Thank you for posting. I have been engaged as a customer with J.Crew though almost its entire life - from catalogue company to stores to today. As with many / most of our favorites stores, the story is a sad one. Hopefully, it can hang on in some form that produces clothing of interest to those of us who lean Trad.

 

To some extent, a similar story can be told about Wisconsin's own Lands' End. When I first came to this state in 1983, they were a burgeoning company, and I loved my first khakis and poplins picked up from them. Plus tweed jackets, shetlands, neckties, and belts. Almost everything was US or UK made, and the clothes were long-wearing and comfortable and well-constructed. This high quality at decent prices lasted for a long time. Then they were sold to Sears, I think, and items began to be outsourced more and more. Around that time I stopped buying clothes from their catalogues. I have picked up their t shirts or OCBD shirts from thrift shops now and then.

I still have some of the good clothes I picked up from them including some Harris Tweed sports jackets, dress wool trousers, and two pairs of corduroy trousers (dark green and brown) made of Yorkshire cord. Mementoes.

 

To some extent, a similar story can be told about Wisconsin's own Lands' End. When I first came to this state in 1983, they were a burgeoning company, and I loved my first khakis and poplins picked up from them. Plus tweed jackets, shetlands neckties, and belts. Almost everything was US or UK made, and the clothes were long-wearing and comfortable and well-constructed. This high quality at decent prices lasted for a long time. Then they were sold to Sears, I think, and items began to be outsourced more and more. Around that time I stopped buying clothes from their catalogues. I have picked up their t shirts or OCBD shirts from thrift shops now and then.

I still have some of the good clothes I picked up from them including some Harris Tweed sports jackets, dress wool trousers, and two pairs of corduroy trousers (dark green and brown) made of Yorkshire cord. Mementoes.

Two of the first catalog companies I did business with were L L Bean in the early 70's and Lands End in the late 70's. Lands End was my go to source for casual clothing. Not unlike Bean of the era, but more stylish and better made. Among a number of quality items from the pre-Sears business that I still wear are four cotton tartan flannel shirts of excellent quality. I bought these in the early 90's. They were made in Hungary. And Hungary once had a reputation for making fine shirts, though I'm not sure this was still true during the Communist era.

The first item I purchased from Lands End was a larger piece of canvas luggage they named the Square Rigger. Sort of like a duffle bag, except with a rectangular zippered flap on top. It was one of only a dozen or two items they then offered.

It must have been around '76 or '77. I remember asking my oldest daughter who was a tike if she wanted to go for a ride in it. She jumped in, and closed up the flap, and I whirled it around a few times like a merry go round. She loved it!

 

Flanderian, your post brings back memories of lots of Lands' End luggage I have purchased over the years, mainly made of canvas with leather trim. I have several Square Rigger pieces, including my current daily use briefcase (olive drab, repaired and patched up here and there) that is in its 21st year of heavy use. I also have a garment bag and a great duffel bag, both of them still functional -- they are fine pieces of kit.

Their luggage was tough and I have taken their pieces to India, South America and European countries. They have lasted through treks in the Ecuadorean jungle and Andean mountains, monsoons in India, and of course, the harsh Wisconsin winters. Not to mention the wilds of Holland, LOL. Superb stuff: I have owned nothing that matches their durability and quality. Not a single zipper has failed.

I also still wear the Lands' End clothes I acquired, especially the Yorkshire cords and Harris tweeds. Great stuff. And they will accept and replace, free of charge, any item that is deficient in any way. In twenty-five years of purchases, I had to return only one pair of khakis -- they were pilling after a year of wear, and I wanted to test their claim that they would replace any item sent back for any reason. They did, no questions asked -- and I got a brand new pair of khakis!

You may already know this but the apostrophe is misplaced in their name. It should have been Land's End (they were originally specialists in nautical supplies). But by the time someone pointed this out, the brand name had become popular, and they decided to leave it as it was. It became another little quirk which only enhanced their image in the public eye. They also had a catalogue that was almost like a monthly magazine -- they even had a column for readers' letters! And people did write to them.

 

Flanderian, your post brings back memories of lots of Lands' End luggage I have purchased over the years, mainly made of canvas with leather trim. I have several Square Rigger pieces, including my current daily use briefcase (olive drab, repaired and patched up here and there) that is in its 21st year of heavy use. I also have a garment bag and a great duffel bag, both of them still functional -- they are fine pieces of kit.

Their luggage was tough and I have taken their pieces to India, South America and European countries. They have lasted through treks in the Ecuadorean jungle and Andean mountains, monsoons in India, and of course, the harsh Wisconsin winters. Not to mention the wilds of Holland, LOL. Superb stuff: I have owned nothing that matches their durability and quality. Not a single zipper has failed.

I also still wear the Lands' End clothes I acquired, especially the Yorkshire cords and Harris tweeds. Great stuff. And they will accept and replace, free of charge, any item that is deficient in any way. In twenty-five years of purchases, I had to return only one pair of khakis -- they were pilling after a year of wear, and I wanted to test their claim that they would replace any item sent back for any reason. They did, no questions asked -- and I got a brand new pair of khakis!

You may already know this but the apostrophe is misplaced in their name. It should have been Land's End (they were originally specialists in nautical supplies). But by the time someone pointed this out, the brand name had become popular, and they decided to leave it as it was. It became another little quirk which only enhanced their image in the public eye. They also had a catalogue that was almost like a monthly magazine -- they even had a column for readers' letters! And people did write to them.

I've read several explanations as to the use, or lack thereof, of an apostrophe in the Lands End name. One of the most convincing was that it was deliberate and correct, though I can't remember the detail of the explanation, though it may have involved the Cornish place name which not too long ago added an apostrophe, though it had not had one previously.

I don't know what happened to my original piece of Square Rigger luggage acquired several moves and lives ago. A little over a quarter century ago, I acquired a couple pieces of the original Orvis canvas luggage, made for them by the original J. W. Hulme company. Both firms now substantially different in ownership and products. This luggage is so over-built that it has not only lasted me the rest of my life, but will still be in fine shape when I'm no longer here. It is incredibly rugged and functional. I only wish I had someone to pass it on to who might be able to appreciate its special qualities, rather than simply view it as rather unglamorous old canvas luggage.

 

Lots of great stuff here!

There was indeed a decline in Lands' End quality a few years back, but many recent purchases over the past couple of years indicates a return to better quality at very fair prices. LE is still a great option for many of us!

 

Lots of great stuff here!

There was indeed a decline in Lands' End quality a few years back, but many recent purchases over the past couple of years indicates a return to better quality at very fair prices. LE is still a great option for many of us!

I bought three V neck and one round neck lambswool sweaters from LE in about 1985 at an after Christmas sale.I believe they were about $25 each at the time on sale. They were worn annually for over 30 years until I started replacing them with O'Connells Lambswool in the same colors. Navy, Burgundy, Hunter Green and Camel. I would wash them once per year if needed and they finally gave out in about 2016 or 17 and went to the thrift store. Few stores around that have that sort of durability built into their clothing. RIP Land's End.

 

Stores ebb and flow, especially the large retailers with online presence. In addition to J. Crew and Lands End, most people have noticed that LL Bean has been on a long ebb, Brooks has become a dry beach, and Orvis and Press Press are showing the beginnings of an ebb. It happens outside of haberdashery as well. Williams-Sonoma goes back and forth between being a serious cookware store and an interior design store pushing the colour du jour. The hope is that all of these stores, stores that built allegiance based on products and service, will return to the things we love. I find it sort of staggering that for much casual wear Gap has become a better Trad choice than many of these stores.

 

I remember the USA made navy blazer in a 39R I had from J Crew in about 1993. Double forward pleat wool trousers too. All USA made. I still have a moleskin navy blazer in a 42R from 1995 that still fits - even though I am forced to buy a 46 today. Just goes to show how badly sizes have been manipulated by the makes.

 

I have really enjoyed this thread. At one point I owned about half of J.Crew's catalog. I still have several pairs of their khakis even though I can no longer squeeze into them.

I wore Land's End Pinpoint oxfords exclusively for about 15 years. At any given time I had a couple of dozen pairs of their chinos.

In 1987 my first real job out of college was at General Electric Medical Systems headquartered in Waukesha, WI. I was a MRI Applications Specialist. At first there were 8 of us and later the group grew to between 15 and 25. We lived all over the USA. (Near a large airport!)

People in my job lived in hotels going from hospital to hospital teaching the clinical applications of G.E.'s MRI systems after they were sold or received hardware and software upgrades.

All of us Applications Specialists met five times per year in Waukesha for a week to receive lectures from engineers and scientists regarding the latest developments and capabilities of G.E.'s Equipment. Once a year we would spent a month in Chicago in preparation for R.S.N.A, (Radiologic Society of North America) which was one of the largest trade shows in the world.

During these trips a bunch of us would drive up to Janesville to go through the Land's End's factory store. I have so many fond memories of Wisconsin, Land's End, Allen Edmonds shoe bank in Port Washington and later on, driving to Chicago for Florsheim Imperials and Oxxford sport coats and suits.

 

I have really enjoyed this thread. At one point I owned about half of J.Crew's catalog. I still have several pairs of their khakis even though I can no longer squeeze into them.

I wore Land's End Pinpoint oxfords exclusively for about 15 years. At any given time I had a couple of dozen pairs of their chinos.

In 1987 my first real job out of college was at General Electric Medical Systems headquartered in Waukesha, WI. I was a MRI Applications Specialist. At first there were 8 of us and later the group grew to between 15 and 25. We lived all over the USA. (Near a large airport!)

People in my job lived in hotels going from hospital to hospital teaching the clinical applications of G.E.'s MRI systems after they were sold or received hardware and software upgrades.

All of us Applications Specialists met five times per year in Waukesha for a week to receive lectures from engineers and scientists regarding the latest developments and capabilities of G.E.'s Equipment. Once a year we would spent a month in Chicago in preparation for R.S.N.A, (Radiological Society of North America) which was one of the largest trade shows in the world.

During these trips a bunch of us would drive up to Janesville to go through Land's End's factory store. I have so many fond memories of Wisconsin, Land's End, Allen Edmonds shoe bank in Port Washington and later on, driving to Chicago for Florsheim Imperials and Oxxford sport coats and suits.

We are about the same age, I'm guessing (I was born in '64), and, like you, I owned a ridiculous amount of J.Crew clothes in the '80s and '90s (and still do).

I have a very clear memory of the first J.Crew store I ever went to - it was in NYC at the South Street Seaport. It was a bit surreal because, after years of J.Crew catalog shopping, going to the store felt as if you were walking into the catalog itself.

It was just across the street from Abercrombie and Fitch before A&F became just another clothing store.

 

^^ I was born in 61. (I did a hitch in the Navy before college.)