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Valstar leather jackets vs. Pricier Luxury Brands

TheFoo

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Want a suede bomber-style jacket. Style and aesthetics aside, how do materials and make stack-up when comparing Valstar to:

1. French Leather Jacket Makers

- Seraphin
- Chapal

2. High-end Luxury Brands

- Loro Piana
- Brunello Cucinelli
- Hermes

If I save money and buy a Valstar, will I then look at a jacket from one of the above and think it is rustic / unrefined in comparison? Will the leather be less nice?
 

mhip

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Want a suede bomber-style jacket. Style and aesthetics aside, how do materials and make stack-up when comparing Valstar to:

1. French Leather Jacket Makers

- Seraphin
- Chapal

2. High-end Luxury Brands

- Loro Piana
- Brunello Cucinelli
- Hermes

If I save money and buy a Valstar, will I then look at a jacket from one of the above and think it is rustic / unrefined in comparison? Will the leather be less nice?
Timely...

Someone was just on here a couple of days ago complaining about the Valstar quality.
Sleeves ripping or something like that.
 

TheFoo

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Timely...

Someone was just on here a couple of days ago complaining about the Valstar quality.
Sleeves ripping or something like that.

Every brand has issues like this—question is if it is a consistent problem.

Please try to buy a Hermes jacket. Maybe you can get it in green . . .

I was just at the Madison Avenue shop. They tried to convince me I should feel lucky to buy a $10K Sac a Depeches in a color I don’t even want.
 

jonathanS

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Please try to buy a Hermes jacket. Maybe you can get it in green . . .
Doesn’t seraphin make for hermes?

I have 2 Zegna suedes, and a seraphin leather (and a rlpl suede shearling & Kiton rabbit lined leather jacket, for good measure). I’m happy with all of them, except the seraphin seems to have shrunk in the closet during Covid.

I like them all - no issues & very pleased.

I’m curious about rifugio & valstar as well.I’d like to try a bespoke leather jacket to replace my seraphin
 

PerfectSkin

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You know there is a bespoke leather maker in NYC? Carla Dawn Behrle. I work with clients from all over the world. Lots of Jacket, Pants Suits all kinds of outerwear including shearling. I happen to on here trying to figure out how to contact the admins and so far am at a loss!
 

PSNY

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I have a Valstar and also a few pieces from Loro, Brunello, and Eleventy. There is no real discernible difference. Valstar is not cheap, they use high quality materials, buttons, zippers, and the garments are well made. They likely source leather from the CITES approved sources as their peers. I purchased the Valstar two sided jacket from Permanent Style a few years ago. One side is suede and the Loro Piana storm shield. If it rains turn it inside out and it doesn't get wet. Great buy IMO.
 

haloitsme

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@TheFoo you can always look to Hettabretz for jackets. High quaililty, but not cheap.

Rifugio is famous for light leather jacket, everything else is ok, not outstanding but ok.

So it depends what model you like and what material and how much you want to spend.
 

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