Quote:
Originally Posted by
OttoSkadelig 
wow. so you have derived your sweeping conclusion from a) one article, and b) over aesthetic choices that were made by Zegna rather than Gilt?
did gilt advertise that it was mainline? even if it did, how do you know it wasn't? are you aware that brands do change their specs? for example, armani collezioni sometimes makes fused suits, sometimes they don't. shoulder padding varies over time and by model. i could go on. how do you know that your blazer wasn't one of Zegna's more old-school cuts? or that it was an unsuccessful model for some of the stylistic reasons you mention, thereby explaining why it ended up getting dumped on gilt in the first place?
and how do you know that zegna made it specially for gilt? gilt deals primarily in low-volume remainders -- especially as far as the european luxury brands are concerned. i think it is highly unlikely, bordering on absurd, that they would commission zegna to make a small number of unfashionably-cut blazers, especially given that the overall profile of the stuff they sell is clearly leaning towards the young, trendy buyer. surely they know their customers a bit better.
and BTW, i don't think $1500-ish for a zegna canvassed blazer is absurd. have you checked zegna's pricing recently? whether or not it flatters your body is hardly relevant and i doubt zegna factored that consideration into their list pricing. maybe they designed it for a middle-aged body that needs stronger shoulders. maybe some buyers don't like a light canvas.
i have no illusions about gilt either. all they do is provide arbitrage between leftover trickles of luxury or pseudo-luxury goods from various sources and buyers that otherwise have limited access to them. everyone wins, and gilt makes a pile of money. sometimes their stuff is great, sometimes it is merely okay / meh. i recognize the value of the service they provide but am a lukewarm fan at best.
but this reaction is so ridiculously over-the-top (and more importantly, based on ONE experience and around issues that originate with the manufacturer?!) that i don't even know where to begin.
dude, i think you need to drink more decaf and unclench. and worry a bit less about jumping so energetically on the "gilt sucks" SF bandwagon. or at least, do so with a better reasoned case.
Otto, I generally enjoy your posts, but you're an idiot. It has been well-established that Gilt got too big for its britches, ran out of "leftovers" to sell, and started commissioning designers to make stuff for them, to their specs, AS THEY DID TODAY WITH THE MARTIN GREENFIELD SALE. And as they did with the Brooks Brothers line sold earlier in the week. It's not arbitrage any more - they've become a glorified Off Fifth - except, unlike Off Fifth, THEY DON'T DO REFUNDS. Gilt sold a full size run of Zegna blazers - how on EARTH did they have ample jackets in a full size run unless the jackets were made for Gilt? Oh, yeah - pursuant to your reasoning, Zegna had boxes and boxes of old, mainline blazers sitting around, and they shipped them to Gilt. Jesus....
