Massimo Dutti

[gumercindo]

Was in Spain last summer and I came across this store. Turns out it's under the same parent company as Zara's. From what I gather, MD is a more slightly higher-end line than Zara. Bought some shoes and some linen stuff and they all fit nicely - much better than anything I've bought from Zara before.

Does anyone know anything about MD?

 

[Douglas]

I bought a Massimo Dutti suit once in Florence. It was before I knew a whole lot about suits and finer clothing in general. I really liked it at the time, but in retrospect, it really wasn't a classic suit. It's a three-button, silk-wool blend, the price was nice (I think I paid about $500 USD), but the construction wasn't superb, and it's really more of a "night out on the town" suit than a truly elegant suit. It was kind of shiny; if I wore it today, now that I'm past my 30th birthday, I think I'd feel like I was wearing it to get into a nightclub I was really too old for.

That said, I can't complain about the quality. I haven't worn it much, and even if the styling wasn't great, and even if it lacked some of the qualities of a better suit (it was a 3-button but no roll, clearly fused construction), it did have nice pickstitching on the lapels, and for a 25-year-old guy, it was kind of snazzy.

Learning today that it's owned by Zara is not a surprise. Many of those European fashion brands, like Zara, Max Mara, etc. are literally made to fall apart after 8-10 washings, forcing you back into the store to buy some more. And since their clothes cleave so tightly to the latest trends, they'd be useless after 1 or 2 seasons anyways. This suit is sort of like that... as shiny as it was, I don't think I'd wear it today. It was cool back when Puff Daddy was still Puff Daddy and not P. Diddy or whatever he is today. Although I can't say it's fallen apart on me... I haven't worn it enough to have it fall apart on me!

I'm sure the fit is nice, and I'd bet the quality is not bad. I just wonder if you'll want to wear it in 2009.

 

[epa]

I have not been to a Massimo Dutti for years, but I believe to recall that their line of clothing was more "traditional" (and maybe of better quality) than the Zara stuff, which I often feel is more "trendy" or "fashionable". My Massimo Dutti sport coat brought me through my first post-graduate job interviews, with success (but maybe it was me, rather than my sport coat, that did it).
And I still have some Massimo Dutti casual shirts which I bought years ago and which I still use now and then. Nothing wrong with the quality of them, IMO.

 

[TheIdler]

Yes, they are owned by Inditex, but the business model is pretty different from, say, Zara: They use higher quality materials, less fashion-forward designs, slower turnover, and slightly fuller cuts. Their suits are not up to SF standards but are quite good for the price (in euros). I think they'd be good for a recent grad or someone just starting to build up their wardrobe--not just for clubbing. Nothing they do is particularly inspiring but they're generally a safe bet, especially for casual wear like khakis, polos, linen shirts, and simple sweaters. Plus, you can really stock up during their sales periods.

 

[grimslade]

Originally Posted by TheIdler

Yes, they are owned by Inditex, but the business model is pretty different from, say, Zara: They use higher quality materials, less fashion-forward designs, slower turnover, and slightly fuller cuts. Their suits are not up to SF standards but are quite good for the price (in euros). I think they'd be good for a recent grad or someone just starting to build up their wardrobe--not just for clubbing. Nothing they do is particularly inspiring but they're generally a safe bet, especially for casual wear like khakis, polos, linen shirts, and simple sweaters. Plus, you can really stock up during their sales periods.

+1. That sums it up for me.

 

[gumercindo]

Originally Posted by TheIdler

Yes, they are owned by Inditex, but the business model is pretty different from, say, Zara: They use higher quality materials, less fashion-forward designs, slower turnover, and slightly fuller cuts. Their suits are not up to SF standards but are quite good for the price (in euros). I think they'd be good for a recent grad or someone just starting to build up their wardrobe--not just for clubbing. Nothing they do is particularly inspiring but they're generally a safe bet, especially for casual wear like khakis, polos, linen shirts, and simple sweaters. Plus, you can really stock up during their sales periods.

+1 again - sums up my thoughts!

I found the quality you get for their sales prices is very good. They also have a MTM shirt line that I've been curious about.

 

[acidboy]

They're like a cheaper version of RL.

 

[sartort]

bought a cool pair of dutti monkstrap shoes at nordstrom rack this summer for 79 bucks. channeled soles, great last. an interior label indicates they were made by magnanni which makes sense as they are a spanish manufacturer.

 

[RapFan]

It's a great brand for adding select safe pieces to your wardrobe. They also do have some sweaters that are made in Italy.

 

[Capitano]

They're like a cheaper version of RL.

I totally agree on that. Sometimes it's quite obvious they are copying Ralph Lauren products but on a much much cheaper price.

They have very good quality as well

 

[Nikita Solovov]

I totally agree on that. Sometimes it's quite obvious they are copying Ralph Lauren products but on a much much cheaper price.

They have very good quality as well

Did someone wash it? How was the result? On labels of all its clothes it's written that it's for 'only dry clean, not wash', and in its store I was told that there were many complaints about that clothes became unusable even after manual washing in 30 degrees water. So is it a real thing? Does it have so poor quality?

 

[curzon]

Since I've been living in Manila it's been my go-to store for shirts and pants mainly due to the lack of a better choice; the shoes are dreadful, but fortunately I was already well covered in that department. Their slim cut clothes are done well enough. MD uses a few more fashion-forward gimmicks than RL, such as coloured stitching for buttonholes, elbow patches, etc. The garments are better quality than Zara, Banana Republic and HE Mango that are priced a little lower. Shirts run approx U$100 and pants are approx. US$150 (Manila). At those prices, and assuming one lives in the States where the world is at your fingertips, I think one can do much better with discounted Incotex and the many fine stores that support SF, such as Howard Yount, Epaulet, etc. Lastly, I machine wash my clothes in room-temperature water and then send them out to be ironed. I haven't noticed any problems with durability and all my clothes remain wearable.

 

[Riva]

Massimo has become the only fashion oriented mall brand that I'm willing to wear not because of the quality but due to the comfort and the catchy designs they've been making lately. Short of suits, their sportcoats are cool looking, jeans aren't bad as well...

 

[Nikita Solovov]

Massimo has become the only fashion oriented mall brand that I'm willing to wear not because of the quality but due to the comfort and the catchy designs they've been making lately. Short of suits, their sportcoats are cool looking, jeans aren't bad as well...

Yes, of course, you're right. But, I think, that the Massimo's prices aren't ones from low end even middle end area, and so a customer can acquire both fashionable and quality thing for this price. And so, if I don't want to buy thing for one season, do you recommend me this brand?

 

[Riva]

Yes, of course, you're right. But, I think, that the Massimo's prices aren't ones from low end even middle end area, and so a customer can acquire both fashionable and quality thing for this price. And so, if I don't want to buy thing for one season, do you recommend me this brand?

Yes I would. I actually thought their choices of tones and cut are classy as compared to anything else in the malls. That is if the mall doesn't have outlets of Corneliani, Loro Piana, Brioni like Gotemba... Massimo's styling would last you at least 3 years so if that is long enough for you, go for it. Having said that I would only buy them when discounted 30-50% which I think is the fair price.