The London Lounge

The Gieves & Hawkes concession in my local department store is closing at the end of the month (as are all Gieves & Hawkes concessions in department stores, e.g. Selfridges group and House of Fraser). The reason is that the management see them as too "down market", possibly an indication that the remaining stores are moving "upmarket". This news follows the decision of Kilgour to pull out of RTW and concentrate on bespoke. It suggests that the traditional Row houses are returning their roots.

Let us hope it is true.

I have been very disappointed with the quality of product in Gieves & Hawkes stores in recent years and now avoid going into any of their shops.

Prices have remained high but quality has just got lower and lower. It seems to me to be a brand relying on its past and uncertain about its client base. At times, they appear to be aiming for the 25-30 market.

Chelsea

chelsea wrote:Let us hope it is true.

I have been very disappointed with the quality of product in Gieves & Hawkes stores in recent years and now avoid going into any of their shops.

Prices have remained high but quality has just got lower and lower. It seems to me to be a brand relying on its past and uncertain about its client base. At times, they appear to be aiming for the 25-30 market.

Chelsea

I agree but the "fashionable" Gieves brand has been dropped. This season has seen the return of heavy tweed jackets and twills. The quality is not as good as it should be for the price. It is not surprising that my local concession is offering discounts of between 30% and 70%, a telling sign.

Aquascutum, following its acquisition by Jaeger, is planning to focus on its old strengths. Kilgour is pulling out of RTW. These brands now realise that the youth market is very fickle. They have paid a heavy price for ignoring their older customers, the ones with money to spend in tough times.

These brands are not the only ones who have dropped quality in search of the fast youth buck. I hear that New & Lingwood have learned a painful lesson too - the department store range is heavily discounted too. The quality of merchandise in the Jermyn Street store has dropped too. Interestingly, Budd has not had a Christmas sale, a good sign. 2010 will be a "make or break" year for several traditional retailers and brands.

It will be interesting to see how the likes of G&H and Kilgour refocus. Kilgour recently took extra space on SR next to its main shop and G&H has for years used it's large premises at no 1 to showcase it's RTW range. Perhaps they will scale back rather than pull RTW altogether? Does anyone know what they're planning?

sartorius wrote:It will be interesting to see how the likes of G&H and Kilgour refocus. Kilgour recently took extra space on SR next to its main shop and G&H has for years used it's large premises at no 1 to showcase it's RTW range. Perhaps they will scale back rather than pull RTW altogether? Does anyone know what they're planning?

The RTW will be scaled back as G&H is retaining its independent retail shops, e.g. in Sloane Square and Chester. G&H owns Wensum and has a growing RTW and MTM business for other firms, e.g. Ede & Ravencroft and Austin Reed. I expect the firm to focus on improving the quality of a limited RTW range that will be priced accordingly.

Bishop of Briggs wrote: These brands are not the only ones who have dropped quality in search of the fast youth buck. I hear that New & Lingwood have learned a painful lesson too - the department store range is heavily discounted too. The quality of merchandise in the Jermyn Street store has dropped too.

Does the drop in quality at N & L include the bespoke shirts?

Frog in Suit

Bishop of Briggs wrote:G&H owns Wensum

Sort of. One is not the subsidiary of the other. However, both firms have the same ultimate owners. Just a technical detail...

Frog in Suit wrote:

Bishop of Briggs wrote: These brands are not the only ones who have dropped quality in search of the fast youth buck. I hear that New & Lingwood have learned a painful lesson too - the department store range is heavily discounted too. The quality of merchandise in the Jermyn Street store has dropped too.

Does the drop in quality at N & L include the bespoke shirts?

Frog in Suit

No. I believe that Sean O'Flynn continues to make the bespoke shirts. There appears to be at least two ranges, differing in quality, of RTW shirts. The quality of the shoes, made by C&J IIRC, remains high.

Dear Bishop,

Thank you.

Frog in Suit

I think the main focus of the Gieves and Hawkes RTW business is the market outside the EU. Gieves and Hawkes, Aquascutum, and Kent and Curwen all have a strong retail presence in Hong Kong, Mainland China, Macau and I think Japan as well (I know Kent and Curwen garments are made in Japan, among other places). They have stand-alone shops and department store concessions from memory. One hears figures of annual growth in sales of 15% or more for such garments, so it is hard for tailors with well-developed brand recognition to say no to this market, even if it is only their name being used and they only receive a small royalty.