acceptable. I don't care who makes the product or in what land it is made as long as the workers are treated fairly and humanely who make the products, and as long as the USA is not embargoing trade against this nation. The fit should be trim and not at all sloppy, thus they must follow the original A-2 of each respective contractor and contract being copied, but slight modification for differing body types, especially armholes, is acceptable; after all, we are buying these vs. being issued one by Uncle Sam. The quality of assembly must exceed what the government was sold during the war, though a few small wiggly stitches would be okay, and the selling price must be less than $800; ideally, it should less than $700.
At the end of the day, these must be within 10% or so of ELC & GW quality and detailing and sell for wayyyyy less. Can BK make this happen? Am I dreaming???
Saunders
