Australian Members

[thebrownman]



It seems there hasn't been any love for Cecil shirtmakers on this Thread. 

I've had several MTM shirts done with these guys over the years and for $150 they do quite a good job.  Cloth is sourced from Europe but mainly England and Italy, and the shirts get made up off-shore (Fiji last time I asked), turn-around time is usually well inside 2 weeks and they're based in the conservative business dress.

Good to hear, man. Are you willing to share fit pics?

 

[Sceps]

Apologies if this is a little off topic, any SFers members of the ATC?

 

[lennier]

Brad Pitt gets it right as usual. George mostly gets it right (2 button jacket with both done up, really George?) and generally a far higher standard than normal for the entertainment industry this year, at least in this sample.
http://www.theage.com.au/photogalle...cars-2012-20120227-1txgt.html?selectedImage=0

 

[appolyon]

^ Brad's pants left a little to be desired

 

[Philip]

I expected more from Jean

 

[blahman]



Brad Pitt gets it right as usual. George mostly gets it right (2 button jacket with both done up, really George?) and generally a far higher standard than normal for the entertainment industry this year, at least in this sample.
http://www.theage.com.au/photogalle...cars-2012-20120227-1txgt.html?selectedImage=0

Last time I checked Brad tends to not get it right.
The only person who got it right there is Sacha.


Michel Hazanavicius is best of the lot. satin peak, bow tie, cummerbund, studs. Fits generally well enough, though its a 2 button jacket. Still dapper enough.



And good news everyone!
Politix has released a new range of shirts!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[jaypee]

 

[lennier]



Last time I checked Brad tends to not get it right.
The only person who got it right there is Sacha.
Michel Hazanavicius is best of the lot. satin peak, bow tie, cummerbund, studs. Fits generally well enough, though its a 2 button jacket. Still dapper enough.

^ Brad's pants left a little to be desired

Didn't see any pictures of Brad's pants to be able to comment, but not sure how Michel's rig is elevated above Brad's, with flap pockets and two buttons on his jacket. In terms of classic black tie I don't see any missteps in Mr Pitt's ensemble (satin peak, bow tie, cummerbund, studs) other than perhaps sleeve length.

 

[lennier]



^ Brad's pants left a little to be desired

Ah, just saw a full length in another gallery, and yes not sure what he was thinking with that pants length. Missed that before as I was too busy checking out his wife.

 

[Windowpane1967]

Mens Shoes, a subject dear to my heart and an opportunity to contribute on StyleForum for the first time.

Mens shoes in Australia are some of the poorest quality rubbish anywhere in the developed world with the only exception being RM Williams, which are all well and good if you’re rounding up sheep in the Pilbara waiting for Red Dog to return.

For those of us desiring a little more refinement, the shelves are bare. The store salespeople will assure you that what they have is world class and priced accordingly, ie shoes made in China or Bangladesh sold as top end shoes comparable apparently, to Church’s, and Cheaney.

A good example are both Florsheim and Lloyds shoes. Both used to be a middle of the range quality shoe that you had because there was nothing else on offer – Windsor Smith were for men who’s girlfriends didn’t know any better. Now, we are subjected to the absolute bottom of the range in terms of quality and choice from both these shoe makers. Lloyds, you would be lucky to get one years wear out of them, yet they are charging upwards of AU$450 for rubber soles and old styles that seem to have been shoes that failed to sell elsewhere in the world. I cannot perceive for a moment that they are still made in Germany, the rubbish we have on offer here is reminiscent of something I might hobble together using felt and cardboard tacked together with a bit of Clag glue.

A quick moment to digress however – white shoes, yes they seem to be part of the rugby league footballers uniform – the Brisbane team the Broncos rolled out their corporate ‘get ups’ last week, complete with several players in white gondola shoes. One has to remember that these foot ballers as in many other parts of the world are dressed by their corporate sponsors. With the exception of the Collingwood Football Club, most other teams are sponsored by rag tag clothiers who’s shoes seem to come from a bargain bin of rubbish they couldn’t give away in seasons past. Collingwood I believe are dressed by Armani, or is that rumour??

The white shoe is but a lame attempt by Myer and David Jones and others to add some diversity to the shoe choice whilst being able to import directly from the shores of India and China rubbish that couldn’t even move from the shelves there, even with their millions of customers. Not forgetting that these long suffering stores then market these hideous shoes as premium trend shoes, a must have for the rugby league supporting, real estate spivs of the Gold Coast.

When they don’t sell overseas, Australia through these department stores dump them on a market that has little choice and getting slimmer. How long has it been since many of you have even cast a eye over the range that Myers offers?, its unbelievably bad – how many rubber soled shoes can you possibly cope with?

It is a case of the white gondola looking shoe or the rubber soled fake snake skin in dual colours, sitting besides the espadrilles made in Bangladesh for $2, yet sold here for $100 or more, considered and marketed as a bargain by the retailers. The mark-ups are unsustainable in what is becoming a hugely global market here. The opportunity for savvy mens shoe sellers is limitless because what is on offer right now is beyond the pale.

The retailers here have had such huge margins on all ranges of products, especially menswear and no more is this evident than in their marketing of mens shoes. I have seen similar shoes in the US and UK at prices where they couldn’t move stock that were a tenth of the cost of “the latest trends here”. Now, what we are seeing is a revolution in retail.

The large chains are bleating on a daily basis about how difficult trade is and how expensive it is to import stock. They have gotten away with highly inflated pricing now for soo many years with very little if any outside competition at all. We recently saw the coming of Zara and TopShop to Melbourne, Australia’s fashion capital. Over the Christmas period there were people cuing for hours to get there hands on reasonably priced, quality items. Quality in terms of the rubbish their competitors here were selling at premium.

David Jones is a good example of buying goods with labels to create floors of sections that resemble a museum without the depth of interest or exhilaration - , Zegna is a good example, David Jones are buying the ranges that no other store around the world wants at bargain basement prices and then augementing the ranges with consignment crap that no store in their right mind would stock, these are the ranges that Zegna would normally bury in some outlet store in downtown Romania. These are the ranges where items are made from Zegna’s lowest quality wool, thinnest cottons and lightest weave linens, however, they market this range of Zegna here as premium and price it accordingly which of course they are assisted by in terms of the multi million dollar advertising budget Zegna undertakes world wide. There is an absolute disconnect in Australia between what the likes of David Jones offers and how the global labels are perceived elsewhere. Sometimes I wonder if Zegna cringe at the way David Jones markets it product range here.

For example, if I specifically refer to the shoes (don’t get me started on the range of suiting and shirting) David Jones bring into the country. They are the bottom of the range in terms of the Zegna offering, ie dual eyelet, thin base, average quality leather cap toes, yet, we are being asked to pay AU$800 plus. Worst still, when David Jones has its hugely marketed sales, they drop the prices to say, AU$550 and think the average punter in the street feels they are getting a terrific deal. Truth is, the Australian punter is becoming wiser. They are now well aware that these shoes are not only cheaper but obtainable from reputable and safe sellers overseas for lets say AU$150.

For those of you who lament at the lack of quality shoes in Sydney, cast your minds north and imagine what sort of ‘aesthetic compromise’ you have to make in the homeland of the thong (flip flops) where its largely considered dressed up, especially if teamed with a pair of cargo shorts. At least Sydney has a couple of Josephs to fill a gap between the flip flop and the fake snake skin. IN Brisbane, the choice is even slimmer. We recently saw the reopening of Richards and Richards next door to Hermes and around the corner from the soon to be Gucci flagship store and Mitchell Ogilvie in his museum to mens clothes – look but don’t touch because we don’t want to have to tell you just how much your purchase is going to make us laugh when you realise how much we mark up our stock. Richards stock some high quality and beautiful shoes (Sutor Mantellassi), however, they again, think the average punter in the street is a mug. $1,300+ for Italian shoes when they are available from reputable sellers overseas for half that price delivered to the door is just economically mind-numbing. I went to Ogilvie’s and was presented with a pair of Church’s Consuls, they must have been at least 5 year old stock, a size and half too small, I was assured by a salesman almost 16 years of age with 5 minutes experience in selling that they would stretch overtime!.

I had to laugh with sincerity at the “land of the paper shoes” comment. How very true it is. Premium price for rubbish from the department stores and Aquila for example are a step up from the Windsor Smiths complemented with a free can of Lynx aftershave of years gone by. We are still the worlds backwater when it comes to quality menswear with a couple of exceptions.

I would encourage the contributor within this thread to revisit the American Tailors in Burke Street Melbourne. These guys are Neapolitan purveyors of very good quality items, expensive by world standards but somehow, worth it. Drakes ties, a couple of high end Neapolitan suit makers and some great shirts by a variety of quality shirtmakers. All they need would be to get some Incotex trousers in and it would be perfect. As for shoes, cant recall what they have.

In summary, to my Australian colleagues here lamenting the atrocious quality and hideously expensive rubbish on offer throughout our retail chain, my advice to you is www.herringshoes.co.uk. The service is outstanding and absolute first rate. I received my bespoke Church’s, both pairs delivered to the door complete with shoe trees and polish within the exact timeframe Adrian told me I would have them. What’s more, both pairs were just a little under the price of one pair of Church’s from McCLeods in Melbourne. The retail model here is as we say in Australia …. Buggered!! We no longer want white gondola shoes or fake snake skins with rubber soles. Cant wait to place another order with Adrian, and no, Im not on the payroll and like many other contributors on here, I don’t receive any freebees!! I simply appreciate quality at a price comparable to that of my counterparts in other countries.

 

[Prof. B. Bear]

Strong first post.

 

[fxh]

Thieves steal $1m worth of designer jeans
From: AAP February 27, 2012 10:50PM

DESIGNER jeans worth about $1 million have been stolen from a Sydney warehouse.

Police say the theft occurred in Rosebery between 5.30pm (AEDT) on Friday and 4.15am on Sunday.

The thieves broke in to the Rosebery St premises and stole about 3000 pairs of Ksubi designer jeans, valued at $1 million.

A white Mazda van inside the warehouse was also stolen but it was found in the early hours of Sunday morning burnt out in Glebe.

White van, designer jeans, I'm guessing blahman is on the run now.

 

[blahman]



Didn't see any pictures of Brad's pants to be able to comment, but not sure how Michel's rig is elevated above Brad's, with flap pockets and two buttons on his jacket. In terms of classic black tie I don't see any missteps in Mr Pitt's ensemble (satin peak, bow tie, cummerbund, studs) other than perhaps sleeve length.

Because it's not just a checklist. Brad may have checked off all the items in the black tie code, but he falls way short in execution.

 

[blahman]



Strong first post.

Strong in conviction too.

Although, as bad as it seems, if you know where to look quality can be had for a decent price. Just need to do some wandering around and find shops that are a little off the beaten track.

 

[Gerry Nelson]

I would encourage the contributor within this thread to revisit the American Tailors in Burke Street Melbourne. These guys are Neapolitan purveyors of very good quality items, expensive by world standards but somehow, worth it. Drakes ties, a couple of high end Neapolitan suit makers and some great shirts by a variety of quality shirtmakers. All they need would be to get some Incotex trousers in and it would be perfect. As for shoes, cant recall what they have.

Crockett and Jones, Carmina and Gaziano and Girling but they do have one or two other brands. For Crockett and Jones, Herringbone have price-matched American Tailors in the past.

Good post and very true!