The Ultimate Toronto Thread

[othertravel]

Well it's out now. Did you ever get a deal through them by negotiating?

 

[SirReveller]

Thank you for the thoughts gentlemen. City: The fit is damn near perfect and a bday is the perfect excuse. Cal confirms what I suspected: not likely to be beat via online.

Roger: why would I not share a possibly useful bit of data like that with the guys?
*also I am pretty sure RJ is not on here. Frankly I wouldnt care if they were anyway.
...also also: you can try a haggle just about anywhere that is privately owned nonchain.

 

[SirReveller]



Well it's out now. Did you ever get a deal through them by negotiating?

Yes on a Santoni GY pair. They dont carry that brand anymore. Only thing Ive ever purchased there so far. The threads are top tier brands but skyhigh prices as you expect w Kiton etc

 

[Odd I/O]



Roger: why would I not share a possibly useful bit of data like that with the guys?
*also I am pretty sure RJ is not on here. Frankly I wouldnt care if they were anyway.
...also also: you can try a haggle just about anywhere that is privately owned nonchain.

How do you begin the haggling process? I'm terrible at it.

I'm curious if we could do a group buy for a bigger discount. I know that if you buy 3K worth of stuff from Skoak they'll give you a 10% discount.

 

[RogerP]

Thank you for the thoughts gentlemen. City: The fit is damn near perfect and a bday is the perfect excuse. Cal confirms what I suspected: not likely to be beat via online.

Roger: why would I not share a possibly useful bit of data like that with the guys?
*also I am pretty sure RJ is not on here. Frankly I wouldnt care if they were anyway.
...also also: you can try a haggle just about anywhere that is privately owned nonchain.

RJ probably is not here. EG is. I'm not saying that relating that you got a good deal is a bad thing. But EG takes a very Soup Nazi approach to their retailers. Stating that they sold you (or were willing to sell you) x model with y retail for z dollars might not be helpful. Just my opinion.

 

[SirReveller]

Fair enough.

 

[RogerP]

Well it's out now. Did you ever get a deal through them by negotiating?

I've received various accommodations on price from any number of retailers where I am a repeat customer.

As a rule, I don't walk into an establishment for the first time and start bargaining on price. Not saying that's wrong, it's just not me.

Though if I am admiring a suit or pair of shoes or what have you, I might say something along the lines of "That's beautiful, but beyond my current budget - I'll keep it in mind." I have not infrequently received a favourable response.

As an aside, what I really like about Robert Jones is the genuine enthusiasm of the proprietors for fine menswear. They know full well the price point where I purchase when it comes to suits - which has been a series of Samuelsohn MTM. But that doesn't inhibit them in the least from popping into the back taking out a $10k Kiton overcoat fabricated from the underbelly clippings of a baby unicorn and telling me "You just HAVE to try this on!" That's some serious fun right there.

 

[Bill Dlwgosh]

Hi Roger, I'm also a Samuelsohn fan and am considering Samuelsohn MTM but for sport coats rather than suits. Would you suggest Robert Jones ahead of Harry Rosen for Sammy MTM?

 

[RogerP]

Hi Roger, I'm also a Samuelsohn fan and am considering Samuelsohn MTM but for sport coats rather than suits. Would you suggest Robert Jones ahead of Harry Rosen for Sammy MTM?

Hey Bill. Yes. Rosen can be a bit hit and miss in terms of the staff knowing what they are doing. And I kind of like the smaller, more relaxed atmosphere of RJ. Best to call ahead and set up a time to get measured and go through the samples.

Frankly - Rosen is moving too far toward the trendy fashion forward GQ BS and increasingly leaving classic menswear behind. I got my most recent "harry" magazine and saw that the first feature article was entitled "Shoes Make the Man".

I thought - well all right - good footwear is the most seriously overlooked element of fine menswear, good on them for trying to address that!

Then I turn to the page.... and.... let's just say you'd best look on an empty stomach. No, seriously.

 

[othertravel]



Hey Bill. Yes.  Rosen can be a bit hit and miss in terms of the staff knowing what they are doing.  And I kind of like the smaller, more relaxed atmosphere of RJ. Best to call ahead and set up a time to get measured and go through the samples.

Frankly - Rosen is moving too far toward the trendy fashion forward GQ BS and increasingly leaving classic menswear behind.  I got my most recent "harry" magazine and saw that the first feature article was entitled "Shoes Make the Man".

I thought - well all right - good footwear is the most seriously overlooked element of fine menswear, good on them for trying to address that!

Then I turn to the page.... and.... let's just say you'd best look on an empty stomach.  No, seriously.

I'm surprised that Harry's doesn't carry better shoe brands. TF shoes are nice obviously, but retail for $2K plus.

I guess what I'm trying to say is they have no middle ground. They have the cheaper cemented brands, and then the bank busters (shoes by Kiton, TF and Tramezza).

The only decent (in my opinion) brand in the mid range is AE. Some of the Canali and Zegna stuff is nice, but again kind of pricey.

 

[akoustas]

Shoe game in Toronto is still pretty weak. Was looking for something nice in the $500 range but there's absolutely nothing....probably just going to save up and hit up Jok for a MTM at some point. Leatherfoot stopped carrying Carmina (for all intents and purposes) and J.Fitzpatrick. RJ is carrying Gravati, but the captoes I was looking at were about $700...seems a bit steep for what you get.

 

[RogerP]

I'm surprised that Harry's doesn't carry better shoe brands. TF shoes are nice obviously, but retail for $2K plus.

I guess what I'm trying to say is they have no middle ground. They have the cheaper cemented brands, and then the bank busters (shoes by Kiton, TF and Tramezza).

The only decent (in my opinion) brand in the mid range is AE. Some of the Canali and Zegna stuff is nice, but again kind of pricey.

My complaint with Rosen isn't that they lack a broad range of quality offerings (which certainly IS a valid complaint) but that they offer and promote so many offerings that are both horrendously ugly and absurdly overpriced. Go look at their feature shoe article in the new magazine - absolutely barf inspiring. They are supposed to be the reason people dress well - not the reason people dress like clueless clowns.

 

[RogerP]

Shoe game in Toronto is still pretty weak. Was looking for something nice in the $500 range but there's absolutely nothing....probably just going to save up and hit up Jok for a MTM at some point. Leatherfoot stopped carrying Carmina (for all intents and purposes) and J.Fitzpatrick. RJ is carrying Gravati, but the captoes I was looking at were about $700...seems a bit steep for what you get.

Definitely get MTO Vass from Jok over $700 Gravati.

 

[Bill Smith]



FYI Holts Mens on bloor seems to be discontinuing Cheaney. A few models for about $475.

Cheaney isn't flashy enough for Holts. That's also a reason why as RogerP pointed out that Harry Rosen carries clown shoes. Well made classic footwear isn't popular with menswear retailers in Toronto and by extension Canada. There's very much equating brand name i.e. Canali, Boss etc. equals quality. Personally I rather take either Cheaney or Crockett and Jones if given access to it.

 

[stanchri]

I would blame the lack of quality classic footwear in Toronto on the apparent lack of interest. I mean if you look at shoes around Bay Street it's even worse than what Rosen has in their magazine.