Buying a wool coat from an 'unknown' brand
I'm very close to pulling the trigger on buying this overcoat from this Korean fashion brand I stumbled after seeing an ad on Instagram. However, I'm very anxious about the fit and worried about potentially returning it since their website says nothing about return process. I am really interested in the coat but I am scared of purchasing it since its quite a lot of money. How do you guys approach buying from relatively 'unknown' brands?
https://havehad-global.imweb.me/34/?idx=4590#prod_detail_review
29 Replies
do not buy this coat
where in the world are you? Coats like this are common enough that you'll get an alternative easily.
Generally, don't buy clothes from Instagram ads
yeah dont buy a coat from a random brand from the other side of the world you know nothing about
I also don’t think you should buy it, but I’m curious what draws you to this coat?
I am located in Japan right now
Fabric is bad.
bet you have a million better options locally
Look for something 100% wool imo.
What about something like this? These mfpen coats are really nice and on sale it’s a steal: https://mfpen.com/collections/aw24-sale-mens/products/margin-coat-dark-brown
mfpen
Margin Coat - Dark Brown
Product description:Relaxed half-lined 3-button overcoat, cut from a fluid fine Italian deadstock wool in an almost black dark brown. The coat has a slightly formal, structured, profile with a relaxed body and a slightly dropped shoulder. Featuring peak lapels, welt chest pocket and front pockets with flaps.Size &
not really, it's still international shipping/border stuff from a retailer with no visible returns process and weird t&cs, fake reviews and an address that appears to be in the basement of a bar.
mfpen
Margin Coat - Brown Fuzz
Product description:The Margin Coat is calf length with a relaxed fit and slightly slanted shoulders. Made with peak lapels, side flap pockets, interior pocket and a rear vent. Cut from post-consumer recycled wool with a pilled surface in brown.The post-consumer wool is spun by Italian mill Manteco from broken down yar
I thought 80% wool is good enough considering how cheap it is. I like the slouched shoulder and the collar of it.
I've been looking for a 'drop' shoulder coat but it's harder to find at a cheaper price since its mostly a woman's coat design
it's a raglan shoulder - I would be amazed if a Japanese retailer didn't have a black balmacaan at a similar price to this
you are right, visited their page and looks like a scam
You just want to search for raglan sleeved balmacaans like @Chopper said. This is an extremely common coat design for men too.
hmm okay, I'll keep looking out for other alternatives. I've just been wanting a gray wool overcoat for a while now and I thought this hit all the spot. Should I just lookout for 100% wool? 80% is not good enough?
At $220 you can definitely find something that is 100% wool.
I’m not familiar with the local scene in Japan but I’d check out beams / beams plus. I think their prices are good in Japan and they make nice coats like this.
They have a ton of stores too.
Someone who lived in Japan could give you better recommendations.
good idea. I'll check out other Japanese brands in the area. Hopefully I can find something 100% wool with the 'raglan sleeves'. If you guys have any other brand recommendations lmk
United Arrows is good. Similar vibe.
But I’m only really familiar with the brands that have broken out into US retailers too
honestly, depending where you are in japan (if you're in a city) it might be worth wondering into a 2nd Street and seeing what's around - for c$220 you can get a lovely coat in this style in great condition at very marked down prices if you're comfortable buying second hand.
yeah i currently live in a pretty rural area so it takes a while for me to get to a 'shopping city'. Tokyo/Osaka is like 4/5 hours away from where I live so getting something shipped is an option im always considering
ah, Yahoo Japan Auctions/mercari are options - quite a lot of us buy second hand from japan on those platforms because prices/selection are good. 2nd Street for example puts a fair chunk of it's stock up on them.
I'll check around at 2nd Street and maybe some resellers to see if I can find a wool coat. Should I always aim be aiming for 100 % wool or is it possible to settle for less? I think its just hard to find 100%
I think 10% nylon can be a good addition for longevity in more expensive fabrics, but I would normally look for 100% wool if that's your pricepoint for something new. Around that price plastic is more likely to be filler than used for a purpose I think.
yeah I'm willing to spend $2-300 on a wool coat if that's possible. I'm just used to looking at 'designer' brands so I thought 100% wool coats would always cost around $600+
I've bought a 100% wool coat for 50 bucks second hand, so yeah there's lots of space to work in with your budget!
this brand is not bad. it's a low to mid tier domestic market Korean brand and I don't think 20% nylon is that bad, although I would prefer in the 0-10% range
you won't find many ppl on western discords who know domestic korean brands in general
but that said everyone else is right, you are lucky to be in japan and have better options for less money everywhere. Smaller 2nd streets can still carry some nice pieces and there are good e-commerce options like yjp and good time to shop sales domestically
you may like some Danton wool coats. They are popular in japan and available cheap secondhand
tons of smaller brand pieces you can find too. i had gotten a nice wool/cashmere coat for 70 bucks from a secondhand store in japan
imo (I'm korean and biased) avg quality of korean brands is much higher than american equivalents idk about japan. if these people are on w concept or musinsa or 29cm or similar the middleman could give you better refund protection
i agree w this ^