A Row of Opportunity: Savile Row's pivot towards RTW

[Griffindork]



There are more and/or cheaper factories in Italy.

nah. not for making suits or for labor in general. italy is more expensive than the uk.

 

[gegarrenton]

Really? Who is better than Taub?

I wasn't referencing Taub (though some of his stuff would make Stevie Wonder flinch), I was referencing being impressed with G&H. If you impressed by crass commercialization, then fine, but there are plenty of examples of houses paying the bills with other revenue streams in a non vulgar manner. A&S, Poole, etc. have done it for years.

The comments from Clacher are dismaying.

“But I am not going to build a global business out of a craft that can make 800 to 1000 suits a year, maximum. It’s about turning Gieves & Hawkes No.1 Savile Row, Britain’s most famous tailoring company, into Gieves & Hawkes No.1 Savile Row, Britain’s most famous menswear brand.”

<insert vomit>

 

[gegarrenton]

nah. not for making suits or for labor in general. italy is more expensive than the uk.

Not in the chinese enclaves.

 

[unbelragazzo]



nah. not for making suits or for labor in general. italy is more expensive than the uk.

There are different factories and different levels of quality offered by each factory, so maybe it's hard to compare. But in terms of numbers, I would guess Italy is higher.

It would surprise me if wages in Italy were generally higher than wages in UK.

 

[Griffindork]

I don't know about wages but it isn't nearly as relevant to where a suit is produced as cost of labor would be. and in italy cost of labor is higher than in the uk. easy to confirm if you google.

edit:
even easier than I thought to confirm:

http://epp.eurostat.ec.europa.eu/cache/ITY_PUBLIC/3-10042013-AP/EN/3-10042013-AP-EN.PDF

 

[unbelragazzo]



I don't know about wages but it isn't nearly as relevant to where a suit is produced as cost of labor would be. and in italy cost of labor is higher than in the uk. easy to confirm if you google.

edit:
even easier than I thought to confirm:

http://epp.eurostat.ec.europa.eu/cache/ITY_PUBLIC/3-10042013-AP/EN/3-10042013-AP-EN.PDF

True to my word, I am surprised. Euro price stickiness is stronger than I thought I guess.

 

[dopey]

This is an interesting topic. Perhaps I can write more later, but I think SR bespoke and RTW are not generally a good fit (NPI) as they make different claims. In rare instances, Huntsman, for example it COULD make sense. But SR is really selling something different. The opposite of RTW in fact.

 

[Grammaton Cleric]



This is an interesting topic. Perhaps I can write more later, but I think SR bespoke and RTW are not generally a good fit (NPI) as they make different claims. In rare instances, Huntsman, for example it COULD make sense. But SR is really selling something different. The opposite of RTW in fact.

I don't believe SR has to be that one-dimensional though. If they can preserve, and perhaps feed off the marquee bespoke offering, I don't see why high quality RTW can't make a real impact in the menswear market.

Many of the big, prestigious luxury brands did also start off as haute couture shops (boasting prices, and workmanship, that would put any bespoke suit to shame).

 

[Claghorn]

SR RTW

 

[gegarrenton]

haute couture shops (boasting prices, and workmanship, that would put any bespoke suit to shame).

lolwut.

 

[Grammaton Cleric]



lolwut.

Try typing a complete sentence - this isn't the NMWA thread where typing like a 11-yr old is encouraged.

And, yes - haute couture pieces have a ridiculous amount of workmanship (far, far above a men's bespoke suit) - there's a reason that most sell for $50K-$100K.

 

[Grammaton Cleric]



SR RTW

That actually looks quite good (save the low buttoning pt). Are you carrying your shoes because it was hard to fit in a whole body shot? If so, I applaud your commitment to the iGent cause.

 

[gegarrenton]

Try typing a complete sentence - this isn't the NMWA thread where typing like a 11-yr old is encouraged.

And, yes - haute couture pieces have a ridiculous amount of workmanship (far, far above a men's bespoke suit) - there's a reason that most sell for $50K-$100K.

That ridiculous of an assertion doesn't deserve a complete sentence.

Workmanship has a vertical limit. Both the top of Haute Couture and top bespoke suits reach it. Plenty of Couture and bespoke does not.

 

[Claghorn]

That actually looks quite good (save the low buttoning pt). Are you carrying your shoes because it was hard to fit in a whole body shot? If so, I applaud your commitment to the iGent cause.

It's my lowest buttoning jacket actually, and has gotten praise for being such. I generally like mine a tad higher, but it's my only DB so I really have no idea where it should be in terms of what fits my body best.

I like the idea of a few SR tailors going RTW. I definitely like the idea a lot more than "entry level bespoke" which both cheapens the brand and muddies the water. I like some of the SR cuts, and while there are a few tailors out here that do decent Neapolitan/Florentine cuts, none that I know of does British. It's nice knowing that I can get that if I want it without going to England multiple times (also, Mrs. Claghorn will most definitely not allow me to spend more than $2,000 dollars on a suit. Ever. And I don't think there is a decent SR tailor that starts that low).

(and the shoe thing is a bit of a joke with the WAYWRN crowd. My wife and I don't wear shoes inside the house, and after there were suggestions that I actually don't own shoes or don't have feet or that I wear high heels, action needed to be taken)

 

[Grammaton Cleric]



Workmanship has a vertical limit. Both the top of Haute Couture and top bespoke suits reach it. Plenty of Couture and bespoke does not.

Anyone with even a passing familiarity with men's bespoke and genuine haute couture will know that I'm not the one being ridiculous here. Top bespoke comes nowhere close to haute couture levels of workmanship. And, just to be clear, I'm not referring to any designer brand that throws the word couture on a cocktail dress.

On second thought, stick to your "100% no", "lolwut" responses - they were more instructive.