Sartorial Stories In The News

A lot of these clothes brand sales jobs are not going to becoming back. Online retailing has won the race with all that entails. It will likely effect the outlet stores too. The reality is, for high street brands you can shop better online. The exception is for perfumes and aftershaves.

I can see this effecting some tailors and the likes in prime real estate in Savile Row and Jermyn Street.
 
A lot of these clothes brand sales jobs are not going to becoming back. Online retailing has won the race with all that entails. It will likely effect the outlet stores too. The reality is, for high street brands you can shop better online. The exception is for perfumes and aftershaves.

I can see this effecting some tailors and the likes in prime real estate in Savile Row and Jermyn Street.

If they were smart they will have bought the property during flush years rather than be tied to indentured servitude of rent for the rest of their natural.
I’m not smug at all about seeing regular folks lose their jobs but I’m pissed off that companies - airlines spring to mind - who have been making vast profits in recent years threw the money to their executives rather than consolidating their financial position or saving for a rainy day. Now they’re going cap in hand to the governments to bail them out. With money which will be paid by higher taxes along with the inevitable increase in ticket prices so Joe Public will get it in the ass going and coming - without lube!
 
If they were smart they will have bought the property during flush years rather than be tied to indentured servitude of rent for the rest of their natural.
I’m not smug at all about seeing regular folks lose their jobs but I’m pissed off that companies - airlines spring to mind - who have been making vast profits in recent years threw the money to their executives rather than consolidating their financial position or saving for a rainy day. Now they’re going cap in hand to the governments to bail them out. With money which will be paid by higher taxes along with the inevitable increase in ticket prices so Joe Public will get it in the ass going and coming - without lube!

That's already happening, one of my colleagues has been looking at flights from Houston to Amsterdam in August with United. No more direct flights, several combinations with the best via Montreal and one with several changes wanting US$7,000 (not business class). The options are 15hrs the other 19hrs.

The two best Dutch, or best-ish, men's outfitters cum tailors in the Netherlands own their property. One's family run and haven't escaped the first crisis of 2007 when the Dutch politicians stopped shopping there and went tie-less. But you can survive if you own your shop space. If you're renting a GBP 100,000 a month in London prestige locations, you got a problem, especially now as the trunk shows are over.
 
That's already happening, one of my colleagues has been looking at flights from Houston to Amsterdam in August with United. No more direct flights, several combinations with the best via Montreal and one with several changes wanting US$7,000 (not business class). The options are 15hrs the other 19hrs.

The two best Dutch, or best-ish, men's outfitters cum tailors in the Netherlands own their property. One's family run and haven't escaped the first crisis of 2007 when the Dutch politicians stopped shopping there and went tie-less. But you can survive if you own your shop space. If you're renting a GBP 100,000 a month in London prestige locations, you got a problem, especially now as the trunk shows are over.
I suppose landlords have the choice to lower/suspend rents, or else their tenants go bust and they now have an empty retail space with upkeep overheads and zero income until they find a new tenant. Which must surely be thin on the ground as a result of all this.
 
I suppose landlords have the choice to lower/suspend rents, or else their tenants go bust and they now have an empty retail space with upkeep overheads and zero income until they find a new tenant. Which must surely be thin on the ground as a result of all this.

Much of prime real estate in London and also in Chester is owned by Hugh Grosvenor, 7th Duke of Westminster, the world's richest person under 30. For several years the Chester Grosvenor precinct and shopping center has been in decline. His father use to give very favorable rents for up to 3 years to build-up a business and then wrack up the rent. In the old days it worked, but for several years, Chester has been in decline. The once top 6 shopping area of the UK is something like a 100 plus in the league tables. The McArthur Glen Cheshire Oaks outlet village, the biggest in Europe I am led to believe, has sucked Chester dry.

I imagine the young Duke of Westminster, will be giving a very lenient grace period as regards rents.
 
I imagine the young Duke of Westminster, will be giving a very lenient grace period as regards rents.

I see what you did there! 😛

Seriously, though, it will be interesting to see the upshot of this situation. There are lots of businesses closed in Australia at present and despite government support I strongly suspect that some will simply not reopen as they were not doing very well beforehand.

My local shopping centre (or "mall") often has some empty stores in it, even though it's quite upmarket and in an affluent location. Even before this, quite a few of the stores hardly ever seemed to have anyone ever buying anything and I really found it hard to understand how they stayed open. This will most likely result in an even bigger move away from bricks-and-mortar stores towards online shopping, strengthening the changes of the past decade or so.

Surprisingly, one type of business that seems to be doing well out the current situation is bookstores. Even though many other stores (clothing, other consumer goods) have been shut for the past month in Australia, bookstores have largely remained open and have been doing great business.
 
Shops like Walmart and Target have had some success with curbside pickup here. Smaller retailers, including clothing stores, are allowed to do curbside pickup retail only - but as much as they are pushing it, I can’t see this model ever taking hold. A lot will pull out of bricks and mortar retail, I’m sure.

The big wildcard might be the return of the strip mall. People feel less safe strolling around in the large congregate settings of the giant malls and prefer to pull up outside a single shop to get what they are looking for.
 
The big wildcard might be the return of the strip mall. People feel less safe strolling around in the large congregate settings of the giant malls and prefer to pull up outside a single shop to get what they are looking for.

That could be one outcome, a return to the niche. Along with the online stuff that's inevitable. And luxury will be out for sometime, can't see anyone rushing to max out credit cards and buying a Rolex with your non-existence bonus that definitely ain't coming this year.
 
Much of prime real estate in London and also in Chester is owned by Hugh Grosvenor, 7th Duke of Westminster, the world's richest person under 30. For several years the Chester Grosvenor precinct and shopping center has been in decline. His father use to give very favorable rents for up to 3 years to build-up a business and then wrack up the rent. In the old days it worked, but for several years, Chester has been in decline. The once top 6 shopping area of the UK is something like a 100 plus in the league tables. The McArthur Glen Cheshire Oaks outlet village, the biggest in Europe I am led to believe, has sucked Chester dry.

I imagine the young Duke of Westminster, will be giving a very lenient grace period as regards rents.

Don't count on it. There are hardly any good shops in Chester any more, all bars and eateries...The increase in the number of races days at the Roodee have took their toll, as eople tend to avoid the city centre on race days..

It'll be interesting to see what effect the lockdown has had on the centre after we come out. I'm not hopeful...
 
Don't count on it. There are hardly any good shops in Chester any more, all bars and eateries...The increase in the number of races days at the Roodee have took their toll, as eople tend to avoid the city centre on race days..

It'll be interesting to see what effect the lockdown has had on the centre after we come out. I'm not hopeful...

And endless estate agents on Lower Bridge Street. My kids really like that Firejacks and the last couple of times I've been back home we've been there. But what works at lunch time is dreadful of an evening the whole concept.

Mr Chow's in Parkgate is always a winner though. Sheldrake's gone right down - everything drowning in sauces.
 
And endless estate agents on Lower Bridge Street. My kids really like that Firejacks and the last couple of times I've been back home we've been there. But what works at lunch time is dreadful of an evening the whole concept.

Mr Chow's in Parkgate is always a winner though. Sheldrake's gone right down - everything drowning in sauces.

I rarely walk down Lower Bridge Street, I may occasionally have a pint in The Falcon and haven't been in the Ye Old Kings Head for years....I always walk through Grosvenor Park to get to the river front.
 
That could be one outcome, a return to the niche. Along with the online stuff that's inevitable. And luxury will be out for sometime, can't see anyone rushing to max out credit cards and buying a Rolex with your non-existence bonus that definitely ain't coming this year.
I'm actually thinking of finally getting a gold Day Date this year.
 
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Loved Whicker....loved Whickers World.

Alan, giving us the low down on the world's hot, and not so hot spots...

That was the last hurrah of the Jet Set, along with Clive James and perhaps Michael Palin, in the late 80s before exotic travel became accessible for one and all.

But it might come back in a big way! I mean no one being able to afford to go to these places.

His verdict on the practicality of the blazer is quite witty, but I can't find it now. But this will do from the Esquire orbituary: ''He's testament to the power of having your own style and sticking to it no matter what. In 2000, when invited to play himself in a feature film set in 1977, the wardrobe designer began trying to source the right clothes he would have worn in that period. Stop looking, he told her, I'm still wearing them. ''
 
That was the last hurrah of the Jet Set, along with Clive James and perhaps Michael Palin, in the late 80s before exotic travel became accessible for one and all.

But it might come back in a big way! I mean no one being able to afford to go to these places.

His verdict on the practicality of the blazer is quite witty, but I can't find it now. But this will do from the Esquire orbituary: ''He's testament to the power of having your own style and sticking to it no matter what. In 2000, when invited to play himself in a feature film set in 1977, the wardrobe designer began trying to source the right clothes he would have worn in that period. Stop looking, he told her, I'm still wearing them. ''

He wore the Blazer with great style and panache...and it is indeed, a great testament to cultivating your own style and sticking with it. NewYork Rangers of the world please take note.
 
Smaller retailers, including clothing stores, are allowed to do curbside pickup retail only - but as much as they are pushing it, I can’t see this model ever taking hold. A lot will pull out of bricks and mortar retail, I’m sure.
right because if you're just selling out of a back door why are you paying exorbitant mall rents? might as well just get a warehouse space and open up the garage.
 
right because if you're just selling out of a back door why are you paying exorbitant mall rents? might as well just get a warehouse space and open up the garage.

But who is going to phone ahead to order stuff and pick it up straight away, instead of ordering online? I mean, the one main advantage of going into the store was seeing all the stuff in person and trying it on first. It might work for Target, but I can’t see it working for J Crew.
 
But who is going to phone ahead to order stuff and pick it up straight away, instead of ordering online? I mean, the one main advantage of going into the store was seeing all the stuff in person and trying it on first. It might work for Target, but I can’t see it working for J Crew.
no one, really, which is why the mall is going to die. but as a niche i think the brand and style of jcrew could survive. the days of going to a store to try things on in a fitting room might be behind us.
 
the days of going to a store to try things on in a fitting room might be behind us.

I don't mind buying stuff off the internet if: a) the seller provides good measurements; and b) I'm getting a great discount.

However, if I'm paying full price, or close to it, I really want to be able to try them on in person. Otherwise, it's too much trouble to stuff around with postage, sending items back and so on. There's also the issue of fabrics - sometimes a fabric looks great in a picture on a monitor, but when you actually get a chance to feel the fabric, you discover that it's coarse, or it's heavier or lighter than you expected.
 
That was the last hurrah of the Jet Set, along with Clive James and perhaps Michael Palin, in the late 80s before exotic travel became accessible for one and all.

But it might come back in a big way! I mean no one being able to afford to go to these places.

His verdict on the practicality of the blazer is quite witty, but I can't find it now. But this will do from the Esquire orbituary: ''He's testament to the power of having your own style and sticking to it no matter what. In 2000, when invited to play himself in a feature film set in 1977, the wardrobe designer began trying to source the right clothes he would have worn in that period. Stop looking, he told her, I'm still wearing them. ''
His autobiography ‘Within Whicker’s World’ is an excellent read.
And talking of Clive James, James has some snarky things to say about Whicker to which Whicker observed that such criticism was a bit rich coming from someone who had ripped off the entire format of Whicker’s World lock stock and barrel for his own travelogue show.
 
He wore the Blazer with great style and panache...and it is indeed, a great testament to cultivating your own style and sticking with it. NewYork Rangers of the world please take note.
He was a captain in a film unit during WW2. At one point a whole group surrendered to him and his cameraman. It wasn’t as easy a gig as it seems. As they were following the battles up Italy (maybe Anzio?) he and a colleague flipped a coin as to which upcoming battle they would each cover. His mate didn’t make it.
He discusses the blazer in his book - being ex military he had that ‘off duty officer’ background and needed something that would be presentable on camera, neat and versatile so he chose the blazer and tie and that was it!
 
However, if I'm paying full price, or close to it, I really want to be able to try them on in person. Otherwise, it's too much trouble to stuff around with postage, sending items back and so on. There's also the issue of fabrics - sometimes a fabric looks great in a picture on a monitor, but when you actually get a chance to feel the fabric, you discover that it's coarse, or it's heavier or lighter than you expected.

We would also miss the fawning attention of the likes of Kenneth and Ken and their impertinent line of questioning

 
I don't mind buying stuff off the internet if: a) the seller provides good measurements; and b) I'm getting a great discount.

One of the start-ups in the managed office we're in has a sizing App/camera solution for clothes brands. Scruffy sort mind you.

His autobiography ‘Within Whicker’s World’ is an excellent read.
And talking of Clive James, James has some snarky things to say about Whicker to which Whicker observed that such criticism was a bit rich coming from someone who had ripped off the entire format of Whicker’s World lock stock and barrel for his own travelogue show.

He did do a good ripping it off mind you. Those travelogues in the 90s were excellent.

He was a captain in a film unit during WW2. At one point a whole group surrendered to him and his cameraman. It wasn’t as easy a gig as it seems. As they were following the battles up Italy (maybe Anzio?) he and a colleague flipped a coin as to which upcoming battle they would each cover. His mate didn’t make it.
He discusses the blazer in his book - being ex military he had that ‘off duty officer’ background and needed something that would be presentable on camera, neat and versatile so he chose the blazer and tie and that was it!

I've always wanted to read his WW2 memoir. I remember my last primary school teacher reading an excerpt from it in school assembly about the disinfectant tasting water and washing clothes in petrol or paraffin in the military camps in the desert.
 
I don't mind buying stuff off the internet if: a) the seller provides good measurements; and b) I'm getting a great discount.

However, if I'm paying full price, or close to it, I really want to be able to try them on in person. Otherwise, it's too much trouble to stuff around with postage, sending items back and so on. There's also the issue of fabrics - sometimes a fabric looks great in a picture on a monitor, but when you actually get a chance to feel the fabric, you discover that it's coarse, or it's heavier or lighter than you expected.
Eh i dont think youll be doing that for quite some time. Hell shirt buying has largely migrated to these online shops at this point. It might just head that way permanently.
 

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