I ordered a Wool Officer's Coat from Banana Republic below. Apparently its not sold in the United States anymore (at least not on the website), but it is available on the European websites. Given I live in Europe now its no problem, so I ordered the coat. At 275 pounds retail (the US version was $475), it was quite pricey, but we a 20-25% coupon you can get it for a much more reasonable price. However the quality of the jacket leaves much to be desired.
"Remarkably soft, durable wool is constructed into a military-inspired coat. Warm, not weighty, with classic lines for commanding style."
Unfortunately, the warm part is out of the equation. After waiting several days for the coat to arrive, I get it in a box, and take it out. Well it fits quite well, just like my last BR Jacket. And it looks great (see pictures below), just what I expected. However, one thing I notice is how thin it is. As in FLIMSY. It feels just like a piece of paper, no more thicker than my own suit jacket. Normally this would be good, but there's no way this jacket can actually keep me warm.
I call Customer Service to ask about it, and the dork on the other line only mumbles stuff from the website. I've read the website like a million times, tell me something that I don't know. 100% Wool? Yes I can see that from the website. And they forgot to mention its super thin. How about the weight of the coat? What type of wool? Where's its made- "Imported" doesn't help. (By the way the coat is made in China. I'm not sure what the Monogram is doing there, though I do have a leather jacket from them that I like quite a bit). I get fed up with him and tell him to go away and stop wasting my time.
As a note I find BR customer service to be excellent. I've had a long conversation with several sales reps (they are based in California), and they all seem to be pretty helpful except for the one above. So the service is there, but the quality is not.As a result of trying this coat out. I now have a severe cold that I'm trying to get rid off, courtesy of this jacket. Oh let's check the details shall we? 100% Wool, but they forget to mention its thin as a piece of paper. (Inside lining looks nice but its all the same as other jackets so not really worth talking much about) Let's compare that to my other BR brown top coat (that was not part of the premium line Monogram) several years ago. The coat (below left with the hanger) is the same weight but much more thicker. Contents on the outside of that brown top coat include: 61% Wool, 28% Cashmere, 11% Nylon. Oh and that coat went for around $200 or so USD. So cheaper price, much, MUCH better quality, and much warmer (obviously with some cashmere in there). It feels like a warm coat, and it is.
A rule of online shopping- be prepared to return things, since they might not always be perfect. BR does make it as hassle free as possible, though its still a damn pain. What's more worrisome is how the prices have gone up, but the quality has gone down. This could put off some customers who want luxury at an affordable price. If you're charging $475 for a wool coat that won't keep you warm in -5 C degree weather (23 F), then what's the point? Might as well go for a lower brand that's warmer, or an actual "luxury" brand (you know, those Italians, etc) that can actually get you warm. After all, spending a $1,000 for a coat that actually keeps you warm is much better than a crummy BR Coat that costs half the price but then gets you sick.I am quite disappointed in BR, and although I've remained loyal, perhaps after the departure of its CEO to J.Crew, the quality went downhill. Who knows? I always considered myself one of their "ideal customers", getting the Visa card, shopping enough to become a LUXE member, and have been buying numerous products from them over the years, from coats, to loafers, to cufflinks, to ties, to socks, and everything else. But the last purchase is what consumers remember. All I know is I won't be buying anything from Banana Republic for a very, very long time.
I almost wonder if the stuff they only seem to sell online is of lower quality than the stuff in the stores... Last summer while on vacation I bought quite a bit of stuff on sale in 3 different stores in San Francisco and it was all of really good quality.
ReplyDeleteThen, right before Christmas I saw a really nice looking pair of trousers on their website which my local store said were "only available in their larger stores" and that I'd have to order online. Well, I did that and the trousers are indeed nice, with a good cut and a nice thick wool blend fabric, but they are already wearing out in a couple of places, after only a month of on-and-off wear (like once a week, if that). The stuff I bought in the summer is still looking great, even after wearing the items all summer long.
I just wonder if they stock lesser quality products in their mail-order warehouse or something, because I was quite disappointed with the stuff I ordered from them. As you said, they have great customer service, but I wouldn't want to buy much more than trousers, shirts and sweaters there with the prices the way they are, and especially with the lower mail-order quality.
Thanks for your comment Jordan! Good question- I've assumed they don't, given that when I call customer service they told me the same coat (the one mentioned in my post) would be in the official store, and they called to check (though it was sold out). Years ago I tried to buy an awesome pair of loafers- it was no longer available online so I called the different stores to track it down, which led to a store in New York on W17th street that did have it. I ended up buying two sizes close together because I was in between and loved it so much.
ReplyDeleteHowever, the best purchases I've made have ALL been in the store. So while I know that BR does not totally separate goods from the store and website, I would agree that the store does on average stock "better quality" items. The nicest tie I've found for $70 USD that looks nicer than MOST of my Hermes/Zegna/Ferragamo ties (which are more than double the price) was found in a BR store. Alas, I haven't seen anything like it in recent years.
I must agree with your comments. The quality has gone way done hill, but they still are trying to charge these prices. If I like something I buy it, price being in my range of course. I like expensive things as much as the next person, and have always thought BR has the best costume jewelry for the price. I've always gotten stuff that looks great but cost less than $100. I knew something had changed when I went in while ago and saw the jewelry case was now left open. Great! I thought... But having worked in retail, it also told me something that was confirmed upon examination: The jewelry is cheaply made. Most of it isn't nice looking, but looks cheaply made as well. Easier access=cheap product they aren't too worried about losing money on. The prices on jewelry are a little tiny bit cheaper, but honestly I'd pay a little more to get back the same quality I've been able to collect up until recent years. Their clothes leaving much to be desired, the design seems to have gotten more generic, making our credit card and 'Luxe' status a bit of a fruitless relationship. Glad to read someone else, in a much bigger city, is thinking the same thing. I've only shopped there twice in the past 7 months. Maybe 3 times last year... That says something.
ReplyDeleteGood to see folks talking about BR quality decline. I was a big fan of their mens clothing and always found it to be a notch up in quality from JCREW, etc. However, in the last year there's been a marked delcine in quality. All the while price is leaping upward. Bought a mens Wool blend car coat which normally retailed for nealrly $400 Cdn. Got a deal after Christmas...but the quality is CRAP.
ReplyDeleteBR has become masterful at pushing clothing with a very short life-expectancy.
Thanks,
fed up with BR in Hfx.