RRL halfbelt: pictured (a terrible ripoff?)

[Benproof]

Never mind the friggin' jacket!

I want a pair of Ralph Lauren table lamps! But at $1050 MRSP for each one and then import taxes into our crashing ££, I'm not going to have enough left to plug it into the electrics.

 

[Sir Jacket]

Never mind the friggin' jacket!

I want a pair of Ralph Lauren table lamps! But at $1050 MRSP for each one and then import taxes into our crashing ££, I'm not going to have enough left to plug it into the electrics.

Oh yes, those are nice, but you should go to a Midcentury Modern show, where you'll find as nice, and period, for much less.

 

[Benproof]

What is a midcentury modern show?

I think I am about to be painfully educated. I'd struggle to pay £1,500 for a commercial jacket, unless it's made by Belstaff. A decent Lewis Leathers seems like a bargain in comparison. Lighting...is another matter. I love stage lights and the warmth of 500 watt incandescent bulbs in winter. These ones are just standard 60 watt bulbs but the design is really atelier smart.

 

[Sir Jacket]

Midcentury Modern: they have regular shows in London. Beautiful stuff.

 

[Benproof]

That's one way to unify all those little shabby chic and retro upcycled stores!

Really uncanny - Elemental is there. I know the lady there (Bulgarian) since she used to buy a lot of the stock from a friend of mine.

Some great stuff there but no Ralph Lauren lighting which is 10x more than the usual cost of a table lamp :/

 

[dioscuri]

Don't get me started on Ralph Lauren. To me he is the worst kind of hypocrite. His entire brand is based on the 'Good Ol' US of A' and yet 99% of it is made in China or elsewhere. And don't tell me that 'Well, his overseas workers are treated fairly'. [Bartender edit:expletive deleted] He is exploiting them for every penny he can get.
If you are going to wave the Stars and Stripes as much as he does then put your effing money where your mouth is and support American workers! Even the U.S. Olympic team uniforms he designed were made in China!!!!

To me, part of quality is the design process—that is, the artists who create the collections. It's simply too cost-prohibitive to produce hundreds of pieces per season here in the US.

I buy most of my RL on eBay or at the annual sale. And being close to a flagship store is nice as the experience is fun and their customer service is top notch. Purple Label has definitely gone downhill and prices have gone up on all the lines. I still really like their outerwear and sweaters at a deep discount. But it helps to see things in person and figure out what you want. There are pieces that are definitely more impressive in person than online and vice versa.

 

[Benproof]

To me, part of quality is the design process—that is, the artists who create the collections. It's simply too cost-prohibitive to produce hundreds of pieces per season here in the US.

I buy most of my RL on eBay or at the annual sale. And being close to a flagship store is nice as the experience is fun and their customer service is top notch. Purple Label has definitely gone downhill and prices have gone up on all the lines. I still really like their outerwear and sweaters at a deep discount. But it helps to see things in person and figure out what you want. There are pieces that are definitely more impressive in person than online and vice versa.

That's one of RL's problems....they have too many outlets selling their product...too many diverse geographical, political, ecological steps in their production line and then too many deep discounts undercutting their product line. I'm not confident buying on ebay to know the difference between a counterfeit..

I've only got a few of their garments but their leather furniture are stunning.

 

[regius]

Not bad as a jacket but definitely not worth the price. What kind of leather is it?

RRL NEVER uses horshide, it's company policy, due to respect for animal welfare (probably the killing of horses is not as regulated and common practice as for bovines so iit's hard to take it as a by product of the "meat" industry". They use Italian veg tanned calfskin or cow or goat. The craftsmanship is good, very meticulous, but that's the surface top stitch you can see, not sure how the jacket is constructed underneath. What they are excellent for is the material, repro hardware, repro fabric and nice leather. But, the leather still is on the fashion side, they should start buying from Horween, then everything will be better....except one, the mark up and exploitation of the Chinese labor.

 

[regius]

There is a seller on ebay called the RL Shop or Store. It is likely that he stock excess items obtained directly from the Chinese factory, they are the same products, not even defects. The RRL materials are insanely attractive, the cotton, wool, vintage look hardware, but where do they get those???? They look like mass produced, but the markup, nevertheless, is still insane, all just for marketing purpose, to drive sales of the polo line.

 

[Dickie Teenie]

I just bought a hair on hide vest, the last one in my size for 50% off. As much for decor as a peek a boo layer piece. I don't know of anyone making a better hair on hide vest, if RRL goes away i won't feel like i snoozed and lose'd.

 

[Edward]

Nice looking piece. I'm always a tiny bit wary of the hair wearing off, but I love the look of that.

 

[Grayland]

RRL NEVER uses horshide, it's company policy, due to respect for animal welfare (probably the killing of horses is not as regulated and common practice as for bovines so iit's hard to take it as a by product of the "meat" industry".

RL does offer shoes in shell cordovan. Those shoes are made by Crockett & Jones, but sold by RL.

 

[regius]

RL does offer shoes in shell cordovan. Those shoes are made by Crockett & Jones, but sold by RL.

right right, and that says something about their adherence to the "animal welfare" thing, the politics of business arrangement....

 

[l0fielectronic]

anyone interested in this its now down to £700 and something in the sale. Still a fair chunk of money, but its how these retail brands work.

 

[Sir Jacket]

Sadly RRL London has closed down. Where will I get my plaid shirts from now?