random fashion thoughts

[DudleyGray]

The problem with the wedges for men was that they fell apart after one wear. They were constructed differently from the womens and had an issue because the wedge block was made of two pieces that came apart and the sole just kind of disintegrated iirc. Someone who actually owned a pair can correct me if I'm wrong.

Ohh, gotcha. Nevermind then, I can't defend Rick's QC.

Unrelated side note, thought this was an interesting read:

http://www.racked.com/2016/8/17/12342264/menswear-mens-shopping

Kind of hate some parts of it, though, like "People get sick of it. We have to get people excited to be in stores and to shop." That's like the the opposite of the world needs, and otherwise the article I guess is much ado about stuff that doesn't really matter, but I enjoyed reading it all the same.

[casem]

Just FYI, I don't think anything is made in Moldova anymore (at least I haven't seen anything in awhile). If I remember correctly, I think I read somewhere that Rick now has his own production facilities, can anyone confirm or deny? It would make sense as production seems to be really on point lately and prices for some perennial items have gone down.

On the Rick Owens topic, this is likely to be a very unpopular opinion, but personally I've lost some respect for RO. The move to Moldova for production as well as the ongoing collaboration with Adidas did it for me.

[vah]

Just FYI, I don't think anything is made in Moldova anymore (at least I haven't seen anything in awhile). If I remember correctly, I think I read somewhere that Rick now has his own production facilities, can anyone confirm or deny? It would make sense as production seems to be really on point lately and prices for some perennial items have gone down.

He bought the factory in Italy, so now he wholly owns the facilities rather than being in a partnership with them. The tags says Owenscorp instead of Olmar and Mirta now, and think Cyclops was the first collection with that on the tags.
Regarding the production in Moldova, I preordered a pair of DRKSHDW pods - they're made in Moldova, and think most of DRKSHDW has been moved there but not sure. Mainline seems to still be made in Italy, apart from the leather jackets which are cut in Moldova and then assembled in Italy. The price drops I got told has more to do with the quantities of fabric he buys (especially cashmere pieces have dropped in price), and production quality seems to still be very high.

[beyondthemeans]

especially cashmere pieces have dropped in price, and production quality seems to still be very high.

Can someone elaborate on this? Because all Cashmere items I have are fully fashion knits, rather than cut and sewn knitwear pieces (so they knit the whole garment rather than construct the pattern pieces). Is it then more the amount of yarn he bought/secured pre production?

[newp]

But therein lies the problem, Faust - who decides what looks good? What may look good to you may look bad to another - whose advice does one follow?

I respond here since it's more appropriate place for this kind of a discussion in my opinion.
So, fashion is one of the most subjective things in the world. It's all about opinions and first you have to decide for yourself which opinion values most for you: others or yours.

Asking for criticism at WAYWT is asking for opinions and it's up to a person if he values said opinions or not. Some of critics have more subjective value than the others (fashion journalists working with this particular avantgarde field, other designers etc.) but it's subjective as well.

The rule of thumb is probably once given an advice or criticism, look at the person who is giving it. Look at his fits. If you like them, then his advice will probably move you to the same direction, follow it. If not, then not.

[DudleyGray]

^I'll follow suit.

What's the point in WAWYT if everyone's taste in clothes and fashion is different?
...
at the end of the day clothes are about the wearer not who sees them (if you get what I'm trying to say). Any ideas?

I want to see what people who have a strong sense of style are wearing and how they wear it, be it to appreciate or appropriate. I don't personally like WAYWT as a platform for style improvement; there are plenty of other forums for that. I'd prefer that people in the SZ WAYWT have their sense of style reasonably well-formed to where advice isn't needed so as to make room for an exchange that lives up to the fringe experimental designs. Sure there will be hits or misses here and there, but on the whole, I want to see designer-level pieces worn in ways that I can enjoy and wouldn't have occurred to me.

That's my ideal, anyways, the point of SZ WAYWT for me, an ongoing visual conversation where experimental fashion meets personal style. That sounds way corny but it's true so whatever.

[Faust]

/\ Also very true and same goes for me.

[vah]

Can someone elaborate on this? Because all Cashmere items I have are fully fashion knits, rather than cut and sewn knitwear pieces (so they knit the whole garment rather than construct the pattern pieces). Is it then more the amount of yarn he bought/secured pre production?

From what I've been told by his staff, yes. He's buying much larger quantities so price-per-meter of yarn is lower.

[saniityhd]

I suppose there are alot of clothing-collectors on this forum, so I just have to shoot these questions to you.
Have you had any items added to your "collectors-collection" in the recent years? Have you bought anything new that you have had a relation to and a feeling towards that you will keep this item for x-amount of years and still be as fond of it?
I had a customer who bought a beautiful Margaret Howell-coat from me a year back, he came back in the store wearing it the other day and told me how he had grown this relation towards this garment since it looked exactly like an old coat his grandpa used to wear. I just felt like these instances dont happen too often. The feeling that you actually grow a special relation towards an item. I thought it might have something to do with how fashion is looking right now ( these past years ).
I have bought a few pieces that I have grown relations towards, but they have all been production of 2007 and back.
Just trying to find some reasoning behind this and also to get proven wrong by you guys :-)

[newp]

I suppose there are alot of clothing-collectors on this forum, so I just have to shoot these questions to you.
Have you had any items added to your "collectors-collection" in the recent years? Have you bought anything new that you have had a relation to and a feeling towards that you will keep this item for x-amount of years and still be as fond of it?
I had a customer who bought a beautiful Margaret Howell-coat from me a year back, he came back in the store wearing it the other day and told me how he had grown this relation towards this garment since it looked exactly like an old coat his grandpa used to wear. I just felt like these instances dont happen too often. The feeling that you actually grow a special relation towards an item. I thought it might have something to do with how fashion is looking right now ( these past years ).
I have bought a few pieces that I have grown relations towards, but they have all been production of 2007 and back.
Just trying to find some reasoning behind this and also to get proven wrong by you guys :-)

Geoffrey B Small's jacket and my m.a+ wallet will be with me as long as they hold together.

[DudleyGray]

At this point, I can't imagine parting with most of my clothes; I've learned through experience that I always end up regretting selling anything. Unless I fall on hard times and have to scrimmage sale, it's all staying with me until worn through beyond repair.

Still, two pieces in particular stick out for me, my Rick combats and my Stooges. My Rick combats are absolutely an elevated version of the combats that I used to wear back in high school, laced loose and flopping around on my feet with pants tucked in.

My Rick Stooges, well I didn't get that one new, but in a trade where something seemed off about the sizing and color, and given 1 too many experiences with fakes, I freaked out about it. Sometimes I'm wrong. But then later on, I ended up in the hospital for two weeks, and I happened to be wearing it when I was admitted. Now I've got this weird symbiotic relationship with it, where I miss it during the summer as much as I would a person or even a part of myself, like that part of me was transferred over to it during that time. I mean, not really, obviously, but you know, as if.

[saniityhd]

I see! Sounds like good reasoning, I suppose there are many reasons for a person to grow that fond of a garment. Most pieces of clothing stoke a specific feeling when seen/worn/felt, I suppose those feelings play a part in what garments you enjoy having in your quiver. For example, Poell's pieces frighten me for many reasons, I sometimes get the same feeling as when exposed to gore, which can be a very interesting, but at the same time, scary feeling. That feeling of slight disgust is probably the reason I like watching, but not wearing, his garments.
I think a lot of of Margiela-pieces give me the same feeling, there are pieces so unwearable I almost get frightened to think of someone wearing them hahaha

[casem]

After moving recently, my new mantra to limit my possessions is "can I take care of it?" Rather than Kondo's feel-good "Does it bring me joy?" this makes more sense to me as you shouldn't have more possessions than you can care for. There's nothing more dispiriting than finding a once beloved (or expensive) possession forgotten and stuffed away in a corner collecting dust or deteriorating because you have too many things to keep track of.

[jimmycs]

After moving recently, my new mantra to limit my possessions is "can I take care of it?" Rather than Kondo's feel-good "Does it bring me joy?" this makes more sense to me as you shouldn't have more possessions than you can care for. There's nothing more dispiriting than finding a once beloved (or expensive) possession forgotten and stuffed away in a corner collecting dust or deteriorating because you have too many things to keep track of.

Concur, and a more sensible outlook.

Personally, I blame myself for owning way too many items that I can look after.

[DudleyGray]

Funny enough, I'm packing for a vacation and was just thinking, 'what did I do to deserve this?' and my room is a disaster.