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ebay purchase - authentic?

mrwiz

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Hello All,

I happened across this forum just recently, and as I've just completed an eBay suit purchase (ostensibly, it's Gianfranco Ferre) I thought it prudent to ask your discerning eyes to take a look. The listing is here, and I'm reasonably sure that the suit is of good quality (Super 150s and such) and it certainly doesn't hurt that the seller is in Italy and that the price was (very) reasonable, but I'm slightly concerned by the fact that I can't seem to find any other suits for sale under the label "ferre by FERRE"; only perfume/cologne is sold with this name, as far as I can tell. Any thoughts? Thanks.
 

EL72

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Well it's not a fake Ferre if that's what you're worried about. These suits do exist and I have seen some though I don't think they're widely distributed outside Europe. As for being good quality, that depends on your benchmark. The fabric looks decent (though it's black) and if it fits well, then good for you.

Not sure the seller being in Italy is necessarily a good thing, remember that there are lots of crappy suits being made in Italy. I don't like that seller because he/she advertises Zegna and Loro Piana suits when they are no name italian suits made with Zegna or LP cloth - not made by those firms. At any rate, enjoy the suit and welcome to the forum!
 

mrwiz

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Do you guys think it was a good value (i.e. a signficant amount off of retail)? The seller does have a 7-day return policy, so I'm not really locked into it.
 

EL72

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Originally Posted by mrwiz
Do you guys think it was a good value (i.e. a signficant amount off of retail)? The seller does have a 7-day return policy, so I'm not really locked into it.

It's not a $1,000 suit you got for $265. It's a $400-$500 suit at retail so not the greatest eBay value. I don't like black pinstripes but if you do and you like how it fits, then you could do worse. OTOH, if you want to spend a bit more $ or time looking, you could certainly do better.

edit: if you want a black pinstripe in 38R, another member was selling a Corneliani for $300, which is a much better suit and value than ferre. http://www.styleforum.net/showthread.php?t=19693 If it's still available, you can't go wrong.
 

VMan

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Originally Posted by mrwiz
Do you guys think it was a good value (i.e. a signficant amount off of retail)? The seller does have a 7-day return policy, so I'm not really locked into it.
Retail was probably around $600-$800 so you got it for a pretty decent discount. Could you have done better for your $300? Maybe, but you would have needed to invest more time, and also it is fairly difficult to find suits in your size. I also prefer a little more roll to my lapel but the suit has some nice modern details such as flat front pants and a double vented jacket. Also, it's fairly fashion-forward and it's not trying to be Saville Row, which might explain the lack of lapel roll. I'd say that you should wait for the suit to arrive, totally forget what the label on the suit says, look at it in the mirror, and determine for yourself whether or not it was a good buy @ $300. The fabric looks decent, and remember that even cheap suits at JC Penny are around $300.
 

mrwiz

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Great, thanks a lot. In another matter, I've had my eye on this Jhane Barnes sportcoat, which is available via Buy-It-Now for $35 (though it is used). I don't know much about the designer, but the fabric certainly does look interesting. EDIT: The Corneliani's pants are much too short for me, but thanks for pointing it out.
 

VMan

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Originally Posted by mrwiz
Great, thanks a lot. In another matter, I've had my eye on this Jhane Barnes sportcoat, which is available via Buy-It-Now for $35 (though it is used). I don't know much about the designer, but the fabric certainly does look interesting.

Jhane Barnes, while I would not wear her clothes, is best known for her fabrics. They are extremely complex, both in terms of color and texture. She uses mills in Japan for some of her fabrics, and they are incredible, though fairly loud. Quality, however, is probably the same as Hugo Boss.

However, that jacket is probably from the mid 90's, and the low 1-button stance, wider lapels, and low gorge aren't in style right now.
 

EL72

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Originally Posted by mrwiz
Great, thanks a lot. In another matter, I've had my eye on this Jhane Barnes sportcoat, which is available via Buy-It-Now for $35 (though it is used). I don't know much about the designer, but the fabric certainly does look interesting.

Ugly! fabric, cut, one button, 19" wide shoulders on a 36... too many things wrong here.
 

Jovan

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There is absolutely nothing wrong with one button suits.
 

EL72

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Originally Posted by Jovan
There is absolutely nothing wrong with one button suits.

Yes, but this is an odd jacket.
 

mrwiz

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How about this one? It looks amazing, but it is it as good as the seller claims? There's also this Moschino jacket that looks rather interesting (if unusual).
 

VMan

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Originally Posted by mrwiz
How about this one? It looks amazing, but it is it as good as the seller claims? There's also this Moschino jacket that looks rather interesting (if unusual).
That Vestimenta would be a good deal if you could get it for around $500 or less. Their suits are fully canvassed and as stated in the auction, Vestimenta produces for Armani's top two lines. However, I believe there have been some negative comments made about BrandManiac on the forum - maybe you should do a search for the name on the forum. The Moschino coat is interesting, and has nice details, but would be really hard to wear in real life.
 

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