thoughts on Star Trek Anovos VELOUR tunics?

[nwjedidave]

http://www.anovos.com/collections/s...ginal-series-mens-tunic-velour-line-pre-order


I think they are on the right track but I don't think the velour is dense enough. Meaning you shouldn't be able to see the weave lines in the base of the fabric.

I've been told I have the same fabric as used for the velour tunics by a few folks who know a LOT more about them than I do. Has the correct sparkle and does change color depending on the light its in.

I'm glad the Anovos offerings are NOT terribly expensive, but not getting the velour just right will probably keep me from getting one.

*edited* as I forgot the "not"

 

[Apollo]

Don't know untill I have one in hand,but judging by the few pics I have seen the Velour does look off.

As for the price that is cheap

 

[the Pawn]

I have three from Excalibur that has the Sparkle. Don't see it in the ANOVOS pics.


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[Apollo]

Wow You mean someone ACTUALLY got something from Joe K ? ! :lol

I have three from Excalibur that has the Sparkle.

 

[the Pawn]

I did


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[Apollo]

You hit the Lotto on that one as he is a well known thief and pathetic liar, as well as, scammer who is banned on countless Boards!

I did


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[the Pawn]

I've heard that. But he always sent my boots and everything I ordered.


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[nwjedidave]

I have three from Excalibur that has the Sparkle. Don't see it in the ANOVOS pics.


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With some help years ago I received my Joe K tunic and the fabric is ALL kinds of wrong. And wrong size to boot.

 

[the Pawn]

Mine have the Sparkle not sure if screen accurate. Wrong size too, had to send ANOVOS shirt to get them right, but in the end I got all three.


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[nwjedidave]

from left to right
JoeK tunic
someone making and selling tunics off of the old ASAP page (with Kathy P's braids)
my "accurate material" tunic

 

[Apollo]

Untill the Tunic ships I doubt we will know.

The Proto does look off.

Cawley consulted with them on this Project and it looks like they dismissed what he advised them on

 

[nwjedidave]

usually Anovos is pretty spot on, but from the prototype pictures I agree.

 

[Apollo]

Yes Anovos 3rd season Tunics were spot on but that is because the Fabric is still being made as well as the people who dyed it for the series is still in buisness, not really hard to do.

The Velour, on the other hand, the material is no longer made, what is out there is a best guess.

usually Anovos is pretty spot on, but from the prototype pictures I agree.

 

[bsj1701]

I'd sure like to see some updated photos before ordering...

 

[mercerism]

I noted at starfleet1701st that your tunic is probably more accurate than the majority out there including Cawley's whose claims can often be challenged -- but that's beside the point.

I agree that the craft velour used by Cawley, and the CRS Crafts "Kirk Gold" often used by replica makers lack the fuzzyness shown in the pictures of authentic screen worn ones in private collections. However, I disagree that you shouldn't be able to see the grain of the velour fabric at all.

There are detailed pics of authentic tunics where you can see the grain of the velour fabric.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NAuK_RPHn2U

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PJWGnZu74Hc/T_oSUt6eSYI/AAAAAAAAPks/pIzCYW9SsUI/s1600/P426_17.jpg

But i agree that many of the velour replicas out there lack fuzzyness.

 

[asalaw]

I just got mine today. It has the sparkle, it's the right shade of green/gold (unlike the prototype pictures), and the texture looks exactly like the high-detail photos I've seen of the originals. The construction is phenomenal. The invisible zipper is indistinguishable from the other seams, and that's not easy to do. Made in Taiwan, not China, and that makes all the difference. I couldn't be happier with it. They were 25% off a couple weeks ago, so I ordered it. $169 is a fabulous price for such a great costume, and it's moved me to grab the ST:B premier uni.

As for perceived fuzziness, don't forget you're comparing 50-year-old, worn fabric with stuff made today. You can take some sandpaper and make it as fuzzy as you want, but I wouldn't recommend it.

 

[asalaw]

Finally got a chance to compare the Anovos tunic to the Kirk Gold from CR's Crafts, and the results were surprising. The Anovos is much greener, but apart from that, they're almost exactly the same fabric. Same grain, same texture, though the Anovos might be a hair heavier. Or it may have a sizing in it. Can't tell, as they're incredibly close to each other.

They both have the same sparkle. Assuming the Kirk Gold is off in color, then, I still think it's worth it at $8.50/yard. It looks very good, and there's certainly nothing else comparable on the market. I'm going to go ahead and make my Mendez tunic with it, plus a Kirk 2nd season if I have enough left over.

I'd love to see the other two colors compared to their CR equivalents.

But color aside, I think this puts to bed the notion that the CR stuff is too light. It's virtually the same weight, if not exactly the same. The only real difference between the two is the color.



Here's some closeups of a Spock tunic from Gerald Gurian's site for comparison. Both of the above fabrics look like they're exactly right, at least to my eye.

 

[mercerism]

Finally got a chance to compare the Anovos tunic to the Kirk Gold from CR's Crafts, and the results were surprising. The Anovos is much greener, but apart from that, they're almost exactly the same fabric. Same grain, same texture, though the Anovos might be a hair heavier. Or it may have a sizing in it. Can't tell, as they're incredibly close to each other.

They both have the same sparkle. Assuming the Kirk Gold is off in color, then, I still think it's worth it at $8.50/yard. It looks very good, and there's certainly nothing else comparable on the market. I'm going to go ahead and make my Mendez tunic with it, plus a Kirk 2nd season if I have enough left over.

I'd love to see the other two colors compared to their CR equivalents.

But color aside, I think this puts to bed the notion that the CR stuff is too light. It's virtually the same weight, if not exactly the same. The only real difference between the two is the color.

View attachment 690790View attachment 690791

Here's some closeups of a Spock tunic from Gerald Gurian's site for comparison. Both of the above fabrics look like they're exactly right, at least to my eye.

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-r21bx_tyXJc/UMUWn82QBhI/AAAAAAAAQwg/FuY4b_oH08A/s1600/P443_4.jpg

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ntEd7yzkwEI/UMUWrCVIFZI/AAAAAAAAQws/0cn6s60hcL0/s1600/P443_5.jpg

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FH_NYIojvhQ/UMUWuxGmDbI/AAAAAAAAQw4/xL1pdfQBzqI/s1600/P443_6.jpg

Nice review and congratulations on your collectible!

Shocking that the ANOVOS and CR Crafts fabrics are so similar especially since John Cooley adamantly said a couple of years ago that the reason ANOVOS had not released a velour version at the time was because (in his words at starfleet1701st) quote, "there simply is NO currently available velour that is a perfect match for the velour used during the first two seasons of Star Trek."

Yet he owned a Cawley replica earlier which uses similar stuff, and everyone knew about CR Crafts and had been using it as the closest standard so then why would he say in 2014 that nothing close was available at the time? If color was the only issue, would it have been that difficult to find the textile company that manufactures velour for CR Crafts and have a color dying expert to reproduce the color off a pantone?

BTW, your pic is doing the "gold or blue dress" trick on me. I see them as mossy green on top, and purpley grey on the bottom!

 

[asalaw]

Nice review and congratulations on your collectible!

Shocking that the ANOVOS and CR Crafts fabrics are so similar especially since John Cooley adamantly said a couple of years ago that the reason ANOVOS had not released a velour version at the time was because (in his words at starfleet1701st) quote, "there simply is NO currently available velour that is a perfect match for the velour used during the first two seasons of Star Trek."

Yet he owned a Cawley replica earlier which uses similar stuff, and everyone knew about CR Crafts and had been using it as the closest standard so then why would he say in 2014 that nothing close was available at the time? If color was the only issue, would it have been that difficult to find the textile company that manufactures velour for CR Crafts and have a color dying expert to reproduce the color off a pantone?

BTW, your pic is doing the "gold or blue dress" trick on me. I see them as mossy green on top, and purpley grey on the bottom!

Yeah, here's what happened, according to James:

The CR Crafts stuff is made by the same company he used to make his own tunics. But to get around (presumably) their contract with him, they tweaked the colors a bit, so they're not as accurate as his -- he's posted swatches from Theiss's notebook against a CR swatch to prove the point.

Apparently the same company is now making the ANOVOS fabric, and James says that color is off just a hair as well.

As for me, well... I've often repeated the advice of one of my best mentors: Never let the perfect be the enemy of the good.

In other words, close enough is close enough. I'm very pleased with BOTH fabrics, and I intend to go on using the CR stuff. Don't know about the Anovos, as I got the command tunic at 25% off during their holiday sale, and $225 is a bit steep for me.

 

[mercerism]

Yeah, here's what happened, according to James:

The CR Crafts stuff is made by the same company he used to make his own tunics. But to get around (presumably) their contract with him, they tweaked the colors a bit, so they're not as accurate as his -- he's posted swatches from Theiss's notebook against a CR swatch to prove the point.

Apparently the same company is now making the ANOVOS fabric, and James says that color is off just a hair as well.

As for me, well... I've often repeated the advice of one of my best mentors: Never let the perfect be the enemy of the good.

In other words, close enough is close enough. I'm very pleased with BOTH fabrics, and I intend to go on using the CR stuff. Don't know about the Anovos, as I got the command tunic at 25% off during their holiday sale, and $225 is a bit steep for me.

BTW, a red version is posted at starfleet1701. It's hard to tell by pictures but it looks very, very close to the CR Crafts red if not a ringer but ANOVOS claims their velour is custom milled for them. Who knows?

I still think NWJediDave's fabric looks the closest in composition to close up pictures of real tunics but that fabric is probably out of production too and he has stated he can't remember the source.

But I agree that it's unrealistic to expect a 100% match from something that was manufactured over 50 years ago. ANOVOS could go spend hundred of thousands in R&D and investment to get fabric and zipper companies to do custom runs for a closer match but then the replica uniforms would cost thousands for them to recoup their money and very few people would be willing to buy them.

Close enough is close enough (although the very discerning moderator at starfleet1701st would disagree!) as I trust ANOVOS had exhausted their sources.

I still think these velour ones will become collectible if kept nicely with the original box so it's a good investment. I'm just sorry I missed that ANOVOS sale. Hopefully they'll have another during Easter or summer or something.