Forbes article on expensive suits. Ever heard of Vicuna???

[Ivan Kipling]

Originally Posted by LabelKing

As long as the lady is paying for it, why not take the Vicuna?

One of my favorite lines, about one of my favorite coats, from one of my favorite movies: Sunset Boulevard

 

[Manton]

Vicuna as a suiting strikes me as a particularly terrible idea.

 

[texas_jack]

Originally Posted by Manton

Vicuna as a suiting strikes me as a particularly terrible idea.

I'm thinking most of this stuff is for the Russians and/or arabs.

 

[Holstein Bilter]

Originally Posted by texas_jack

I'm thinking most of this stuff is for the Russians and/or arabs.

Wow..I don't want to touch that comment.

 

[GQgeek]

I saw a completed vicuna overcoat at my tailors' once. It was like 25k... I will say that having felt the swatches there's nothing like it, but it's extremely impractical. Even if I could afford it, I would be afraid to wear it, and I'd rather get 5 suits for the price of one. With bespoke, I've made a decision towards the lower supers. It's just too expensive for light-weight cashmeres or superfine wools that are going to wear-out. They may feel great, but the other stuff looks better.

 

[a tailor]

Originally Posted by texas_jack

I'm thinking most of this stuff is for the Russians and/or arabs.

or texas oil men.

 

[texas_jack]

Originally Posted by a tailor

or texas oil men.

Maybe 50 years ago. Those people don't exist anymore.

 

[LabelKing]

I'm imagining someone with a Cadillac that has bullhorns on the grille.

 

[GQgeek]

Originally Posted by LabelKing

I'm imagining someone with a Cadillac that has bullhorns on the grille.

If I had boatloads of money I'd probably own a few of them. Most of us live on planet earth, however, and can't afford spending over 10k for one suit, or 25k for an overcoat. I'd really have to have an assload of money before I started spending it like that though. The cost of these suits is daily interest to some people...

 

[Ivan Kipling]

Probably more like hourly interest, or interest by the minute.

My sister has a vicuna shawl, which is very very beautiful. The 'hand,' is extraordinary. Interesting to me that women's haute couture seems usually to have cost so much more than the most extravagant, clothes for men. A little silk shell, used to cost six thousand dollars at Saint Laurent. This was many years ago. An evening gown, could easily run a hundred thousand. Most likely it would have been worn, once. I've read that Middle Eastern oil tycoons enjoy it when their wives wear haute couture evening ensembles, during dinner at home.

 

[discostu004]

this past season Korshak had 2 vicuna topcoats from loro piana and i believe both sold at retail, 17,500

 

[mrwiz]

I was in New York in March and Bergdorf had an LP vicuna coat for somewhere in that range as well. I exclaimed aloud when I saw the price, to my immediate regret (salesman immediately hussles over to see what the matter is, and I just stand there, grinning sheepishly).

 

[Isaac Mickle]

I have a vicuna crombie that's about 50 years old. It came to me with just a little bit of moth damage, hardly noticeable, down around one of the pockets, probably because a previous owner stuffed it with muffins once.

It fits me perfectly and the weather around here often calls for it. Since it has the bit of moth damage, and since I did not pay $20 for it, I have no problems wearing it as often as I please.

I'm not sure the experience is worth tens of thousands of dollars, but it's pretty incredible stuff and quite the pleasure to wear in cold weather.

 

[lakewolf]

Originally Posted by imageWIS

You can get Vicuña in South America for a lot less than what you pay for it in the US and Europe.

Jon.

Vicuña is a protected species now so it is harder and much more expensive to get the material.

Alpaca is a very close cousing to the Vicuña that produces more wool.

The alpaca wool is indeed softer but peelier than cashmere... you can get cheap alpaca in southamerica.

Vicuña is more difficult

Also vintage Vicuña is more easy to find as this species wasn't protected at that time.

A Vicuña

an Alpaca

 

[Sator]

Why pay $20 000 when you can get a vicuna topcoat for $10.50?

Anyone got a time machine handy?