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Post by devastitis on Apr 2, 2016 11:23:16 GMT -6
i feel that i'm missing something here. they both have a ripple sole, which truman customers had been asking vince about for as long as i've been looking at truman boots. so they both have ripple soles stitched to their respective boot offerings. unless you're going to stitch some pockets to the side, there's not a lot you can do with a boot to set it apart...especially if you're offering your customers some level of customization (and they then choose no cap toe, a pull tab, and a specific sole). basically it's similar to someone saying 'hey, we use these soles/leather and don't have exclusivity...but don't expect any one else to use them' and then get angry when they do. it would be similar to iron heart getting angry about any other manufacturer using heavy denim to make a 5-pocket jean for less. there's really not much you're going to do to change up that design. to me it's a bit different from gustin's cpo because the design they chose to emulate (or purchase) was such a departure from a classic cpo. it was very recognizable, using specific (extra) pocket placement and shape. it was a complete carbon copy, not simply 'inspired by'. i've never had the same feeling about the bag, as it was clearly inspired by a filson...but not a direct copy and not alone in copying that design. i think their failure there was pricing. for the asking price it probably seemed better for many to 'just get the original'. even if there is a legitimate concern here, the whiny public response is just lame. it's not simply 'pc' to keep that sort of response out of the public venue, it's good form for you and your brand. you can still show evidence of passion for your craft and even bash on truman a bit by touting your own product and point out why anyone should choose them rather than out and out bashing someone personally. This doesn't make it not a direct rip off. If anything, it makes it more so. Gustin asked their customers for input on shoes and briefcases. Customers asked for CP and Filson. Customers didn't come up with the designs. They saw what they wanted, a cheaper version of CP and Filson, and requested it. Same thing goes for this makeup. It's not a basic design that everyone does, and it wasn't a design that the customer came up with. It was a design that Viberg created and 3Sixteen owns the rights to, and customers wanted it, but a lot can't justify the full Viberg/3Sixteen price. So one guy asked Truman to do it, and here we are. About pricing, yes it's $200+ more expensive. But we aren't exactly comparing apples to apples here when it comes to production. Viberg has much higher overhead on their facility on their own island in Vancouver, than a small team in Pennsylvania. May not be $200+ per boot more expensive for the difference, but that's where original designs come in to make up for some of the difference as well. And yes, Brett Viberg could have handled it differently. But the fact that Truman made a replica of the 3Sixteen boot, and it was up for others to see, I can see why he'd be irked about it, and reacted the way he did. Sure there is no patents that can be made on these designs, and "anyone" can do it if they can, but he has every right to be pissed about this. Let's not try to cover up that fact. Everyone says yes, if they were in his shoes they'd be pissed too. He just handled it poorly. It's not enough to skewer/boycott Viberg, but people like to overreact and pick up their pitchforks and torches. Everyone has their blowups that they're not proud of. He just chose a poor medium to do it on. As a satisfied Truman customer, I understand why you are defending Truman, as I'm a satisfied Viberg customer, and I'm doing the same thing. But let's not pretend that Truman has no responsibility over this. If Truman wants to be a renowned boot maker, he shouldn't do ripoffs of other brands' iconic designs. Sure there isn't much these days that you can say would be an original design, but this wasn't just any other make. |
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Post by Deleted on Apr 2, 2016 12:14:26 GMT -6
i fully admit that i'm a happy truman customer, and that i'd likely never pay for a viberg boot. that said, that's not coloring my failure to see how offering a mini ripple sole is a direct rip off of viberg. as popularity of any item goes up manufacturers are likely to offer those options...especially if those options are readily available. everyone has selvedge denim, everyone is offering ebbets caps, everyone has co-opted anonymousism/chups/smartwool socks, everyone is making goods with cxl...all because those things are popular. if your customers ask for a mini ripple sole (at least as early as the olivepack gmto discussions last year), and vibram sells them...why wouldn't you offer them? it's not like they reworked their existing boot, they simply offered the sole as a mto option (announced to customers about 4 months ago).
either way you see it, i obviously think the ig response was petulant and whiny...and at the very least unprofessional. i had a similar reaction when giles came here whining about comments on this forum. i'm perfectly content with this opinion. i've not boycotted either brand in this case (though was always unlikely to purchase from either), but the figureheads of organizations should realize their composure in public spaces will have an impact on how people view not only them, but the companies they represent.
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Post by stinky on Apr 2, 2016 12:28:47 GMT -6
everything is derivative.
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Post by devastitis on Apr 2, 2016 14:40:43 GMT -6
everything is derivative. true, everything is derivative. But if you're trying to differentiate your brand from Viberg, instead of being Viberg Jr., and develop a reputation as an original bookmaker, and not Brett Viberg's protege, I don't think it's wise to rip off an iconic piece from Viberg, regardless if the customer requests it. For example, if you're an aspiring peacoat maker/designer (whatever the term is), and want to develop your reputation/brand, don't make a copy of the Bond peacoat, and resell it under your brand, and hope people will back you by saying anyone could have made it, so it's okay. But on the real that's not really the issue. If Brett had posted both pics and asked his followers if this is a knockoff or flattery, he wouldn't have been skewered or put his brand in this situation. |
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Post by devastitis on Apr 4, 2016 6:48:57 GMT -6
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Post by northcoast on Apr 4, 2016 7:30:18 GMT -6
“ Wait—what are my boots doing on Brett Viberg’s Instagram?” |
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Post by stinky on Apr 4, 2016 7:34:29 GMT -6
Do you think this guy wants to/perhaps already has had sex with his boots?  |
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Post by northcoast on Apr 4, 2016 7:45:46 GMT -6
Do you think this guy wants to/perhaps already has had sex with his boots? I think that would be completely appropriate given how famous and sexy they are. |
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Post by devastitis on Apr 4, 2016 8:23:57 GMT -6
Do you think this guy wants to/perhaps already has had sex with his boots? I think that would be completely appropriate given how famous and sexy they are. they are very sexy and I want a pair of my own. The added navy chamois is so amazing. |
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Post by devastitis on Apr 6, 2016 22:42:32 GMT -6
In other news, Mushroom Chamois just dropped on Lost & Found. And shocker..I want them. Real bad. And the Canadian dollar is trading favorably in our favor.  None too pleased about how the USD is falling lately, and the Yen/CAD are fighting back. |
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Post by bentin on Apr 7, 2016 7:36:55 GMT -6
It would be hard to find an uglier shoe. But I trust your next pair will somehow exceed these turds on a marshmallow.
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Post by devastitis on Apr 7, 2016 7:43:05 GMT -6
It would be hard to find an uglier shoe. But I trust your next pair will somehow exceed these turds on a marshmallow. um, I think it'd be pretty easy to find uglier shoes, and specifically on this forum too. The Ronald McDonald shoes and the natty clown boots do a good job of holding that distinction down. |
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Post by northcoast on Apr 7, 2016 7:45:57 GMT -6
Yeah, thats an easy pass for me. I don't like those soles. Reminds me of that pic untucked posted in the one boot thread of the engineers that only looked right to me after they were resoled.
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Post by bentin on Apr 7, 2016 8:11:49 GMT -6
It would be hard to find an uglier shoe. But I trust your next pair will somehow exceed these turds on a marshmallow. um, I think it'd be pretty easy to find uglier shoes, and specifically on this forum too. The Ronald McDonald shoes and the natty clown boots do a good job of holding that distinction down. Nope. Clown shoes admit that you're in on the joke. These just make people pity you for your need for fuzzy orthotics in a poop color. |
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Post by devastitis on Apr 7, 2016 8:29:51 GMT -6
um, I think it'd be pretty easy to find uglier shoes, and specifically on this forum too. The Ronald McDonald shoes and the natty clown boots do a good job of holding that distinction down. Nope. Clown shoes admit that you're in on the joke. These just make people pity you for your need for fuzzy orthotics in a poop color. Pretty sure the people wearing the "clown shoes" don't see them as a joke, even if they are. You'd have to be a different kind of wealthy to buy a shoe or boot that costs hundreds of dollars and wear them as a joke. |
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Post by bentin on Apr 7, 2016 8:36:54 GMT -6
Nope. Clown shoes admit that you're in on the joke. These just make people pity you for your need for fuzzy orthotics in a poop color. Pretty sure the people wearing the "clown shoes" don't see them as a joke, even if they are. You'd have to be a different kind of wealthy to buy a shoe or boot that costs hundreds of dollars and wear them as a joke. So you're saying you're rich? |
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Post by devastitis on Apr 7, 2016 8:47:10 GMT -6
Pretty sure the people wearing the "clown shoes" don't see them as a joke, even if they are. You'd have to be a different kind of wealthy to buy a shoe or boot that costs hundreds of dollars and wear them as a joke. So you're saying you're rich? Nope, I like all my purchases, and don't consider any of them as jokes. |
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Post by bentin on Apr 7, 2016 8:48:32 GMT -6
So you're saying you're rich? Nope, I like all my purchases, and don't consider any of them as jokes. Just know I'm laughing from a distance. |
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Post by devastitis on Apr 7, 2016 9:17:43 GMT -6
Nope, I like all my purchases, and don't consider any of them as jokes. Just know I'm laughing from a distance. Well, that's good and all, but the sheer number of brands and styles you dislike and scoff at make this mean very little. |
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Post by bentin on Apr 7, 2016 9:22:51 GMT -6
Just know I'm laughing from a distance. Well, that's good and all, but the sheer number of brands and styles you dislike and scoff at make this mean very little. I've created extra space for your shoes. I just complimented an Iron Heart shirt and like their new chinos. Careful, the tides are changing, hell, I'm wearing chinos and penny loafers today. |
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Post by whiskeyriver on Apr 7, 2016 9:25:04 GMT -6
Can we just all agree that the clown shoes and the Poomallows™ are equally hideous?
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Post by devastitis on Apr 7, 2016 9:53:04 GMT -6
Can we just all agree that the clown shoes and the Poomallows™ are equally hideous? I guess, but you were the one who created this thread, so not sure if you have much say either. |
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Post by whiskeyriver on Apr 7, 2016 10:45:06 GMT -6
Can we just all agree that the clown shoes and the Poomallows™ are equally hideous? I guess, but you were the one who created this thread, so not sure if you have much say either. Oh, I know I did. I was hoping it was just an angle thing because natural horsehide boots are a rad idea. But no. They're horrible. |
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Post by northcoast on Apr 7, 2016 11:17:36 GMT -6
Can we just all agree that the clown shoes and the Poomallows™ are equally hideous? I dunno. I'd be inclined to try the clown shoe last before the mallows. I actually kinda liked that one clown shoe last in a SF MTO. The 310 I think? But I have never had them on my feet so no idea. |
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Post by stinky on Apr 7, 2016 11:21:53 GMT -6
FTR, you have to monitor the Tricker's seconds account on eBay to truly understand shoe/boot ugliness potential.  |
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