Workman/Craftsman/Tailor--What is a suit worth?

[jeffa]

In the same vein as the sushi thread, but perhaps more relevant to frame building---the NYT asks, what's a $4,000 suit worth?

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/09/09/ma...1&ref=magazine

[fixednwinter]

In the same vein as the sushi thread, but perhaps more relevant to frame building---the NYT asks, what's a $4,000 suit worth?

While I do have custom suits made, I believe the more relevant question is, what are business/dress shoes worth? For power dressing, you can get everything else right, but if you blow it on the shoes, it's a bust.

I pay whatever I have to, for my custom G.J. Cleverly (if I want English) or stock Alden (if I want American cordovan).

[e-RICHIE]

The most important line in the article atmo -

Whether we’re making 50 suits or 1 — each unit costs the same.

[fixednwinter]

The most frightening two words in the article -

"Kardashian Kollection"

*shudder*

[GSmith]

The most important line in the article atmo -

It is indeed.

[j44ke]

Yeah, with fixed costs (every suit costs the same to make) you have to make them as fast as possible so profits are increased by volume or mark up the suits so that profit is increased by percentage. Either one is problematic, because you can only make as many suits as you can sell and you can only sell as many suits as people will buy at a given price. Seems like the odds are stacked against making more than a marginal living. At least as far as I can see.

[e-RICHIE]

Seems like the odds are stacked against making more than a marginal living.

The most important line in the previous post atmo -

[YO!!!]

" Seems like the odds are stacked against making more than a marginal living. At least as far as I can see. "

A friend makes several trips to Mexico each year to buy handicrafts for her business.

While visiting a very talented woodcarver's shop; she heard the following.

A new possible client was in the woodcarver's shop and asked the gentleman what the price
would be if he purchased 500 pieces instead of just 5. The gentleman contemplated the question
for a while and said the unit price would be 5 times the price for 5. Astonished the new client
asked why the price would go up instead of down. The gentleman simply replied that he was not
capable of making that quantity and would have to hire & train people to produce the order.

[davids]

An excellent article. Adam Davidson is killing it lately.

75 hours to make one suit? That's impressive, and makes the suit seem like a deal. Imagine how much time he has to answer his clients' emails.

[0nelove]

Seems like a really rough gig.

[Mark Kelly]

My vote for the most relevant sentence in the article:

"The only way to make money in the perfectionist craftsperson industry, it seems, is to stop being a perfectionist craftsperson"

[maunahaole]

Kardashian

Send Pucci ten bucks as your penalty for using this word.

[SteveP]

Send Pucci ten bucks as your penalty for using this word.

all the fines are really helping..

ive had a lot of trouble profiting on the investment i made in picking up 5,000 copies of yoko onos greatest hits... nice cassette boxed set...
i sold 1 to a guy from china and he returned 2 and wanted his money back.

[Roman]

WTB bespoke suit, pm with offers.

[chasea]

Thank you for the link to the article. It highlights to me the growing change in the definition of luxury. There is a shift, even and maybe especially amongst the wealthy, to prioritize convenience over an increased quality of life.

[bikinchris]

If I HAD $4,000 and needed a custom made suit. it would be worth it. Custom made tailored ware is not a commodity, just like a custom made bicycle.

[RickM]

Thank you for the link to the article. It highlights to me the growing change in the definition of luxury. There is a shift, even and maybe especially amongst the wealthy, to prioritize convenience over an increased quality of life.

Been a growing trend among the truly rich for the last 25 years or so. Convenience is the new Refinement.

[SteveP]

small business is a beetch these days.
fixed costs like insurance, rent ( mortgage ), raw materials are escalating and retail pricing has a hard cap.
tough to make money doing a lot of things. this is no different.

that said...i will offer a 5% discount to anyone on yokos greatest hits.
click on the icon mycassettedeckstillworks.com
huge demand from overseas... when you enter yr cc# it may take me awhile to get back to you.
saab, extra 1/2% for airline pilots

[Roman]

small business is a beetch these days.
fixed costs like insurance, rent ( mortgage ), raw materials are escalating and retail pricing has a hard cap.
tough to make money doing a lot of things. this is no different.

that said...i will offer a 5% discount to anyone on yokos greatest hits.
click on the icon mycassettedeckstillworks.com
huge demand from overseas... when you enter yr cc# it may take me awhile to get back to you.
saab, extra 1/2% for airline pilots

8 track? Yoko blew out my tweeter the last time I played it loud.

Yes, that's code talk.

[dang]

Seems like a really rough gig.

Yep. Not that they train tailors, but the neighborhood school is the Taylor School. I send my little kids to Arlington Science Focus. I dunno what they'll do when they grow up, and I hope they find a route to being productive and happy, but I hope they never think it's in the schmatte business. And, while we're at it, that they don't grow up to be cowboys either.