Recent purchases

Originally Posted by kronik

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I thought SoCal's 1% / sale comments spoke for themselves.

If you go back and look the price was brought up because someone asked how much they were thinking of getting them for a gift for their brother.
Then Novaguy took it to heart that I overpaid for them, so I let him know how I felt.
Also, a lot of that post was residual of the convo that went on in the Shoe P0rn thread in MC forum so that would explain my comments; but, I don't think you go over there.

Picked up two more Agnes B shirts: one s/s and one l/s.

Help me, GS. It's like a disease.

Yesterday...

Fred Perry knited polo
Canali suit
Derek Rose PJ's
Barbour scarf
Aquascutum V neck jumper
2 x Aquascutum macs, one tan and one blue
Dunhill tie
Paul Smith casual jacket

Paid retail on the scarf

Originally Posted by whodini

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Picked up two more Agnes B shirts: one s/s and one l/s.

Help me, GS. It's like a disease.

ugh tell me about it. I thought my agnes b virus went into remission but over the last year it resurfaced and I may be going terminal

Dudes, dudes, dudes, dudes... Can't we all just celebrate our differences? Look in the mirror. I would venture to say every last one of us could spend more money if we had it. I am particularly guilty of coveting the next rung on the ladder. Thank god I'm incredibly handsome I might also add, we all (not so) secretly think we're more stylish and/or more knowledgeable regarding style than the next guy down the line. It's just human nature. I realize I'm both stating the obvious, as well as regurgitating previously mentioned takes. Just thought it was time for a reminder.

GS - are you making those epic FP purchases from Warrior Clothing still? I've been through the FP/BS phase so many times before in my life (never really leave it), but I'm ready to get back in the game in the biggest way I can afford. My last purchase from that style was the BS army green flight jacket w/ bright orange lining from a year or so ago.

Originally Posted by cocostella

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GS - are you making those epic FP purchases from Warrior Clothing still? I've been through the FP/BS phase so many times before in my life (never really leave it), but I'm ready to get back in the game in the biggest way I can afford. My last purchase from that style was the BS army green flight jacket w/ bright orange lining from a year or so ago.


I only get my Bennies from Warrior. My FP gear I buy locally from a brick&mortar store that carries the largest stock of FP I've ever seen. I could easily spend $5000 there and not leave with everything I want. I think you'd be surprised how $$$ FP gear can get nowadays, esp if you're looking at the Italian knit polo sweaters or anything from their "limited" line.

Originally Posted by Get Smart

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ugh tell me about it. I thought my agnes b virus went into remission but over the last year it resurfaced and I may be going terminal
And I might be buying another one next weekend. Aww, ****.

Originally Posted by drizzt3117

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I don't think your willingness (or lack thereof) of buying things at full retail has anything to do with the target market that you fit into.

sure it does. And it doesnt have everything to do with money, I would say most brands prefer the poorer fella who buys their clothes at full retail on his charge card over a rich guy that could buy everything at full price but prefers to get his at discount from ebay or a 3rd source seller.

Wouldn't you agree that the target consumer is:
#1....the guy who buys at full retail from authorized seller
#2....the guy who buys at saletime from an authorized seller

and
somewhere
down
the
line

#3....the guys who buys it from a 3rd/4th party discounter, whom the brand (if it were a thinking entity) could give **** all about

again, nothing wrong with not being in the target demographic of a brand. and it's good shopping sense to buy things on sale if you can. But I'm talking strictly about a brand's primary target audience.

That might be what you would think, but as much as luxury retailers would like to think that their product lines are full price driven, economically it's difficult to argue that sales are what drive even luxury retailers at this point, even as a way to promote full price sales through product display. Even if we ignore the fact that some of the value added from a luxury good is driven by its resale value, from an economic perspective, it's obviously consumer spending that drives a market, and to that end, my half million dollars of annual consumer spending is going to do more to thom browne's bottom line than joe blow's $1000 spent buying a cashmere jumper. While it's patently obvious that their BEST customers are going to be like SoCal, buying dozens of products at full price, I would argue that those customers are few and far between. Even so, the merchant's survival is driven by a general purchase of consumer goods.

Originally Posted by Get Smart

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sure it does. And it doesnt have everything to do with money, I would say most brands prefer the poorer fella who buys their clothes at full retail on his charge card over a rich guy that could buy everything at full price but prefers to get his at discount from ebay or a 3rd source seller.

Wouldn't you agree that the target consumer is:
#1....the guy who buys at full retail from authorized seller
#2....the guy who buys at saletime from an authorized seller

and
somewhere
down
the
line

#3....the guys who buys it from a 3rd/4th party discounter, whom the brand (if it were a thinking entity) could give **** all about

again, nothing wrong with not being in the target demographic of a brand. and it's good shopping sense to buy things on sale if you can. But I'm talking strictly about a brand's primary target audience.

Originally Posted by drizzt3117

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That might be what you would think, but as much as luxury retailers would like to think that their product lines are full price driven, economically it's difficult to argue that sales are what drive even luxury retailers at this point, even as a way to promote full price sales through product display. Even if we ignore the fact that some of the value added from a luxury good is driven by its resale value, from an economic perspective, it's obviously consumer spending that drives a market, and to that end, my half million dollars of annual consumer spending is going to do more to thom browne's bottom line than joe blow's $1000 spent buying a cashmere jumper. While it's patently obvious that their BEST customers are going to be like SoCal, buying dozens of products at full price, I would argue that those customers are few and far between. Even so, the merchant's survival is driven by a general purchase of consumer goods.
Disagree. I think that you would be surprised how many people pay full price for everything and how little resale price comes into the mind of most luxury consumers. I would venture to say that it doesn't figure at all. IIRC from my short days of actually covering retail and luxury goods, one of the first things you look at is full price sell through. A succesful shop, and in turn brand, depends on early sales, not discounters picking up the leftovers. Personally, I pay full price for most things. I distrust Ebay and really dislike the feeding frenzy of big sales. If I see something on sale that I like, I snap it up. Years ago I would buy stuff on sale just because the price was good, but I never ended up using any of it. It would be interesting to compare the satisfaction with full price versus sale price purchases over time. Also, my guess is that when I look at the WAYWN threads and see something that really fits awfully, I am looking at something that was a great deal.

Originally Posted by iammatt

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Disagree. I think that you would be surprised how many people pay full price for everything and how little resale price comes into the mind of most luxury consumers. I would venture to say that it doesn't figure at all. IIRC from my short days of actually covering retail and luxury goods, one of the first things you look at is full price sell through. A succesful shop, and in turn brand, depends on early sales, not discounters picking up the leftovers.
I'm not saying resale value plays a part in many products, but in certain luxury goods (read, handbags) there is a significant secondary market. As far as the full price sell situation goes, it's been awhile since I've done a project in the retail industry, but I remember some sales figures showing that the highest daily gross margin percentages for many retailers were actually in Nov/Dec, although this may have incentive based. I haven't consulted for a high end luxury goods retailer but my understanding was that while the brand is driven by full price sales, dealing with unsold merchandise is what ultimately makes or breaks the product line. This is, of course, design driven, if something is so popular and sells out immediately upon release, that's obviously a good thing, but that seems to be the exception rather than the rule.

Personally, I pay full price for most things. I distrust Ebay and really dislike the feeding frenzy of big sales. If I see something on sale that I like, I snap it up. Years ago I would buy stuff on sale just because the price was good, but I never ended up using any of it.

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I'd agree that buying items just because they're a good deal isn't a good strategy.

I never understand these pissing matches. Some peope buy on sale, some buy full price. Some get OTR, some get custom. Some people are ugly, some are good looking like me. Why does there have to be a "better" in all this? Both types of consumers are needed for any store/brand to be succesful (and yes obviously the full price customer is need more) but really, who gives a ****. All that being said, this is a forum of clothing nerds and some here care way too much about what another internet person, whom they have never met, thinks about them so there will be hurt feelings. Socal or Chris or whoever the **** buy expensive items and others think they are crazy. Why Socal or Chris care so much about what others think is beyond me but whatever. The point is, there is no point. Buy what you like, wear it how you want, and move on with your ******* lives. The day I care so much about what someone on the internet thinks about my clothing is the day I jump out the window. I get making one or two comeback comments when you feel you've been dissed but jesus. Some of you guys (and you knwo who you are) are more sensitive than a 10 year old girls. And if you are going to give it to others, don't ***** and whine when you get it back. As for the negative comments being "poor people hating", I'd love to see what comments I would get from SW&D if I posted a new purchase of $500 D&G distressed jeans (with rhinestones and holes).

I don't know how this turned into a debate as to whether one should pay full retail or discount, but that was never my point.

I would not have made the "3 times better" crack if SoCal had bought John Lobbs or EG's, both of which are in the same range as those "Thom Browne" shoes.

Rather, my comments are about the actual shoe itself. Was the retail value of the Thom Browne shoes a fair reflection of the value, or was it overpriced? I think it is overpriced. It appears to be nothing more than a copy of a classic American pebble grain longwingtip, such as one can currently get from Tricker's, Alden or AE, although one might have to pay the custom upcharge.

It seems to me, where footwear is concerned, that Thom Browne is simply copying things. And tacking on an excessive middleman fee for himself. I fail to see any artistic or creative inspiration from his shoes. And I use "his" shoes very lightly. There's no value added here. No real intellectual property being created. What Thom did is no different than I hiring somebody to copy a Ford Taurus (let's assume this model would sell for 25K), rebadging it as a Novaguy "Suruat" (TM) 2007, and selling it for 75K. At the end, you've still got a Taurus.

Why buy an overpriced copy when you can still get the real thing?

Originally Posted by drizzt3117

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As far as the full price sell situation goes, it's been awhile since I've done a project in the retail industry, but I remember some sales figures showing that the highest daily gross margin percentages for many retailers were actually in Nov/Dec, although this may have incentive based.
It really depends which retailers you are talking about and how much negotiating power they have. The large ones negotiate tons of buybacks and discounts for unsold merchandise which greatly skews the numbers. Needless to say that if you are looking at the luxury sector as a whole, these buybacks and incentives are zero-sum at best, and in reality are a net negative as the transactional costs take away from the total gross profit. The basic rule in retail is that 20% of the clients make up 90% of the sales. These are generally people who buy both at full price and a bit at sales. In other words, if you are not one of these guys, you are not the target population. Period. I never realized there was a great second hand handbag market. Maybe my wife is sitting on a goldmine.

Originally Posted by Homely Ed Morel

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I never understand these pissing matches. Some peope buy on sale, some buy full price. Some get OTR, some get custom. Some people are ugly, some are good looking like me.
I agree. My reaction was to the need to conflate what is good for the buyer with what is good for the luxury industry. If you like to buy at sale, that is terrific. You should not, however, assume that BG sees you the same way they see a guy who goes in and drops 75k in a few hours on new Kiton. Then again, the idea of a clothing forum isn't to make BG happy. It is to make us happy and to make Ed feel handsome.

Originally Posted by edmorel

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