Pure Leather Prints- A New Concept

[BAD HIDE]

By 2 years, most leather is just getting good and broken in. I wouldn't want the design I spent so much money on all faded and scuffed off. Carving doesn't fade. I'm working on developing techniques to tattoo leather, but I'm actually tattooing it with actual needles and high pigment inks, not just printing on the surface. My point is, I make things to last 5-15+ years of daily use, not 1 or 2. I'm sure most people on this forum are the same way.

I can see the appeal to some and the value in the technology, but in the two pics you posted and the competitor's link you provided, the work is butt ugly. Printing fabric patterns on leather is one thing, but just random celtic skulls that you pulled of Google image search, or in the case of your competitor, abstract crap and some flowers - it's just gaudy. You got the technique down, but did you ever stop to think what you were printing and what the finished work would look like? It's just not good designs. Plain unadorned leather has a beauty all it's own, especially as it ages. Carving and dying work harmoniously with the material instead of against it. Eventually, someone will figure out good designs to print on leather, but I'm not gonna waste my time.

[BIGGUNDOCTOR]

A couple of things.

The folks that would buy something like this are not leather people, but more of the Ed Hardy look at me crowd. To me they look cheap, and plastic, even if they are on leather. Part of the allure of leather is seeing the leather, and its grain. Where is the CRAFTMANSHIP in these items? I have a Cordura nylon wallet with the Ruger logo silk screened on it. The logo is still in excellent condition, and the wallet has been used for well over a decade, closer to 2 now. It was a gift from a dear friend, and I have gotten a lot of good use out of it. Now when it gets time to replace it, or if I decide I want a dress wallet I will make one. The products that K47 is pitching are for non leather people. The ones who look to store shelves for a wallet instead of thinking "Hmmm, should I go Sheridan, or maybe Peter Main this time?".

I feel pitching these items here is akin to trying to market Duncan Hines cake mix to a pastry chef. These items have no soul, and I award you no points.

[k47]

@ Dave johnson,

My store is located at:

Vaz lifestyles,

Level 2,

K stars mall,

Near Diamond Garden,

Chembur,

Mumbai-400071.

Store Number- 91-22-25208982

My mobile number - 09867863044.

Let me know whenever you will be coming, ill personally be there.....

Tks,

Karan Vaz

[k47]

Thanks for the pains of googling me up.

Firstly, yeah im operating from a shopping mall in mumbai.

Secondly, i do not sell trosseau, stationary etc.....Im just into leather. The yellow pages you refer to, compile their own information. i do not give them anythng.

As of now, im not registered with the leather council of india. My market has been domestic, and i didn't have the need to register. The process coudnt have started earlier as i was a startup and i could not show a turnover.

Now, i have a year of operations behind me, and the formalities will take place.

As for the competition, well, the company is my own, and there is no harm looking in the market for like minded people. Its a free market.

As for the news release, i have got coverage, Last may. It was a broadcast media coverage. I cant upload the whole episode as file size it too big. Ive tried it before..Ill try again.

As for the con man part, i suggest you wait for a couple of weeks, one of the forum members, @ dave johnson is visting india in a couple of weeks, ill give him the samples, you are free to ask about his views and reviews.....he has posted in this thread.....so just keep a bit of patience.

As for the alias,

Yes, my full name is Karan Vazirani...I use Karan vaz as it is easy for people to grasp.....no other motive...Yeah my reason might sound naive to you, but whether you like it or not, thats my only motive.

Tks,

Karan Vaz

[k47]

@ Big gun doctor,

The craftmanship here lies in the artwork. we develop it ourselves.

You are right about the people who we are looking to target. We are looking to target people who are more into fashion.

As for the soul part, Buddy we put in as much time in making a product as you do crafting it, its just that our methods are different.

Thanks for the feedback anyways,

Good day.

Karan Vaz

[k47]

@ Bad hide,

I would love to see some images of your work. Please put them up , so that even i can learn.

As for the life, i cant claim what i do not deliver, so sorry to disappoint you .

And the designing part, Please check my complete range before judging me ( www.facebook.com/VAZlifestyles ) . Do not judge me on a couple of photos.

I cannot comment on my competitors designs, but as for you and i are concerned, lets just say our tastes do not match. Nothing wrong in that. To each , his own.

And i assure you, no image has been directly lifted from google. we have worked upon them. We also have to face copyright issues here.

And if you like to send in some designs, please do, so that i know what you're expecting.

Thanks for the feedback,

Cheers!

[mendedbowl]

k47,

your samples are $40 wallets? come on man, you're selling wallets not samples. if you really wanted to show the capabilities of your new "magical" process of printing on leather, samples would consist of several 4 inch square swatches of leather with a wide variety of colors and patterns printed on each. and they would be sold at a bare minimum price.

but you're not selling a process, you're only selling a product aren't you?

[tattoosbyjay]

this site is set up for leather crafters, for those of us that do it all by hand , i dont think you will get much support from anyone here, i hand carve and hand paint allmy stuff aswell as do the artwork what you are trying to sell here kinda of dumbs down what we do Edited February 16, 2011 by tattoosbyjay

[tg lucas]

Well there you go... transparency at last! sorta lol

1. Vaz is a retailer not a manufacturer, hoping to be exporter....that depends on others. He has no mechanical engineers, artists or pressman that work for him directly unless that shopping mall is really huge and he can fit that press, prepress and art production equipment in among all that dowry packing gear and stationary.

2. He doesn't "directly lift" images from Google, they "work" on them. India aside from China has the worst reputation for theft of intellectual property rights and copyright infringement. Send them a design and you just might see it used in the high fashion district in India free of charge....for him.

3. He claimed that he was the only major player in India for printing on leather but doesn't feel it is necessary to even register or proclaim within his own country's industry council. I guess that is the stealth approach, make them think you sell stationary and then take the world by storm. He has news coverage but can not produce it.... I have the same problem with my unicorn farm.

4. He says he has two years experience, then one and half...now only one. Must be that new math we have been hearing about.

5. He does not deny being a participant in the incubator contest but claims the company is his own...that is not registered, has no industry affiliations and is located in the second story of a shopping mall that doesn't sell stationary. The only semi official source that says that an actual store even exists is the Yellow Pages and we know how often they screw up what kind of business you are in. Of course there is that pesky listing in India's largest online business directory, Jim Trade.com, that shows that Vaz Lifestyles sells primarily "Gift Bags, Wallets And Purses, Keychains, Stationery, Corporate Gifts" and their recently updated items are a plastic cd holder, an electric letter opener, an European designed Pen Stand, a Fung Sui Pyramid Styled Card Holder and a Swiss Designed Pen Stand, the last three crafted elegantly from brass with gold plating.

Now there is nothing I enjoy more than an old fashioned rat killing, but this kid makes it way too easy. He should have known from the moment I started asking questions, I was on to him. We all would aspire to be more than we are in some form or fashion but never lie or be deceitful about who you are or where you are coming from. There is nothing wrong with starting out at the bottom. It only gives you room to grow. But ask me for my money or my work while you are lying to me is asking for my attention in a way you probably do not want.

As of this posting, this particular post has been viewed 417 times, 21 of those have voted in the poll, 2/3 of those being negative, mine was one of the positive. Of those 417, I am going to guess that at least 350 of those were members other than you or I Vaz. That is 350 people in this industry who now have a pretty good idea of who you are and what you were up to and we all have friends that we have communication with that we may or may not tell all about you and this post. That could easily triple the number in a matter of days and you never know who you may be pitching your product to next will be one of us who already know your story as much as we need to and that could be the end of your dreams/scams.

So as I see it kid, you have two choices. Come clean and tell the whole truth OR go away and hope that we somehow forget the name of Karan Vazirani. BTW hope is not a business strategy.

Edited February 16, 2011 by tg lucas

[k47]

@ mended bowl

If you want swatches buddy, ill send you some swatches. i understand what a sample is. if you want a finished product, youll have to bear the cost. As ive said before im here to work,not to cheat. So if you are interested mate, let me know how we can go ahead.

@ lucas

are you dumb enough to talk to a person who has no meaning in your life? is time so cheap for you?

Ive had enough of you playing the cop and me answering your questions politely. I told you, make your judgement, and go on in life. Your entitled to your views and i am to mine.

And if you still want to persist, wait for a couple of weeks, you will have a review by an american forum member.

i dont know how business functions out there, so i dont talk about that, you , my friend have no idea how we function here. so keep that trap shut.

And how the hell do you know who works for me? your secret service? If you know what a shopping mall is, it is a place where people BUY and SELL. not MANUFACTURE. I do not know about you , but sane people MANUFACTURE in what we call a FACTORY.

you doubt my math....but you still do not prove your claim that the concept is not new?Not one link or one picture? common , your just trying to corner me to protect your ass.... if you are a man of your word, prove me wrong.

Just to put it clear,

Ive got two years experience in printing.

1.5 yrs in retailing....

I meant to write "over a years operations" in the previous post. i saw my mistake. my apologies.

My company is registered with the government. I am not a member of the leather council. it is not mandatory here. i saw no need until recently. the formalities for that too will start shortly after my financial year ends in march.

How do you know im lifting images or not? And who are you to decide? You should take a chill man......seriously!

I do not mind negative reviews. i will learn from them. improve. and not sit and cry because a bloke from arkansas or whatever thinks im a con.

@tattoobyjay

I understand what youll do buddy. i just wanted some views on the product. I dont mind if you dont like it...atleast youre clear about it. tanx for your time.

Tks,

karan vaz

[tg lucas]

Lol, I think I hit the target. Look kid, you were cornered the moment you started this post and tried to be vague and deceptive. We are not dummies here on this forum, each of us has a talent and interest in the field of leather and obviously a lot more experience in the ways of the world than you gave us credit for.

Your years of so called experience since you only graduated high school in 2006, you attended the University there would take at least 3 years, more likely 4, and then you claim a school of business as well. That does not leave a whole lot of time for actual experience. Learning concepts and theories is not practical application. There is always the possibility that you have not slept in the past five years in order to gain that experience which could explain the possibility that you could believe we would buy into your BS.

Where is the photos of your store with all your inventory made by this "new" process, show us your "factory" where this all takes place, where is your name on the door, show us a picture of you and your staff, with all your artists, pressman and mechanical engineers standing proud of their new accomplishment? These are all things legitimate business owners have because they have worked hard to build a business and are proud of their hard work.

Well kid, I have called you out and shot straight from the hip. I think you are nothing more than dowry packing, stationary, trinkets and trash sales clerk with dreams of making it big by taking credit for work that isn't your own, deceiving and trying to dupe others to finance your goals by pretending to be something you are not. Now kid, it is time to put up or shut up. Prove me wrong or get out of town, it's that simple.

anybody else want the stick....I am done beating this rat

Edited February 16, 2011 by tg lucas

[k47]

Youre done beating your own ass big boy.......there is no reply from your end regarding the link or pictures? have you conviniently overlooked ?

Your nobody i should entertain by sending photos etc, ull just come up with another accusation.

The smart ones here have already mailed me their interests, so i have only gained by joining this forum.

You dont worry about my time schedule. i can handle that on my own.

Shut ur trap and get to business. ( if u have any)

[r t warren]

this site is set up for leather crafters, for those of us that do it all by hand , i dont think you will get much support from anyone here, i hand carve and hand paint allmy stuff aswell as do the artwork what you are trying to sell here kinda of dumbs down what we do

Glad someone finally sadi it before i did.