I am fed up with shoddy clothing--here's my letter to Lands' End: [View All]

Dear xxx:

I am writing you today because I've been buying Lands' End clothing for a very long time, and I'm seeing changes that I do not like. This is true especially in women's clothing.

I see more and more emphasis on style, instead of quality. Now, I know that women's clothing has long been on the short end of the stick when it comes to quality; it's well known that men's clothing is better made, more durable, and much less likely to be changed due to style considerations. The new women's shirts, for example, are all frilly, very short sleeves, no top stitching, plus they skim close to the body. Maybe this appeals to the 20 somethings, but it sure doesn't appeal to me. I want well-made, well-sized and durable clothes. Back in the 80's and 90's, Lands' End clothing used to be made this way. No more.

I watched, in increasing dismay, as my favorite shirts were altered beyond recognition, and then not being made at all. For instance, the Lands' End mock turtle, in short sleeves. They used to have banded sleeves, they were cut generously through the body, and they had top stitching. The sleeves were also longer, much more attractive than the cap sleeves of today. And why were these changes made?

I think I know why. Those details cost money. And so it was decided by the powers that be that women wouldn't notice these changes, since we are so foolishly more concerned with fashion. Or if we did notice, well, we can always shop somewhere else. I can only speak for myself, but I sure as heck noticed. Over the years, I have voiced my concerns and my dismay to various operators, all to no avail. Big surprise, not. And so today, I have had enough. Time to get this in writing, and hopefully far enough up the ladder to be noticed.

My anger, my sense of disappointment, both can hardly be expressed adequately enough. Lands' End has put its profits ahead of truly caring for its customers. The company has decided, along with many companies, that exploiting (or maybe even helping to create) women's sense of fashion would be the best way to institute changes that would cost less, and make the clothing cheaper to make. And since women do not care about quality, then all would be well. Decrease the cost of making the clothes, and don't raise the prices (not by much, anyway) and the bottom line would be preserved. The customers would not be the wiser.
I see changes like these everywhere I shop. Everywhere companies are cutting corners, while they keep prices down, or increasing them only slightly. Maybe it's thought that the American public is too dumb, or too busy to notice, but I'm neither dumb nor busy.

So, now, I'm buying the men's shirts. The sizing is a little different, but I can adjust. Still, nothing would make me happier than to see the return to the values and the quality of yesterday. I would eagerly buy the now-vanished short-sleeved mock turtles I love. But they would have to be identical to the ones you folks made back in the 80's and 90's.
I suspect that I speak for many. And I sincerely hope that you will listen, and, more importantly, act.

Sincerely,
xxx