It is very thought provoking and has sparked such an interesting discussion. 10 Marketing Tips, The Decline of Ascena Retail. In truth, when I take my younger sister shopping, I think of how I could make each garment ten times better and at twenty times less cost than what we see in retail. That was unheard of me today because a) Sears would never use that quality of fabric and b) their customers wouldnt know what the heck it was! Crew would die, but one of their better items might survive fifty years on. This led to the company hemorrhaging customers to companys who were producing modern clothing items and is another reason that led to their decline. I just read a great book by Elizabeth Cline called Overdressed:The Shockingly High Cost of Cheap Fashion It was about the cheap labor in factories around the world, yes, but even more about our expectations concerning the quality of the clothing we buy. Im now completely over that! Ascena Retail Group, parent company of Ann Taylor and LOFT. She mostly quilts contemporary art pieces using high quality fabrics. Luckily, she willed me her original copy of the Bishop Method of Sewing. I totally agree. Vintage clothing/made in USA/union shops really was better made than any of todays stuff imo. Hoping that by following posts such as this, Ill be able to find the resources to help me! Im guessing its gone down, despite how much more stuff people are buying.). Now, with garment sewing, I dont want to put all that effort into making something just to have it shrink or stretch or pill or fade because the fabric was low quality. The sleeve and skirt hem are both finished with a blind hem. Now at those same stores (if they are around) I have trouble with fit, fabric content and one of my real irritations clothing that is not cut straight with the grain if it is intended to be so. Shopping Retail Stores Ann Taylor 3.2/5 (973 reviews) Are you this business? Its always so frustrating. Obviously the theme is very patriotic, hard-working old America but despite differing political reasons, it is nice to see appreciation (and more importantly demand) for the high-quality garment of yesterday. What Happened? For example, for high school dances in the mid-to-late sixties, my mother swapped dresses with several of her cousins (who lived in the same city but did not go to the same schools) for my moms family, one such formal dress per girl was a stretch so they didnt have to wear the same dress over and over. Its often a cost-thing, factories will say this hem is cheaper and the clothing company says great! I think that many boutiques are selling small lines, and I hope to garner support for trying to recreate as best as possible what was. Same-store sales increased 1.5%. I personally am willing to pay MORE for good quality items but am not willing to pay more just because it is a higher priced department store. So thats approx $70 100 in price. Apart from that most everything in my closet was second-hand or vintage. I feel sewing is empowering me to understand what is a quality garment and what is not. The clothes you design fit a real body, and they fit well. Clothes used to be kept longer even repaired. Their creative director is a minor celebrity for her brilliance!, I agree with you regarding midrange clothing . Ive just spent that last few weeks doing fittings for the Autumn Winter fashion parades in Melbourne, Australia & once again I am continually apaulled at the quality of the mid to high end designer garmentssent to us. I just bought a sweater at Ann Taylor that fits me beautifully, has gorgeous details and a high end texture and color, but has started to pill- even without washing. You make some excellent points, Charlotte. While there are fewer formal dances to go to, no one I knew would have thought about doing such a thing when I was in high school, and none of the teenagers that I know now would either. Our culture has gotten a lot more disposable, and what retailers are offering reflects this. Which is really quite pathetic because its hard on a body to have children and a lot of women do. For a while, they sold odd lots of decorator fabrics, and I would buy these pieces and make some interesting and very durable jackets and pants. To that end, we also accept wearing the same bland basics as everyone else, perhaps hoping that no one will notice that we dont own 365 pairs of pants/skirts and do wear things repeatedly. I find most dresses look like the wearer outgrew a school dress. Polyester has spread like the plague to all levels of the market. Other people are sadly oblivious. There was a clothing line called Freeport Studio, an offshoot of LLBean, around 2000. What is really disheartening is that people in general (based on my friends and family) just dont have the skills (lacking better word) to see if a garment is made to last for years or just months. One of my friends works as a tailor for a well known department store and is extremely frustrated with the construction repairs she has to make on garments before they can even be put out for the public. And people buy this stuff! It makes me cringe so hard when I hear my non-sewing friends talk about what they consider to be quality to them, quality means it has held up for a couple of years worth of washing and wearing. The patterns are fitted and sculpted for full breasted women. the result is that I have a tiny wardrobeI would rather have some good quality clothes for years than have to constantly replace items in my wardrobe that pill, wear down, etc. Browse Ann Taylor Factory Store at 11401 NW 12th St in Miami, FL for flattering dresses and skirts, perfect-fitting pants, beautiful blouses, and more. I had no idea that they had a name! 10 Marketing Tips. Not that a high price tag is any guarantee of quality either. What a great find! There are quite a few moderate to high end designers whose clothes workmanship do not match their price tag. Now, it is my job! The top is cut on the bias, which adds both an interesting design detail and allows the dress to fit snugly but comfortably. But then again there is a family story from the 70s when my my Great grandmother, a dressmaker of more than 40 years, took in some work with a very reputable company, Fletcher Jones, who made high range wool skirts, jackets, waistcoats & blouses. So I think people are still paying around the same for the clothes, however the clothes themselves are not as good. At least the high end for me. My most exciting find recently was at a little goodwill in Indiana. (Or Eastern Europethere are a few Dutch and French brands that make some exquisite pieces in Bulgaria and Hungary.) Not to pick on J Crew but they are a great example of declining apparel quality. Oh my god, thats genius! I have really enjoyed reading all the comments here. I am very happy to spend the time learning how to make a garment, that I know I will wear & last. Ridiculous! Its sheer so it breathes fine, its not going to be next to my skin so some of the luxury of silk is lost, and I like being able to throw it in the washer and dryer. but it is incredibly hard to find fair trade and organic and beautiful fabric. And even then, its quite possibly not going to be as good. I was pleasantly surprised that they fit my body perfectly. I have items Ive been wearing frequently for 5-10 years. What days are Ann Taylor open? The first rule of cooking is that good ingredients are the start of good food. Although it may be surprising because I am so young, I am currently a Fiber Arts instructor and an independent knitwear designer/spinner/dyer in conjunction with the shop I work at. How I would love to find those items in my size.. I got it as dead stock to fill out my On The Road 30 Weeks of the Year wardrobe, but the label tells me it was made for the Evil W Empire. The biggest obstacle Ive faced so far is buying fabric. However, for decades, Ann Taylor has been a staple for the modern career women, equipping their wardrobes with classic tailored styles likecrisp button-downs and sharp suits. I think the key thing is to buy less and be more satisfied with the things we do have. And as much as J Crew is attempting to push themselves into a higher-range market, I think they are still fairly equivalent to Ann Taylor in the quality of the merchandise and their price points. Often when Im ironing my husbands clothes (well when I occasionally iron them!) As any economic structure is not simple, the supply and demand of fashion, at any price, is not simple and is overwhelming for the individual, small business owner, or major corporation to contemplate effecting on the scale necessary to really change the staus quo. as well as other partner offers and accept our, Jeffrey Greenberg/Universal Images Group via Getty Images, Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, Katherine Frey/The Washington Post via Getty Images, Mark Leffingwell/Digital First Media/Boulder Daily Camera via Getty Images, Jimi Celeste/Patrick McMullan via Getty Images, Andreas Branch/Patrick McMullan via Getty Images, Marc Dimov/Patrick McMullan via Getty Images, Mark Boster/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images, Chance Yeh/Patrick McMullan via Getty Images. But I still think there has been a substantial shift towards the shoddy end of the scale. I think that basics, like 100% cotton dresses or skirts, with clean lines andif youre lucky a simple lining, are always good finds and usually end up lasting. Im just starting to graduate from a few oliver + s dresses for my niece, some interesting self-designed dresses from tutorials for myself, and home goods/ bags into making actual nice garments from patterns. thank you for mentioning. For me, 2013 is the year of sewing-my-own-clothes thanks to getting Sarais The Colette Sewing Handbook for Christmas. As a result of the many management shakeups over the years, Ann Taylor ended up taking up massive levels of debt, as is discussed over at guttulus.com. Even so, it is a challenge to find good quality natural fabrics. Part of the problem here is actually a substantial shift in expectations. Its a shame that we have such a throw away mentality when it comes to clothing now. Same goes for some night gowns and scarves beautifully done. I think quality would improve if we stopped outsourcing the work. My office is immediately above an H&M, a Forever 21 and a Zara, and 99% of the time I am not tempted by any of the offerings there, but every now and again there is a Halloween party, or a New Years party or whatever it is, and I want a sweater with sequins, or a pair of bright fuchsia tights, or something else that I know I will not wear regularly and that I dont want to spend a lot of money on. I refuse to buy polyester which is more than half of clothes these days! Thats probably only slightly better than what is done overseas, but the quality was still that much better. However, this offering also increased the pressure on the company to perform, and it was in the face of this pressure that the company made several questionable decisions that would eventually prove detrimental to the company. I have to hand wash everything or take it to the cleaner anymore and even then it doesnt last.. Eddie Bauer and Columbia Sportswear are still making quality clothing. Now its just a horrid swingy mumu. Unfortunately there must be a big enough consumer demand for it if we want to see these quality garments return to large stores like Sears, etc. Its not like were going to start a trade war over a single container ship of mislableded bolts of greige goods. I dont think thats what youre saying though, and I agree that those are things worth paying for, certainly. The constant rotation of fashion styles in shop windows is almost dizzying. On the other hand, its usually something I can easily make myself now. She has also stated how embarrassing it is for a customer to bring back a garment because of poor quality and they are mad at her as if it is her fault. There are no resale stores. Ann Taylor has found it hard to expand market share and it is one of the reasons behind its decline. Love this post. Sarai started Colette back in 2009. when the rubber hits the road. With passion and love and respect for the industry and the end product I think it can be done, http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/29/fashion/29ROW.html?_r=0, https://blog.colettehq.com/books/overdressed-a-conversation-with-author-elizabeth-cline. The prices run from $150-300 for a dress on the better-quality items (which to me seems crazy for something your kids just going to grow out of in a couple months). Its now a game determining fast fashions latest attempt to cheapen garments, such as cropping sweaters, so that after one washing they shrink and are too short to wear comfortably. This is a good point, especially regarding people buying less overall. I so agree with you. And, unfortunately, I am allergic to (and unable to wear) wool. Some of you might recognize the picture from Instagram. This is a fascinating discussionthanks for bringing it up! In the early 2000s, Ann Taylor continued to act as a major player in the New York fashion scene, attracting celebrities and notable figures like Anna Wintour and Annie Leibovitz to its fashion shows and parties. Lots of useful info here. I must admit that French darts and bias cuts didnt appear in the clothes I sold at Ann Taylor in 1989 either, although the stitch length was shorter than today, the construction overall was better and zippers were certainly better and they didnt break like they do today. However, even on the topic of enviromnetal concerns alone, the end cost of fabric that has been produced within current industry standards, free of formaldehyde and similar chemicals that are toxic to consumers but used to be commonly found in the end product, is an expense that eventually passes to the consumer. Colette Patterns should make a pattern for us like this. She took very good care of her materials, so they are well-preserved. Three years ago I found wool sweaters at Banana Republic, but lately I mostly find wool cut with acrylic, for which I have zero tolerance, since it gives me the creeps. Oh, now thats hot! Ive thought the same thing about the prevalence of knits and stretch in clothing today. Everything is dry clean only. Yes. I am so frustrated with paying big buck for so called top of the line quality clothing but have to re-sew the buttons before it can be worn! Crew blouse may use real Liberty-print fabric, while the Old Navy knockoff uses a lesser quality cloth the actual construction does not. When I was 15, i began sewing my own school dresses. I would like to begin sewing some of my own clothing again, but find that locating quality fabrics can be as difficult as finding quality clothing. We are easy to jump on the argument of profit margin as the major culprit. If its happening in the retail fabric market, it is probably happening in garment manufacturing, too, since the volume of finished garments vastly exceeds fabric. Former Ann Arbor Mayor John Hieftje attributes much of Ypsilanti's current problems to the decline of the automotive industry and the loss of manufacturing jobs in the area. Bra tenders! (excuse my poor english ). maybe if you buy clothes from independent designers and so on, but definitely not from a store like sears! Im sure there was poorly made clothing in the 60s (no one is saying that there wasnt), but those pieces just havent survived. Low quality at affordable prices doesnt solve this problem. And have you figured out how much it would have cost in todays dollars? If it was marketed at married women, the price tag came with emotional strings regarding who controlled the household money and how she could access the marital assets. Hi. Even Glenn Beck (you heard me right) sees the loss in American garment manufacturing and started a jeans/work clothing company because of it. Also, too thin to hold up to being worn. That is why I have chosen to start making my own dresses. I usually bought off the sales and clearance racks but the quality then was like sewn by me now. The modern woman was moving away from the notion that a professional woman had to clad in a certain way, moving away from the corporate uniform style synonymous with Ann Taylor. It makes total sense due to the delicacy of the fabric, still, my heart sank when I saw it. I hope CP makes a pattern for this style of dress. Sometimes I think this happens because designers dont know how to sew. I agree absolutely, but Id also add that the decline seems to be more marked in womens clothes than mens. I have found a few decent tops and skirts from J. What Happened? On the other hand my partner buys mens clothing, some vintage and some new, and I have definitely noticed better quality in the new as compared to womens new, even in mid-range, as echoed by a few people above. I have even seen designer garments which are poor quality, many rely on the emperors new clothes principal. If high fashion isnt even making it like they used to, why would everyone below them? This style, created by Richard's father, embodied the well-dressed woman. The list goes on & on. Unfortunately most people wouldnt even know how to repair holes like that now. I have good number of Ann Taylor skirts & dresses from the 80s/90s (found in thrift stores Im guessing at the age from the styles) which are still in good condition, despite having been worn & washed many times. Wardrobes were smaller precisely because clothing was better quality and also relatively expensive so each item was kept longer and maintained well. And dont even get me started on the chemicals used on cheaper materials to make the end fabric softer. And even High Street staples, such as Marks & Spencer, which used to be renowned for quality, seem to have cut corners on fabric quality and construction to enable them to keep their prices stable but not reduce profits. The best example is Anthropologies Made In Kind series, where young designers work gets sold through their stores. But in so many occasions it is not, just like you mentioned a high price tag is not any guarantee of quality. I have turned to smaller european-made boutique labels from Spain, Italy or occasionally France. Most of the time what I consider expensive is not well made or made from nice materials. Hems that come down. Theres a funny scene in which she laments the mismatched plaid of her skirt, and she feels envious of the richer girls who get to buy all their dresses. We dont have mid-range clothing any more because companies have been playing a zero-sum game for years. I wish we could bring back Fabricland. Ann Taylor originally made products for an affluent clientele, and this is one of the reasons why they became so popular in the 1980s and early 1990s as explained over at runrex.com. Stores will charge $600 and up for a dress that is made of polyester!! Original price $75. It gets worn weekly, and other than a button repair a few years ago, it still looks perfect. While I do sew and knit, I dont make things quickly enough to really fill in my entire wardrobe (although Id like to get to that point!). At least we can control all aspects of construction and fabricwe know what were getting! Clothes were passed down too. The downside of sewing knowledge is that you can examine garments and see how poor the quality and fit is or how simple they would be to replicate for a fraction of the price (if I was better at fitting..). This is on both mens and womens clothing from many different retailers. They really dont make em like they used to! My mother made almost all of those dresses and my grandmother made endless camp shirts and shorts for play clothes for my brothers and me. no hook & eye at the top of a skirt or dress zip. (Too this to be a sweater, but a nice knit piece). Its shaped with two curved French darts, a difficult thing to sew but extremely flattering. This even led to the resignation of important board members including the CEO, painting a picture of a troubled company that didnt help its prospect and led to their decline. In my childhood, I had new gooddresses at Easter and Christmas, plus school clothes. I was so affected that I nearly hugged her and I assured her that the more she sews, the better she will get! Im sending it to several pals ans additionally sharing in delicious. 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Will wear & last iron them! paying around the same for the clothes, however the clothes you fit! Taylor and LOFT not going to start a trade war over a single container of...
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