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dieworkwear

Mahatma Jawndi
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me waiting for @dieworkwear to tell everyone in this thread how they don’t understand the jaunty combo of heritage and trend Drake’s is bringing with their LL Bean knockoff and, anyway, if it brings you joy, there’s no price you can put on that.

How is a $800 fleece pullover worse than the other stuff that gets talked about on here?

$5,000 for bespoke shoes and $7,000 for bespoke suits (e.g. Cleverley, Lobb, anything from SR)?

$1,500 for ready-to-wear factory-made shoes (e.g., Edward Green, John Lobb, etc)?

$1,500 - $3,000 for SWD type outerwear (e.g., Visvim, Sacai, RRL)?

$500 to $1,000 for sneakers (e.g., CP and Visvim)?

And $1,000 to 2,000 for knitwear (e.g., Loro Piana, Cucinelli)? Or even stuff that's considered "value" buys, like William Lockie (once $750 with import taxes, although I don't know what they are now).
 

smittycl

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How is a $800 fleece pullover worse than the other stuff that gets talked about on here?

$5,000 for bespoke shoes and $7,000 for bespoke suits (e.g. Cleverley, Lobb, anything from SR)?

$1,500 for ready-to-wear factory-made shoes (e.g., Edward Green, John Lobb, etc)?

$1,500 - $3,000 for SWD type outerwear (e.g., Visvim, Sacai, RRL)?

$500 to $1,000 for sneakers (e.g., CP and Visvim)?

And $1,000 to 2,000 for knitwear (e.g., Loro Piana, Cucinelli)? Or even stuff that's considered "value" buys, like William Lockie (once $750 with import taxes, although I don't know what they are now).
Somehow an $800 fleece pullover is actually worse. Might take me overnight to articulate why.

I think egregiously priced knitwear was discussed elsewhere by me commenting on Zegna, Cuccinelli, and such. Drake’s $500 scarves were discussed here. No surprise they are mostly still available at sale time.

The funny thing is I think everyone here really likes Drake’s. Otherwise why be here? I gave up on Kent Wang after a bad experience but said my peace and stopped following his thread rather than stay and be a troll.

It’s okay to actually admit that some of Drake’s new stuff is suspect.
 

StockwellDay

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How is a $800 fleece pullover worse than the other stuff that gets talked about on here?

$5,000 for bespoke shoes and $7,000 for bespoke suits (e.g. Cleverley, Lobb, anything from SR)?

$1,500 for ready-to-wear factory-made shoes (e.g., Edward Green, John Lobb, etc)?

$1,500 - $3,000 for SWD type outerwear (e.g., Visvim, Sacai, RRL)?

$500 to $1,000 for sneakers (e.g., CP and Visvim)?

And $1,000 to 2,000 for knitwear (e.g., Loro Piana, Cucinelli)? Or even stuff that's considered "value" buys, like William Lockie (once $750 with import taxes, although I don't know what they are now).

 
Last edited:

cbusguy

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i'm guessing they didn't make that many of them, so the price is higher than you would normally expect. and it's made out of casentino for some reason. maybe they should have sold it as a pre-order. people may have been willing to pay a deposit and then the rest on delivery

if they would have made it with a cheap wool, it could look like casentino after few wears anyway...
 

sushijerk

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How is a $800 fleece pullover worse than the other stuff that gets talked about on here?

$5,000 for bespoke shoes and $7,000 for bespoke suits (e.g. Cleverley, Lobb, anything from SR)?

$1,500 for ready-to-wear factory-made shoes (e.g., Edward Green, John Lobb, etc)?

$1,500 - $3,000 for SWD type outerwear (e.g., Visvim, Sacai, RRL)?

$500 to $1,000 for sneakers (e.g., CP and Visvim)?

And $1,000 to 2,000 for knitwear (e.g., Loro Piana, Cucinelli)? Or even stuff that's considered "value" buys, like William Lockie (once $750 with import taxes, although I don't know what they are now).
I think the main difference is the other stuff has a story. Cucinelli has to support a castle full of weaving nuns in solemeo. Lobb keeps the hand carved lasts of the last 8 generations of British royals. Hiroki is ******* Hiroki. Drake's has no story other than it is ostensibly pretty British but also new trad American and kinda Japanese at the same time.

That's a formula I love but I just don't associate it with that "special" tier pricing. I'll keep buying patchwork rrl shirts for $425 because 1) it doesn't make it to sale in my size and 2) I feel like if ralph lauren has a health incident his board is shutting the line down.

It might not be fair but the truth is those other lines were born to be priced expensively and drake's was never that to most of us. I'm still curious as hell about this fleece and will try to check it out at the Crosby St store whenever I get the chance.
 

cbusguy

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how doesn't drake's have a story? it has history. a similar arc as ralph lauren. they've posted lookbooks and editorials. it just seems like you don't like the story they've presented and the price
 

dieworkwear

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It might not be fair but the truth is those other lines were born to be priced expensively and drake's was never that to most of us.

Not sure that's true. I wrote my first story for StyleForum in 2011. It was an interview with Michael Hill. This was in the early days when SF was just starting publish editorials (aside from what members might post in a thread), so people were fairly cordial in the "comment section." But almost immediately, a fight broke out about prices:


People have always complained about the prices because it's not really about the price themselves. It's about the ability to comparison shop and how CM often devolves into commodity clothing (outside of a few realms for obvious reasons, like bespoke).
 

bry2000

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i'm guessing they didn't make that many of them, so the price is higher than you would normally expect. and it's made out of casentino for some reason. maybe they should have sold it as a pre-order. people may have been willing to pay a deposit and then the rest on delivery

if they would have made it with a cheap wool, it could look like casentino after few wears anyway...

Casentino is a relatively inexpensive cloth. The cloth is not the main driver of what people here perceive to be the high price of the finished product.
 

flashjack

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I really don't understand why people are going to get their knickers in a twist over an orange fleece they probably had no interest in purchasing for even a third of the current retail price. Is there a number where the outrage converges with disinterest?
 

jayvee

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This coat is probably the piece I regret not buying the most. Hard to find a cloth like this in tailor's books. It had a really nice texture.

View attachment 1217927

Agreed. It was one of their best pieces in a long while. Cordings often do a brilliant Donegal balmacan, albeit in brown.
 

letsgofire

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I like Drake’s. When I go into their store in London, I want to take home half of the place. I’m sure many of you have a similar experience.

When I see that orange ridiculous thing, and I pair it with the sensational re-label and markup of the rugby shirts last year, I can’t help but worry Drake’s may have jumped the shark.

Then again, it wouldn’t be too unreasonable to expect a few duds as they continue to expand outward into new apparel areas. They will take risks and not all will work out.

In the meantime, I’m still trying to talk myself into buying the panda tie :)
 

wigglr

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Personally, I’m a big fan of the casentino jumper (except the orange color). If it were navy or green, it’d be an outstandingly unique and versatile piece. I understand the orange heritage associated with casentino, but I also want to wear the piece without people assuming I’m helping their kids cross the sidewalk after school.

If I had extensive funds in my account, the price tag wouldn’t bother me. But my sense is that Drakes is appealing to a wide age demographic inclusive of certainly a younger one, too. The cost drives me away. It’s not hard for me to go by a pullover somewhere else and just accept that it’s not casentino. Not hard to get over.

Similar issue with the chore jackets and overshirts. Love the green corduroy chore jacket. It would get tons of wear. But I bought a green Epaulet one, and I’ll get over the fact that it’s not corduroy quickly because I did save $500+ Again, if cost weren’t an issue, I’d grab it. But ...for VERY few people, that is a reality.
 

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