Willis & Geiger - The Full Story?

[budrichard]

I always wondered why Lands End purchased the brand and killed Willis & Geiger.
It doesn't make any economic sense but killing a brand because it is viewed as a competitor does and allowing a brand to die because the original spirit is not involved does make sense to me.
Willis & Geiger and Eddie Bauer are gone with Filson following the same track.
Produce junk at inflated prices and sell with advertizing seems to be the 'soup de jour' of the business world today.-Dick
http://www.vice.com/read/the-great-lost-expedition-brand-000212-v20n2

 

[wild_balls]

Thank you, very interesting reading.

Cheers Joakim

 

[chamboid]

thanks for posting.

 

[1961MJS]

Hi

I remember when Banana Republic had actual stuff you might wear on a safari. I never owned any Willis and Geiger stuff, but then I'm a little young to have gotten the good stuff.

later

 

[Tomasso]

Over the years I've seen similar scenarios played out with countless iconic brands, in virtually all business sectors. It's really sad.

 

[HoosierDaddy]

Yes..interesting. It can be ruthless out there...
HD

 

[Plumbline]

It is indeed ruthless ... and a very interesting read ( similar to my own experience with BP's purchase of the Duckhams business in the 90's). I LOVE this little nugget :

"the A-2 jacket was first issued in 1936, and the average pilot at that time was 5' 6" and weighed 136 pounds. [By the time I bought the company] the current pilot was 5' 11" and weighed 185 pounds. It was a whole different ball game."


There will, however, ALWAYS be a market for QUALITY ( however small) ... and there will always be players in the market looking to play in these niche areas .. but the small fish will always be appetising snacks to bigger players be them aggressive takeoover players or cash rich buyers.

It has always been thus

 

[Deleted member 16736]

“Well, I’ll do my best.” He said, “No, you will do well.”

 

[budrichard]

In researching Military leather jackets, I quickly found out that issued jackets would not fit my body older shape.
Willis & Geiger, Eddie Bauer(made in the USA) on the other hand were sized for the contempory older US male. I have a beautiful W&G A2 size 46 that fits to a T. In Eddie Bauer sizing, I had to go with a 48. My son has the two Eddie Bauer size 46, that were just a little too tight.
Lokking at quality, W&G before Lands End got thier hands on them has excellent quality and the fit is great for me, As related, W&G could have made the Eddie Bauer leather or somone else in the USA. The quailty appears on a par with W&G but the fit tighter.
Currently many manufacturers have moved from numerical sizing to M,L,XL etc. The sizing is smaller for most European and off shore brands so a L is too small and an XL is usually too large for me but sometimes it reqires an XXL, it's a crap shoot.
The only game in town for correct sizing for me is still Filson.-Dick