Is Vicuna Worth It?

[edinatlanta]

A question for the SF.net community....

The other day I went to get some shirts made and on a whim asked how much it would cost for a vicuna suit. He said they start at $65,000. I felt the small sample and it seemed nice but I couldn't tell if that was enough to justify the cost. Figured some of the members who are much more knowledgeable about fabric and the like could enlighten me.

Is the fabric much warmer or softer or whatever that makes it exponentially more expensive than other fabrics? Is a matter of exclusivity for the fabric? Does it have some other properties that make it "worth it" to acquire?

Thanks!

Your pal,
edinatlanta

 

[Fuuma]

I only wear vicuna thong underwear.

 

[Despos]

Originally Posted by Fuuma

I only wear vicuna thong underwear.

Financed thru Fat Joe.

 

[Fuuma]

Originally Posted by Despos

Financed thru Fat Joe.

Vicuna bandages are hopefully available so I can continue my luxurious lifestyle.

 

[Despos]

Originally Posted by Fuuma

Vicuna bandages are hopefully available so I can continue my luxurious lifestyle.

Get well soon! Flowers and sympathy card on the way.

 

[Despos]

I think your tailor was trying to impress you with the price. Most tailors that I know making these garments are priced about 35000.00 for a 2 piece suit. A lot of these were being sold in Detroit a few years back. I know a client or 2 in Chicago buying them as well.
If you appreciate the luxe hand and limited availability then go for it.

 

[Manton]

Vicuna is expensive because of the rarity of the material and the difficulty of acquiring it. It was banned for a long, long time to protect the little goats (actually they are not goats, but whatever) from extinction. Governments in the Andes only recently allowed vicuna to be shorn again. The animals are impossible to domesticate, so they have to be found in the wild. For a long time, they had to be killed for their fleece, but now the people who get it know how to shear them without killing them, though by law and practicality, one animal can only be shorn every three years.

But the answer to your question is no, it is not worth it, unless, to you, it is. I personally have no interest in ever acquring the stuff.

 

[yachtie]

Vicuna bath tissue.

 

[Vintage Gent]

Only if the lady is buying.

 

[superfans124]

diamonds have no practical value other than cutting tools, but who's arguing?

 

[onion]

I once saw a vintage women's overcoat made of 100% vicuna, it probably had 9 or 10 yards of cloth in it. I should have bought it on principal alone, as the damn thing sold for less than $100.

 

[Manton]

Originally Posted by onion

I once saw a vintage women's overcoat made of 100% vicuna, it probably had 9 or 10 yards of cloth in it. I should have bought it on principal alone, as the damn thing sold for less than $100.

No way, unless it had a built-in coronation robe.

 

[onion]

Originally Posted by Manton

No way, unless it had a built-in coronation robe.

Well I'm sure you would know better than I would what an overcoat uses in terms of length of material, my only point was just that the coat was massive.

 

[Nicola]

Originally Posted by Despos

I think your tailor was trying to impress you with the price. Most tailors that I know making these garments are priced about 35000.00 for a 2 piece suit. A lot of these were being sold in Detroit a few years back.

I guess that explains GM

 

[superfans124]

somebody was selling a vicuna Brioni jacket a while back in B/S.