The London Lounge

I visited EG on Savile Row today for the first time in a while and noticed some 'changes'. I wondered if other members had any insight into recent developments?

To elaborate, they seem to have increased their prices by around 10%: I found nothing in the shop for less than 600 GBP. They have also introduced a new Top Drawer range which is a made to measure shoe (not bespoke - they don't make you a last) at around 1000GBP. Interestingly, they seemed to have quite a limited stock in-store - not in itself an issue but, when I enquired about a model they didn't seem to carry, I was told they could still source everything in their catalogue but anything not in-store would have to be made to order and attract a premium of an additional 120 GBP! So, it seems there are now three price points: standard stock carried in-store at 600 GBP+, standard stock which is not carried in-store at 720 GBP+, and a MTO service at 1000 GBP+.

I'm sure you meant Jermyn St, not Savile Row.

More to the point, it has been that way for a while now. The word is that the Top Drawer are sold out every year as well. I love their shoes, but I think their service and product knowledge is patchy.

My mistake - Jermyn Street of course!

The service was lacklustre at best. There were two youngish gentlemen working there who I have not previously met, and one of them in particular was in full sales mode for the whole time I was in store. Unfortunately, he seemed to know very little about shoes, which was most irritating!

I find it amazing that anyone can up their prices by 10 - 40% in a recession and expect to maintain revenue, but if as you say the Top Drawer range is selling well (it can't be selling out if its MTO) then perhaps they know something I don't.

sartorius wrote:I find it amazing that anyone can up their prices by 10 - 40% in a recession and expect to maintain revenue, but if as you say the Top Drawer range is selling well (it can't be selling out if its MTO) then perhaps they know something I don't.

The Top Drawer shoes are made by a few workers with a better skill level and that production has been at capacity for some time.

If I can paraphrase you, Will, it appears that one must pay a surcharge to have the shoes made by more skilled workers.

The service in the Jermyn Street shop is consistently dreadful.

I am glad to know that I am not the only one who feels this way towards their service, sometimes one might think they are the one at fault for being too picky about others, but I often get this snobbish attitude when I enter that shop, regardless of how much you spend.

On the other hand, I have never bought a pair of John Lobbs, and yet their service is better, especially the manager (cannot really say the same about the others unfortunately) who have great knowledge about shoes and never tries to push a sale, no matter how much I wanted these loafers, he adviced me against them. Service likes that almost makes me think I owe them something in return!

tteplitzmd wrote:
The service in the Jermyn Street shop is consistently dreadful.

That may actually be an understatement.

The combination of that and the error rate on their made to order broke me of my Edward Green habit.

It's interesting how many people praise their products, yet so many people feel negatively to the overall experience. It's a real pity.

I often get this snobbish attitude when I enter that shop, regardless of how much you spend

You are correct that the staff who worked in store previously (a gent in his 50s and a lady probably ten years younger) were often a little haughty, although I must say this never bothered me unduly. At least they knew the product and were never pushy.

It now seems that two different sales guys have been employed, both quite young (one of them probably in his 20s) and both intent purely on selling you anything they possibly can. At times I actually felt like they were trying to take me for a ride. For example, I asked for a copy of their catalogue and was told that "it is quite out of date" but that "anything not held in stock could be ordered MTO" (which of course meant paying a 120GBP premium on top of their already recently-inflated-by-10% RTW price). To my mind, if you have a catalogue then that, by definition, indicates your standard stock. Why should you have to pay a premium for MTO just because they don't happen to have a particular model on site?

Things were so bad that I started to wonder whether EG had been taken over. But when I visited Foster & Son later that day, they confirmed that it was the same company (EG makes Fosters RTW line).

But when I visited Foster & Son later that day, they confirmed that it was the same company (EG makes Fosters RTW line).

And Foster & Son stocks EGs made on the great 88 last.

Michael

alden wrote:

But when I visited Foster & Son later that day, they confirmed that it was the same company (EG makes Fosters RTW line).

And Foster & Son stocks EGs made on the great 88 last.

Michael

They dont carry only eG...you have tolook...if it says 33 i's c7j f itsas 8 or such, itt..and the EGs are higher priced

Fosters told me that although EG make their RTW line, they are made using Fosters' own lasts. Is this untrue?

sartorius wrote:Fosters told me that although EG make their RTW line, they are made using Fosters' own lasts. Is this untrue?

Yes and no. They use the EG 88 but they are the only ones using the EG 88 I believe.

And ...they do not exclusively use EG for RTW...they have a C&J line on the 337-i know-i have a pair..slightly more antiqued color with a different brogue-ing pattern than C&J's own hand-grade shoe, but the same shoe, same last

They use the EG 88 but they are the only ones using the EG 88 I believe.

EG's catalogue doesn't feature the 88 last so it seems you are correct. Out of interest, what are the characteristics of the 88?