Recent Shoe Purchase -- Alberto Fasciani

Alberto Fasciani (made in Italy) - not a name you hear about much in the States, but they make some awesome shoes, and I managed to pick up a pair of black, double-monks at the Bloomingdales outlet in North Jersey last weekend. Wanted to share with everyone one of the more obscure brands out there. Note: These were clearly left over from the Bloomingdales store rather than some items that are sold specifically at the outlet store. Total on these was $110, originally marked $595.  One day Daffy's will stock this sort of thing...one day.

Sottotono...Why-oh, Why-oh?

Last season my post was called 'Sottotono...A Big No-No', I'm trying to keep it fresh ;)

Fact of the matter is that Sottotono (made in Italy) is simply some of the worst merchandise that Daffy's gets in, and that appears to be the only major brand that came in this week. Don't let the fact that the items are made in Italy fool you....it's still utter junk. The construction and fabrication is awful, and the designs are usually just pure ugly for lack of a better descriptor. I simply do not understand why this stuff continues to be sold.

The only other thing I noticed this week was neon-colored t-shirts from a label called U.S. Vintage. Nothing special, $8.99 each. Use them to go work out in the gym or something.

Was hoping at least to see some old Fall merchandise from other stores down here, but that didn't happen yet. What did happen, however, is that all Fall items are an additional 75% off, including the shearlings. So might be worth a trip either to 34th St. or Philly (the two major locations with decent Fall/Winter stock left).

I don't expect much else to be updated this weekend, but I will post a picture of some awesome double-monk shoes which I picked up last weekend at the Bloomingdales Outlet in Paramus (the same mall also has a Century 21, Nordstrom Rack, Off 5th and Neiman Marcus Last Call).

Weekend/NJ Store Recap

Took a trip this weekend up to NJ, visited all the stores along the way...let's just say I was not thrilled. The John Barrit merchandise which was part of the reason I went was nowhere near the volume we had received down here in Philly, and the Patrizia Pepe selection, while good, was not what I was hoping for in terms of specific items, though, I did manage to pick up a beautiful cotton/silk blazer in Elizabeth. Note that neither Secaucus nor Totowa, NJ received Patrizia Pepe items, but that was expected.

To the sides you can see a few of the Patrizia Pepe items - just about every store that had PP merchandise got in this great leather jacket - it kind of looks stained, but I believe that was intentional. And a few stores got in some high-top sneakers -- Jersey Gardens had these shoes in blue, yellow and I believe a tan/brown -- the rims of each shoe are covered in an almost neon-like plastic. Quite cool stuff - and at $69.99, you won't find it anywhere else for less (Yoox has them for $138 in case you need a comparison). 

As for the Transit (made in Italy) items that were supposed to come in, I saw none of it, whether in Philly or any NJ store, including the Paramus store where it usually comes in serious volume. There were women's Transit items in each store, but no men's items. A report via Twitter, however, has indicated that Transit men's items were spotted at the Soho store. So take a look there if you're interested.

For those of you that missed it on Twitter, the Philly store received several pairs (read 7 or 8 total) of shoes from Goffredo Fantini (made in Italy). Much more well known for their women's items, but great men's shoes nonetheless. I bought myself four pairs - a pair of waxed-canvas boots, two pairs of sandals, and some penny loafers -- all seen in the group shot. I was kind of in love w/all these shoes if you can't tell, that's why you're seeing all the pictures. None of the NJ stores received any of these, and the Philly store only received items in Size 9 (42 EU). My guess is one or two of the NYC stores received a few scattered pairs. Also amongst them were items from Hope by Ringstrand Soderberg, which included that pair of waxed-cotton boots I was referencing (see group picture on the bottom, middle pair).

And, the unfortunate part of the week....the junk -- tons of t-shirts in each store I visited from Grimm (www.grimm.ca). I mean these these are ill-fitting generic t-shirts to begin with, and then they each have some really stupid cartoon joke on them, generally immature sayings -- "Wine is the answer...does anyone remember the question?" "I don't drink beer anymore...I don't drink any less either." If these things sell at the $5.99 they're marked at, I'd be surprised. It always amazes me what crap they can get their hands on.

The other stuff that meandered in -- sportswear items from a company called 'Q-Fresh'. More generic Under Armour-like items that no one is going to buy. And shoes from Affliction that have these little spikey things all over them. Not my cup of tea

Looking forward to next week...I've been told that the Philly store is going to be the dumping ground for a whole load of NYC and NJ leftovers from fall in the next couple of weeks. So those folks down here, get ready to enjoy 75% discount on lots of items (supposedly the discount rate on men's stuff is only 50% right now b/c it sells quicker than the women's items and doesn't go out of style as quickly - if you're wondering why the women's stuff is 75% and we only get a meager 50%).

Quick Note

Updates coming this weekend, but for those of you that don't follow us on Twitter (@yellowbaggers), Daffy's announced that Transit (made in Italy) items will be coming in this week, and Patrizia Pepe (made in Italy) soon thereafter (so probably next week on PP). Transit does not usually come down here to Philadelphia for some reason (I believe it may have to do w/a dispute from a local store many years ago, but not entirely sure on that), but it usually winds up in the Paramus, NJ store, and the three main NYC stores -- 57th East Side, Soho and 34th St - last fall it also made its way to 18th St. and 57th St. west side, and I'm assuming something will be in the new Times Square store as well. For more info on Transit, do a search on the blog for prior posts.

Update, Week of 3/12-3/18

Really the only thing of value this past week was the John Barritt merchandise that came in. Blazers, pants, suits, jackets, shirts and knits - all great stuff and priced to move. A few items also came in under the Luck in Luck label - all produced by the same parent company, Mavecon SRL. While most of the items fit well, the construction is not the best you can find at Daffy's - most of the items are actually produced outside of Italy and imported into the country. But price-wise, you can't really beat what Daffy's is asking for these items.

On the casual side, I sadly noticed some items from Just a Cheap Shirt - shirts and cargo pants, and some button-downs from Andrew Marc. I'm really not a fan of bringing in items that can be had at every other discounter, and I wish Daffy's would realize they need to stick to a plan, but sadly I have no say in that (at least not yet...)

And the worst items of the week -- 1) Some pretty awful ties from a brand called Ertu - I had noticed these last week in the Totowa store, but they just came in down here in Philly. They're made ok, some made in Italy, others only marked 'Designed in Italy', but most are simply ugly and look like they came from a vintage store. 2) A whole rack of wool pants from Greg Peters --- these did not sell last season, and I can't imagine why they're trying to sell them again now. Perhaps some of the more portly fellows can use these things, but otherwise stay away.

John Barritt is In

Quick note for those of you that don't follow the twitter feed (@yellowbaggers) -- John Barritt merchandise came in this week, including a whole bunch of blazers, suits and pants. And for those that missed the Incotex pants rush, I highly recommend the pants - not the best made stuff available but they fit quite well, and for the price you can't find much better.

Weekend Update, Plus Major News

Quick weekend update - the big score for the week was the Incotex pants which came in on Friday to all Daffy's locations. Philly got a huge shipment, and other stores I've been to thus far in NJ got sizable ones as well - I'm assuming all NYC stores got these too. Be aware that most of the pants have slight imperfections, some more noticeable than others, and the sizing is off on a lot of them - mainly b/c it is clear that some of the pants are made for specific markets which have different sizing standards from the rest of the EU -- so make sure you try everything on, or bring a measuring tape w/you - the Daffy's price tags are wrong on the sizing in a lot of instances. For those of you wondering, so far I've seen pants made for Zegna and Faconnable mixed in with the Incotex-branded items.

Not much else other than what I mentioned mid-week. There appears to have been a small shipment of ties for spring from Bruno Piatelli and Daks London, both of which are well made, Daks being the better of the two, though the ties are generally on the wider side.

And the major news item of the week - I heard a rumor in one of the stores this weekend, and I've been able to confirm w/a snippet of an article I found on Google -- Caryn Lerner, the CEO that had been brought in from Holt Renfrew to run Daffy's, has stepped down, and Marcia Wilson is back at the helm once again. It's been approximately one year since she was brought in, and I'm not sure exactly how much she has helped the company to be honest. This is the only article I can find backing this up, but you have to pay to read the article. http://www.wwd.com/business-news/human-resources/caryn-lerner-out-at-daffys-5763088 If anyone finds another source, feel free to leave a link in the comments below.

***INCOTEX PANTS NOW IN****

INCOTEX PANTS ARE NOW IN -- Huge shipment of Incotex pants came into Philly today, though a lot of it is still in the back and not out on the floor yet. I was told someone already came in and bought 20 pairs. Most have slight defects, though, barely noticeable unless you see some little yellow stickers on them.

And if you do stop in, remember these can be yours for $16 w/this week's 20% off coupon, available on the Daffy's website. Plus, be sure to check out Mastai Ferretti and Truzzi-made shirts, $26.99-$29.99, shirts from Alea Fashion Industries, and shirts from Carrell/Del Siena, all $29.99 + suits from Gazzarrini and Copen Group (look for the hang tag w/a crest or one that says 'De Curtis;). Sorry if I sound like a walking Daffy's ad, but there hasn't been this big of a shipment of Incotex pants in a while, so I want to publicize the other great stuff there in the meantime. Good luck hunting!

Discounts + Mid-Week Update

20% Coupon is now in effect and good through the weekend. Check the Daffy's Facbeook page and/or website for more details.

And for those of you already getting ready for summer, Daffy's just got in swim trunks from Onia marked at $49.99. A bit pricey considering the Daffy's usual prices, but these are selling on discount at Bluefly for upwards of $79, and at Park & Bond for upwards of $130 in full retail. Plus, if you use the 20% off coupon (good for the entire purchase, not just one item), you'll get it for a meager $40. Well worth it IMHO - quality bathing suits.

Other random stuff that I noticed yesterday - a small selection of v-neck tees from Alternative Apparel came in, plus a few glen-plaid blazers (read one or two) from Scott James, nothing special.

Update, Week of 2/27-3/4

Lots of new things to talk about, mostly good, but one particularly atrocious brand that will be taking up space in the suit section until they get cleared out in July -

Shirts from Alea Fashion Industries (made in Italy) came in, unfortunately, most of them remained in boxes as of Saturday. I can't tell you how many times I've said on this blog to Daffy's --- DO NOT LEAVE THE SHIRTS IN BOXES - the problem is every shirt fits differently, even in the same size, and rarely are there two shirts in the exact same style, so there is no value in leaving them in a box - these shirts need to be tried on and thus will not sell unless they are out on the racks like everything else. But for those of you willing to take the time to sift through the boxes (look for mostly white boxes, a few blue ones that say ALEA on them, and a few blue ones marked Francica, or a variation thereof)) -- brands include G.V. Conte, Rosso Malaspino, Harry Brook, Golf Club, Pino Borrielo (new this season) and I also noticed shirts marked Nino Danieli and CC Collection Corneliani -- both of these last two are Corneliani-owned diffusion lines.

Shoes --- a TON of shoes from Keds came in - a lot of really nice stuff, and a number of stores had special ones that were made for Opening Ceremony, in the style of a stitched baseball (see pics, saw both black and white versions). 34th St. also got in some loafers from Joyks (made in Italy) - nothing special, they have a little crest that says 'ITALIA' on them. But decently made. You'll probably be seeing them at more Daffy's later this week.


Also, if you follow the Twitter feed (https://twitter.com/#!/yellowbaggers), you'll see pics of a number of Gazzarrini shoes that I encountered in NYC this past weekend. Mind you, it was all of four pairs and in larger sizes, but these things are really beautiful and well-crafted. Three pairs at 44th & Madison, 1 pair at wall street, hidden under a bunch of Bass boxes.

Update 3/6: Forgot to mention -- shirts from Admiral's Cup (made in Italy) came in, along with a few other brands including Oliver Coin and Jeff. Only a few shirts per store.

A small selcetion of merchandise from Quintessence (made in Italy) came into each store, with 34th St. getting the largest quantity. While a few of the pieces are a bit outlandish, everything is made pretty well and is definitely worth the cheap prices being asked. There were a few pairs of pants w/suspenders attached which I really liked. Mixed in were also a few bits and pieces from Hamaki-Ho and I believe a brand called Bray (no relation to the Brothers Bray).

And the part of the week that just ruined everything -- a HUGE shipment into each store of suits from Romano's Le Collezioni. Don't let the white stitching on the shoulders and pockets fool you - these things are ill-fitting, poorly constructed and should be avoided at all costs. I once saw these at a Daffy's for $39.99, only to come back the next week and saw them re-ticketed at $99.99. Now they want $129.99 for these things. You'd be better off going to Burlington Coat Factory and getting some Macy's closeouts rather than this stuff. Poor decision by the Daffy's buyers to stock these again. They simply don't sell, and if they do, they do so slowly to the people that have no clue what they are buying. Remember Daffy's buyers -- the point of buying merchandise is not simply to fill up a store - in fact your goal w/everything you buy should be that the stuff sells and leaves the stores empty within a short period of time, not that you buy stuff to simply make the store look full (hint hint, remember those Diport polo shirts, I would recommend someone coming down to Philly and seeing what a disaster movie those things have turned into).