Ann Demeulemeester Men's S/S 08

[chris]

what i really dont understand is why buyers are hesitant to buy ann in XXS. her XXS is like a 46, sometimes bigger. and again, is usually the first size to sell out at aloharag.

[chub rock]

i dont understand the buys ever either...especially in the smaller boutiques that only get 1-3 of each piece. its like if youre buying 1 of one thing why buy L?? especially when i know first hand you get a thousand calls every day from people desperatly seeking it in XS XXS etc. i actually think it almost gets worse every season. ive heard of bizzare discount incentives if they buy the larger sizes but it still seems kinda stupid.

[ruach]

Retailers definitely have to start to realize that although the US may be considered a place full of overweight individuals, these really aren't the people buying Raf, Ann, Jil, etc. They would definitely benefit themselves by keeping those people happy.

You would be surprised. Butch Blum has the Seattle accounts for Demeulemeester and CDG and Marios has accounts for Rick Owens and Number (N)ine. Both buy for rich older, and larger, men and only stock medium and above. This is the first season for Marios having these brands, so I can't say anything for their sales, but I know Butch Blum seems to sell their boring M-XL pieces every season. It really sucks that they are completely ignoring some major fans of the brands in the area (including me) but unfortunately(?) it is working for them. What sucks even more is that they are sucking up the one account allowed in the area so, even if a store wanted to cater to the smaller crowd, they aren't allowed to.

People generally think that it is this older crowd that has the money and not the skinnier kids. Unfortunately by never taking the risk to try and cater to the smaller crowd, the retailers are never able to find that these people are definitely out there and definitely willing to spend money.

Over the past year, we have been getting more and more smaller sizes in at Blackbird and it is always a gamble. We stock up on small sizes for something we think smaller people would fit best into and they sit around while it is the fat guys who want it. We stock up on larger sizes for something we think larger guys would be into and it is the smaller people who want it..

[my friend goo]

you guys need to move to japan, the land of where stores dont stock stuff above m, if even.

[chris]

butch blum. hahahahahhaaaaa i can imagine some fat, tasteless 50 year old going in there and being glad that he can fit into an x-large ann shirt, and decide to pair it with like, michael bastian pants or something.

[TEN CRACK COMMANDMENTZ]

chris, dont you go to the stores sometimes?

the shoppers are quite diverse at any store. even you for example. dont you show up to work wearing what you wear in waywt?

i dont think i "fit the description" either.

[artificialsky]

You would be surprised. Butch Blum has the Seattle accounts for Demeulemeester and CDG and Marios has accounts for Rick Owens and Number (N)ine. Both buy for rich older, and larger, men and only stock medium and above.

This is why I am going to firebomb both those places someday soon.

so frustrating.

[chub rock]

it makes sense if your dealing with an older/more luxury driven based clientel or if your market is really big/diverse.

but theres lot of fashion foward boutiques that are actually aimed at fashion conscious people under 30 and their size selection still usually sucks the bag.

[ruach]

butch blum. hahahahahhaaaaa i can imagine some fat, tasteless 50 year old going in there and being glad that he can fit into an x-large ann shirt, and decide to pair it with like, michael bastian pants or something.

The best is that they "have a really great in-house tailor" and try to convince me that he can get me lookin' really sharp in an Ann D blazer that's about a foot too big in the shoulders.

[artificialsky]

also, butch blum and mario's buys for ann demeulemeester, cdg, and rick owens should be outlawed under the geneva convention.

[goldengloves]

We should probably create a thread on buying to keep this more on topic...

but either way; Buying, no matter what store it is, always has a risk involved. But that is definitely a part of doing business. To totally eliminate a customer based on size is kind of weird for a retail clothing boutique but whatever works..

[artificialsky]

We should probably create a thread on buying to keep this more on topic...

make the "bullshit buys" thread.

[chris]

http://www.louisboston.com/

look at their models / styling. ahahahahahahahha

edit: i actually shouldnt make fun of them. someone from styleforum might be reading this.

[andrewisalsorad]

this reminded me of my brief employment with April 77..

they had this retail space, and larger people would walk in, and it was amazing how awkward it was... having them walk into the store, they start browsing through clothes and quickly realize that there isn't a single item they could fit there wrist or ankle through, then having them look at you with a kind of 'wtf-fuck you' kinda face, I just would smile, thinking in my head 'sorry sir we don't serve you kind here'. With their head hanging low, they walk out..

[artificialsky]

this reminded me of my brief employment with April 77..

they had this retail space, and larger people would walk in, and it was amazing how awkward it was... having them walk into the store, they start browsing through clothes and quickly realize that there isn't a single item they could fit there wrist or ankle through, then having them look at you with a kind of 'wtf-fuck you' kinda face, I just would smile, thinking in my head 'sorry sir we don't serve you kind here'. With their head hanging low, they walk out..

I would have looked at you with a who-the-fuck-do-you-think-you-are-calling-coated-canvas-vegan-leather kinda fact then walked out with my head held high.

[Servo2000]

That just sounds like bad business.

[TEN CRACK COMMANDMENTZ]

sounds like a restaurant in the south.

[andrewisalsorad]

yeah..sorry that did come off horribly, and it was a silly situtation that I had to see on a daily basis.

the point being having a store that only caters to one size [like april 77 in this case] can be a bit diffcult to swallow for most people

[BostonWardrobe]

I should add that, in my experience, most of the people in this world who want more small sizes are also the ones who wait for sales. Plus, retailers need to cater to their demographic. How unfair would it be to carry nothing but teeny sizes of Ann D, only to have the M and L people left in the dust? There needs to be a balance of sizing in order to make profit. WIthout profits from sales, less retailers will carry the merchandise. I know this is fundamental stuff, but I think its worth saying.

Also, in regards to american buying of brands like Ann D, I agree that a lot of it is safe. The american market and lifestyle perspective is very different from europe or asia (as im sure you all know by now). What people are willing to pay for in Tokyo can be vastly different from the USA. I know its less adventurous at times, and I know its bought more cautiously than everywhere else in the world... but its all some of us have. And we as consumers have to nurture the relationships we have with retailers to move them in the right direction.

And goddamnit, I love s/s 08. Fuck the past. I dont care how you long for it, its gone. Ann evolves, her eye constantly moving, her learning never ending. We must evolve with her. I am continually amazed that she refuses to dig her own grave, and doesnt repeat herself. I know some of you think she does. But I dont think so. I think her and raf are the real brains of menswear right now. I leave the petty repetition to designers like Rick Owens. But thats just my opinion.

Thanks for reading.

[goldengloves]

And goddamnit, I love s/s 08. Fuck the past. I dont care how you long for it, its gone. Ann evolves, her eye constantly moving, her learning never ending. We must evolve with her. I am continually amazed that she refuses to dig her own grave, and doesnt repeat herself. I know some of you think she does. But I dont think so. I think her and raf are the real brains of menswear right now. I leave the petty repetition to designers like Rick Owens. But thats just my opinion.

Thanks for reading.

It's funny you would write the above and yet go onto say that Rick Owens is repetitive. They both do the same thing; Stick to what they like and what thier customers like.

Ann puts out sneakers every season and the same looking boots and so does RO. Ann puts out drapey cardigans, waistcoats, and loose trousers every season; RO puts out sheer tees, slim jeans, leather jackets, and sheer sweaters as well, every season. It's something that thier customer has grown accustomed to, to have them evolve but still bring a cohesiveness through from season to season.

Ann fans would be pissed if all the sudden she did a collection full of tight jeans, bright colored tops, and no drapey items. But wouldn't that be called 'moving in a different direction'?

[Morningstar]

no one is going to convince me to buy silk.

not today at least. and if someone does it's going to be eric glennie.

Silk is a really tough fiber. It much so depends on what type of fabric you weave it into. Also, silk fabrics aren't always shiny either...

[FaSHioNaBLe_MoDErN_MAn]

Is Ann D releasing this colour for waistcoat? I want one like this.

[cuddlysheep]

thats a damn nice waistcoat

[Servo2000]

Is Ann D releasing this colour for waistcoat? I want one like this.

Why not just buy that one?

[macuser3of5]

also, butch blum and mario's buys for ann demeulemeester, cdg, and rick owens should be outlawed under the geneva convention.

I think 10% of Butch Blum stock was in my size, last I checked (48/38). Even worse, the buys are the safest I have ever seen, considering the labels. How can you business casual Ann D and Yohji Yamamoto?

[FaSHioNaBLe_MoDErN_MAn]

Why not just buy that one?

Any idea where can i get it? I am quite sure it is from Ann D but not sure from what season though. Any idea this colour is coming out this season?

[my friend goo]

that's from the current season.

didnt look like she did anything in that fabric for spring from what ive seen

[FaSHioNaBLe_MoDErN_MAn]

Is it always wool? or cotton? thin or thick? I don't like it to be too warm...

[BostonWardrobe]

http://www.louisboston.com/

look at their models / styling. ahahahahahahahha

edit: i actually shouldnt make fun of them. someone from styleforum might be reading this.

dude... i dont know if you've ever been there...but louis is one of the most well respected and beautiful boutique department stores in the world. sure, you may not find anything in the mens department that fits you (as they generally start the mens sizing at 38, occasionally stocking 36), but you'd be blown away by the selection of Kiton, Brioni, and Dries that they have. Most of the mens sales people (called Wardrobe Consultants) have been there for over 20 years, some of them over 30. They have taken some risky chances buying upcoming designers in the past, only to become the pioneers of brands like Helmut Lang, Jil Sander, Marni, Neil Barrett, Dries Van Noten, and countless others. They have been family owned since the beginning, and have made an incredible imprint in the fashion world. Anyone who hasnt heard of or fails to understand the significance of LouisBoston should be ashamed.

And you mock the grassroots effort they explore in visual representations of merchandise? you would be so lucky to learn from them.

[TEN CRACK COMMANDMENTZ]

dude... i dont know if you've ever been there...but louis is one of the most well respected and beautiful boutique department stores in the world. sure, you may not find anything in the mens department that fits you (as they generally start the mens sizing at 38, occasionally stocking 36), but you'd be blown away by the selection of Kiton, Brioni, and Dries that they have. Most of the mens sales people (called Wardrobe Consultants) have been there for over 20 years, some of them over 30. They have taken some risky chances buying upcoming designers in the past, only to become the pioneers of brands like Helmut Lang, Jil Sander, Marni, Neil Barrett, Dries Van Noten, and countless others. They have been family owned since the beginning, and have made an incredible imprint in the fashion world. Anyone who hasnt heard of or fails to understand the significance of LouisBoston should be ashamed.

And you mock the grassroots effort they explore in visual representations of merchandise? you would be so lucky to learn from them.

do u work for louis boston? hook me up!