Australian Members

[rhubarb jam]

Erghhh, apologies for the spelling error Journeyman. That's the result of alt tabbing furiously between this, an excel spreadsheet and emails without getting caught out by the boss! haha
It's during the week, and it will be just before I start work for the day, so I think the suit is the right option. Thanks for the advice and brownman, I might take you up on that offer. Thanks!

 

[thebrownman]



Appreciate the Sydney advice and would love the views of others.
Speaking of ordering online, just bought this as a birthday present to me from family in Scotland (buying from here avoids VAT) and got free shipping after a quick Google search....would cost 2 or 3 times the price in Australia if you could find such a thing.
http://www.farfetch.com/shopping/men/boglioli-single-breast-jacket-item-10161420.aspx

Yes, the Woollahra store on Queen Street is the Herringbone HQ.

 

[blahman]



This is why the old business model of buying design #3821 from Guangzhou textile factory #684, sewing your own label on it and selling it for $99 won't work anymore. You have to distinguish yourself through your design, not through your cost. Commodity clothing (or anything else) will always be cheaper on the Internet than in a real store.
Cue is a good example of a local firm that manages to design it's own lines in house, manufacture its clothing in Australia, and demand a premium from a loyal customer base that keeps them profitable. It is a model that merits some admiration, though I'm not convinced you can easily translate it to menswear.

It all comes down to offering products that can be differentiated from the others. You simply cannot get away with charging a premium price for the exact same shirt as a $20 one. Right now I can pick a shirt from Saxony and likely find one just like it from Politix, Blaq, industrie or a number of other Australian brands.

The reasons for why the likes of Zara is flourishing in Australia is not limited to supply chain efficiencies from it's structures. From it's collection to Store display designs, all of them convey Zara is offering something a bit different from the rest of the Market with a large variety of colours and textures on offer. When you become different enough, then you can set a more premium price as the consumers do not have an easy reference point to compare prices.

 

[rhubarb jam]

When you become different enough, then you can set a more premium price as the consumers do not have an easy reference point to compare prices.

So much this.
I'm sick of seeing the same suit jacket in every single menswear store, or the same glued sole black pointy shoes retailing for $200, when I know I can get infinitely better quality on herring or pediwear for a similar price.

 

[thebrownman]



Erghhh, apologies for the spelling error Journeyman. That's the result of alt tabbing furiously between this, an excel spreadsheet and emails without getting caught out by the boss! haha
It's during the week, and it will be just before I start work for the day, so I think the suit is the right option. Thanks for the advice and brownman, I might take you up on that offer. Thanks!

I wouldn't wear a suit. Your meeting may be before you start work for the day but it's also still in an industry where there is a very different dress code,

I'm not sure how much people subscribe to the 'dress for the job you want, not the one you have' mentality, but I feel it may be apt here..

 

[sliq]

Iand replenished fragrance stocks

strawberry.net?

 

[TheWraith]



So much this.
I'm sick of seeing the same suit jacket in every single menswear store, or the same glued sole black pointy shoes retailing for $200, when I know I can get infinitely better quality on herring or pediwear for a similar price.

Bingo.

 

[thebrownman]

Oh, one more thing Rhubarb Jam - you don't have to alt tab at work. Ever. There's no NSFW here. It's ideal.

EDIT: You don't have to ⌘ + tab (many agencies use only Macs)..

 

[deingesicht]

I'm heading to Thailand/Cambodia for a couple of weeks, and looking at getting a couple of suits made in Bangkok (probably Narin) or Travellers Apparel. I only want to spend ~1k per suit, thus PJ is out of the question. Previously, I've used a HK guy who has come down to Melbourne, but I have found that I want a more fitting suit.

Any thoughts?

 

[thebrownman]

Thoughts? Please don't do it.

Beg, borrow, steal ~ $400 more and go to PJohnson or someone in the MTM business who is able to give you what you want.

Or buy RTW from retailers such as Herringbone, MJ Bale, et al. who will sell quality products. Thailand tailoring is (largely) ******* ****.

 

[fxh]

Many good posts on the whole Low Value GST threshold. Lachyz made some spot on points (I might have to boot blahman from my intern position and take on lachy)

I'll bang on about some of my points I've been banging on about for years.

Retail is tough and fickle. Its possibly tougher and more fickle than its ever been , but not by much - its always like that.

The Department store model has been in trouble for years, worldwide, irrespective of "tough"retail conditions or online buying or un-australian consumers.

Mid and upper mid department stores have been in more trouble than others for years. DJs and Myers etc. are mid and upper mid department stores through and through. They do not know any other model. Harvey Norman is a department store model slightly adapted and different enough to be disruptive when it was first introduced. Its now just another low service low knowledge bulk department store on suburban big box estates that doesn't sell clothes and cosmetics.HN success is only partly due to retail model and sales. Their franchise model placed most risk onto franchisees and their real estate ownership model reaped increased value due to factors other than retail volumes - for evidence of this look at HN Irish network and the impact of a dead economy and burst property boom.

You'd be hard pressed to go to a Harvey Norman shed and find an Australian made product. HN has been repeatedly warned about misrepresentation. HN 'free" no interest credit always came with an initial fee GREATER than interest on a personal loan for same period and almost equal to credit card interest rates. HN credit was run by GE. HN earned money from selling GE credit. This is drying up due to economy.

The Productivity Commission’s final report on the Economic Structure and Performance of the Australian Retail Industry 2011 (PC) found that the costs of collecting GST on Low Value imports, less than $1,000, exceeded revenue. (note the PC did not take into account costs transferred by collection agents, couriers, forwarders, Post Office to consumer - which are considerable).

As expected the mercantilists/ protectionists went ballistic with misinformation and special pleading to pressure government to introduce anti competitive measures and punish consumers who purchased online.

The Government set up the Low Value Parcel Imports Task Force, which reported in March 2012. There are those who cynically suggest that this Task Force was set up to soften or change the PC recommendations. Ther e is no evidence that the Task Force had as many resources as the PC, or that their model was as good or better than the PC. They certainly didn’t have abroad view related to productivity.

The Task Force consulted with Gov agencies such as Customs, Parcel forwarders, Customs agents and retail associations. Not consumers or online retailers or competition specialists. All those consulted have an interest in greater barriers and bureaucracy created by the lowering of the GST threshold. (Increased customs jobs, increased agent fees etc)

The task Force themselves estimated that there could be a $60 PER PARCEL cost to consumers if the LVT is lowered.

The imposition of GST on LV goods is not a simple 10% increase.

The imposition of GST on LV imports greatly increases costs to consumers by many factors. Some overseas retailers will refuse to ship to Australia and collect GST. Those that do collect GST for the Australian government will, as a matter of good business practice, need to charge for the administrative cost of collecting tax for the Australian government.

The will be increased inspection / collection costs at the Australian border, these will be charged to the consumers, either by Australian customs, Australia Post or couriers forwarders. These are easily likely to be around $50 PER PARCEL irrespective of value.

There are increased costs to consumers due to delay in processing LV imports. There are myriad illustrations ( case studies) of LV goods being held up at "customs" for WEEKS in those countries with a low threshold. This will be the norm not the exception.

In all the lowering of the threshold would be a anti-competitive punishment levied on consumers for shopping overseas and online.

The sting in the tail for the retailers will be that online retailer like Amazon and LE, will find it cheaper to set up online and in depots in Australia than to collect GST in USA or elsewhere. But then that never stopped Australian business from seeking government protection from competition or the march of technology.

To compete on price, quality and service without taxpayer/government help would be absolutely un-Australian.

 

[tobiasj]

You have to be suspicious of tailors in a country where next to no-one actually wears a suit.

 

[rhubarb jam]

I'm heading to Thailand/Cambodia for a couple of weeks, and looking at getting a couple of suits made in Bangkok (probably Narin) or Travellers Apparel. I only want to spend ~1k per suit, thus PJ is out of the question. Previously, I've used a HK guy who has come down to Melbourne, but I have found that I want a more fitting suit.

Any thoughts?

I echo Brownman's sentiments on this topic. I've seen some of my friend's suits made in Thailand, Vietnam etc and apart from hideous fabric, the sturdiness of construction and poor stitching leaves a lot to be desired.

I think PJ or any other established tailor in Aus would be a better bet. It brings to mind the issues of fast fashion and quality or quantity. Spend the extra $500 now, and reap the benefits later.

This book is a quite interesting. Worth a read!
http://www.amazon.com/Overdressed-Shockingly-High-Cheap-Fashion/dp/1591844614

 

[Prince of Paisley]



Agree 100 % with Samuel Johnson " Patriotism is the last refuge of the scoundrel"

Right behind religion.

 

[tobiasj]

I need a cotton jumper or two. Can anyone suggest a better alternative than this?: http://www.mjbale.com/on-sale/young-sweatshirt-grey

Some breton stripes would be nice...