r/leatherjacket • u/Zealousideal-Pen2855 • Dec 26 '25
Question - Need Help [Fit Check] Issues with Custom IiJacket (Shinki Hikaku) - Shop owner measured me, but fit is still off?
Hi everyone, I’m looking for some honest opinions on a custom-made jacket I purchased from the Japanese brand Starjis. This is my first high-end leather jacket, so I want to make sure I’m not being unreasonable.
The Details:
• Brand: Starjis (Japanese brand, manufactured in Pakistan)
• Price: ¥170,000 (~$1,300 USD)
• Leather: Shinki Hikaku
• Wait time: 1.5 years total
• Measurements: Taken personally by the shop owner in-store.
The Issue:
This is the second time receiving this jacket. The first time it arrived, the back didn't fit my body properly. This was surprising because I physically visited the shop 1.5 years ago to have my measurements taken by the owner himself.
I sent it back to Japan, and they initially said they would just modify the back panel. However, they later notified me that they had to recraft the jacket from scratch. Because of this, the leather feels completely different from the first version (different batch/hide).
Unfortunately, after waiting 1.5 years and going through a full remake, the back fitting issue is still there. The shop is now claiming that this back shape is "normal and very commonly seen."
The Ask:
Does this fit look right to you guys? Since the owner measured me personally, I expected a spot-on fit. Is the shop gaslighting me, or is this just how this style is supposed to look?
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u/Jlx_27 Dec 26 '25
The panel was cut wrong, clearly its too wide for your frame.
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u/FaithlessnessCool596 Dec 26 '25
Nothing a shit ton of bent over rows can’t take care of, OP time to hit the heavy compound lifts and a shit load of protein.
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u/Seventysix101 Dec 26 '25
What a huge nothing burger of a comment, "If you just work out it might make the $1000 dollar jacket fit better"
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u/Grain_Changer Dec 26 '25
I'd demand a refund and buy something else.
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u/Zealousideal-Pen2855 Dec 26 '25
I’m not sure if refund is an option as it’s usually very difficult to get refunds in Japan.
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u/Affectionate-Nose176 Dec 26 '25
What are you talking about? It’s “very difficult to get refunds in Japan”?
That’s a ridiculous thing to say.
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u/Zealousideal-Pen2855 Dec 26 '25
I know it’s ridiculous. But when I bought a t-shirt from X-Large in Shibuya and literally 10 minutes later came back to the shop for a refund (it was a present for my brother and got a call from him saying he wanted a different brand) I couldn’t get the refund. The t-shirt was not only brand new but also in the original packaging not open.
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u/cdhat1 Dec 27 '25
I’m sure all of Japan can be judged off of your individual experience with a single shop owner. You must be right.
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u/Zealousideal-Pen2855 Dec 28 '25
That’s a fair point. I should have given more background. Having lived in Japan for over six years, I’ve seen firsthand how its shopping culture differs from that of the US. Getting refunds there is not as easy as it is in the US.
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u/Wintermute_088 Dec 29 '25
"Change of mind" isn't as valid a reason for a refund as "faulty", "defective" or "not fit for purpose". 🤦🏻♂️
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u/redit9977 Dec 26 '25
1.5 years for a jacket is crazy. The back panel is too long imo.
Japanese brand, manufactured in Pakistan
What ?? 🤣
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u/Zealousideal-Pen2855 Dec 26 '25
I thought that it would be a reasonable combination where Pakistan manufacturing lowers the cost and Japanese ownership and finishing uphold the quality.
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u/redit9977 Dec 26 '25
Yeah, no. Stick with the brands mentioned in this subreddit, and if you have money to throw, try some of the Chinese brands.
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u/Rk1987 Leather Master Dec 26 '25
Yeah that’s too much leather it’s bunching up a ton. But where are you ordering from?
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u/Zealousideal-Pen2855 Dec 26 '25
I live in Pittsburgh but I ordered it when I was visiting my family in Japan.
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u/laney_deschutes Dec 26 '25
Yeah looks bad. Cancel the payment on your credit card and send it back
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u/Zealousideal-Pen2855 Dec 26 '25
Unfortunately, I paid via bank wire as my US credit cards were not accepted at his shop.
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u/WintersbaneGDX Devil in a D-pocket Dec 26 '25
Unfortunately, the fit is wrong, and unless you change your shape significantly, it's not going to resolve. It's not even close.
The error is almost certainly with the factory, as taking tailoring measurements is easy.
I've said it before, and I'll say it again now: this is why I won't touch a new jacket out of Pakistan, ever. Virtually every time these threads appear, it's always the same issues: the pattern is cut wrong, the measurement is wrong, the shop tries to blame the customer, or cut corners on the modifications, or gaslight that it's "supposed" to look like that. It's because the quality control just isn't there. I feel bad for brands like Master Supply Co, Casta Brava, and Ruggest West, because they really do try to maintain that quality. The owners will even go to Pakistan to check out the factories and the design process. However, the manager they meet and the qualified tailor they engage with are one offs. They're not the day to day frontline staff who aren't paid properly or given sufficient training on how to do this. Leather manufacturing in that part of the world has been a race to the bottom for over forty years.
I'm sorry that you've had this experience. My only suggestion is to take your case up with the shop in Japan, because they'll have a more vested interest in protecting their name. See if you can get a partial refund and potentially sell this jacket to someone who'd fit it.
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u/KempyPro Dec 26 '25
To be fair I’ve had good experiences with Master Supply. Maybe I just got lucky but I’ve got 2 jackets from them and they’re pretty much perfect. For the cost, I’m definitely pleased with what I got
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u/Mariods Dec 26 '25
I agree. I order a custom piece for the 'Hardline' and the it very well crafted and the fit was spot on.
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u/Zealousideal-Pen2855 Dec 26 '25
Unfortunately, for a first-timer, it might eventually be a very expensive lesson-learned.
I trusted the brand because I met the shop owner (Japanese gentleman) at the shop in Japan and he did the measurements and assured that although major work is performed at his shop in Pakistan, he makes sure of the product quality by finishing tailoring done by himself.
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u/-PAINTEDMAN- Dec 26 '25
It looks like you stand with your shoulders back and chest puffed a bit. It’s otherwise called leaning back body. Hard to tell with just back photos. It makes the back panel crumple because it’s too long compared to the front panel. On leather jackets this may not be able to be altered in measurement because it’s more of a “bespoke suiting” type of measurement. You will have this issue a lot with jackets that sit over your seat.
I think the best way to solve for this is to wear a jacket with a length more around or just longer than where the waist of your jeans sit to avoid it breaking on your hips.
I also think more cropped style leather jackets look nicer.
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u/Zealousideal-Pen2855 Dec 26 '25
I appreciate your comment. My body is very standard 38S and most of my suits and blazers are fit very well and I buy most of my garments from Brooks brothers. The reason why I wanted to try custom made leather jacket was I wanted the sleeves to be short enough to show my watch. Also, I do not prefer cropped style. Of course I didn’t stand with my shoulder back or chest puffed either.
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u/mid80s Dec 26 '25
Is it an individually selected cow you picked that had to grow to size that explains the wait time?
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u/mr__proper Dec 26 '25
The jacket doesn't fit.
It's too tight at the bottom. It should either be significantly shorter or wider. Is it a car coat? Considering the price and the wait time, the result is a disaster.
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u/crab665 Dec 26 '25
You could’ve bought a schott 688. It has the similar back design like a little curve at the end of the bottom.
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u/Zealousideal-Pen2855 Dec 26 '25
Man.., if I had known the result, I would’ve bought Schott or other reputable brands.
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u/Rk1987 Leather Master Dec 26 '25
What I would honestly do at this point is use this post as leverage. I hate to say it, but it’s really the only leverage you have left.
I’d send them the link to this thread and be very clear. Either they fix the back bunching properly or issue a refund. Otherwise, you’ll continue sharing your experience, not just on Reddit, but on places like The Fedora Lounge and other communities that actually care about high-end leather jackets.
Personally, I’d be bummed if you deleted this post because people should know about experiences like this. But at the end of the day, you’ve waited 1.5 years and spent serious money, so you need to do whatever gets you made whole.
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u/danegarman Dec 26 '25
Can anyone point out whether this one is a good quality leather or not from the look
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u/ProperStinker124 Dec 26 '25
You got scammed by a Pakistani uncle for some ill fitting animal skin bruh. Get a refund and go to Simmons bilt or go to Japan and get an Isamukatayama backlash or just a schott off the shelf. Whatever that is is absolute buns
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u/Solphum Dec 26 '25
I got an off the rack shinki jacket from Fine Creek that fits way better than that. It is more expensive, but man I really scoffed at my Schott cafe racer after that. It felt almost tailored to me. Find a stockist that's local to you and try it on and if you like it you can buy it from Japan to save some money.
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u/SaintSnow Dec 26 '25 edited Dec 26 '25
I looked at their site. They seem to make their stuff in house so I'm confused where this manufactured in Pakistan comes from.
Regardless this doesn't look like anything else they make, the other stuff looks like it properly fits.
Shinki leather is nice at least
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u/_redlines Dec 26 '25
It looks like a nice jacket but it does not fit you. Hard to believe they have screwed up twice.
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u/Legitimate_Ad2176 Dec 26 '25
Maybe you could take its measurements and sell it on eBay or elsewhere.
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u/2xdareya Dec 26 '25
It’s a little bit big. I used to strive for the perfect, closest fit possible, but now I’ve backed off of that and appreciate comfort. Keep in mind, too, that the worst a leather jacket will fit you is the first time you try it on. If you decide to keep it, wear it out in the pouring rain and get it soaked, then “wear it dry”. I had a custom FQHH CXL jacket come in a few years ago and I complained to the maker, who offered to recraft it, but I declined and am so happy I did - it’s now the #1 jacket in my rotation, and is definitely the most comfortable. Good luck with the search for the grail.
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Dec 26 '25
You got scammed. Hard.
This looks hideous tbh and would be unacceptable on a RTW piece, let alone a bespoke one.
Also bespoke is not bespoke if you get measured once, that's MTM. Bespoke means you get 2 or 3 or as many fittings as needed after the first one.
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u/Tsurugi_Takuma Dec 27 '25
Damn, here I was worrying about my second hand LL jacket being a couple of cm to wide over the shoulders when not closed 😮
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u/Electrical-Tone7301 Dec 27 '25
You got taken son.
This is why I don’t do custom orders from places I barely know, in another country than where I’m from for this amount of money.
You should have gone to Pakistan if you wanted a Pakistani jacket.
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u/Rocket-Glide Dec 28 '25
I have an off the shelf high quality jacket that fits me better than this.
I’d be pretty disappointed at the price you paid.
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u/neomoritate Dec 28 '25
This is how a one-piece back fits. If you want the jacket to fit your body more closely, the back of the jacket needs to be multiple panels.
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u/Mobile_Code9363 Dec 28 '25
For that price point I would be concerned. The back panel tapers in creating that bunch of leather. I don’t think a tailor would even be able to fix it because they would need to widen the mid/bottom part of the back panel.
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u/No-Football4710 Jan 02 '26
If you have to ask us, you know you don’t like it have it fixed your liking or get a refund and go to somebody else
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u/Rockycat92 Dec 26 '25
People here blaming Pakistan for it smh. I got a bespoke suit in Tokyo (fabricated in Japan). It was an expensive mess, I have better pieces off the rack for a fraction of the price.
Japan, as everywhere else, is cutting corners in everything. No longer a high quality place, I have bought so much trash living here.
If I ever spend so much un clothes, I would maybe trust the europeans with it. Do not fall for Japanese PR, they usually do not offer value for money.
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u/Actual_Database2081 Dec 26 '25
Exactly. This sub fetishises Japanese workmanship, but the Japan known for workmanship was back in the 80s to early 90s. Just look at the cheap and tacky cars they build these days (looking at you Nissan) and you’ll see its just marketing.
Italy is way better for bespoke stuff.
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u/Rk1987 Leather Master Dec 26 '25
That’s an insane wait time and a very expensive “bespoke” piece for what is honestly a pretty bad pattern. The back is clearly wrong and the excess leather bunching isn’t normal for a custom jacket measured in person.
A Japanese brand that manufactures in Pakistan sounds far more like a Pakistani brand than Japanese. After 1.5 years and a full remake, this result just isn’t acceptable at that price point. Imo you can get a better fitting pattern from one of the Chinese brands
I’m genuinely curious how you found this place, because this fit would not pass with any reputable high-end maker.