What's wrong with Ralph Lauren these days?

[Marc Chevalier]

Well, I can go to a local vintage store and buy a suit for ~$60 to $80. Then I can take it to my tailor and have a little work done for $14 to $30 (I won't buy a suit if it doesn't fit pretty well to begin with).

Words like that leave Ralph Lauren cold.

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[Orgetorix]

What Marc said.

You can't buy Ralph's bottom-of-the-barrel Chaps or Lauren suits on 50% clearance at a discount store for that cheap.

 

[Pilgrim]

It was then that the most incredible thing happened. After going into great detail how certain markets (this one included) could not sustain sales of his "better lines" of goods, she giddily offers to show me his latest denim jean offerings. The same denim jean line that includes a $325 pair of "vintage" jeans that offers one rear pocket intentionally torn off and a smattering of self-inflicted "rips and repairs" that looked like a three year old had tried to mend!

Well, lah-de-dah, I'm sorry that I don't qualify for his "Better" lines of goods if she considers a torn pair of $325 jeans bargain basement stuff!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Designer prices are just insane. I buy Ralph Lauren polo items fairly often, but never at retail, only when on sale at least 50% off, and only such classics as oxford shirts and ties that don't cause my eyes to implode.

I don't care if a pair of jeans walk your dog, do the dishes and tuck you in bed at night, there's not a pair in the world worth over $50 to me. And I've never paid over $35 for a pair. My daughter worked at the Buckle for a while, they they live on selling jeans that start about $60 and go over $100. silly, just silly money for something as prosaic as jeans.

Ross, where is thy sting? The Polo jeans I've bought there for $16 fit just as nicely as if I'd gone into a store and paid $60 or more.

 

[Tomasso]

Ralph Lauren's formula is basically this: keep a classic core sense to the clothes, but adapt them to the fashions of the moment. At this moment, his pendulum is swinging more toward the latter, but he'll not go all the way.

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I was talking to an RL exec last week and she said as much. They're not too worried about losing the forty-somethings but they live in fear of losing the twenty-somethings. Also, while the catwalks, magazine ads and store windows may reflect the current collection there's still a lot of classically cut stuff to be had for the more hidebound RL enthusiasts. And of course RL offers MTM.

 

[Paisley]

I buy jeans at Lands' End for about $25 on sale (everything else from there is just to keep me warm and dry ). One nice thing they do is hem them to order. (Does RL or the fancy-schmancy stores that sell RL?) Even though I'm only 5'-4", it's hard to find jeans that are long enough. [huh]

 

[Pilgrim]

I was talking to an RL exec last week and she said as much. They're not too worried about losing the forty-somethings but they live in fear of losing the twenty-somethings. Also, while the catwalks, magazine ads and store windows may reflect the current collection there's still a lot of classically cut stuff to be had for the more hidebound RL enthusiasts. And of course RL offers MTM.

MTM?

How'd Mary Tyler Moore get into this?
[huh] [huh]

 

[Marc Chevalier]

'Made-to-measure', wiseguy. lol

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[Travis]

I believe you. The important question is, how much would you be willing to pay?

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Right now I'd be willing to pay between $300 and $600. If my income allowed it, I'd be willing to go much higher, but at that point I'd just go bespoke.

 

[Marc Chevalier]

Well, you see, that's the problem. Ralph Lauren's ready-to-wear suits go for more than that. He's not going to redesign his suits along more classic lines in order to sell them for less than he's getting now.

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[jamespowers]

This is just silly. For between $1500 and $2500, I could have my tailor make one specifically for me in whatever cloth and style I liked. Why would I buy something off the rack for that kind of dough. Makes no sense to me.
I never did like RL and now I can see another reason not to. Geez, no holes inthe old head here. :eusa_doh:

Regards,

J

 

[Travis]

Well, you see, that's the problem. Ralph Lauren's ready-to-wear suits go for more than that. He's not going to redesign his suits along more classic lines in order to sell them for less than he's getting now.

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I jumped over to Polo.com and was looking at prices and saw several set at $325. I thought maybe they actually offered some suits at this price. I went to do some more research to respond to this post, but after looking again, I think that was the price for the trousers alone, but as a full suit coming in around $1200. Unfortunately, yes, far out of my price range, so you've once again convinced me Marc. And my apologies for trying to prove you wrong, as I failed, and clearly you know far more about this sort of thing than I do.

 

[Marc Chevalier]

This is just silly. For between $1500 and $2500, I could have my tailor make one specifically for me in whatever cloth and style I liked. Why would I buy something off the rack for that kind of dough? Makes no sense to me.

You're right. But if I'm reading correctly between the lines, what folks in this thread really want is ...

Either classic, well made, golden era-style ready to wear clothes that are not expensive (or at least are readily available at such discount stores as Ross and Marshall's);

Or classic, well made, golden era-style custom made clothes that are not expensive and are readily obtainable.


In the end, the key phrase is "not expensive." Why? Because, as Jamespowers points out, we can have classic, golden-era style clothes custom made for us whenever we want. There's no lack of it. The problem, of course, is that it costs.


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[Marc Chevalier]

And my apologies for trying to prove you wrong, as I failed, and clearly you know far more about this sort of thing than I do.

Gosh, I never felt that you were trying to prove me or anyone else wrong. Quite the opposite: you are helping all of us try to find solutions to a frustrating problem. I definitely do not have a monopoly on knowledge of classic clothes. There are people around here who know more, a lot more, and I find myself learning from them all the time.

I enjoy your posts, Travis, and look forward to more.

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[jamespowers]

In the end, the key phrase is "not expensive." Why? Because, as Jamespowers points out, we can have classic, golden-era style clothes custom made for us whenever we want. There's no lack of it. The problem, of course, is that it costs.

The problem for the off the rack people like RL is that it costs as much as custom. Given the choice of being measured to make sure the fit is right, coming back and trying it on and making sure it is right before it is done, having the choice of tons of materials and styles that make the mind spin---or going into a store and hoping it fits and that they have the right style and material you want then having to have it tailored anyway on top of the intial price.
Gee, for the same price---I choose to have a custom made. No one with the common sense that they were born with would argue that one. :cheers1:

Regards,

J

 

[Travis]

The problem for the off the rack people like RL is that it costs as much as custom. Given the choice of being measured to make sure the fit is right, coming back and trying it on and making sure it is right before it is done, having the choice of tons of materials and styles that make the mind spin---or going into a store and hoping it fits and that they have the right style and material you want then having to have it tailored anyway on top of the intial price.
Gee, for the same price---I choose to have a custom made. No one with the common sense that they were born with would argue that one. :cheers1:

Regards,

J

Now if only it cost as much to get a custom suit made as it does to buy a cheap suit off the rack, you know, for the good of society. If everyone looked sharp, the world would be a better place, but I digress.

 

[Marc Chevalier]

The problem for the off the rack people like RL is that it costs as much as custom.

True. But here's the difference: if I look enough, I can also get an RL off-the-rack suit at discount houses ... or at consignment stores ... or on eBay. In other words, it is possible (though not necessarily easy) to find RL at steep discounts. Custom, of course, is not available from anywhere except the tailor himself. No discounts are to be had.


Of course, you can always have a suit custom made cheaply via long distance tailors in Thailand or Nepal ... but you risk having them mess it up.

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[jamespowers]

True. But here's the difference: if I look enough, I can also get an RL off-the-rack suit at discount houses ... or at consignment stores ... or on eBay. In other words, I can find RL at steep discounts. Custom, of course, is not available from anywhere except the tailor himself. No discounts are to be had.


Of course, you can always have a suit cheaply made via long distance tailors in Thailand or Nepal ... but you risk having them mess up.

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I thought about that after I let that post go. I let it go because I still have a better choice of materials and styles. That and I would still have to take it to the tailor to get it cuffed and just right anyway. How steep a discount are we talking? What styles? Where is the best question---so I don't end up blowing tons of time that ends up costing money one way or the other as well---remember to pay yourself first.

Regards,

J

 

[Marc Chevalier]

I agree with you. Great observations for sure. :eusa_clap

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[jamespowers]

I agree with you. Great observations for sure. :eusa_clap

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Wait a minute! You didn't answer the where these steep discounts were to be had.

Regards,

J

 

[Marc Chevalier]

Some resale places in the L.A. area.


Try "It's a Wrap!" on Magnolia Avenue in Burbank. They sell suits used in films and on TV. For instance, I saw a really fine single-breasted, peak lapel Barney's suit there: it was worn by the "Mr. Big" character early on in the "Sex & the City" HBO series. Asking price was $150. Not bad.


Selection and sizes aren't consistent, though. It's either feast or famine.

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