The rainwear scene is deteriorating ?

All rainwear discussions in general or that do not fit into other categories.
Juppe
Posts: 85
Joined: January 30th, 2010, 9:54 pm
Location: Finland

The rainwear scene is deteriorating ?

Post by Juppe »

Hi all,
during the last few years we have seen a number of closing down of nice rainwear oriented sites and shops. Just to mention a few plastiqueunique, shinyasiangirls, Danish JH-gear (the owner died) plus a few others.
I wonder if we rainwear users are a too small market to justify the business, and the free sites are becoming more and more rare. Or is it just normal development ? What do you think?
mason
Posts: 984
Joined: February 2nd, 2010, 3:34 am

Re: The rainwear scene is deteriorating ?

Post by mason »

Juppe wrote:Hi all,
during the last few years we have seen a number of closing down of nice rainwear oriented sites and shops. Just to mention a few plastiqueunique, shinyasiangirls, Danish JH-gear (the owner died) plus a few others.
I wonder if we rainwear users are a too small market to justify the business, and the free sites are becoming more and more rare. Or is it just normal development ? What do you think?
I think it's a combination of factors including personal family tragedy, rather than a contracting of the rainwear scene or market.

PVC-U-LIKE is still going strong: no worries there

shinyasiangirls: Henry broke up with Shinygirl Pia and his mother just passed away, so he's back home for the near future. He may (or may not) resume normal operations upon returning to the Philippines.
Danish JH gear: see above
Tied & True Tales (my site): I closed TTT because my ex-wife cheated on me for another "man" before leaving me for him. It broke my heart to the extent that I closed TTT not long afterwards and never re-opened it. I'm currently considering re-opening but on a far smaller scale though.

Also, internet website construction, maintenance and hosting is both time-consuming and expensive, hence the lack of interest in creating new sites. People are also more careful about what they post online as well.
hazrainsuitman6
Posts: 182
Joined: January 18th, 2010, 12:08 am
Location: Southeastern US
Contact:

Re: The rainwear scene is deteriorating ?

Post by hazrainsuitman6 »

I was shocked to read that Henry broke up with Pia and what happened to mason. I too, have been marred by personal tragedy that threw a monkey wrench into shooting plans. Also, I have to work varying shifts that tire me out to work on my website. I try to release new pic sets weekly, but I need to get more persistent about it. From a producing perspective, orders for my work comes in spurts and dry spells which makes it difficult to invest in new gear.

I was saddened to hear of JH-Gear's passing because he was a professional contact that allowed us to buy directly from the manufacturer.
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pacamac2
Posts: 106
Joined: June 8th, 2010, 5:18 pm

Re: The rainwear scene is deteriorating ?

Post by pacamac2 »

Is the rainwear scene deteriorating...in one word YES

Not wishing to bore anyone reading this but I can go back to the 1950s when rainwear started interesting me...I was sort of attracted to it.....moreso macs for ladies and girls than for boys and men

But anyone remembering those days can recall a mac was not just worn because it was raining but it was regarded as a reliable outer garment

We wore gaberdine raincoats as part of our school uniform.....we wore plastic macs when we went out to play

I recall my brother in his first job....heading up to London...he worked as an office boy for Lloyds underwriters...suit...tie and a smart woollen trenchcoat...not only when it was raining but for smartness and warmth

Does anyone remember the smart outerwear of air hostesses......nurses......bus inspectors...all wore macs as part of their uniform

As years progressed...since I suppose the early 1990s the lack of rainwear...in high street shops....and mail order catalogues particularly for the fairer sex and although articles have appeared in fashion magazines and the tabloids....."THE MAC IS BACK"........it appears to me it is short term...perhaps a mac bought and worn during the year of purchase but after that being put in the wardrobe because new fashions come on the scene

But look at macs on offer on websites such as PVC-u-Like...macs on sale on ebay

Many sold but if we don"t or rarely see them worn outdoors where are they being worn...the answer ...Indoors...for comfort or in I dare say many cases Indoor fun

I wear macs indoors for comfort and an added "buzz"...many macs I have are designed for ladies

Will we see rainwear becoming a regular outer garment...I wish we could say YES but looking at the price some stores are asking it does force some to go for cheaper alternatives

As regards the high price I saw a gorgeous looking Trenchcoat style mac in my local M&S...taking note of the brand I checked online...£85.00!...Scary or what?

A company in Midhurst...Rainmac....do a really stylish ladies mac...but how many have I seen actually being worn...one but they keep in business and business is surviving if not thriving so has to be assumed they are for indoor wear

I like many would love to see more being worn......
merv
Posts: 1167
Joined: January 19th, 2010, 4:44 pm

Re: The rainwear scene is deteriorating ?

Post by merv »

I think we have been don this road a number of times in the past. The way I see it is that rainwear being worn in public is rather less necessary than it used to be. With the majority of people having cars driving to indoor shopping malls there is less need to be out in the open air in the rain and if you are inside (unless at home for fun) the need for a raincoat is rather less.

When I was a child we almost always had our raincoats with us on a day out, the bags were full before we actually went anywhere, seems most impractical now when i think about it.
rainwear-experience
Posts: 3234
Joined: January 17th, 2010, 12:35 pm

Re: The rainwear scene is deteriorating ?

Post by rainwear-experience »

Merv is right in a couple of area, yep we've been down this route before and yes the introduction of under cover shops and the increase people owning cars has led to a decline in rainwear

People dont invest in a piece of rainwear these days they prefer to buy a cheap poncho and throw it away at the end of an event or if its a longer event such as a festival they purchase a cheap, longer lasting coat that gets too muddy and thrown away at the end of the three days

PUL are still doing a great job for the 'enthusiast' while introducing a more upmarket fashion range that at least keeps pvc/plastic rainwear on the street

There lies another problem in some peoples minds PVC/Plastic represents 'cheap' and not hard wearing so they invest in 'Technical Rainwear'

I know for some of us its part of the attraction that the rainwear makes us over heat but people who dont share the passion buy rainwear to be dry inside and out not become some sort of boil in the bag figure
plasphil
Posts: 931
Joined: March 12th, 2010, 7:43 pm
Location: Surrey, England

Re: The rainwear scene is deteriorating ?

Post by plasphil »

I think the word 'fetish' is now associated with rainwear, especially plastic/pvc, E-bay sellers and the like are the worst offenders but I guess they think they stand more of a chance of a sale. Say you were someone NOT into our 'interests', simply searching for a raincoat of any kind, would you still buy it if the word 'fetish' was tagged to it? By simply Googling plastic or pvc raincoat, you will find find a number of links to 'fetish' sites.

It seems these days the only thing keeping plastic/pvc rainwear going is the pop festivals, bit noisy for my tastes!

Phil.
kulshan
Posts: 484
Joined: January 27th, 2010, 12:31 am

Re: The rainwear scene is deteriorating ?

Post by kulshan »

I think there is a ray of hope, at least stateside. In the urban areas, the traffic congestion has deteriorated driving to a point where more folks are riding bikes to work and taking transit and walking. Where I live we get 250 cloudy days a year and rainwear is accepted. Most of it is "technical" in nature of course, but that's expensive stuff. What is sold is "frogg togs" and that type of rainwear. So maybe we can get more PVC stuff as time goes on, especially if it's affordable. Hmmm. we got call centers in India, maybe their rainwear next. We can hope.
rainwear-experience
Posts: 3234
Joined: January 17th, 2010, 12:35 pm

Re: The rainwear scene is deteriorating ?

Post by rainwear-experience »

plasphil wrote:I think the word 'fetish' is now associated with rainwear, especially plastic/pvc, E-bay sellers and the like are the worst offenders but I guess they think they stand more of a chance of a sale. Say you were someone NOT into our 'interests', simply searching for a raincoat of any kind, would you still buy it if the word 'fetish' was tagged to it? By simply Googling plastic or pvc raincoat, you will find find a number of links to 'fetish' sites.

It seems these days the only thing keeping plastic/pvc rainwear going is the pop festivals, bit noisy for my tastes!

Phil.
There's a lot to what Phil says and obviously I have to hold my hand up about the website issue

One of the things that does concern me, and Im not having a go at anyone, is the amount of times i read things like 'i saw a woman in a beautiful black PVC mac and just had to tell her how good she looked in her mac' or 'I followed her for a while' most people dont share our interest and use rainwear to keep dry.

I imagine it could be quite frightening to find out someone is following you because of what you are wearing
merv
Posts: 1167
Joined: January 19th, 2010, 4:44 pm

Re: The rainwear scene is deteriorating ?

Post by merv »

with you on that one Ray. Just seems really creepy to behave like that. Same is those who take pictures without the subjects knowing and then splash them up on the web in a fetish context. Just seems wrong to me although I appreciate from what has gone before that others disagree with me which is for their conscience after all.
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