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Respected Contributor
Posts: 3,826
Registered: ‎08-21-2013

I have two questions about quality:

 

1)  I have never bought any DG2 by Diane Gilman items.  What do you think of the quality of her garments (construction and fabric)?

 

2) I used to buy a Women's washable gabardine suiting line by Hartmarx  called Hawksley & Wight.  (It was similar to the Auten Reed line in the tailoring.)  Do you know of anything like that out there any more?

 

I appreciate any information you can provide.

 

Esteemed Contributor
Posts: 7,898
Registered: ‎05-15-2014

Re: Two questions about quality

I used to buy DG2 brand.  I ended up donating every piece of clothing from her line.    It's been a few years now but I would be hesitant to try this line again.   She's a good salesperson but the product did not meet expectations for me.

 

Sorry I haven't ever heard of Hawksley and Wight.

Esteemed Contributor
Posts: 6,234
Registered: ‎03-16-2010

Re: Two questions about quality

@Writer with Flair, I'm very familiar with Hartmarx (I worked for them a short time years ago).  You may find something similar to the Hartmarx brands referenced if you scour a few high end department stores, but as a definite, the places I can think of to find items similar to those brands in style and fabrication is the Pendleton Wool website, Brooks Brothers, LL Bean, Land's End, (and on the youthful side) J Crew. 

Respected Contributor
Posts: 3,826
Registered: ‎08-21-2013

Re: Two questions about quality


@Trix wrote:

@Writer with Flair, I'm very familiar with Hartmarx (I worked for them a short time years ago).  You may find something similar to the Hartmarx brands referenced if you scour a few high end department stores, but as a definite, the places I can think of to find items similar to those brands in style and fabrication is the Pendleton Wool website, Brooks Brothers, LL Bean, Land's End, (and on the youthful side) J Crew. 


Trix,

     Thanks for the heads up.  I have looked at some of these sights without success.  The closest thing I have found is the Ingenuity brand which appears to have similar styles as the H & W line--with the exception that the fabric they use appears to be more on the doubleknit side.  I really like something that looks like a fine wool gabardine (like the poly/rayon blend H & W used to have).

Respected Contributor
Posts: 3,826
Registered: ‎08-21-2013

Re: Two questions about quality


@LindaSal wrote:

I used to buy DG2 brand.  I ended up donating every piece of clothing from her line.    It's been a few years now but I would be hesitant to try this line again.   She's a good salesperson but the product did not meet expectations for me.

 

Sorry I haven't ever heard of Hawksley and Wight.


LindaSal,

     What did you not like about her products?  I was thinking about getting one of her unstructured suits but was unsure of the quality of construction and/or fabric used after reading some of the reviews.  Anything you could share would be of great help.  Thanks you.

Esteemed Contributor
Posts: 7,898
Registered: ‎05-15-2014

Re: Two questions about quality

Hi there,

 

My experience was poor quality.  I had several pairs of her jeans with spandex and they stretched out so much I couldn't even wear them without constantly pulling them up.(This ocurred only after a few washings)   I also washed on gentle and hung dry following the directions on the garment.   Also some of the tops I had were very stiff and uncomfortable.   Always too large in the shoulder/chest area and too tight in the waist.  Sizing issues.    Whether or not this has improved with her line, I don't know.  Just proceed with caution, try one thing at a time.

Honored Contributor
Posts: 13,936
Registered: ‎03-10-2010

Re: Two questions about quality

I've only tried two pairs of jeans over the years and both ran very large.  She said order your "dream" size, I should have gone down two sizes.  Not realistic at all. 

Respected Contributor
Posts: 2,580
Registered: ‎02-04-2014

Re: Two questions about quality

@Writer with Flair

 

Christopher and Banks sell gabardine slacks (not wool gabardine) .... if searching their website, you can tell if gabardine from the fabric content--their approach with this material is more "soft suiting."   Always a sale in-store or on-line ... April 3 is 40%-50% off.

 

And oddly, they now sell Diane Gilman products ... her sizing is not the same as C&B products (apparently sizing runs smaller).   Fabric choices are of good quality.

Respected Contributor
Posts: 3,826
Registered: ‎08-21-2013

Re: Two questions about quality

[ Edited ]

@seaBreeze wrote:

@Writer with Flair

 

Christopher and Banks sell gabardine slacks (not wool gabardine) .... if searching their website, you can tell if gabardine from the fabric content--their approach with this material is more "soft suiting."   Always a sale in-store or on-line ... April 3 is 40%-50% off.

 

And oddly, they now sell Diane Gilman products ... her sizing is not the same as C&B products (apparently sizing runs smaller).   Fabric choices are of good quality.


Sea Breeze,

     Thank you so much for this information.  I look forward to looking at the Christopher and Banks site.  The gabardine pants and the "soft suiting" definitely sound like things I need to check out.

     That's interesting about them carrying Diane Gilman's line.  Do they have brick and mortar stores?  I'd like to be able to go into an actual store and see her items in person.

Respected Contributor
Posts: 3,826
Registered: ‎08-21-2013

Re: Two questions about quality


@LindaSal wrote:

Hi there,

 

My experience was poor quality.  I had several pairs of her jeans with spandex and they stretched out so much I couldn't even wear them without constantly pulling them up.(This ocurred only after a few washings)   I also washed on gentle and hung dry following the directions on the garment.   Also some of the tops I had were very stiff and uncomfortable.   Always too large in the shoulder/chest area and too tight in the waist.  Sizing issues.    Whether or not this has improved with her line, I don't know.  Just proceed with caution, try one thing at a time.


LindaSal,

     That was such good information--just the sort of things I wanted to know.  Thanks for sharing.