Funny time to be selling madras? The ones on the on line store are nice but not as interesting as the ones JJ's wearing in the editorial piece

If I had a £225 Drakes voucher I'd rather spend it on one of their cable shetlands

I always wonder who on earth has the money to buy more than the odd thing from Drake's? Always seems wildly over-priced, not least as we can see that made in London doesn't cost THAT much. They often have some lovely ivy-esque items, but feels a bit fashionista playing ivy dress up (JJ aside).

Maybe it's because I picked up lots of old jackets and shirts many years ago on the cheap off eBay USA and elsewhere, but I can't see how and why people can pay that much for that stuff *shrugs*

I mean, if the average drakes customer probably lives in London, say, how can they afford it with all other costs of living? I get they sell to the wealthy, but it still blows my mind!

I notice Drakes have stopped stocking Paraboots and Aldens in their footwear section. Of course these items are obtainable elsewhere which sort of sets the price.

I like the general look Drakes put together in their look books, a sort of English Ivy? But £225 for those shirts looks pretty silly compared against a made to order Jakes shirt from £150. The same goes for the rest of their clothing range, well over priced for what it is and designed to appeal to people who have lots to spend. the Veblen effect again maybe?

Having said that, these things are all relative and most people would see shopping in John Simons as being wildly extravagant and unnecessary. As 2RS says, the difference is what you are buying into, an ethos and inspiration behind the designs.

''Rather than going to a shop and spending £1000, I find a certain appeal at finding old Makers shirts for a tenner, or old Shetlands for pennies.''

You woudn't get much for a grand in Drakes. You'd need to spend some serious wonga to get their casual English take on the Ivy look. They're pretty discerning mind you. Can't knock that. More good stuff than the Brooks Brothers non-Japanese sites. But you can get all of that, much more cost effective elsewhere.

I enjoyed for a period getting gear off ebay, had some hits and misses. Sometimes you get somebody who's inherited some stuff they want to get rid of quick and you hit the mother lode.

It is absurd to constantly complain about the fact that so many companies are outsourcing their production to low-wage countries and at the same time bemoan the prices of products made in England or the USA.

The reason for these prices is that a) it costs something to pay people decently and use good materials and b) not enough people buy these products.

I realize that not everyone has the financial capacity to spend a fortune at Drake's or similar manufacturers, but these prices are no coincidence. And no, capitalism is not evil.

But would certainly agree, it's crazy to imagine mid 20th century unionised shirt makers of mass production mass consumption for a national (usa) economy can be the same today in globalised, debt-driven rapid consumption economies. Nonetheless, still feel it's widely overpriced and aimed at people with more money than sense

Last edited by colin (2022-10-04 03:35:39)

Likely a significant portion of Drakes costs will be in rent and that will account for added mark-up too.

I should add to my above comment, that issue about not being able to make clothes now (and here) as in years gone by, speaks to deeper, more important things than ivy style clothes (which don't really matter in the grand scheme of things).

''We are all addicts....'' On the 12 step program to quit the button-down.

'''...wore it for decades until it wore out...''
Essentially, that's my mission and has been for quite sometime. I've C&J's shoes from the mid-1990s, Lacoste polos from 20 years ago, etc. When it comes to shirting, you can't beat in terms of quality of construction and cloth, T&A's. The premium is mega, quite unaffordable now. Not really Ivy clobber, but some good madras inspired stuff and some Oxford cloth that they call something else for some reason. Getting towards half a grand for a shirt is totally ridiculous. But they will last for nearly ever.

Drakes strike me as a Harry Stedmanish now which is no bad thing necessarily.

Mercer & Sons did get the cost to quality ratio right for a time. Alas exchange rates.

colin: "I agree we should not buy clothes that are dirt cheap as this obviously reinforces poverty wages and worse. Yet their Shetlands are £250 odd, which is a doubling of what we know they cost elsewhere for made in Scotland (same manufacturers and workers). Likewise, we know made in London shirts for John Simons are between £90-£130, yet their shirts are £200+"


In order not to be misunderstood: I consider these prices for RTW clothing to be excessive and would never pay this price for a Shetland or a shirt because it is proven to be hopelessly overpriced.
Basically, I was referring to reasonable prices, which in most cases cannot be low for good reasons.

Used to have great ties then they started branching out...