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Handmade shirts

tlfurbay

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Does country of orgin matter?

I am currently designing a custom shirt line to be made in China. These shirts will deliver within three weeks and are nearly handmade. The quality is superior to Borelli, Barbera, Etc...These shirts will retail between $100 and $250. This is nearly half the price of the above mentioned shirts.

Thank you in advance for your comments.

T
 

AlanC

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I think with some consumers you'll have a hard time getting around the "Made in China" stigma for a shirt at that price (unless it's a Jantzen MTM, which is only $43). You would with me, for example. However actual retailers on the board in the past have mentioned that most consumers don't really pay attention to country of origin. At your shop it may work.
 

tlfurbay

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Thanks for the input. Would you feel the same about suits, jackets, and trousers?
 

kabert

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I think start-up will be harder with shirts made in China. People in the US, IMO, have a generally "cheap" perception of Chinese goods, clothes included (with an exception for Hong Kong). Witness the big article in a Wall St. Journal last week -- with a huge picture of RL/Polo shirts being made in a factory there -- about clothing made in China and how it's a booming market. Perhaps it's the land of opportunity for everything below the upper market, but the ultra high-end market seems to be your focus. In that market, people seem to buy on "name" and quality. They are not synonymous of course. But if you've got no "name" or good reputation (as a start-up business), then you've only quality and word of mouth to rely on. Some people don't know quality when they see or feel it, thus for many people they rely on name (Borrelli, Kiton, Oxxford) to get them there. In your case, you might look to how companies like jantzen shirts, WW Chan (Hong Kong I think) and others have done it. Jantzen gets by by being cheap paired with high quality. Some of the members of this board have their own custom shirt and tie businesses too. Certainly, there's something to be said for only putting at risk $45 or so dollars for a Jantzen shirt (the cost of a decent bottle of wine), as opposed to the much higher price you've quoted -- $150 or $200, or presumably much more for a suit.

Anyway, with the internet, your chances of success are greatly broadened.
 

Thracozaag

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Does country of orgin matter?

I am currently designing a custom shirt line to be made in China. These shirts will deliver within three weeks and are nearly handmade. The quality is superior to Borelli, Barbera, Etc...These shirts will retail between $100 and $250. This is nearly half the price of the above mentioned shirts.

Thank you in advance for your comments.

T
I find it difficult to believe that these shirts will be superior in quality to Borrelli, etc. Where are you going to find seamstresses of that calliber?

koji
 

tlfurbay

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You are wrong. I am working with the former CEO of Oxxford Clothing who is currently manufacturing trousers in China. Trust me, Crit would never put his name on a product that is not of the highest quality.
 

Thracozaag

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In that case, I eagerly await the finished product
smile.gif
koji
 

banksmiranda

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Trust me on this - the Italians may have the best reputation for fine work, but many of those who work for fine garment companies (Oxxford is an example for which this holds true) are of South American and Asian origin. Word is that South Americans make the best employees as they can be counted on to stick around for many years and work very well. Asians, if they put their minds to it and avoid mass production, are very capable of doing fine work.

Crit Rawlings, former CEO of Oxxford, now has the cushy position of serving as the US agent for Reid & Taylor, Charles Clayton and Johnstons of Elgin, British mills from which Oxxford undoubtedly purchases large quantities of fabric.
 

banksmiranda

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As for what I'd be inclined to buy, it depends on whether it is a good product or not. If the product is good, it does not matter so much whether it is Italian or Chinese, but more on the price I'd be willing to pay. I would not pay $250 for a Kiton shirt. I wouldn't really mind paying $43 for a Jantzen shirt. On the other hand, I would consider paying $250 for a Brioni/Burini shirt. Ultimately though, I would want to pay more and buy custom clothing.
Whether production is in Italy or China the actual production costs are almost invariably significantly lower than MSRP. For Italy the fabric and buttons are mostly domestic, so no import duties on these. Labor costs are quite a bit lower in these countries than in the USA.
 

tlfurbay

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Have you seen the lastest collection Crit is showing? It is called the Carl Meyers Collection. It is tailored clothing designed by Carl and Crit.
 

hermes

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workers can be trained
the machines used in italy for factory made clothing is the same machinery used in hong kong, china, turkey, switzerland etc.
everyone is pretty well on par worldwide
i think it comes down to fabric used and stitching

even jp tods and armani are seriously looking at opening factories in china to get a foothold in the market, it's inevitable
 

banksmiranda

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A salesman at Harry Rosen told me that Zegna had a harder time selling clothing produced in a Czech factory than identical clothing produced at one of its Italian facilities.
 

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