Spanish hatmaker on Indy 5?

[Garzo]

I just came across the interesting tidbit, and while I don't believe everything I read, I thought it might make for some enthralling discussion.
The Spanish newspaper Diaro de Sevilla ran an article about the Spanish hat company Industrias Sombrereras Españolas SA (Isesa) and its plans to expand operations in Eastern Europe, the U.S. and Japan and mentions that the company is designing and producing the hat for the fifth Indiana Jones film. It adds that Isesa participated in the making of the hats on Indy 4 but was not involved in the design. However, it goes on to say that Isesa is designing and producing the hats for the new installment in cooperation with the artisans in charge of designing the model of the previous film.
http://www.diariodesevilla.es/article/s ... jones.html
Isesa has some nice looking fedoras in its catalogue from a Fernandez & Roche label, not sure if it's an in-house brand.
http://www.isesa.es/principal.html
I wonder, is this the factory that produces the Henry?
While I understand this might be a sensitive issue, it has been widely reported and the story has been linked on this popular film news site, so I don't think I'm letting any cats out of the bag: http://www.moviehole.net/201022793-indi ... s-5-update

[gwyddion]

I don't think the AB guys will respond, but it is quite possible that that is the same factory though

Regards, Geert

[Michaelson]

It adds that Isesa participated in the making of the hats on Indy 4 but was not involved in the design.

This one comment raises red flags for me. We all know better, so with that said, it puts the rest of their 'news' in a bad light, in my opinion, unless they're claiming to have provided the felt cones for Marc's AB's used in Indy IV. That is the only 'making' or participation they could have possibly had.

Good catch, Garzo! Something for the community to mull over.

Regard! Michaelson

[Holt]

if there comes a Indy 5 Im pretty sure who will produce the hat

[gwyddion]

unless they're claiming to have provided the felt cones for Marc's AB's. That is the only 'making' or participation they could have possibly had.

That's exactly what I was thinking!

Regards, Geert

[Garzo]

Not to mention that, according to Harrison Ford, George Lucas has an "outrageous idea" for the next film.

Hold on to your potatoes! We going for a ride!

[BendingOak]

Negative ghost rider.

[crismans]

I have to agree with the others. I'm sure the AB boys have the Indy V gig if they want it. By ALL accounts, the production was very pleased with their hats.

[Garzo]

No doubt. But by their own accounts, it was a very exhausting gig, so maybe having the help of a factory could ease things greatly. It makes sense that the designers of this incredibly successful hat would not have to toil as much as they did the first time around and instead oversee production of their design. Just a guess.

[Marc]

Think I better step in here, as I've been getting quite SOME e-mails here lately regarding this isue.

The company that consider itself being the makers of the next Indy movie Fedoras did NOT produce any of the rawbodies, hats, or any other parts used one the hats that Steve and I provided for CS, nor are have we signed ANY contract with them regarding Indy 5 (that was mentioned as well somewhere) nor have we ordered several thousand hats from them, neither now, nor in the past (that is just plain redicoules).

IF(!!!) Steve and I WERE to get the deal on Indy 5, why in the WORLD should be let a company make them for us???

Sorry to be a big disappointment here for those of you who already see Indy 5 being in the making, but neither Steve nor I have heard more than the rumors regarding Indy 5 than pretty much anyone who surfs the internet have read by themselves.

I'm back to making hats...

Regards,

Marc

[Garzo]

Looks like this story has been around for a while in Spain. Isesa apparently is a huge company and according to this 2008 story they have produced the Indy hat for Herbert Johnson for years.

http://www.elmundo.es/papel/2008/07/27/ ... 61677.html

In the second paragraph they claim to have signed a contract with AB to produce official Indy hats -- €165 for rabbit and €250 for beaver.

More here: http://clickmagazine.eu/en/2008/10/01/seville-2/

Sounds like there's mucho desire for a piece of the Indy pie.

[Michaelson]

Thanks for clearing the air, Marc!

Good to see you pop in!

Regard! Michaelson

[Fedora]

I got a kick out of this false rumor. Just hope I don't get a call from you know who, chewing me out for something that is totally false. This story sure doesn't serve us well, Marc or I. If it gets back to the film folks, it makes us look bad, and for something that we never did. And nothing from that mentioned company was used in the hats we supplied. Plus, no factory can mass produce hats, and claim they were used in the last film, these days. The Official Indy fedora is the only one that can do so. The name is licensed out by George, and he gets money for its use. The fact that we and Tony were mentioned and allowed to make what we sent to the film is an anomaly, and may just mean, this was the last film, and that figured into the equation. I think this was Indy's send off, and part of this was the documentary of how they found Indy's gear, again, after so many years. So, we became part of that story.

If Indy 5 does happen(I am very doubtful) the hats will again be handmade, just like the other ones we supplied. From the same felt and materials used in the Indy 4 hat. I will give them an option of rabbit, but I doubt they will want to change from Indy 4, in fact, I would suspect they would want the same hat.

If a miracle happens and they do make another one, even my own mother won't know it is happening, if I am contacted. I learned a lesson with the other one. And having learned it, I sure would never have had anything to do with that rumor that passes for news. I just wonder HOW it got started. As does Marc, going by has angry email to me today. How do rumors like this get started, and then picked up as news? I guess that company is hurting with the depression going on, and needs business? Another hatmaker making false claims, and this one here is a doozy. Steve Delk

[Gater]

So the question now is whether Steve and/or Marc have the time and care to put forward a C&D letter and even demand a retraction/correction from any news source that is perpetuating those lies?

[generalFROSTY]

I've heard similar statements made by another hatter based out of California. I contacted this hatter asking about a custom Tracy fedora - they told me that they made the hats used in the movie but the only pictures they could supply me with were pics anyone could find on a Yahoo or Google image search. This is the same hatter that also stated they worked on the hats for Indy IV.
It is hard to trust anyone these days, but with the AB guys being members here, rest assured the truth about the Indy hat is quite clear.

[mrkaboom]

IF there was going to be another movie surely things are still a little early to be selecting suppliers for hats etc. Afterall pre production would need to be well under way before Bernie Pollack selects his desired vendor. For me if he was happy with AB's and Tonys work from the 4th it makes sense to continue that relationship into the 5th as all the hard work has been done.

Just my 2 cents.

Over and out Kent Brockman AKA MK

[jkdbuck76]

"Spanish hatmaker on Indy 5?"

They have been in contact with SuperShadow, haven't they?

[Garzo]

Sometimes it can get tough on this forum. It used to be that one could discuss the latest Hollywood gossip about the possibility of an upcoming movie, citing trade magazine stories, etc., without creating a ruckus. But when the fans become actual players and part of the movie gossip, it gets very sticky and complicated and one becomes uncertain about what exactly is OK to write in a post and what is not. Even asking a question becomes precarious.

I feel like I've opened a can of unpleasant worms, but at the same time, the story was out there and already being widely discussed on more movie-focused sites like The Raven.

I came across this story on Moviehole.net, a very popular movie news website that linked to the Isesa hat story. A simple web search turned up loads of different stories about Isesa's involvement with the Indy hat, and with AB.

I'm not sure if I should even ask this but I'll stick my neck out and do it anyway. Is this perhaps the company that is working with AB on the Henry? I'm not sure if that's an issue that's ever been discussed here, but I've read elsewhere that the Henry is produced by a Spanish factory, so in that respect it's not outlandish to draw this possible conclusion. And it's one issue that has not been addressed and would explain why Isesa is blabbering about its association with the hat and with AB all over the Spanish and international press, most recently announcing that it would be rolling out its new Indy hat in January 2010.

After all, it's hard to imagine that a big hat company like Isesa would simply make this up without any basis in reality. It's not hard to imagine that a company working on the Henry would see it as an "Indiana Jones" hat considering its pedigree, even despite the fact that it's not an official movie hat but rather just a very nice-looking classic-styled fedora.

[Michaelson]

Marc Kitter, co=partner of the AB company, is the one who contracted and worked WITH the company that produced the Henry FOR AB.

I'd say if they were involved on the Henry, he would have said so.

Believe me, in the past more than one international company has taken credit for work they had absolutely nothing to do with, as they know it's easier to make a claim and hope for the best than it is for those who WERE involved to sue them for mis-information.

What THEY need to fear is Lucasfilm and HIS lawyers.

Regards! Michaelson

[gwyddion]

I do hope they will get a slap on the wrist for this misinformation. There has been enough of that already

Regards, Geert

[jkdbuck76]

I do hope they will have to stare into the crystal skull for a long time and be reduced to mumbling for this misinformation. There has been enough of that already

Regards, Geert

Fixed.

[gwyddion]

I do hope they will have to stare into the crystal skull for a long time and be reduced to mumbling for this misinformation. There has been enough of that already

Regards, Geert

Fixed.

Creative quoting! I love that!

Regards, Geert

[RCSignals]

Marc Kitter, co=partner of the AB company, is the one who contracted and worked WITH the company that produced the Henry FOR AB.

I'd say if they were involved on the Henry, he would have said so.

Believe me, in the past more than one international company has taken credit for work they had absolutely nothing to do with, as they know it's easier to make a claim and hope for the best than it is for those who WERE involved to sue them for mis-information.

What THEY need to fear is Lucasfilm and HIS lawyers.

Regards! Michaelson

True. Belstaff claimed they were involved in the both design and manufacture of the Mutt and Indy jackets for CS.
What they did make were licensed replicas, so they don't fear 'Lucasfilm and HIS lawyers'.

[RCSignals]

Maybe their 'contract' is with the 'Adventurebilt of China' that Fedora mentioned in another thread.....

[Michaelson]

True. Belstaff claimed they were involved in the both design and manufacture of the Mutt and Indy jackets for CS.
What they did make were licensed replicas, so they don't fear 'Lucasfilm and HIS lawyers'.

That's right.

Thing is, these guys aren't saying they are licensed by Lucasfilm, but claim they were involved in the creation and production of the CS hats, which they were not. 'We' can't speak toward any business toward Indy V, as no one knows.

In this case they're claiming information outside of the licensing protection umbrella that companies like Belstaff have. At least Belstaff always stated they were an 'officially licensed' vendor for LFL, rather than what this company is claiming.

They may be showing cards, but the way they're playing them isn't exactly kosher.

It will be interesting how this plays out as time goes along.

Regards ! Michaelson

[Garzo]

Actually, there are lots of stories in the Spanish press about Isesa and the Indiana Jones hat and not all of them are saying that they are involved in the actual film. In most of them, Isesa simply said it had signed a production deal with Adventurebilt to produce factory-made hats based on the movie design, and most of the stories credit AB as the designer and maker of the original hat -- Isesa does not take credit for that, at least not overtly.

The common thread in most of the stories is Isesa simply saying that they signed some kind of agreement with AB to produce hats for the mass market based on their movie design, which AB apparently denies.

I can see how an announcement by Isesa that they were signing or close to signing some kind of factory deal with AB could easily have been misconstrued by some Spanish reporters and headline writers who incorrectly sum up the story: "Isesa is producing the Indiana Jones hat."

Then you have movies and fan sites picking up a story based on a misleading headline and you suddenly have a fast-spreading rumor that is totally false but that may have had some basis in truth.

It could be a case of shoddy journalism rather than blatant lying on the part of Isesa that resulted in the "Indy 5" story.

Then again, Isesa might very well be lying about everything and they never had any kind of deal or discussions with AB at all, which would be a very disgraceful thing for such a big traditional hat company to do.

A couple of the stories also mentioned that Isesa has similar cooperative agreements with the likes of Herbert Johnson, Ralph Lauren, Loewe, Carolina Herrera, Antonio Miró, and Victorio y Lucchino and that they also just landed a lucrative deal to produce hats for the Spanish national army.