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Clad Man Incotex Sale - Buyer Beware!

post #1 of 30
1/9/12 at 7:50pm
Thread Starter 
A week or so ago I saw a PSA that Clad was having a post-Xmas sale on flat front flannel Incotex for $109

Figuring that this is essentially B&S pricing for a staple item, I picked up a pair and they arrived today.

Since I own about 20 pair, I think I have a feel for the brand. I've got em from Italy, Romania, and Portugal, in wool, cotton, and some summer linochinos - just great fitting pants all around as long as you stay away from the super-slim ball, crushing models. So you can imagine my surprise when I opened the box and my first reaction was "Whoa - they look...uh, really, really cheap!"

And I'm talking "cheap" as in "Ewww I don't want to touch them" cheap. Truly a far cry from the, ahem. "investment grade wool" the product info described.

Clad may be at criminal risk for describing them as "flannel" - there is no nap to the fabric and they are paper-thin like a pair of summer pants. All of the baseline Inco features - curtained/split waistband, pick stitching, belt keeper, etc. - were missing and the waist buttoned with a strange setup that had the buttonhole covered by the external fabric. I also started to search for the standard Inco internal labeling and there was none - only a small patch on the waistband that offered up a deft term of art that said - and I'm not kidding - "Incotex Inside."

WTF?

Anybody else ever seen anything like this?
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post #2 of 30
1/9/12 at 7:56pm
You should post pics. The split waistband and belt keeper seem like giveaways that these aren't legit... though who knows. I picked up a pair recently that had this feature, however: "the waist buttoned with a strange setup that had the buttonhole covered by the external fabric."
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post #3 of 30
1/9/12 at 8:13pm
I own a pair of incos without a curtained waistband and belt keeper. They're the cinquetasche model. Regardless, it could just be light summer pants. Post pics? Or contact seller?

I know with the daffy's mabitex there was a huge variance in quality. I luckily used to live near a daffy's so nearly all my pairs are the awesome kind wink.gif
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post #4 of 30
1/10/12 at 4:02am
I got, and returned them, as well, with a similar response. But when I looked again at the item description, it does include the "Ivory" brand name. I just didn't notice, nor realize it was their diffusion brand.

So I don't think they actually did anything wrong. Return is easy after all.
Edited by sm31 - 1/10/12 at 5:38am
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post #5 of 30
1/10/12 at 8:00am

I am really disssapointed to hear that these pants arn't up to your standard. I purchased a pair from a boutique in SF for over $300. This was my first attempt to buy high quality trousers (all of this before I found this forum).

    They are the "Ivory Incotex Inside". The quality of the wool was wonderful, the fit and style wern't like anything I had found before. I actually happen to be wearing them today so I can take any pictures you need today. So even thought these are the best trousers I have ever purchased, they are not very good? I guess I have more to learn than I thought.

 

So now I know $300 was too much for these I guess (although I can't do anything about it now), As long as they are atleast 2x better than my JosABank pants (I know, I know, but I purchased them before I was on here too) then I feel ok about it. Are they 2x better? shog[1].gif

 

Here are some pictures. (Sorry, cell phone pics)

IMG_0270[1].JPG

IMG_0271[1].JPG

IMG_0269[1].JPG


Edited by JumpinHowie - 1/10/12 at 8:26am
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post #6 of 30
1/10/12 at 12:23pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by JumpinHowie View Post

They are the "Ivory Incotex Inside". The quality of the wool was wonderful, the fit and style wern't like anything I had found before. I actually happen to be wearing them today so I can take any pictures you need today. So even thought these are the best trousers I have ever purchased, they are not very good?

I think the ones I got were OK; just not up to the construction (with french fly, split-curtained wastebands, etc.) and material quality of forum favorites like the mainline Incotex, Howard Yount, etc..

No; definitely not worth $300. But live and learn. And if you like them, then enjoy them.

As luck would have it, I picked up a nice pair of Polo "made in italy" flannel pants on eBay right after I returned these, for the same price. I definitely prefer them.
Edited by sm31 - 1/10/12 at 1:16pm
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post #7 of 30
1/10/12 at 12:40pm

Good to know. Lesson learned. And now I have a new project (found out what french fly and curtained wastebands are).

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post #8 of 30
1/10/12 at 1:16pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by JumpinHowie View Post

Good to know. Lesson learned. And now I have a new project (found out what french fly and curtained wastebands are).

You can see both here. I should have said "split-curtain" BTW.

263
263
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post #9 of 30
1/10/12 at 2:04pm

Thanks. That made my research a lot easier :)

So to confirm, the french fly is that second button tab you can see on the inside of the pants that would button on the outside of the pants when fastened, correct? Is it considered french fly if it is a hook (like in the picture below) instead of the button?

 

So is that v notch in the picture below a split-curtain? If so, I don't understand why you would want that. The french fly makes sense to me but not the split-curtain.

 

Thanks again for all the newbie help biggrin.gif

 

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post #10 of 30
1/10/12 at 2:33pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by sm31 View Post

Quote:
Originally Posted by JumpinHowie View Post

Good to know. Lesson learned. And now I have a new project (found out what french fly and curtained wastebands are).

You can see both here. I should have said "split-curtain" BTW.

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those are mabitex
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post #11 of 30
1/11/12 at 12:39pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Azul View Post

those are mabitex

Yes. I was just showing him about the french fly and split waistband.
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post #12 of 30
1/11/12 at 12:40pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by JumpinHowie View Post

So is that v notch in the picture below a split-curtain? If so, I don't understand why you would want that. The french fly makes sense to me but not the split-curtain.

It fits better, and I believe is easier to alter.
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post #13 of 30
1/11/12 at 1:15pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by JumpinHowie View Post

Thanks. That made my research a lot easier smile.gif
So to confirm, the french fly is that second button tab you can see on the inside of the pants that would button on the outside of the pants when fastened, correct? Is it considered french fly if it is a hook (like in the picture below) instead of the button?

So is that v notch in the picture below a split-curtain? If so, I don't understand why you would want that. The french fly makes sense to me but not the split-curtain.

Thanks again for all the newbie help biggrin.gif



Split-curtain and the v-notch are independent features.

The split-curtain makes waist alterations easier (and, as I understand it from my tailor, the results are better than trousers without).

The v-notch is part stylistic but also touted as providing a more forgiving waist to the wearer since it allows the upper half of the waist "curtain" to flex a bit horizontally at the rear. This helps with sitting/standing/crouching or when you're leaning back while sitting in your trousers. That little split provides a bit of forgiveness in flex.

Also note that, I believe, the v-notch is a smaller, modern version of what was historically called the "fish tail back" on pants like these:

355

Which, I believe were originally intended for suspenders but I think have been retcon'd by modern makers for nothing more than "good old days" stylistic flair.

...

Two years ago when I joined SF I didn't know any of this. I can't believe I can write something like this now.
Edited by razl - 1/12/12 at 7:10am
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post #14 of 30
1/11/12 at 1:31pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Spark View Post

And I'm talking "cheap" as in "Ewww I don't want to touch them" cheap. Truly a far cry from the, ahem. "investment grade wool" the product info described.

I went a took a look and was floored at the "investment grade wool" point - you really weren't kidding.

When they say that, I'm expecting RLPL/Cucinelli/Panta smile.gif quality stuff.
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post #15 of 30
1/12/12 at 5:19am
I too found Cladmen "Incotex Ivory" pants, and since there were too few deets about the fit, measurements, etc I did a bit of research. Also, when I read "investment grade 100% wool twill" the first thing that crossed my mind was WTF? Who writes this bollocks?

Anyway, see here.

An excerpt: Industrie Confezioni Tessili, the Italian company that owns the Slowear global project and distributes the specialized brands Incotex, Zanone, Montedoro and Glanshirt, has signed a license agreement with Ballin, the Canadian manufacturer and marketer of better men’s trousers for North America. The license is for a new brand, to be called Ivory Incotex Inside that will be marketed to a larger group of specialty stores than the very exclusive Incotex brand, as well as selected department stores.

From what I read here it seems Incotex is determined to damage its brand.

I've sent slowear an email, consumer@slowear.com.
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