The official thrift/discount store bragging thread - Part II (May 2015 - Sept. 2018)

[TheNeedMachine]

Aren't some Kiton shirts like $650-950+ ? Pretty sure I saw like @Fueco or someone post a pic a long time ago of a Kiton price tag that was like $1K+.

I picked this one up earlier this year...might be the one you're thinking of:

 

[330CK]



You're absolutely right. Just as a lock stitch on a jean hem is much more durable than a chain stitch on a jean hem, however the chain stitch is how it used to be done, is slightly more labor intensive, needing someone skilled with a union special and it recreates an eminence of hand crafted quality. Being made by hand doesn't make shirts or clothes in general more durable, not by any means. But being made by hand means that there was actual labor, manual labor, by a person not machine, who was putting your garment together by hand. A seasoned professional who knows what he's doing and although his stitching may not be as durable and garments more fragile, they were put together by a person. Thus, justifying higher price tags because you are factoring in the presence of an actual human throughout the garments entire construction process and that it was skillfully constructed for you by hand, not just pushed through a machine. Made by hand may not necessarily be the most durable, but it is preferred by me at least if I'm paying those prices. I want someone who sits there day in and day out making these garments to perfection. The durabilty can by addressed, and reinforced down the line if needed, however the labor and justification of price will always be there.

It takes skill to sew a shirt with a machine as well. It also takes a good quality machine, capable of producing a consistent, very fine stitch.

Your justification of a high priced garment lies in the realm of the artisan--you don't mind paying extra if it was made by the hands of an artisan. But your preference doesn't devalue a shirt made with a machine. There are other important factors to consider, too, like: collar quality, fabric quality, cut, and quality control in the factory.

A hand made shirt is a dandy thing, but impractical for anyone other than an enthusiast or a billionaire. For someone making good money that needs more than a handful of shirts in rotation, buying a shirt--at retail--with a hand-attached collar isn't the smartest choice. (Present company obviously excluded, because we're in th enthusiast category, and also kop these at about $5/each.)

330CK I like your website

Is this ironic--like complimenting a Wayans brother on his work in Scary Movie?

If not, thank you. Still a work in progress.

 

[Jompso]

I am seriously going to have to purchase Rosetta Stone for Denim speak.

if you really want a crash course, check out rawrdenim.com and they have a link/article for every denim noob question in the book. I do hope it's not the best denim dedicated website out there because some of their writers seem a little wet behind the ears so to speak, however the very basics they do cover and for the most part are correct.

 

[snackbandit]

I picked this one up earlier this year...might be the one you're thinking of:

Sheesh.. and I thought this linen one I picked up earlier this year was insane with a msrp of $845.00

 

[TexJake]



I agree with this except for 1 thing.... Buttons.

Hand-sewn, crows-foot or chicken-foot stitched buttons are like... Indestructible. I don't know what the **** they do with machine-stitched buttons, but there's times where a little thread will be sticking out of it... and I pull it just to see what happens, and ZZZZZZIP!

........
Dunno WTF they're doing when they sew buttons on at Zegna's factories, but it needs to change.

I have to agree here... It's ridiculous how often I have replaced original buttons on Canali and Zegna shirts. It's to the point now where I have actually taken all the buttons off of a few shirts that I really like and replaced them all, even though only 1 had come off. Gotten pretty quick at it, but still frustrating.

I have noticed Sartoria Partenopea buttons are also well done with crow's foot stitching.

 

[the2ndhandman]



Some shirts may be higher, they may be made with higher quality cottons or a 3 ply cotton or something like that. I'm just referencing the standard Kiton white shirt which is $500 and I know cuz I was in the Kiton section of Barneys a couple weeks ago about to say ******* and hand over my credit card, however my size was the only one out of stock...guess it was not meant to be. And talking to the Kiton specialist at Barneys, it seems like pretty much everything they produce is handmade start to finish. He was talking to me about walking through the Kiton factory and seeing all the craftsman at work and sitting down with one who took one solid piece of woven silk and quickly fashioned him a 7 fold tie right there. I'm pretty sure it's an all hands affair with them but perhaps you are correct.

All my kiton shirts are hand made even the collars. http://robertjonesmenswear.com/sportswear/kiton-2/

 

[Jompso]

It takes skill to sew a shirt with a machine as well. It also takes a good quality machine, capable of producing a consistent, very fine stitch.

Your justification of a high priced garment lies in the realm of the artisan--you don't mind paying extra if it was made by the hands of an artisan. But your preference doesn't devalue a shirt made with a machine. There are other important factors to consider, too, like: collar quality, fabric quality, cut, and quality control in the factory.

A hand made shirt is a dandy thing, but impractical for anyone other than an enthusiast or a billionaire. For someone making good money that needs more than a handful of shirts in rotation, buying a shirt--at retail--with a hand-attached collar isn't the smartest choice. (Present company obviously excluded, because we're in th enthusiast category, and also kop these at about $5/each.)
Is this ironic--like complimenting a Wayans brother on his work in Scary Movie?

If not, thank you. Still a work in progress.

I agree with you, they can prove to be quite impractical, I have learned first hand. And yes, I for instance wouldn't have a ******* clue what to do with a sheet of cotton and a sewing machine...probably wind up with the **** sewn to the back of my hand, so there is definitely skill involved in that. My point was merely the fact that premium price points should go hand in hand with a premium garment and in my eyes I see that as a garment that has been paid the utmost attention to and crafted to the highest of standards. When I think of this, entirely hand made is what I think of. It does take skill to make a shirt with a sewing machine, but to make a shirt entirely by hand, well enough that it fetches prices up to $900, is an impressive feat and obviously something highly respected and revered, at least in my eyes. I wouldn't call myself a practical person, I'm stubborn as **** as I'm sure many of you have noticed, so practicality is thrown out the window with me. I just want to know what I'm paying for is quality materials painstakingly and in a highly time consuming manner, were sewn together by an individual that is at the very top of his trade. I want to know that that is behind that price tag, not someone who is very skilled at using a machine, the sex appeal is not there nor is justification for premium prices either (in my eyes). But again, this is just me, I speak for no one, and it's purely my opinion. I respect and understand yours and I agree as well, I'm just, as stated, a stubborn ****.

 

[Letric]

It's to the point now where I have actually taken all the buttons off of a few shirts that I really like and replaced them all, even though only 1 had come off. Gotten pretty quick at it, but still frustrating.

I know, right? I've replaced full sets of button threads just because I was afraid they were gonna fly off at random times and I'd lose that button. Not a huge deal, because I have a large stock of MOP buttons, but some buttons are really specific.

I have this really nice Luciano Barbera shirt where the buttons would just pop right off if you pulled on the exposed thread... And the buttons are pretty nice, and all engraved with "LUCIANO BARBERA". Of course there's no spares on the lower hem or inside -_-... So I completely replaced the threads with my own handwork, doing crowsfoots on each. Maybe it's just me being a perfectionist with my personal clothing, but you can seriously tug the living hell out of these buttons now and they wont come off. I bet the Mother of Pearl would actually snap before the threads gave out. It takes me about 5-7 mins per button, which is super slow, but eh... I take great pride in my personal stuff.

Anyone else separately hand-wash and line-dry all their T-shirts?

 

[Jompso]

Oh and lemme interject one correction. I now recall the white Kiton was actually $550, not $500...so $550 is their starting point... seeing the disparity though is crazy.

 

[330CK]

Here's an analogy of what I mean:

A Ferrari and Maserati fall under the same corporate umbrella and may even share many of the same parts--including the engine. The Ferrari is completely hand made. A work of art. But it's completely impractical for a well-to-do person to spend his car budget on a Ferrari for his only means of transportation. The maintenance is astronomical, and the Ferrari wasn't really designed to be a commuter car. Now take the Maserati--still a high level of quality, but assembled at least partially by machine. The maintenance is less ridiculous, and in most cases it was actually designed to be an everyday car.



Edit: I've been out if the Ferrari loop for awhile so they may not be completely hand made anymore, but I assume at least still all assembled by hand.

 

[Letric]

All my kiton shirts are hand made even the collars.

Damn, really? I could've sworn there was some fine machine stitching along the body sides, underside of the sleeve seams, and the hems... I'm not near my warehouse right now, so I can't check up on any of mine... But I will check when I get home.

 

[TexJake]

@Letric Haha no, but question since we touched on the topic... Do you put very much much of a shank on your shirt buttons when you sew them back on? So many I have pulled have no shank behind them at all, which I know is part of the reason they pop off so easily...

 

[Jompso]

Anyone else separately hand-wash and line-dry all their T-shirts?

Cold delicate and hang dry. Good undershirts/t-shirts that keep their shape and size for an extended period of time are weirdly hard to come by....something so basic you would think someone would have figured it out by now. There's James Perse but no one wants to or can, spend over $50 bucks for all their basic shirts, crazy talk.

 

[Fueco]

I did find a $945 price tag on a Kiton shirt at NMLC.

I've never been overly impressed with high end clothing. In fact, that LVC shirt I found today seemed much better constructed. I guess those Japanese machines know what they're doing.

 

[the2ndhandman]

The best in my opinion and would be a go to shirt for quality and price point is still borrelli hands down.Those ladies can stich. Brioni and zegna have sloely put themselves in the canali crap catagory. Tom ford is glorified zegna. The best shirts for strength is Kirkland signature.