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#1 2007-04-05 13:43:07
- uncle suede
- New member
- Posts: 7
Ralph Lauren making his own shoes?
I stopped at Polo Shop in Manhasset, NY today and was shown a table full of "made to order" shoes. When I asked who made them I was told "we do". When I asked who "we" are, I was told Ralph Lauren. Several weeks ago at the shop in Short Hills, NJ, I was told the Italian shoes were made by "the same people who make Gucci shoes". At $1,100.00, the MTOs are the same as RTW Edw. Green at Saks. If they are Edw. Green, as they appeared to be, this is a pretty good price. Anyone know the real story?
#2 2007-04-05 15:08:53
- edmorel
- Member
- Posts: 194
Re: Ralph Lauren making his own shoes?
I've heard that Sergio Rossi makes Gucci's shoes and I also heard, form a pretty good source, that Peluso makes shoes for Gucci. There was a long thread on SF about RLPL dropping EG as their "Made in Engand" shoe. I forgot the outcome but from what I've seen the RLPL Made In England shoes are still EG and I do not know who makes the regular line Made In England shoes for RL.
#3 2007-04-05 15:41:00
- Tomasso
- Member
- Posts: 598
Re: Ralph Lauren making his own shoes?
AFAIK, RL makes none of its product line.
#4 2007-04-05 17:27:56
- jsprowls9
- Member
- From: Denver, CO
- Posts: 250
Re: Ralph Lauren making his own shoes?
Last edited by jsprowls9 (2007-04-05 17:30:13)
#6 2007-04-06 00:06:05
- Horace
- Member
- Posts: 6433
Re: Ralph Lauren making his own shoes?
Thanks Jsprowls, I alway find your posts edifying.
I think at one time, RL did own some of his own factories or was partnered with those that did certainly (like Norman Hilton). Once RL went offshore with his Polo shirt, I think there was no looking back. Though up through the 90's he made things in America and the quality was pretty good. It was like getting quality Brooks kit, save the details were "more authentic" and the fabrics often superior. One example was his cords. I think he did very nice cords. Maybe the cut could be better, but the fabric was decadently nice.
Last edited by Horace (2007-04-06 00:06:26)
""This is probably the last Deb season...because of the stock market, the economy, Everything..." - W. Stillman.
#7 2007-04-06 00:13:21
- Incroyable
- Member
- Posts: 2310
Re: Ralph Lauren making his own shoes?
Didn't they have Crockett & Jones make their Bench Line of shoes?
Jukebox Babe
#9 2007-04-06 00:20:16
- Horace
- Member
- Posts: 6433
Re: Ralph Lauren making his own shoes?
""This is probably the last Deb season...because of the stock market, the economy, Everything..." - W. Stillman.
#10 2007-04-07 21:41:11
- Howard
- Member
- From: Drimtaidhvrickhilliohattan
- Posts: 236
Re: Ralph Lauren making his own shoes?
Last edited by Howard (2007-04-07 21:46:49)
#11 2007-04-08 00:30:59
- jsprowls9
- Member
- From: Denver, CO
- Posts: 250
Re: Ralph Lauren making his own shoes?
Last edited by jsprowls9 (2007-04-08 00:34:06)
#12 2007-04-08 07:28:17
- Tony Ventresca
- Member
- Posts: 5132
Re: Ralph Lauren making his own shoes?
I assume that PRL, for example, owns the patterns and lasts for its shoes, so outsourcing could be as simple as sending a package of patterns & lasts to a shoe manufacturer, who as long as they had decent standards, could produce the same shoe as another manufacturer without significant or noticeable (at least to the customer) differences.
Oversimplification, I'm sure.
TV
#13 2007-04-08 09:11:42
- jsprowls9
- Member
- From: Denver, CO
- Posts: 250
Re: Ralph Lauren making his own shoes?
No, you're about 98% there, TV. PRL would definitely own the patterns, but, not necessarily the lasts, at least not until the style were approved for production. If the product development area (or, the "design team") of PRL created a prototype last upon which to build the prototype shoe, then the proto would be taken to a lastmaker to be replicated for production.
Either a hard (i.e paper) or digital copy of the patterns would be forwarded along to the contractor with a technical illustration, the mfg specs, etc. The lasts would come in from the lastmaker, the goods would come in from all across the supply chain, the goods would be inspected by the shoemaking contractor; and, the shoemaking contractor would begin clicking/cutting, sewing, lasting, stretching, dressing and finishing.
Anywhere in the chain, quality issues can be introduced. Let's say the sponsor, in this case, PRL, didn't use only one lastmaker (for whatever reason) to produce a given style. This might introduce a quality issue in the final product and make it very difficult to trace. Let's say the shoemaking contractor didn't receive quality specs to inspect the goods; and, their best guess wasn't good enough. Or, let's say the shoemaking contractor received the lasts for style #90036 instead of style #90063; but, built style #90063 forcing the pattern to conform to spec.
#16 2007-04-08 17:31:57
- jsprowls9
- Member
- From: Denver, CO
- Posts: 250
Re: Ralph Lauren making his own shoes?
Howard takes it again!
Factory "seconds" (the polite word for: failed quality inspection or mistake) are the first to go to the off-price market. The contractor buys them off the sponsor; and needs to dispose of them, quickly. So, when you shop at TJ Maxx, Ross, Steinmart, etc. finding things that were made that season, they consist of either: a) seconds, or b) "pushed" goods that buyers didn't want - that's a whole other story...
eBay sellers make up a significant share of the off-price market. I've also heard horror stories of manufacturers getting ripped off. In other words, an eBay store orders mdse without any intention of ever paying for it; and, sells it for significantly less than MSRP. When the invoice becomes due, they disconnect their phones.
#17 2007-04-08 20:10:48
- Incroyable
- Member
- Posts: 2310
Re: Ralph Lauren making his own shoes?
Howard has become so erudite now that he's joined our site.
Jukebox Babe
#20 2007-04-14 06:35:41
- Horace
- Member
- Posts: 6433
Re: Ralph Lauren making his own shoes?
If you need a letter of recommendation, please let me know.
Who was RL's maker for the USA-made shoes? This was maybe 20 years ago. Very nice stuff. Some very English looking lasts (or maybe more of a melange of Anglo-American) but labelled "The American Collection". Incredible brown leathers.
""This is probably the last Deb season...because of the stock market, the economy, Everything..." - W. Stillman.
#22 2007-04-14 15:38:25
- Terry Lean
- Member
- Posts: 2440
Re: Ralph Lauren making his own shoes?
"One of these mornings
You're going to rise up singing"
#24 2007-05-02 00:52:34
- Horace
- Member
- Posts: 6433
Re: Ralph Lauren making his own shoes?
I have a pair of shoes that look very similar to these won by some cat at AAAC on an ebay auction.
I like them a lot.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=170100697235&ru=http%3A%2F%2Fsearch.ebay.com%3A80%2Fsearch%2Fsearch.dll%3Fcgiurl%3Dhttp%253A%252F%252Fcgi.ebay.com%252Fws%252F%26fkr%3D1%26from%3DR8%26satitle%3D170100697235%26category0%3D%26fvi%3D1#ebayphotohosting
""This is probably the last Deb season...because of the stock market, the economy, Everything..." - W. Stillman.