Thursday, April 21, 2011

J.Crew's Men's Suiting {getting some recognition}

"Thanks!" to J.Crew Guy In Canada who shared an article from Wall Street Journal online (click here to read in its entirety).

The article takes a look at men's suiting and reviews various labels offerings (specifically Armani, Suitsupply, J.Crew, H&M, Hart Schaffner Marx, & Target). Some highlights about J.Crew are below:
A Hard-Working Suit: The New Sweet Spot Is $500 to $700; They Don't Look Cheap, or Like Dad's
By Sarah Nassauer
April 14, 2011

It can cost a man a lot less to feel like a million bucks in his suit these days.

There are more suits priced between $500 and $700 that include features once found typically on more expensive suits: fine Italian fabrics, modern cuts and narrow lapels. The goal is to attract younger men who increasingly want the current fitted, formal styles as opposed to the boxy suits and more casual officewear of their dads.

...Other efforts to keep up quality at lower prices include J.Crew Group Inc.'s expanded men's suit selection. Sales of its men's suit have more than doubled since 2008, when the clothing company introduced a slimmer style, made with Italian wool and superior interior construction, a spokeswoman says. The style, called Ludlow, starts at about $600.

...J.Crew, ...controls more aspects of production from design to distribution, cutting out payments to third-party companies that typical move suits into department stores.

...The J.Crew suit fared well with the testers noting its neat construction and that it is made of high-end Italian fabric and Bemberg lining (a type of rayon favored for its breathablity and moisture absorption).

J.CREW | Ludlow jacket and pant

High quality fabrics, Italian wool outer with Bemberg lining. Nice details like tie fabric as lining of interior pockets. Overall it "looks very nice," says Mr. Giardina. Chest piece is a little too stiff, says Mr. Cesarani.
It's great to read that J.Crew's suiting for men holds up very well in terms of quality & value!

What are your thoughts on J.Crew's Men Suiting? Do you own any pieces from the line? If so, please share! :)

8 comments:

  1. How come the guys get Bemburg lining? How about some love for the ladies ;)

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  2. The suit pieces are decently made, but as a larger guy (6 ft, 200 lbs, 44 jacket) I find the Ludlow fit difficult at best. It's definitely cut for a slimmer guy, and while J. Crew still offers some pieces in its slightly roomier Aldridge cut, the more interesting suit and sportcoat options over the past couple of years have been in Ludlow only.

    Similarly, the coordinating pants tend to be too low-waisted for those of us who are longer of torso, or just want a more traditional-fitting dress pant. It may just be that I'm getting too old for J. Crew's clothes, which would be unfortunate as there are not many other options for stylish suit separates in this price range.

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  3. I have several pants from the Ludlow line, but not jackets. I find the pants to be very well cut and well constructed.

    I haven't tried their jackets yet, but plan to slip a few on in the store next week and see how they fit.

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  4. Seriously, it's nearly impossible to find an affordable, wool women's suit that is durable and youthful. Bring this quality to the women's line and I'll buy every piece.

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  5. I love the Ludlow suit. I have one of the loro piana super 120 suits. The fabric is a bit of a disappointment but given the price of the suit it's acceptable. The pants are fantastic and perfectly fitting, especially that they come in separates and you can specify the length you want online.

    The ludlow jacket is actually not as slim as I wanted. I'm 5'11" and 170lbs with a 40 jacket and a 30inch waist. Obviously presents some problems for fit. Luckily my tailor was able to taper the jacket and shorten the sleeves nicely w/o issues.

    Overall good craftsmenship for a 600 dollar suit and some of the details make it a nice suit to own. However, as a whole it does not blow the competition out of the water. In fact I find myself reaching for similarly priced Varvatos suits sometimes.

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