The unofficial Drake's London Appreciation Thread

[kentpope]

I received a cream oxford shirt from the archive sale in the mail today, and I’m genuinely a little confused by the quality. The entire shirt is spackled with small brownish dots, almost like the sort of thing you’d find on a linen shirt. The fabric is also decidedly more lightweight than a standard oxford (also not unlike linen), or at least the ones I’ve handled in the past. There is no indication on Drake’s site that any of their oxfords are like this as far as I was aware.

The SKU seems to match up with what my order confirmation indicates I purchased (though the description indicating “Multi Plain” instead of cream is curious).

I’m wondering if anyone has any first hand familiarity with these shirts and can weigh in? I’ve been looking for a nice cream oxford for some time but not sure the discount is steep enough to warrant keeping it. At this point I’m leaning toward returning it and just going with Mercer and Sons for a little bit more money.

Honestly a big disappointment unless they perhaps just sent me the wrong shirt, which would also be a disappointment I guess lol

Any thoughts?

 

[mbb355]

I received a cream oxford shirt from the archive sale in the mail today, and I’m genuinely a little confused by the quality. The entire shirt is spackled with small brownish dots, almost like the sort of thing you’d find on a linen shirt. The fabric is also decidedly more lightweight than a standard oxford (also not unlike linen), or at least the ones I’ve handled in the past. There is no indication on Drake’s site that any of their oxfords are like this as far as I was aware.

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The SKU seems to match up with what my order confirmation indicates I purchased (though the description indicating “Multi Plain” instead of cream is curious).

I’m wondering if anyone has any first hand familiarity with these shirts and can weigh in? I’ve been looking for a nice cream oxford for some time but not sure the discount is steep enough to warrant keeping it. At this point I’m leaning toward returning it and just going with Mercer and Sons for a little bit more money.

Honestly a big disappointment unless they perhaps just sent me the wrong shirt, which would also be a disappointment I guess lol

Any thoughts?

How odd

 

[Wrenkin]

I received a cream oxford shirt from the archive sale in the mail today, and I’m genuinely a little confused by the quality. The entire shirt is spackled with small brownish dots, almost like the sort of thing you’d find on a linen shirt. The fabric is also decidedly more lightweight than a standard oxford (also not unlike linen), or at least the ones I’ve handled in the past. There is no indication on Drake’s site that any of their oxfords are like this as far as I was aware.

...

I’m wondering if anyone has any first hand familiarity with these shirts and can weigh in? I’ve been looking for a nice cream oxford for some time but not sure the discount is steep enough to warrant keeping it. At this point I’m leaning toward returning it and just going with Mercer and Sons for a little bit more money.

Honestly a big disappointment unless they perhaps just sent me the wrong shirt, which would also be a disappointment I guess lol

Any thoughts?

I don't see what this has to do with "quality". It sounds like the shirt was poorly described, but you did buy it from an outlet site so that comes with the territory.

The fabric looks like undyed cotton. It's sometimes described as ecru, but cream is defensible. See e.g. this shirt ("Made from a medium weight 5.75 oz. Japanese Oxford Broadcloth milled in Osaka that's been woven with some of the finest cotton, it's undyed with minimal processing to yield a naturally flecked fabric with seeds and earthy elements for an ecru color that will gain sophisticatedly subtle character over years of wear"). I have a pair of fatigues in a similar fabric from Orslow. I thought they were pure white, but the first time I washed them a bunch of brown flecks appeared, which I assumed had come from something else in the machine. A few spots actually lifted off when I scraped them with my fingernail. That was just the plant material coming loose from the weave.

So your shirt is in a more casual fabric, and in a summer weight. Maybe it's not what you wanted, but it's not like Drakes made this shirt by mistake. Making an English take on an American shirt out of Japanese fabric is in fact their whole vibe.

 

[Jason12]

my cashmere seed stitch just arrived and has a hole in it. rip hope it can be exchanged for another one but if not, I will probs not get the shipping cost back either.

edit - got a reply from cs to sort it out. quick reply

 

[kentpope]

I don't see what this has to do with "quality". It sounds like the shirt was poorly described, but you did buy it from an outlet site so that comes with the territory.

In my defense, I made no comment about “quality” and only said I was disappointed because it was not was I expected. Which I think is fair. To be clear, I’m not claiming that Drake’s ripped me off or anything.

However, to return to my original question, I am mostly curious if this fabric weight is perhaps now standard for what Drake’s uses for their oxfords? If you look at their main site, they have a generic description for all of their oxford shirts (unlike the site you linked which has a wealth of details - always appreciated), which is more or less how they’ve done it in the past. Which, again, is not inherently wrong. But if some oxfords are one weight and some are another, it’s not unreasonable to expect that to be disclosed. The catch-all description they’re using for the entire category of oxford shirts can lead one to reasonably conclude that aside from the color/pattern differences, everything else might be the same.

Anyway, like I said, I don’t want this to come across as a complaint about Drake’s business practices or whatever, just a comment that what I received is not quite in line with what I’ve purchased in the past and that it was a little disappointing.

Setting that aside, I would very much like to know if this is the standard weight for their oxfords now or if this is supposed to be a guessing game where I email them for fabric weights if that’s a concern for me. It’s an entirely reasonable question.

Thank you for the other link to Corridor by the way. The info provided there is very helpful.

 

[The Ernesto]

To be fair to you, the picture on the website did not look like the shirt you got.

 

[adiblas]

In my defense, I made no comment about “quality” and only said I was disappointed because it was not was I expected. Which I think is fair. To be clear, I’m not claiming that Drake’s ripped me off or anything.

However, to return to my original question, I am mostly curious if this fabric weight is perhaps now standard for what Drake’s uses for their oxfords? If you look at their main site, they have a generic description for all of their oxford shirts (unlike the site you linked which has a wealth of details - always appreciated), which is more or less how they’ve done it in the past. Which, again, is not inherently wrong. But if some oxfords are one weight and some are another, it’s not unreasonable to expect that to be disclosed. The catch-all description they’re using for the entire category of oxford shirts can lead one to reasonably conclude that aside from the color/pattern differences, everything else might be the same.

Anyway, like I said, I don’t want this to come across as a complaint about Drake’s business practices or whatever, just a comment that what I received is not quite in line with what I’ve purchased in the past and that it was a little disappointing.

Setting that aside, I would very much like to know if this is the standard weight for their oxfords now or if this is supposed to be a guessing game where I email them for fabric weights if that’s a concern for me. It’s an entirely reasonable question.

Thank you for the other link to Corridor by the way. The info provided there is very helpful.

Can’t speak for your shirt, but I own many Oxford shirts from Drake’s and not all of them share the same fabric weight. However I won’t say that such a light weight fabric is now standard from them. In your case I believe either the shirt was wrongly described or they sent you the wrong shirt (these kind of issues happen very often during their archive sales).

PS: the Drake’s cream Oxford I own, has a good weight and no brown dots or whatsoever. But bought from regular site few months ago

 

[rob_ed]

I think what one has to be conscious of in the archive sale is that I believe many of the shirts are samples that never made it to sale, especially those without model shots. Agreed that Drakes could be a little clearer in their descriptions.

 

[Trevallon]

I received a cream oxford shirt from the archive sale in the mail today, and I’m genuinely a little confused by the quality. The entire shirt is spackled with small brownish dots, almost like the sort of thing you’d find on a linen shirt. The fabric is also decidedly more lightweight than a standard oxford (also not unlike linen), or at least the ones I’ve handled in the past. There is no indication on Drake’s site that any of their oxfords are like this as far as I was aware.

View attachment 1615041

View attachment 1615042

View attachment 1615043

View attachment 1615044

The SKU seems to match up with what my order confirmation indicates I purchased (though the description indicating “Multi Plain” instead of cream is curious).

I’m wondering if anyone has any first hand familiarity with these shirts and can weigh in? I’ve been looking for a nice cream oxford for some time but not sure the discount is steep enough to warrant keeping it. At this point I’m leaning toward returning it and just going with Mercer and Sons for a little bit more money.

Honestly a big disappointment unless they perhaps just sent me the wrong shirt, which would also be a disappointment I guess lol

Any thoughts?

I bought the cream oxford during the last archive sale. Mine doesn't have spots and the fabric seems to be pretty standard weight. But as adiblas said: there are different weights for different fabrics. Drake's american vintage washed oxford is the heaviest oxford fabric of the shirts I own. The cream oxford compares to most other oxfords (in my collection) from Drake's.

(For what it's worth: I like the fabric of your "cream" shirt.)
Below some pics for comparison.

 

[rvermont24]

Hi all, I'm a long-time lurker, first time poster looking for some advice, please.

I ordered the bleached blue chambray shirt, which I've had my eye on for some time, during the most recent archive sale. On taking delivery of the shirt, I found that the measurements were substantially smaller than those given on the Drake's website size guide (a size 15.75 is listed as having a pit to pit of 23.3 inches, the shirt I received was in fact 21 inches).

Drake's customer service tell me that this shirt is washed and measurements are taken before any washing or bleaching processes take place, so are likely to differ from those listed online. This seems to be incredibly unhelpful, particular for a brand at this price point. Being my first Drake's order, I'm now somewhat apprehensive about making another.

Can anybody speak to the accuracy of, for example, the measurements given for main line oxford shirts, please? I'd really appreciate the input.

Thanks very much!

 

[wahnamhong]

Received my archivesale items today, plus 3 items from the regular site. Mixed bag overall.

Biggest surprise - I ordered “Sky Blue and White Bengal Stripe Cotton Button-Down Shirt”, but I received a 100% linen blue and white bengal shirt, even nicer! This is a keeper.

The fawn Tuscan tweed was a let down, fit was not good. Puffed up shoulders and longer than my other Drake’s blazers. Checked navy yellow cotton shirt was just okay, so will return.

Finally, I ordered 3 items from the regular site. The green linen chore jacket is beautiful, will keep it. The Japanese selvedge corduroy (haberdasher on the back) however was just so so. The sky blue fleece is very nice but too big, I’m a regular 42 but needed a 40. Can’t put on a blazer over it. Last two items will be returned.

 

[adiblas]

Hi all, I'm a long-time lurker, first time poster looking for some advice, please.

I ordered the bleached blue chambray shirt, which I've had my eye on for some time, during the most recent archive sale. On taking delivery of the shirt, I found that the measurements were substantially smaller than those given on the Drake's website size guide (a size 15.75 is listed as having a pit to pit of 23.3 inches, the shirt I received was in fact 21 inches).

Drake's customer service tell me that this shirt is washed and measurements are taken before any washing or bleaching processes take place, so are likely to differ from those listed online. This seems to be incredibly unhelpful, particular for a brand at this price point. Being my first Drake's order, I'm now somewhat apprehensive about making another.

Can anybody speak to the accuracy of, for example, the measurements given for main line oxford shirts, please? I'd really appreciate the input.

Thanks very much!

IMO Drake’s size chart for shirts is off (at least regular fit). All my Drake’s shirts in regular fit (size 16) measures 58 cm pit to pit. Moreover, even if washed, the shirt should reduce mainly in length, not width.

 

[bry2000]

Probably not the case, but is there a chance that Drake's makes products specifically to be sold at the Archive sales and that accounts for some of the disappointing items people have received?

Brands like RL, Brooks Brothers, etc. produce items specifically to be sold at outlets and factory stores. They are much bigger businesses so perhaps it is less likely with Drake's.

 

[adschus]

Probably not the case, but is there a chance that Drake's makes products specifically to be sold at the Archive sales and that accounts for some of the disappointing items people have received?

Brands like RL, Brooks Brothers, etc. produce items specifically to be sold at outlets and factory stores. They are much bigger businesses so perhaps it is less likely with Drake's.

Hmmm, Interesting thought. Something tells me no they don't only because the quality of the items I've recieved from Archive sales are the same as the items from regular sales.

I'm curious on the total cost of their shirts. Specifically, are they making 100% margin on a $115 Archive shirt?

 

[hpreston]

My guess is there are no items specifically made for the archive sale. Drakes does not have a diffusion line. They briefly had the Easy Day collection but that was less a diffusion line than a permanent capsule collection of items that all worked together.

With the closure of the Factory Shop, there is the increase of Archive Sales, and with it, there may be some sample items (as discussed above with the cream/ecru shirt), older NOS items etc.