What are some high quality brands that are not very popular?

[Cognacad]

Hi all,

The following is my opinions so don't fight it, but remain with the topic at hand!

Some brands are pretty recognizable in an average group of people such as Armani, Gucci, Versace, Boss, D&G, Prada, CK, RL, etc. Some brands are less recognizable if you were to ask randoms such as Belvest, Brooks Brothers, Ike Behar, Talbot, Canali, Corneliani, etc.

What are some brands that are unpopular and less recognizable, but are just as high quality, pleasing to the eye, and often in the same price range as other high quality brands?

Reason I am asking is because someone can go on Ebay and look up Armani or the like, and it will be relatively expensive because it is a popular brand and there is a higher demand for it, compared to lets say BB.

What are some other brands that are less "popular", but just as good (or better) than many of the common place higher tier brands? eliteness

I am not talking as much here about the really higher end-stuff (although maybe I mentioned some earlier) such as Kiton/Brioni/Oxxford that are basically unknown to the rabble because of their.

Thanks!

 

[onix]

Most people (in the US) know Brooks Brothers so it's quite "popular".

It depends on what you're looking for too.

 

[Sartrolliast]

So you want us to teach you how to shop for bargains on ebay?

 

[rnoldh]

Samuelsohn.

Suits and coats that are branded with a store name and not a makers name. But do your research and find out who the maker is. Neiman Marcus, Barneys and Saks come to mind as stores where you might get a better deal on their "House Brand" than with the makers label.

 

[Cognacad]

Well I doubt very much that "most" people in the US know what BB is, but, regardless, thats just one of the brand.


As for teaching me how to find a deal, I'm sure finding a deal is a bit more complicated than simply knowing a brand. I think this would be helpful for shopping, but also just for my general knowledge!

 

[CTGuy]

Originally Posted by rnoldh

Samuelsohn.

Suits and coats that are branded with a store name and not a makers name. But do your research and find out who the maker is. Neiman Marcus, Barneys and Saks come to mind as stores where you might get a better deal on their "House Brand" than with the makers label.

Good one. Southwick as well. I would say Hickey Freeman and HSM are not really well known and they are good quality.

I would be surprised if your average man on the street even knew allen edmonds, bally, grenson, or loake.

A little more specificity in terms of what you are looking for could be helpful.

 

[Mannix]

Sartorio.

 

[deveandepot1]

Allen Edmonds and Alden.

Edit- Also some UK brands like Hackett, Thomas Pink, John Smedley,...

 

[justsayno]

i would say thomas pink is over hyped

 

[greyinla]

Reason I am asking is because someone can go on Ebay and look up Armani or the like, and it will be relatively expensive because it is a popular brand and there is a higher demand for it, compared to lets say BB

There are no secret bargains on ebay; in fact, many lesser-known, high-quality brands will sell at a premium. And those brands you mentioned vary in quality from utter crap to excellent. If you're looking to score a deal, better to educate yourself on a few specific brands you like and their readily available price points so that you can judge whether a *particular* item is a deal or not, based on your needs, budget, and tastes. For example, you might see pair of AEs for around $150 and C&Js for $350. Which is a good deal? A case could be made for either, neither, or both.

 

[linux_pro]

I can tell you what ISN'T quality: Brooks Brothers. I went on a Brooks Brothers kick for a while, bought a ton of their stuff - sweaters, suits, ties, cufflinks, shirts, etc. The only thing that lasted more than a year was the cufflinks and ties (their ties are only ok though). One of the shirts was okay as well. The sweaters are garbage, I can post pictures of their "Scottish Wool" sweaters where I had multiple holes after wearing for less than 12 months. I bought 8 of those $300 cashmere or scottish wool sweaters. Every single one of those pieces of garbage was completely worn out, lost its shape and became a rag for my garage within months. Unacceptable. You could get better quality at Walmart.

 

[onix]

Originally Posted by linux_pro

I can tell you what ISN'T quality: Brooks Brothers. I went on a Brooks Brothers kick for a while, bought a ton of their stuff - sweaters, suits, ties, cufflinks, shirts, etc. The only thing that lasted more than a year was the cufflinks and ties (their ties are only ok though). One of the shirts was okay as well. The sweaters are garbage, I can post pictures of their "Scottish Wool" sweaters where I had multiple holes after wearing for less than 12 months. I bought 8 of those $300 cashmere or scottish wool sweaters. Every single one of those pieces of garbage was completely worn out, lost its shape and became a rag for my garage within months. Unacceptable. You could get better quality at Walmart.

Are you sure that you do take a good care of them? I am not a fan of BB, but I do have some items from BB that I like and they hold up quite well (1 cashmere sweater, 1 lambswool sweater, and shoes).

 

[onix]

secret to get good things on ebay:

- be patient

 

[ljrcustom]

Originally Posted by onix

secret to get good things on ebay:

- be patient


I agree 100%. There are some very good bargains to be had on ebay but you must be patient and careful when shopping for high end clothing.

 

[linux_pro]

Originally Posted by onix

Are you sure that you do take a good care of them? I am not a fan of BB, but I do have some items from BB that I like and they hold up quite well (1 cashmere sweater, 1 lambswool sweater, and shoes).

Yeah, I took care of the sweaters. Never dry cleaned, never leaned on the shoulders, hand-cleaned only when necessary, dried flat or rolled in towel, never hung in a closet and only stored in cedar shelves.

Your BB lambswool must be older. I have a vintage BB lambswool (about 15 years old, inherited from father) that has held up quite well. The newer stuff is garbage. Fabric is extremely thin, and wears out quickly.

In contrast, my other lambswool sweaters, and the few Irish knits that I own have held up extremely well, they look new. And most of them are a lot older than the BB junk.

I'll say this, though: BB polos (the American-made ones, not the Chinese junk they started hawking a few years ago) are very well made and hold up very well. And their ties are okay. The slim-fit shirts I bought there have held up fairly well.

But if you'd like, I could post pics of some of the BB sweaters I'm talking about. There are freaking holes in the waistbands, elbows, all over the place. They're just extremely cheaply made and of terrible quality. I will never buy another sweater from BB. For half the price, you can order an Irish hand-knit sweater online that will last you 20 years.