I thought it would be interesting to discuss Loro Piana here on PS, given it's probably the luxury menswear brand that has grown most in prominence in recent years, and which has changed most in that time.
My personal history with LP goes back a fair way. Over 25 years ago, I was the luxury-obsessed kid that hunted the clothing on eBay, and regularly trawled their outlet in Bicester Village.
There was one rack, right at the back on the left, which was 70% off. That was where I headed first and over the years I managed to pick up a Horsey jacket, a Roadster knit, a suede bomber and a cashmere shawl (the only piece I still have).
I continued to buy sporadically, often treating myself to one thing with my annual bonus. And then as PS grew, I got to know the staff and company, culminating in a visit to the weaving and knitting operations, and the design HQ, in 2014 for my book The Finest Menswear in the World. It felt like I'd come a long way.
The thing is, Loro Piana’s quality was always exceptional - indeed innovative - but the designs were a little stodgy.
That Horsey jacket in green covert made me look like a 60-year-old, albeit an Italian one. I had to wear a size 46 in the Roadster just to avoid looking like a balloon. The industry joke at the time was that the perfect brand would be Cucinelli designs with Loro Piana quality. (Not something I brought up in interviews with either Brunello Cucinelli or Pier-Luigi Loro Piana, above.)
I’m not sure Cucinelli is viewed as favourably today, but LP still felt as staid in terms of design - that is until recently.
In the last three or four years the designs have become more interesting and the fits rather better. It’s gone a little unnoticed, given LP’s popularity as the embodiment of ‘stealth wealth’ and various other controversies, but there has been a real shift.
It started first with womenswear, obviously. The collections started to play more with proportions and texture, in menswear-like colours and incorporating a lot of tailored coats and jackets.
The looks above are from the past two years, and I think they’re good examples of how womenswear can be inspiring for menswear, whether it’s ideas of materials, colour or layering - something both myself and André have written about. More recent collections have featured more silks and beautiful embroidery.
The men’s collections have been slower. There was an odd collaboration with streetwear designer Hiroshi Fujiwara, which scared everyone into thinking they were going down the Vuitton route and abandoning classicism entirely.
But since then things have steadily improved. The fits have changed (I’m now a solid 50) and every season there are interesting shirts and knits in fabrics you see nowhere else.
In store today, for example, you’ll still find their standard half-zip jumper but also an unusual open knit, one with a raised stitch used to create the stripes. There’s the standard navy blouson but also a silk/linen version with a shimmery texture and distinctive Japan-inspired collar. (Not currently online, but the shirt in the same material is similar.)
A lot of the full looks (below) aren’t for me, but each contains beautiful and unusual pieces. Plus it’s refreshing to have any brand playing with classic styles like this at the top level of quality. Often it feels like Purple Label is the only one out there, particularly with Tom Ford turning more conceptual.
The issue hanging over all of this, of course, is price. Loro Piana is enormously expensive, much more so even in real terms than it was 25 years ago.
There are a few things we can say about this.
First, although not to the same extent, everyone’s prices have gone up. It’s the same at Prada, at Ralph Lauren Purple Label and at Edward Green. Those are three very different companies - spending a very different proportion on their product - but they have all gone up.
Second, to the best of my knowledge both as a consumer and (to an extent) industry insider, Loro Piana spends more on quality than its peers. The problem always used to be that it didn’t spend as much on design, and that now seems to be changing.
Last, a lot of the Loro Piana products are genuinely innovative in terms of manufacturing and textiles. In the same way that I’m more likely to spend money on Ralph Lauren because nearly all their fabrics are exclusives - and I therefore can’t get them anywhere else - the same goes for Loro Piana.
None of this justifies £2000 knitwear, but it hopefully points out some of the nuance. The world is rarely as simple as those shouting on Instagram or forums claim. The world isn't split cleanly into heritage makers that are good value, and big brands that are ripping you off.
So would I actually buy something from Loro Piana today, and if so what?
Perhaps, but very little. It would always be something that feels unique, and it would be a conscious indulgence: a treat, like upgrading on a flight - somewhere else where you know you’re paying over the odds.
For example, I bought a navy mock-neck from them a few years ago which had a fashioning structure I'd never seen anywhere, and was just beautiful. I have yet to see anything like it anywhere else. And at some point I can see myself being tempted by the shoes.
Now, LP shoes probably need a whole post to discuss sufficiently. I think I could write one just on why I dislike the Open Walk. But like many things Loro Piana does, there is often genuine innovation in both quality and design with the shoes - as the number of copies of the Open Walk demonstrates.
Yes, they do a version of the German Army Trainer, like everyone. But as a designer friend pointed out to me recently, the last shape is very different. It has a narrow, squared toe and surprisingly wide joints, the combination being a neat way to create a distinctive style that's also more comfortable. The shoe is also made out of the best, natural materials inside and out, with the upper an uncoated deerskin.
It's these things that, as an obsessive about beautiful menswear, make me want to see and try them if nothing else.
Years ago, I attended a Loro Piana event to launch their new website. It was designed like a physical store, with the homepage showing a storefront rendered in dreamy watercolour. When you moused over it, a series of clicks took you through the shop, as if browsing in person.
It looked lovely, but as a fellow attendee said to me on the way out: “I’m not going to go through a slide show every time I want to find a pair of shoes”.
Loro Piana as a company has come a long way since then, and it’s no longer just luxe-obsessed teenagers like me that hunt down its products (searching for ‘Loro Piano’, rather than Piana, on eBay is a good tip).
It’s become more popular and more expensive. But it’s still one of the few luxury brands I admire and, with the design consistently improving, now regularly visit. I think it’s also telling that even though I know a lot more about how the industry works than I did 25 years ago, I still (very occasionally) spend my money there.
Thanks for the interesting article Simon.
I remember walking into their store in Venice in 2019 when my wife and I were on holidays and I’m not sure I’d ever felt fabrics quite as beautiful as theirs before or since. That may be a touch unfair to the likes of Atelier Bomba in Rome, Connolly, Anderson & Sheppard, Hermes etc, but I distinctly remember having to restrain myself from touching every item in the store.
It was 2019’s autumn/winter collection on display back then and the colour pallet & designs were actually very good. I remember thinking much of what they did in the next 2-3 seasons wasn’t as strong. Glad to see they are being a little bolder with their designs and are not simply relying on quality.
Would you not consider their coats or basic knits Simon? Are they simply too expensive when compared to others? I regretted not buying something from them back in 2019, but could not have justified the price of a small car on a beautiful cashmere coat even if I had it!
Tim.
Nice to hear Tim.
Personally, I would only buy things that I thought were unique to LP, in the fabric or the design, because the price is so high. The basic knits and coats are very good too these days – it’s the price that would be the barrier for me
Did not mention it on the survey last time but i wish to read more about the making process and also merchents for small(hobby) artisans. I am talking about material, stitch variation, patterns and so on. Maybe it is something that fits your future journey with the site 🙂
Thanks Paul, and noted
Hi Simon,
This article raised a question which I have had on my mind for a while in menswear:
Though some might disagree, I find that classic or interesting design can only be found in brands at the top quality/exclusivity level, e.g. Stoffa, Loro Piana, PS Shop articles, Classic Trousers at Rota etc…, leading to unattainable prices for a large (possible) consumer base, such as myself (as I am 21).
From talking with friends, I suspect many others feel the same.
Everybody wants a classic pair of chinos, or well designed shirts with proper collars but few are ready to spend >300EUR on a pair of chinos for example.
Often things in the price bracket below are slim, short or just look more like runway pieces than real clothes.
Based on your experience, could you share as to why this is the case?
I think there is a gap in the market, for things that are produced at a more basic quality level, whilst still retaining good design.
Would be great to hear your thoughts on this matter.
Good point Henry. I think it’s often because the mainstream market and lower prices go together. That market is happy, to at least some extent, with those fits and basic design, and often to be a lower priced brand you need decent volume, so you make for that mainstream market.
In addition to this, I believe that at lower prices, the margins can be so thin that the extra fabric needed for a classic cut makes them unprofitable. Assume you need 10cm extra fabric to make a more classic cut (something like Rubatos officer chinos) compared to the standard low-rise, slim fit chinos fast fashion brands usually peddle. Zara and H&M offer chinos for 30-40 euro. Lets say the profit on those chinos are 5 euro after all costs – every cent you save on them increases the profit. If the fabric costs 10 euro/m, saving those 10cm gives you an extra euro in profit, increasing your profit significantly.
(please note: I’m pulling all numbers except the price of chinos out of thin air, and may be using some financial terms wrong – I studied finance in Swedish and don’t know the proper English terms).
Further, I would guess that it’s more profitable for companies if they have to stock fewer sizes. Low cut, stretchy trousers that go below the belly means that you can pay less attention to the greater waist sizes.
All of these things can seem petty, but when you’re pushing millions of cheap, low margin garments, every cent you can shave off of the cost matters.
Henry, I think that wider or classical fits have become more mainstream and some mass market brands have them in their collections. For example, the Uniqlo U collection designed by Lemaire. The clothes are not remotely close to being slim fit yet neither are they as oversized as Lemaire’s own designs. They use mostly synthetic fabrics or cotton to keep price down presumably.
If only a slight respite, if you know where to look second-hand online, you can get very far. Vinted strangely enough is your best friend.
For knitwear, Malo, Colombo, Fedeli, Cruciani can sometimes have surprisingly interesting designs – I found a cotton Malo knit with a collar unlike anything I’ve ever seen, for instance.
If you can find discount Rota in Italy/Europe, it can be had for under 100 euros.
Shoes you have many options, particularly outside of the traditional firms. I found deerskin loafers from Gravati – quite similar to the Saman Amel mocs.
Of course the search will take time, but if you look at many vintage brands then you can do well.
Might I suggest also looking at womenswear. Plenty might not be to the tastes of classic menswear, but Eskandar trousers are the closest I have ever gotten to the fabrics, drape, and style of Stoffà trousers. Akris mirrors many of LP’s beliefs about quality.
This all being said, the real thing will always be expensive – in part because the cost is of originality. But there is plenty of diversity in clothing, even within the constraints of a more classic style, which is worth exploring.
Hope it helps!
Great recommendations, thank you
thanks for you input! i can imagine vinted works but i looked at stoffa and the two woman brands. The woman brands nowhere can be changed for male trousers, the cuts are far away from unisex. also the hint at the sales from stoffa is a bit very optimistic because most times there are just the very large sizes in there.
Nevermind I understand Henry totally if there would a mass produced basic line in the eye of a PS reader that would be fantastic, the quality of cloth is not that important as color, cut, stitches.
Casatlantic makes great trousers for a more affordable price.
Perhaps a happy medium would be to commission tailoring with Loro Piana fabric? I do that all the time and enjoy the combination of exceptional fabric, good fit, and the choice of where to fall on the classic-to-fashion forward design scale.
While I agree that the quality of LP’s fabrics is ahead of what other RTW brands use, I would not say that their fabrics for bespoke are better than what you can get from other high end mills. In 15 years of using bespoke tailors (4 in all), I have only been suggested once LP fabric. That was by the first I used (Solito) who suggested a summer wool-linen-silk jacket.
I think Simon has commissioned a jacket or two in LP fabric — some people like them because some of the designs are nice, though they are not for me personally. They look to me too much like the kinds of fabrics you would expect to see used by RTW brands.
While my sample size is fairly small, I know a lot of tailors don’t rate their bespoke fabric very highly (they tend to be rather light and the hand is somewhat empty) especially considering what they cost, and don’t actively propose them to clients. Personally, I think you can do a lot better than using LP fabrics if you want to order something bespoke.
Thanks Andrew, good points.
I’d say the design is better than nearly everyone else, but it’s still very subjective, as you say. They often do the best pastel colours in summer jackets, for example, but I’ve never commissioned one because they’re not my taste.
On the fabrics themselves, I’d say this is also a question of what you like or don’t. Loro Piana tend to be finer and more open, often more delicate, and that’s not for everyone – certainly not those who prefer denser, sharper materials. But for that type of cloth, they are very often the best in class.
I agree that if you take the category of mills or merchants who make very light weight, soft cloths (Cacciopoli and some of the VBC bunches come to mind) then LP is definitely superior from a design and quality point of view.
This is certainly a subjective field, as those types of cloth aren’t for me and I have never ordered from any of those makers. I can’t think of how else to explain it, but these types of fabrics look to me like they are made for RTW, or maybe MTM. They don’t look like what you expect to get from a bespoke tailor.
In my opinion, for cloth that looks and feels like it was made for bespoke Fox and Harrison’s are the best mills going at the moment. Eurotex also has some great bunches, though they also have some that are not so great.
From my time of doing fashion photography, I really like how LP have updated their women’s line – and some of the photography they do for it! The mens looks still feel quite meh – many of the looks could still be from Zara, though I have no doubt the quality is exceptional. I guess it’s like you say, Simon: it’s a brand where you may sometimes be tempted to pick up a single piece from a collection because they used an innovative technique or unusual material, much like with Purple Label RL.
I think you’re right Sam, the women’s is still far better, in terms of design and the way it is photographed.
I feel the men’s is getting there too, but often the most inspiring looks and combinations come from the women’s side, as with some of those images above.
It might also be that LP’s men’s market is a pretty conservative one, and there’s even less room there to experiment compared to the women’s, than there is at most brands
I’m guessing that LP’s mens revenue mostly comes from two types of customers. The ones who have always bought it (and has the money to keep buying) and pretty much want what they’ve always gotten, maybe with some minor changes to reflect broader trends. And the ones who have recently come into lots of money, and want “quiet luxury”, which means they want what everyone else is wearing but fancier(or more expensive). I don’t think the CM crowd is that big a market for them.
I took a second look at the style pictures in the article, and I will give that the second mens style had a fairly interesting silhouette – and I say that as an avid hater of bucket hats. But it still pales in comparison with the first women’s look – both the styling and the photography makes me wish I could go back to shooting!
Yes it is lovely isn’t it
It’s sublime.
“the perfect brand would be Cucinelli designs with Loro Piana quality” – witty and (still) true. An enjoyable and nuanced article.
I don’t really like the Cucinelli Designs. They “just” do the classic italian beige/natural luxe thing with a few blues mixed in. Also the fits are not for me.
Compared to a brand like Rubato, which does designs which are more unique in my mind and are still more wearable, Cucinelli has less uniqueness and less classic style.
In that regard I like Ralph Lauren Purple Label much more, which styling I often admire. Same goes for Polo Ralph Lauren, some of the stuff is so unique and still feels contemporary and really wearable. It is design I’m happy to pay an upcharge for!
Cheers!
I used to really appreciate the wonderful drawings they produced each year, once they were sold they seemed to fall away which was I thought a shame.
Hi Simon, this is really interesting. Obviously this is very subjective and personal, as I am quite surprised to read that you find the style has improved. My opinion is the exact opposite. Until around 5 years ago, I used to buy one or two things a year from LP, usually at the end of season sales. I probably haven’t set foot in an LP shop in 3-4 years. First it was a reaction to the pricing which has increased tremendously (from what was a high base) since LVMH bought it. Now, in addition to the pricing, I wouldn’t even consider it as the style of the brand is so far from what I liked (LP essentially made clothes that Sergio Loro Piana and his wife wanted to wear) that it the brand is unrecognizable to me. I am unhappy about what they did with LP that I refuse to buy anything made by a brand owned by LVMH.
Interesting, thanks Andrew. Perhaps you’re right on the subjective and personal point. They’re definitely putting more in from a design point of view, but that doesn’t mean it will appeal to everyone
I think history shows that when a large house buys a brand, quality tends to slip slightly and prices go up beyond a reasonable level.
You never buy a business to just keep on doing what it was doing previously.
Prada and Church comes to mind.
History certainly suggests that often happens, but at the same time it would be silly to assume that’s what happens every time, and while prices have gone up a lot, there are other things going on here too.
Prada and Church’s is rather different, in that prices have gone up without the original product changing at all, and the new product all being completely different.
I’ve just read Chris’ comment and don’t think it very fair of you to suggest his view is silly.
I tend to agree with him re Churchs. I stopped buying my preferred models (Keats and Balmoral), which I had worn for years, after a while under Prada ownership precisely because I felt the quality had dropped.
Thanks Andrew, but I didn’t say his view was silly, I said it would be silly to assume that happened every time. One example of it happening with Church’s is of course a long way from it happening every time
It’s funny there is another Andrew commenting also as Andrew to my original comment, so I’ll change my name to Andrew B to avoid confusion. I don’t have enough data points to generalise on what happens when any big group buys a brand, but I do find the effect of higher prices and lower quality quite pervasive when LVMH is the buyer. Apart from LP, Rimowa and Belmont hotels are prime examples.
To Andrew B’s list you can add Hilditch & Key, T M Lewin, Thomas Pink, Hawes & Curtis…..all companies which had a rich heritage as stand alone businesses making high quality garments using traditional skill. Now look at them. Gieves could be next.
Gieves hasn’t had that for RTW for a long time…
I’m concerned that their recently established new owner will look at ways of leveraging the name though!
Certainly brands evolve over time as the market evolves, but I think there is a bigger trend here which is happening across luxury brands (not only fashion) which is the abandonment of the traditional client base. The traditional client of LP were wealthy, probably a bit older, Europeans. This type of clientele is not growing, nor does it currently have as much spending power as others. The brands evolve to sell what those new clients want, at prices they are willing to pay, and in the process abandon not only their historical clients but also a lot of the heritage that the brand is known for. The result seems to be a famous name selling a largely indistinguishable product from other luxury brands.
As a silly example of homogenization, have a look at the word marks of many luxury brands including some that have recently been rebranded: LV, Ferragamo, Loewe, Saint Laurent, Celine, the list goes on. All have black-and-white, block letters that are virtually indistinguishable from each other. I don’t mention Chanel here because their word mark has, to my knowledge, always been black and white block letters. Perhaps others are trying to mimic them somehow.
I see similar things happening for example with luxury hotels across Europe. High-end hotels in major European cities and tourist destinations (ie, almost anywhere on the Med) have become a sort of Disneyland for wealthy foreign tourists that Europeans can no longer afford. The structures themselves are nice, but the experience often has very little connection with the place where the hotel is located.
I know what you mean Andrew, and it’s a good point about how trends drive things like brands and logos. However, while luxury generally is having a hard time and making many brands more homogenous, I actually think with LP that they are becoming more interesting, not less – even if the customer base is changing
For me, I think LP is a good metaphor for how high-end brands (especially those under LVMH) have pivoted to the international super-rich and how important China has become to their business model. I don’t blame those companies, they are simply responding to the changing international economy.
Those 25 years that Simon recalls represents the rise of Asia, the further rise of the international rich and the relative decline of the spending powers of the European consumer (which is being played out in the democratic issues of multiple European countries – UK, France, Italy, Netherlands).
As an avid car fan, you see it with the pricing Ferrari too (note – I’m an aspirational Ferrari owner, not a real one!). I don’t want to be too despondent, but unless European economies can starting growing more strongly, or if the wealth of the super-rich reduces (neither of which I see happening), I suspect that the cost of LP knitwear will seem more and more out of reach.
hi James, it is a very interesting comment and along similar lines to what I wrote in my last comment which is just above yours. There is another element here at play that I didn’t think of until after I wrote the comment, which is that I think a lot of the previously core European clients have more awareness of, and access to, other European brands and therefore don’t want to pay the kind of prices that LP and similar charge now because they know there are alternatives. Maybe not at quite the same level of quality, but close.
Going back to my luxury hotel analogy, someone who has been to Venice 10 times knows there are viable alternatives to spending EUR 2,500 per night at the Cipriani, which is now owned by LVMH. Someone who is visiting for the first time may not have the same knowledge and revert to the famous brand.
That is a bit of my situation, I used to buy knitwear from LP from time to time. It was more expensive than other alternatives, but the gap was smaller than it is today. Now that I am aware there are alternatives — for example, the last 3 or 4 items of knitwear I bought were bespoke from Dalmo (thanks Simon for the review!) at 1/3 the price of LP — I would never again consider buying something from LP.
Nice points and examples Andrew.
For my side, I’d say Dalmo are also a good example of great make but you notice what the design side adds some times. For classics, less of a difference, but I’m much more likely to find a design in LP I like than from Dalmo
I found Dalmo works well for basic knitwear. I had them take the measurements using one of my MTM LP rollnecks, so from a sizing point of view it worked very well. I have had them do a few rollnecks (plain and cable knit) and some crewnecks and have been quite satisfied. Perhaps LP’s designs are a bit cooler, but for me the price difference is too wide. I also enjoy the bespoke process and supporting a family owned business.
Hi Simon,
An interesting article. I like your quote “ The world isn’t split cleanly into heritage makers that are good value, and big brands that are ripping you off.” As with so many things it’s better not to view them in an overly simplistic way. More shades of lovely ‘Loro Piana grey!’
Pleased that came across Stephen. I understand where it comes from, but I think it’s a little sad when people that are interested in clothes have rather knee-jerk reactions to things
I love LPs simple pared back style, if I could I would be a customer but they are way out of my price range ,so tend to go with luca faloni as the crewneck cashmere / linen shirts are similar in design and good quality , any recommendations as to any simlair companies ?
Well, I’d say most of the brands we cover fall into that kind of area, though often a little step above Faloni from a design point of view
For me the cut will always be as important as the fabric, and then in the stratospheric level of prices in which LP plays, I will always prefer bespoke over RTW… LP has always seemed to me a lazy choice for the uber wealthy. But I still love my open shoes which remain as nice, comfortable and classy today than when I bought them many, many years ago and remain surprisingly affordable in the LP world…
“I think I could write one just on why I dislike the Open Walk.”
I’d be interested in reading this, if only to crystallise my own thoughts about these shoes. I can see the appeal but they (and/or their copies) are becoming ubiquitous in the well-to-do corner of London where I work and almost uniformly look worse than a plain loafer or sleek white trainer would in their place. Worse than that, they are very much becoming a status symbol among the type of people who seem to view themselves as “in the know” – a surefire sign that the trend will eat itself soon and the antithesis of the quiet luxury that Loro Piana was probably aiming for when they created them. The “if you know, you know”-style ad campaign it ran last year about then was obviously heavily leaning into this elitist idea too.
Yes, I agree Lewis and nicely put.
From a design point of view, the major issue I have with them is that the lack of laces looks clumpy and incomplete. A chukka boot with laces across there would be much more suited to tailoring – yet they’re also too luxe in appearance to work with jeans. I don’t think the design works, but if it did it would only be with a narrow casual-chic-type look.
The other issue is that the sole colour only works well with very specific upper colours. You can see that in the boat shoes I showed at the end of this post as well. That colour, with the upper and sole close together, is nice. But put a navy suede on top, and it looks very cheap and unsophisticated.
this made me smile as I bought those boat shoes in that colour and after 1 wear they need cleaning. lovely quality and works well with lighter trousers but I think it was not the most sensible purchase I have recently made
Ha! Yes true, though I would think I might like them when they got a little dirty. Still brushed down etc. and not worn in the mud, but good when they lose that luxe look a little
The major problem I have with the Open Walk is spending around EUR 1000 for a shoe that cannot be repaired. I had a pair of open walks around 2015 that I wore a lot and eventually needed resoled. I took them back to the LP shop and asked them if they could have the sole changed and they said it isn’t possible. Perhaps that has changed, but for me it was not acceptable to spend that much money for something that will get thrown away after a few years. I don’t buy Tods driving shoes for the same reason.
“I’m not sure Cucinelli is viewed as favourably today”
I’d be interested in an independent/objective critique of present-day Cucinelli. I’ve always appreciated their taste for colours and design, but I’m unsure how they stack up on quality as I’ve never owned any of their pieces. Since the quality doesn’t seem to be well regarded, it makes question whether I should try them.
Happy to at some point Dave, though I’d say the quality has never quite matched the pricing and the design even less so now. Again, personal at least one the latter point
Agreed. I think they do best with some of the materials they use, which often are lovely. Where they fall down in my view is in design to some extent (not always an issue for me but more often is then I would like) but more so in make; far too little handwork for the price generally across the board.
Thanks for article on what is a fantastic cloth maker.
My principle problem with LP ready to wear is that it is still ready to wear at bespoke prices.
Fit is King, it does not matter what it is made out of if it does not fit it can not look good.
It does seem strange that we can not disagree on the quality of the cloth, yet what they make out of it we have reservations.
I believe LP cloths are readily available to be made into garments by tailors / dressmakers so why buy a garment off the peg, for the cloth at what I suspect would be close to the same cloth made by a reputable tailor.
I would be interested to know, has anybody bought a bespoke suit using Loro Piana cloth and how does it compare to a Loro Piana Ready to Wear?
Neil
I don’t think we’re really talking about tailoring when it comes to the LP clothes Neil, so that’s less relevant.
But yes, a bespoke tailor charges more for make and a lot less for retail, marketing and design
I always liked loro piana despite its very high prices. Simon may i ask something irrelevant ? I am looking to buy a jeans shirt mostly to wear with cream and mid blue jeans, rarely with grey flannels. Id like something plain without cowboy asociations, what would you suggest ?
We do a version you might like Georgios, but it’s less jeans-like that you might want. Most like that do also have western details, but look at some carried by a shop like Gabucci and see if those styles appeal
Great article Simon
Like yourself I used to visit LorioPiana at Bicester Village regularly and the summer sales at Sloane Street. I was fortunate enough to buy before prices became unrealistic. I got lucky on one occasion and picked up a navy baby cashmere overcoat for 5k down from 14k worn once and returned because the buyer complained there were crease marks in the sleeves, could have been steamed out.
‘Stealth wealth’ and the ‘Quiet luxury’ trend have unfortunately contributed to price increases. Also I believe, I may be wrong, that LVMH now control Lori Piana. There does seem to be a homogeneous look within the LVMH group.
Having said that its only by touching and examining Lori Piana fabric and clothing that one can appreciate the quality and thought that has gone into the finished product.
Viewing product images online doesn’t convey the full picture. That’s why PS is such a great forum for readers with limited access to see the products themselves before buying. Your description of fabrics and construction is a great filter for prospective buyers.
I heard that LP was going to stop supplying cloth to tailors. Is there any truth in this? I imagine that even the costlier tailors making bespoke with LP cloth is still cheaper than RTW tailoring from LP.
Not as far as I’m aware, no.
No, a RTW jacket from LP is more like £3,500. The most expensive bespoke tailors are more than that
Loro Piana has been able to position themselves to charge very high prices for their goods. While no one is quarreling with the quality the price/value equation is questionable. LVMH the parent company of Loro Piana is one of the most profitable companies in the world. In 2023 LVMH reported 86 billion euros in revenues with a NET profit of 23 billion euros. Bernard Arnault the CEO of LVMH is one of the richest men in the world. The recently reported scandals involving LVMH owned Christian Dior using Chinese owned subcontractors in Italy tarnishes the LVMH luxury mystique. Scottish cashmeres which may not be quite as “stylish” as Loro Piana or Cucinelli are their equal in quality at less than half the price! Outer wear from quality companies like Private White is also a much better value than their luxe branded Italian competition. I will continue to purchase goods from first world companies with rational prices but not from a company like Loro Piana which currently has $850 tee shirts for sale on their website.
Thanks RTK, good points. Though note that the people that own fast-fashion retailers are also among the richest in the world
Agree that LP is pricing itself out of the market. If you can wait a year, check their outlets in NY and S.F. where the prices are much more tolerable.
I don’t agree that the women’s designs have improved. Most remain frumpy… although the fabric and construction are impeccable.
I’m very glad LP exist and admire their absolute commitment to excellence. I used to buy the odd thing now and again and the sales were always worth checking out. But like most of the posters here, I’m out now. I’m not sure I agree that their styling has improved though. It’s personal taste of course, but, at least for men, their last few collections have just looked odd to me, the latest especially. They’re clearly trying, which is fair enough, but, it’s not for me. My biggest problem with them though is that even though their casual wear can be lovely, I wear casual clothes for casual activities, like pottering in the garden, or clearing out the shed or just lounging around. Doing that in a 600 quid T-shirt and 500 quid jeans would just seem bizarre. And I couldn’t relax.
Wittily put!
I have grievances with Loro P. First and foremost is their “Gift of Kings” shtick. As far as I can tell, this is just merino lambswool. They appear to do some form of minor processing so they can justify changing the label on their website from lambswool to “Gift of Kings” then you don’t notice that you’re being charged £2,000 for a wool crew neck https://uk.loropiana.com/en/p/man/knitwear/the-gift-of-kings-crewneck-FAO1090?colorCode=W000.
I’ve got similar misgivings about the term “Baby cashmere” surely cashmere is pointless if it’s short hair? They’ve again given a second-tier material a cutesy name and slapped a first-tier price tag on it.
I like their stuff made of conventional materials and I’ve seen some interesting beach wear in their Resort collection.
While not condoning any of the pricing Matt, there are vast differences between different types of merino lambswool, some extremely fine and very precious. You get this just as much with tailoring over the years too – eg Lumbs Golden Bale.
On baby cashmere, no the length of the combed hair is not a factor, but the yarn is again finer.
The issue really is the fact that for things this rare, you have to pay exponentially higher prices for very small differences in quality
I’ve bought quite a few pieces from LP over the years. One point that hasn’t been mentioned is that they have good sizing for the larger guy. Often it feels like menswear RTW is designed for slim 20-somethings who are max 6 foot. I’m 6’4″ and 100kg and can almost always find LP pieces that fit – and often I’m not in the largest size they do.
Nothing justifies the horrendous prices, but no one is forced to buy there.
Honestly, I don’t think Lori Piana’s style has improved.
In my not so humble opinion, they make clothes for people who have more money than sense and who don’t know how to dress.
What I do think is indisputable is their quality and the durability of their staples.
Everything can play its role and for my part I have four LP pieces.
Two are baby cashmere ‘V’ neck sweaters that I bought 15 years ago at their outlet store in Tuscany at a great price (readers note – finding this store is a veritable work of art ). I paid about a quarter of the sticker price and the sweaters remain the two favourites in my wardrobe. The colours – grey and sage green – are fabulous and the baby cashmere must be, quite simply, the best in the world. They wear beautifully, they wash beautifully and are as good today as the day they were bought. I know that the sticker price for this item is now north of £1300. An absurd price.
The second two items are both microfibre baseball hats. They are a staple for me. I love their style and discrete logo but above all else their storm system is completely waterproof. I spend a lot of time outdoors and on the sea and this for me is essential. That said, at £355 the pricing is ridiculous and if I could find a viable alternative I’d switch.
Other than that I think that A&S, Anglo-Italian and Private White VC all offer great quality knitwear and out wear that is better Styled and has a much better price/value equilibrium.
While I don’t question the impeccable quality of Loro Piana apparel and their range of fabrics for tailoring, the style of clothing won’t probably work on me .
Albeit it won’t stop me venturing into Loro Piana in Bond Street and having a look at the styles and clothing on display.
Thanks Simon, great article. You piqued my curiosity. I visited the website. Those prices are hilarious. 6.5k for a fleece. Seriously!
I’ve had a LP raincoat for approximately 15 years that is still my go-to here in (very wet) Seattle. It broke my clothing budget for a couple of years but in the end I can’t complain, I got it on sale and it works well. I’ve also got a couple of LP scarves on deep discount which are nice, but they’re scarves, so meh. Even at 80% off I’m sure I paid too much. I recently tried to have the pocket bags on my old overcoat replaced with LP cashmere, the tailor laughed, pulled out his LP book and quoted me $400!! A more generic but very nice cashmere set me back $80. As for Cucinelli, I’ve owned several suits and a couple of sweaters, all bought on sale. As Simon says, beautiful design. My opinion of the quality: Awful. I wore one of the suits once and had to have two of the buttons sewn back on after they fell off in a restaurant. Needless to say, I’m pretty much done with both brands. I’ve been quite happy with Drake’s.
Ive also noticed their designs being more interesting lately, which is nice given it definitively is one of the most interesting brands in terms of quality and dedication to the product. I do not think that it is possible to excuse their pricing however.
Ive always felt that they needed sub-brands with different identities in order to experiment more with their designs and create a clearer brand image. Then again, I still likely wouldn’t pay 10 000 pounds for a wool bomber jacket…
That’s a good point Lsa, maybe they’ll do that at some point when the men’s identity is strong and consistent enough
I bought a pair of navy Loro Piana Summer Walk Loafers when they were just overpriced and expensive (and not riduculously priced as today). It was some kind of treat. Afterwards – and to late for a return – I realised that I should have sized down. But I have been able to use them with an insole.
But I have never really used them that much. I prefer suede loafers in traditional brown colors. I have tried to sell them a couple of times but that has not been easy. Evidently their is some many fake copies out there that all potential buyers wants to see the receipts. And my problem is that I dont save receipts for shoes or clothes when I can no longer return them.
So I keep them and use them maybe once every year. One reason for not wearing them is the hype. And another is all ”Stealth Wealth Wannabes” who is too afraid to trust me on the authenticity of the shoes.
Oh dear, quite a bind created by those different factors. Sorry Carl
Hi Carl
Did you try to sell them on Marrkt? I sold the pair of Open Walks I commented on above via Marrkt. I didn’t get much for them because they were pretty well worn but they didn’t ask any questions about receipts.
What’s your view on N. Peal cashmere vs LP’s? NP is up front about theirs being from Mongolia. LP doesn’t say in their ads, but their retail sales people admit a lot of it is Chinese.
I wouldn’t draw too much from the Mongolia/Chinese distinction. It’s a fluid area and Chinese quality varies hugely. From people I know that sourced cashmere, LP were always the one that was actually on the ground sourcing the best themselves, rather than going through an agent.
N Peal has always been nice, though the women’s designs are a lot nicer than the men’s generally
Hi Simon,
I wanted to ask you for your opinion on the well-renowned and distinctive Loro Piana loafer. I am in two minds whether or not I like them and I wanted to hear your take on the matter.
Best wishes,
Martin
You mean the Summer Walk, Martin?
I’m not a fan really – see above for my comments on the open walk, it’s similar
If I may chip in with some thoughts; I last bought Loro Piana pieces in 2021 and while some were pretty good (chino type trousers and an unstructured jacket I bought in 2018 or 2019), some really were not anything special (the ‘sewn’ polos).
With regards to Brunello Cucinelli, having quite a few pieces from them I think they can have fantastic materials (not with everything they make though) but the design element is not always there (often too ‘sporty’ or ‘slouchy’) and the amount of handwork and hardwear is not what you would expect for the price frankly.
Simon, in terms of classic menswear (and I’m sorry I’m mentioning the same name again and again) I really can’t see a RTW line that is overall better than Cesare Attolini. I think they do ‘classic’ menswear really really well. Elegant cuts, really great materials across the board and really fantastic make. I don’t know where I would get trousers done as well as the stuff they sell on Michael Jondral without going bespoke (one example had lovely full linen with mother of pearl buttons across the board, beautiful pleats, lots of handwork and generous amounts of extra fabric down the leg (width and length). I bought a pair from Rota recently and it was great for the price but in a lower league really. Even the armholes and some inner bits have handwork on Cesare Attolini shirt jackets and they always use lovely horn buttons. Their knitwear comes with lovely mother of pearl buttons as well and their polos and T-Shirts are mostly if not all fully fashioned.
Anyways I don’t mean to harp about the same company (like I said before not everything they do is to my taste) but really much of it is and I would struggle to find a company that does so well across the board (from experience not Loro Piana, not Brunello Cucinelli, not Brioni and not Kiton). You can get wonderful pieces from all of these makers but to find consistently great stuff across the board (from suits, to odd jackets, to shirting to trousers, to ‘shirt jackets’, to polo shirts, to T-shirts) from any of them is a very tough ask (and Cesare Attolini for all the quality is cheaper than Loro Piana and Brunello Cucinelli (which I really only buy at 30% off or more).
What I’ve noticed with Loro Piana, and this is something I don’t like, is that they are putting their logo on more and more of their products. The same thing happened with Kiton. This shows that their market is now more persons who want to brag about their achievements and wealth.
Logo fashion is trending downwards now, I think we’ll see less of that in future seasons. There were some articles about it recently in fashion media.
Yes I hate logos on clothing personally. Brunello still has some but I steer clear of those pieces (sometimes if it’s very discreet I’d be ok with it).