This is my Equipment cashmere sweater. New season (Fall/Winter 2012). It retails on their website for $288.00. Thankfully, that is nowhere near what I paid for it. I have featured this sweater in a blog post, am absolutely in love with the colour, and was hoping that it would become a part of my forever pile that would gracefully age along with the other cashmere pieces in my collection. I have worn this sweater for a full day about five or six times, and only travelled with it once. Take note of the thinness of the weave. The pilling. The unstable-looking seaming. Now witness Exihibit B:
You will recognize this as the sweater that I featured in this past week's post. This is a sweater by Charter Club, Macy's brand of cashmere. This is a sweater that I got secondhand on Ebay. These days, I think that they run a little over a hundred bucks new, but you can pretty reliably get them on sale. I have no idea how old this sweater is, but I do know that I am not its first owner. Witness the denser weave of this sweater, the lack of any significant pilling. I have worn this to death. It has been to the Alps (twice), to the USA (three times) and all over the UK. Although I can't be sure when this was made, I think its safe to say that this sweater has the upper hand in the quality of cashmere department.
Designers and Retailers,
What the hell!?
You are shooting yourselves in the foot. You might get someone to pay a ridiculously-inflated price for an inferior-quality garment once. Once. But it doesn't take a rocket scientist to see that you are sourcing your materials and labor on the cheap. I strongly suggest you rethink your production quality if you want to charge these kinds of prices. Otherwise, it is in your best interest to sharpen your friggin' pencils and start charging for what you are actually producing, and not for what you think you can make the customer believe you are producing. Best of luck Equipment, but I'm afraid this relationship is just not working out. It's not me, it's you.
Highland Fashionista
There seems to be no rhyme nor reason to it--I've got cashmere sweaters from Neimans and some fancy "Scottish" brands that develop new holes every time I look at them, and some from Old Navy/Valerie Stevens/Charter Club that could probably survive a cat 3 hurricane. Like you, I purchase a lot of mine secondhand (who sells their cashmere anyway, People Who Can't Hand Wash?) so if something isn't fabulous at least I didn't pay anywhere near retail for it. :-)
ReplyDeleteI so agree with you. My best cashmeres are the ones I get at my consignment shop. I have no idea why someone would sell a perfect sweater that is in perfect shape. I am so lucky to have found several there in the past few years and I have not paid more then $20!
ReplyDeleteI'm loving the quality and color of the sweater I bought from you. I'll have to send a pic.
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad! I loved that cardigan too but alas it never quite fit me right. I'm glad that these pieces go to good homes. That's why I have the shop :)
Deleteyikes, that's no good! i can't believe a reputable brand like equipment would have such poor quality.
ReplyDeletePS-check out my blog to enter my Jack Rogers giveaway!
I know, and I will definitely check out the Jack Rogers....my hot pink ones are on their last legs....
DeleteThat is all kinds of crazy! How annoying. I stopped buying cashmere-anything from J.Crew 3 years ago due to excessive pilling. So pointless. Love the Brooks Brothers line though!
ReplyDeletewow, good that I came across this post as I was on the verge of purchasing a sweater. I think Equipment is flying a bit too high on the reputation they built on their silk blouses...
ReplyDeleteIndeed. I would try Brora...pricier, but nice...and Scottish :)
ReplyDelete