4 ms·
You'd be surprised. The cost of rubbish clothing has fallen, but then the cost of very reasonable mid-quality has dramatically fallen. I used to buy Levis, then
by cik 6y ago
You'd be surprised. The cost of rubbish clothing has fallen, but then the cost of very reasonable mid-quality has dramatically fallen. I used to buy Levis, then Gap for mid range. Now, I get the same quality (and literally the same factory) jeans from Joe Fresh, for 1/4th to 1/5th of the price.
Suit shirts are the same. An online tailor I've been using for a decade sells shirts at half the price of Banana Republic (comparing to Canada), but mine are bespoke, perfectly fitted, and I can make choices from a website. To wit, I've stopped buying shirts in stores and now just use their service... since 2008. To make matters worse for retailers, his quality has improved at the price point.
Retail is hard.
- kevstev 6y agoWhat online tailor do you use? I have a local guy who charges fairly reasonable prices but it would be interesting to compare...
- ghaff 6y agoAs someone who knows very little about the fashion business--though I have had tailored clothing made--I'm a little surprised that more of a market for bespoke online ordering hasn't developed. Sure, you'll "never" get to the level of an in-person tailor with multiple fittings. But one would think that there would be a fair number of people willing to pay something of a premium for at least roughly customized clothing. I know that exists for shirts but, as I recall from when I used to buy more business casual, it was still a very big premium over buying stuff that fit me reasonably from Lands' End.
- cik 6y agoOnline tailors have solved that by partnering/paying for local alterations. They come into town X times per year (4-5?) for those who want the ongoing bespoke relationship. Then, when your clothes arrive, you can take them to a tailor to have them altered if necessary - paid for by the tailor, and your details updated, paid for by the tailor.
- listenallyall 6y agoEvery men's shirt on JoeFresh.com is either $24 or $29. What Gap do you shop at where prices are 4 or 5x higher? I'd use jeans for a comparison but they aren't on the web site.
- cik 6y agoJoe is frequently $15. Further, it's frequently 20% off at that point. But from a jeans perspective Gap jeans are $79, and the pair I'm wearing where $20. In January I paid $35 for two.
- listenallyall 6y agoAnyone who pays $79 for Gap jeans is a comically terrible shopper.