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Message from the Comando Supremo staff
Thank you for your comments.
Nothing states that a hobby should be affordable to all. Hobbies are businesses for those vendors that cater to them. Market forces drive reproduction costs and collector interest drives prices for original items. Volume purchases are the best way to drive down prices, as volume means a business can have a steady income and volume means competition as others want a piece of the action. Italian reenacting doesn’t offer a volume market. The fact that several Chinese vendors have entered and then left the market demonstrates this fact. If you wish to reenact Italian, then you are limited to the choices offered. If these are too expensive, then this hobby might not be a good fit. Until market forces give us accurate and cheap, we have what we have.
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I'm not entirely impressed with the price , service and the product of S.E. compared to what I have had made and to original items in my collection.
Price is what it is. I too would like lower prices, but SE compares favorably with products at the same level of materials and construction. Compared to Janke German, SE is cheaper. Schippler and What Price Glory sell uniforms sets in the $400-500 range (plus postage). If the US exchange rate were better (1=1), SE is at the same price point.
Service could be better. But this is in one area, contact and ordering. In this area Remo is his own worst enemy. He should make it easier for international customers to order and pay. This hurts SE more than anything else (IMHO). In terms of getting measurements right, individuals that had issues and contacted Remo had the problem taken care of. It is a mail-order business and tailoring and fit is best done in-person. I had one item was mis-measured. Remo replaced it. I can’t comment on the problem you experienced with your shirt as I lack the details. It appears that Remo corrected the problem but shipping is your issue.
The product. This is the first time I have read anything negative about the product itself (the Alpini hat is the one exception to this statement and that was resolved). I am assuming that compared to your originals, there is something wrong. My experience is the opposite. Every time I think I have spotted an error, I discover that it is correct. The main reason why I moved your post to this location is so you can tell us what is wrong. I would like to read what you believe is incorrect.
The Asia vendors don’t get the high marks for their lines in terms of authenticity. Their items are considered serviceable until the individual gets serious about their impression. With regards to Italian, they have yet to get right on the color (both g-v which is marginal and colonial which is just terrible) and the cut of the M40 pantaloni. The latter are completely unusable. Their M41 pantaloni are usable (waist is too low), but the M40 are the main item for Italian. Of course, none of these are being made anymore.
I give SE high marks in authenticity; hence your comment has attracted my interest.
Pista!
Jeff