The unofficial Drake's London Appreciation Thread

[Retri]

*sees a member of this thread post a Drake’s fit
wow great look!
*sees a Korean in a Drake’s editorial
eww gross late capitalism!

Not sure why you're trying to make this about race or politics, they'd both look great or dumb, depending on the garment and price point. The issue with Drake's is that most everything is beyond overpriced for no discernible reason, while the unique designs you wouldn't be able to get anywhere else, at a fraction of the price no less, are few and far between.

I mean, I get it, the whole point is that if you're lazy, don't mind overpaying and need someone else to tell you what to wear, they can take care of your whole look. Sure, you might be dressing smarter but that's hardly smart; nevertheless, I could get behind that.

Also, we were talking about the photoshoots and editorials, which rub the wrong way a lot of people for legitimate (and hilarious) reasons... that are clearly flying well over your head.

Now, brand cultism on the other hand most definitely reeks of late stage capitalism.

 

[Beckett2]

*sees a member of this thread post a Drake’s fit
wow great look!
*sees a Korean in a Drake’s editorial
eww gross late capitalism!

 

[PenryMMJ]

Does anybody have a pair of the suede chard moc-toe derby shoes? If so would you recommend?

I quite liked the look of them but they are no longer available online. Don't think I ever saw any on foot pictures which made me wary.

 

[Trevallon]

Not sure why you're trying to make this about race or politics, they'd both look great or dumb, depending on the garment and price point. The issue with Drake's is that most everything is beyond overpriced for no discernible reason, while the unique designs you wouldn't be able to get anywhere else, at a fraction of the price no less, are few and far between.

I mean, I get it, the whole point is that if you're lazy, don't mind overpaying and need someone else to tell you what to wear, they can take care of your whole look. Sure, you might be dressing smarter but that's hardly smart; nevertheless, I could get behind that.

Also, we were talking about the photoshoots and editorials, which rub the wrong way a lot of people for legitimate (and hilarious) reasons... that are clearly flying well over your head.

Now, brand cultism on the other hand most definitely reeks of late stage capitalism.

Hm. About your issue with Drake's that "most everything is beyond overpriced for no discernible reason", I wonder if you would care to elaborate?

Now sure, Drake's is very expensive. But there are a couple of reasons for that, which make spending more on their clothes easier for me.

Like that fact that they produce their shirts in England. In their own factory. That they bought (and saved after bankruptcy).
They produce clothes in Portugal and Italy and Scotland. The cloth is from British, European or Japanese mills. Quality is superb and so is the design. I am assuming everything is sweatshop free. That is a bonus, that I don't mind paying extra for.

I think an article like the infamous Balenciaga Croq is beyond overpriced. Most of Drake's clothes are not. They will last, they are timeless and, if you consider the "cost per wear" ratio, at least for me, they are not that expensive anymore. Because I wear them more than any other pieces of clothing in my wardrobe.

Listening to Michael Hill in interviews, he talks about wanting to create "things with value" and wanting the customers to wear the clothes for a long time and I totally believe that he is truthful about that. I also hope that he makes "some serious coin" as some other poster complained, because he really does a good job. And in a very competetive business he is head and shoulders above most of the competition (I think). Kind of like a very english Ralph Lauren - who also made a lot of coin because no one else did what he did and as well.

Fast fashion is late stage capitalism; gross overconsumption at the expense of the labourers who get paid next to nothing in work environments that are dangerous, polluted and without any kind of social security, health care or whatnot.

Design is also something that is "very hard to quantify" (Simon Crompton) but to illustrate the point: if you know of a brand that does a Games suit at half the price in the same quality and ingenious design, please share your knowledge, because I have looked hard and didn't find any. That's why I had to buy the original. Will I buy a 100 € ballcap? Nope.

So maybe I am

lazy, don't mind overpaying and need someone else to tell you what to wear,

but I am also just happy to see beautifully made clothes of good quality and integrity and don't have the knee jerk reaction you apparently get when you see Drake's Editorials (or their prices).

But hey, the things you see and grasp are clearly flying well over my head.

 

[Trevallon]

Simon Cromptons interesting take on pricing. And an informative article on profit margins:

Permanent Style

When you buy clothes, what are you paying for?

www.permanentstyle.com

Permanent Style

Luxury profit margins

www.permanentstyle.com

 

[Beckett2]

Simon Cromptons interesting take on pricing. And an informative article on profit margins:

Permanent Style

When you buy clothes, what are you paying for?

www.permanentstyle.com

Permanent Style

Luxury profit margins

www.permanentstyle.com

Crompton has been promoting, marketing and justifying these menswear brands for years. I would take everything he writes with an extremely large grain of salt.

 

[Phillip Dean]

Crompton has been promoting, marketing and justifying these menswear brands for years. I would take everything he writes with an extremely large grain of salt.

“Promoting and marketing.” Simon is neither, he’s a journalist, who has been quite transparent about his methods and is often critical in his writing.

But yes, I suppose we should discount his entire body of work based on the opinion of an anonymous Styleforum poster who is obviously more qualified to weight in on industry pricing.

 

[Beckett2]

“Promoting and marketing.” Simon is neither, he’s a journalist, who has been quite transparent about his methods and is often critical in his writing.

But yes, I suppose we should discount his entire body of work based on the opinion of an anonymous Styleforum poster who is obviously more qualified to weight in on industry pricing.

Journalist is a stretch! The guy edited a financial magazine and then he started a blog...

 

[Beckett2]

“Promoting and marketing.” Simon is neither, he’s a journalist, who has been quite transparent about his methods and is often critical in his writing.

But yes, I suppose we should discount his entire body of work based on the opinion of an anonymous Styleforum poster who is obviously more qualified to weight in on industry pricing.

Example 1: simon-crompton-cardigan

 

[Phillip Dean]

Journalist is a stretch! The guy edited a financial magazine and then he started a blog...

He was a financial journalist; you do realize that many thousands of people are employed doing just that? Your bad faith is exhausting (and probably not worth responding to), as is your lowest possible level of clothing commentary (why everything expensive? Making money bad!).

 

[Beckett2]

He was a financial journalist; you do realize that many thousands of people are employed doing just that? Your bad faith is exhausting (and probably not worth responding to), as is your lowest possible level of clothing commentary (why everything expensive? Making money bad!).

Hahaha

 

[Phillip Dean]

Hahaha

Brilliant response. Thank you.

 

[Beckett2]

Brilliant response. Thank you.

You're welcome Philip.

 

[hpreston]

Hm. About your issue with Drake's that "most everything is beyond overpriced for no discernible reason", I wonder if you would care to elaborate?

Now sure, Drake's is very expensive. But there are a couple of reasons for that, which make spending more on their clothes easier for me.

Like that fact that they produce their shirts in England. In their own factory. That they bought (and saved after bankruptcy).
They produce clothes in Portugal and Italy and Scotland. The cloth is from British, European or Japanese mills. Quality is superb and so is the design. I am assuming everything is sweatshop free. That is a bonus, that I don't mind paying extra for.

I think an article like the infamous Balenciaga Croq is beyond overpriced. Most of Drake's clothes are not. They will last, they are timeless and, if you consider the "cost per wear" ratio, at least for me, they are not that expensive anymore. Because I wear them more than any other pieces of clothing in my wardrobe.

Listening to Michael Hill in interviews, he talks about wanting to create "things with value" and wanting the customers to wear the clothes for a long time and I totally believe that he is truthful about that. I also hope that he makes "some serious coin" as some other poster complained, because he really does a good job. And in a very competetive business he is head and shoulders above most of the competition (I think). Kind of like a very english Ralph Lauren - who also made a lot of coin because no one else did what he did and as well.

Fast fashion is late stage capitalism; gross overconsumption at the expense of the labourers who get paid next to nothing in work environments that are dangerous, polluted and without any kind of social security, health care or whatnot.

Design is also something that is "very hard to quantify" (Simon Crompton) but to illustrate the point: if you know of a brand that does a Games suit at half the price in the same quality and ingenious design, please share your knowledge, because I have looked hard and didn't find any. That's why I had to buy the original. Will I buy a 100 € ballcap? Nope.

So maybe I am

but I am also just happy to see beautifully made clothes of good quality and integrity and don't have the knee jerk reaction you apparently get when you see Drake's Editorials (or their prices).

But hey, the things you see and grasp are clearly flying well over my head.

This really sums things up well IMHO.

There are things that I won’t purchase from Drakes, like your ballcap example. But shirts, ties, scarves, pocket squares, knits, tailoring, and shoes are all things that Drakes does well and offer good value (to me, per above comments)

On the topic of sweatshops (or not), I’ve visited the tie factory and it a lovely place. Professionals, working in a nice environment making a quality product. The flow from cutting to lining to sewing to finishing all makes sense and each person has a spot in the production. I would love to visit their shirt factory.

 

[Matt_Nash]

Not sure why you're trying to make this about race or politics, they'd both look great or dumb, depending on the garment and price point. The issue with Drake's is that most everything is beyond overpriced for no discernible reason, while the unique designs you wouldn't be able to get anywhere else, at a fraction of the price no less, are few and far between.

I mean, I get it, the whole point is that if you're lazy, don't mind overpaying and need someone else to tell you what to wear, they can take care of your whole look. Sure, you might be dressing smarter but that's hardly smart; nevertheless, I could get behind that.

Also, we were talking about the photoshoots and editorials, which rub the wrong way a lot of people for legitimate (and hilarious) reasons... that are clearly flying well over your head.

Now, brand cultism on the other hand most definitely reeks of late stage capitalism.

Criticising Drake’s won’t go down well here, you are in the company of men who wake up at 4am and put special outfits on just to pose for a few hours in a queue and then crawl all over each other to save 10% at sample sales. They are very catty.