Unfunded Liabilities: a/k/a The Cloth Thread - Page 332

Originally Posted by bboysdontcryy 

I paid 55 euros/m for Riva fabrics when I was in Naples. That's not exceptionally expensive, but I think they marked up the prices on me. I'm a little surprised by Matt's comment about how they don't last though. All that cachet to naught?

Originally Posted by P-K-L 

I paid €100 for 3 meters - on sale however.

Originally Posted by etkl 

The on-line price of Bonfanti's linen/cotton,made on a 90 cm loom, is 29 euros.

Originally Posted by RogerC 

Expensive does not equal durable. Compare to cars: a Formula 1 car costs millions, and essentially needs to be fully rebuilt after a couple of races, whereas a Toyota truck will cost significantly less money, and will survive anything bar a nuclear assault. The F1 car maximizes certain properties (speed) at the expense of others (durability, loading space, price).

It seems to me this is the same for luxury fabrics. In the drive to create higher super numbers and thread counts, durability is very often lost. When you are sufficiently wealthy, that's not a problem, you order 50 shirts in one go. When you're an upper middle class StyleForum baller who also has a mortgage, student debt and child care to take care of, things are a bit different.

Personally, I try to go for the Skoda deal: what will look good, be reasonably priced (but not necessarily cheap) and get the job done without me having to fuss too much. In fabrics, that means that I gravitate towards anything that is not marketed as a super for suitings/jacketings, and 100/2 thread count or lower in shirts.

Originally Posted by bboysdontcryy 

Nice analogy. Well, we shall see how long my Riva shirts hold up. Or back to the usual names for me. Should have tried a couple instead of ordering 6 in one fell swoop.

Originally Posted by jerrybrowne 


Where are you guys buying the Riva?

Originally Posted by RogerC 

By the way, I just saw that Dugdale has come up with a new high twist bunch, with some great suitings. Not CBD, but very, very nice as an informal/FU suit.

Originally Posted by RogerC 

Dugdale's shrtings look great design wise but expensive compared with Acorn.

Originally Posted by Concordia 

Now THAT's a potentially remarkable find. I didn't know he'd entered the 21st century as far as selling goes. It seems that he'll even send you a complete book of swatches for 150 Euros--- not a bad R&D expense if you're having a large wardrobe CMT'd.

Originally Posted by dopey 

No one asked, but I am really happy using pretty basic shirting - the Acorn 80s are fine with me. I have some Riva shirts and some other very high count shirts, and they do feel nicer, but not in a way that makes me care. Once I tried a few, a lost interest except for a black tie shirt, which I had made using a Riva polin. About the only time I look at the higher count shirtings now is when I am looking for a particular pattern or weave.