Brands that represent quality above all else

Originally Posted by voxsartoria

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How would you compare and contrast with Lobb, though? I think Lobb has higher quality standards for the leather in the uppers.

But, one thing about being a RTW shoemaker is having a variety of sizes and last available...there, EG does excel.

- B


I think that in trying to be a global/fashion brand Lobb is compromising their roots and turning out a lot of really ugly and not very English shoes...

G&G fit's the bill I think, though there is really nobody to compare them to, they are their own little niche.

Italo Ferretti

Originally Posted by A Harris

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I think that in trying to be a global/fashion brand Lobb is compromising their roots and turning out a lot of really ugly and not very English shoes...

That makes sense...I agree with that.

- B

I can find fault with everything.

I found fault when I examined the furnishings of old royalty, and I'll sure as find fault with modern luxury goods.

There are however, things that are quite perfect in their imperfection.

Originally Posted by AlanC

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Red Oxx luggage

+100

Originally Posted by voxsartoria

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I've never heard of them. What do you like about them?


- B

They make nylon luggage that at first glance seems like other brands until you use it. The attention to detail in design, selection of above average materials and construction without compromise makes for an outstanding bag. I have subjected my "Air Boss" bag to abuse that is almost embarassing and it looks as good as new.

6 pages and very few clothing brands

Doesn't any of the following comply:

Cashmere by Brunello Cucinello?

Knit by John Smedley?

Pal Zileri Sartoriale?

(I don't have much experience with any of these, but they seem to be held in high regard here...)

Maserati

Originally Posted by Azure

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Maserati

You must not have been around long enough to remember the BiTurbo!




I think Oxxford may be a good candidate; they don't seem to have cheapened their construction, unlike their competitor Hickey Freeman. They haven't introduced a lower-priced line, although the (relatively few) brand extensions -- shirts, ties, Oxxford Sport -- could be held against them.

How about the French Laundry -- Thomas Keller seems to go to incredible lengths to deliver world class cuisine. Also, Il Bulli. I guess it's easier when your 'brand' is simply one venue.

Quite a few in the world of wine: Domaine La Romanee Conti; Y'quem; Krug; Salon Mesnil, among others.

Originally Posted by maxnharry

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They make nylon luggage that at first glance seems like other brands until you use it. The attention to detail in design, selection of above average materials and construction without compromise makes for an outstanding bag. I have subjected my "Air Boss" bag to abuse that is almost embarassing and it looks as good as new.

Red Oxx is not a luxury brand at all, but they build exactly what they want using the best they can. I have an Air Boss, a Gator and Tri-fold shave kit; I'm getting ready to order several more small pieces.

Along the same lines would be Tom Bihn, whose aesthetic reflects Seattle in the same way that Red Oxx does Montana. I only have a laptop sleeve from them, but they also seem to show real attention to detail and quality.

I've not seen one in person, but Glaser Bags certainly seem to be a quality first brand.

Burger Yachts
Glock
Lexus-amazing quality for mass produced vehicles

Clothing is really debatable, the quality factor is not as easily measured as it is with products that have working parts.

Great thread. I agree with:

Lobb (they retain the skills in-house, they won't sell sub-standard shoes outside the factory shop and although they do have some questionable styles, the overall quality is always very high).

Linn (I use a Linn set-up in my home cinema that I've had for several years. I absolutley love it. When I was at college I worked for one of their premier retailers and attended many training courses at the factory, usually run by Mr Tiefenbrun's brother Marcus. I reckon I can still set up an LP12 from scratch, although I sold mine years ago - which I regret).

SAB (I've been to the factory a few times and although one can buy the odd item there as a "second" in reality one would be hard pressed to tell why. Their cases are spectacular and I can't imagine seeing one that is higher quality).

Lexus/Toyota (not flash, but they put so much effort into quality of both product and service. I've been through just about every "premium" maker and none get close to Lexus in terms of the customer experience. They really seem to think quality throughout the supply chain. I'm currently driving a Mercedes which is OK but the service is awful - I assume we're applying quality to service as well as product?)


I'll add (this may be contentious, but hey, that's the point)

Filson (for the price they charge, given that they are making most stuff (I'm talking jackets and luggage) in the west and with their stated purpose in mind, the quality (and fitness for purpose) is extremely high.

Jaeger LeCoultre (only an opinion, but if one was to strip away brand image and marketing and focus on the quality of the item for the price asked, I think JLC would be right near the top).

RM Williams (I'm a big fan. Their quality isn't just high in terms of the price asked, it's high full stop. They also retain in-house expertise and focus on what they are good at).

Liverpool Football Club (the best quality of football played by the highest quality players with the best pedigree of any team.....

Shun.

Originally Posted by voxsartoria

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I disagree with you. Three reasons:

1. Their dial side finishing is not as showy as the display side, but it is entirely consistent with Germanic watchmaking tradition. In fact, I feel (and reasonable people disagree), their finishing is equalled but not exceeded by Patek.

2. I feel that Lange's calibre-to-case orientation is purer than Patek. Lange thinks very seriously about what goes into the case in a way that no other watchmaker does. Moreover, I feel that while Patek cannot be equaled in complications, Lange has become the leader in manual wind movements.

3. The service from the Lange manufactury is really beyond anything that I have heard of other makers providing. It is personal, excellent, and uncompromising.

There was an old article on Timezone that took a close look at Lange's finishing. It's not merely that the dial side is less extravagantly finished, but that it appeared to be finished in a very rudimentary fashion. I think Lange addressed this problem at one point, but it's a still a little unsettling to wonder if they'd take other shortcuts so long as they could get away with them.

Also, as much as I love some Lange watches, I have trouble calling them 'uncompromising'. If that were the case, they'd insist on making pocket watches. Consider: the three-quarter plate design is traditional to German watchmaking, not because it was particularly 'German' to begin with, but because the German watch industry died by the end of WW2 and had been predominantly making pocketwatches up to that point; three-quarter plate design was common in pocketwatch movements. It is worth noting that Lange never really made wristwatches before its resurrection last decade.

So, when you look at a Lange watch now, you are looking at a wristwatch whose design takes on cues from 70+ year old German pocketwatch design in order to establish brand continuity--uncompromising? When you consider what a pain ********** it is to service a three-quarter plate movement, I don't know about that.

I do agree, however, that Lange should be credited for making cases to fit their movements, whereas Patek has blatantly shoved too-small movements into too-big cases. Maybe I'm just bitter that Lange got rid of the 1815 line, which were, to me, some of the prettiest and most elegant watches out there.

As far as cars go, my vote for uncompromising goes to Lotus. No one else sticks to their guns like they do, and it shows (both in spectactular cars, and a very shaky business history).

Originally Posted by voxsartoria

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I give kdaust credit for this concept.

What brands and makers pursue quality as they define it without compromise? And by "compromise," I don't mean at any cost, but simply, given the premise of what they sell, do they cut corners?

Here are three that I like, just to get things off to a start:

- Lange

- B

I much prefer this Lange.

http://www.langeusa.com/