The unofficial Drake's London Appreciation Thread

[dieworkwear]

Of course I don't expect you to divulge secrets, but the whole "I know the inside track so you better just trust me" schtick is lame and completely insufficient for the purposes of a customer.

Good grief. Why does everything on this side of the board have to be an argument? Nobody was saying "you better trust me." You're reading too much into it. Believe me or don't -- I don't care.

As for "I don't expect you to divulge secrets," you were asking me directly earlier to say who makes their items. What else do you expect me to say besides what I said above?

So what you mean when you say prices are "in line" with their manufacturers is that they are marked up 15-30% as compared to other retailers, and sometimes more. Fair enough. Their Mayfair rent is high, their ad spend is big, and their styling and creative direction is exceptional. But let's not pretend they aren't more expensive than normal.

People earlier were saying that prices are outrageously high. I don't think they are, given the manufacturers they use. The stuff I've seen is about 10-20% higher, if it is indeed higher. And, again, there are often details that don't make comparisons easy -- perhaps you're located in the US and comparing regional prices aren't straightforward (importing as a store is different from importing as a customer, so it depends on what import price you're comparing). Sometimes they come in different fits that don't make comparisons so easy. Sometimes it's a different design.

If there are mark-ups, ~15% doesn't seem crazy to me, as I noted.

Anyway, my last post on the matter.

 

[jtorres94]

So it's good to hear praise for their shirts, but how do they fit?

I've honestly just been using Proper Cloth lately for all my shirts but I really do like Drakes collars.

 

[JR Magat]

I usually take 39/15.5 (G.Inglese, Proper Cloth), and for Drake's I take 15 in their regular fit, and 15.5 slim fit

 

[Newcomer]

So, a 41 Inglese would correspond to about a what? 15.5 classic fit, 16 slim fit?

 

[JR Magat]

So, a 41 Inglese would correspond to about a what? 15.5 classic fit, 16 slim fit?

That seems correct to me. FWIW, I bought a used Drake's shirt in the B&S to confirm my sizing, or any place where you can buy/return if needed would be a good option too before ordering through Drake's.

 

[The J]

I asked if they were restocking their field jacket..

 

[CBrown85]

Agree with most here. Drake's products are well made, beautiful, and tasteful- I just can't stomach the price they're asking for many of their things. They're very clearly making a choice by targeting a very specific customer, which is their prerogative. It's just a shame I'm no longer that customer.

 

[othertravel]

Agree with most here. Drake's products are well made, beautiful, and tasteful- I just can't stomach the price they're asking for many of their things. They're very clearly making a choice by targeting a very specific customer, which is their prerogative. It's just a shame I'm no longer that customer.

I find that most members of SF are value shoppers. Meaning, we almost never pay regular price for clothes.

 

[imatlas]

I find that most members of SF are value shoppers. Meaning, we almost never pay regular price for clothes.

At least until we get into bespoke...

 

[heldentenor]

Drakes is, without question, expensive. However, the taste level, especially in that lookbook, is just exceptionally high. Drakes is the only brand where I could literally wear only Drakes and be very happy.

You know, I just browsed the new lookbook, and you are absolutely right. I think I might resent Drake's a bit subconsciously because of this: if I like their taste so much that one single brand aesthetic could stand in for my own efforts at taste and curation, what room does that leave to even attempt to pride oneself on sartorial discernment? I don't think I'll add much from this year's collection to my own wardrobe, but that's paradoxically because it would be so duplicative for me. If my house burned down tomorrow, I could conceivably replace everything but my suits and shoes from this year's lookbook and not come out too much worse.

Hat's off to whomever is behind this year's collections.

 

[CBrown85]

F/W 2016 is hands-down the best. Their choice of models certainly helps, though. I don't think there's a bone in my body that's even a fraction as cool as that guy.

 

[othertravel]

F/W 2016 is hands-down the best. Their choice of models certainly helps, though. I don't think there's a bone in my body that's even a fraction as cool as that guy.

You have it backwards. To be cool like that guy, you have to wear Drake's and Drake's only.

 

[sargeinaz]

Everything in the new collection is gorgeous. I agree about their use of color, it's beautiful really. I'll be in NYC to check it out in person. I'm only almost 5'8" though, I wonder if the jackets will fit me.

Side question: does anyone know of nice trousers in the 200-250 range?

 

[othertravel]

Spier McKay

 

[clee1982]

Everything in the new collection is gorgeous. I agree about their use of color, it's beautiful really. I'll be in NYC to check it out in person. I'm only almost 5'8" though, I wonder if the jackets will fit me.

Side question: does anyone know of nice trousers in the 200-250 range?

I'm 5'7" and ~145lb, drake jacket in 36 fits me ish (like I can potentially go down) except the sleeve with the working button hole already cut..., you might just be the exact height.