Received a response on my Instagram from the CEO of Matchless regarding my video review of their jacket and their customer experience...interesting:
matchlessmalenotti@thebondexperience bravo! I really like the video. You did great. I have to tell you that Matchless is not responsable for our e-commerce. The website and the store is run by a third party company @diana_corp so please forward all your comments to them. As for the release of the jackets and the availability, you need to know that the success of the Craig blouson was unbelievable and we sold almost the all production of the 700 pieces in one night! You are very lucky to get one of the exclusive Craig Blouson and you must be very proud about it! I love the jacket and personally I made the one for Daniel Craig. The Craig blouson is now one of the Matchless iconic piece and will stay forever in our collection. I saw many pictures with you wearing the jacket and the fit is absolutely perfect. The quality of the leather is the top in the market, very expensive and the design is made with a top costume designer in the world. In the movie James Bond looks very MATCHLESS in Marocco.... In term of style is the best moment of the movie! Anyway I'm always available 24/7 by email and phone calls so please do not hesitate to contact me for any issues: malenotti@matchlesslondon.com +390415971500 If anyone is unhappy about the amazing Craig Blouson, please send them back asap we have 3000 people in our waiting list Just for you to know Spectre is consider the best James Bond movie ever. Your Matchless jacket is now part of the history. You must consider seriously your comments in the video! People can mistakes and the pictures you showed about the quality refer to only ONE jacket bought by a customer, who bought more than 9 pieces for himself or maybe not! I'm in the business for a while and I never seen something like this.... Why you buy 9 jackets all togheter! So I believe in the costumer experience, but not when people tried to damage the companies.... Anyway you are welcome to come in Milan and visit our showroom and the new Star Wars collection. Then when the value of my company will be the same of Apple 120 bln I will thank you again and remeber your honest review. All the best, MM
some questions about this "heartwarming" response...
1) funny how he says they sold almost the entire range of 700 blousons in one night! here in munich, there's a men's wear shop that had 5-10 Craig Blousons and they surely didn't fly off the shelves ?:)
2) Is he blaming the customers and says that we're trying to damage their company?
3) what does he mean by "it'll stay forever in our collection"
4) nice thing hiw he says "we've got 3000 people on the waiting list, if you don't like it, we'll find another bloke for it"
Had I known how unpleasant this company is, I don't think I would have went for the INACCURATE jacket at all!
Cheers
"You see Mr.Bond, you can't kill my dreams...but my dreams can kill you.Time to face destiny" - "Time to face gravity"
After all, it's not like he personally, as the proud CEO, had a hand in deciding what e-commerce service his company would use ...
Or Matchless ever had one of their jackets used in a big Hollywood movie before ...
Or they knew in advance their jacket would appear in Spectre and had time to prepare ...
Or Matchless REALLY played up the Daniel Craig connection ...
Or other smaller sized companies have had their products featured in a Bond film and have done an excellent job with customer service, often with little to no warning of what was coming ...
Where was MM going to look for examples or guidance?
Received a response on my Instagram from the CEO of Matchless regarding my video review of their jacket and their customer experience...interesting:
matchlessmalenotti@thebondexperience bravo! I really like the video. You did great. I have to tell you that Matchless is not responsable for our e-commerce. The website and the store is run by a third party company @diana_corp so please forward all your comments to them. As for the release of the jackets and the availability, you need to know that the success of the Craig blouson was unbelievable and we sold almost the all production of the 700 pieces in one night! You are very lucky to get one of the exclusive Craig Blouson and you must be very proud about it! I love the jacket and personally I made the one for Daniel Craig. The Craig blouson is now one of the Matchless iconic piece and will stay forever in our collection. I saw many pictures with you wearing the jacket and the fit is absolutely perfect. The quality of the leather is the top in the market, very expensive and the design is made with a top costume designer in the world. In the movie James Bond looks very MATCHLESS in Marocco.... In term of style is the best moment of the movie! Anyway I'm always available 24/7 by email and phone calls so please do not hesitate to contact me for any issues: malenotti@matchlesslondon.com +390415971500 If anyone is unhappy about the amazing Craig Blouson, please send them back asap we have 3000 people in our waiting list Just for you to know Spectre is consider the best James Bond movie ever. Your Matchless jacket is now part of the history. You must consider seriously your comments in the video! People can mistakes and the pictures you showed about the quality refer to only ONE jacket bought by a customer, who bought more than 9 pieces for himself or maybe not! I'm in the business for a while and I never seen something like this.... Why you buy 9 jackets all togheter! So I believe in the costumer experience, but not when people tried to damage the companies.... Anyway you are welcome to come in Milan and visit our showroom and the new Star Wars collection. Then when the value of my company will be the same of Apple 120 bln I will thank you again and remeber your honest review. All the best, MM
some questions about this "heartwarming" response...
1) funny how he says they sold almost the entire range of 700 blousons in one night! here in munich, there's a men's wear shop that had 5-10 Craig Blousons and they surely didn't fly off the shelves ?:)
2) Is he blaming the customers and says that we're trying to damage their company?
3) what does he mean by "it'll stay forever in our collection"
4) nice thing hiw he says "we've got 3000 people on the waiting list, if you don't like it, we'll find another bloke for it"
Had I known how unpleasant this company is, I don't think I would have went for the INACCURATE jacket at all!
Cheers
I think a lot of it is that he's a terrible writer. And he writes things like this: "Just for you to know Spectre is consider (sic) the best James Bond movie ever." Is he trying to convince David that the general public considers Spectre to be the best James Bond film ever? He says it like it's an inside secret that he only wants David to know.
After all, it's not like he personally, as the proud CEO, had a hand in deciding what e-commerce service his company would use ...
Or Matchless ever had one of their jackets used in a big Hollywood movie before ...
Or they knew in advance their jacket would appear in Spectre and had time to prepare ...
Or Matchless REALLY played up the Daniel Craig connection ...
Or other smaller sized companies have had their products featured in a Bond film and have done an excellent job with customer service, often with little to no warning of what was coming ...
Where was MM going to look for examples or guidance?
:v
I can't fault your logic, Canoe2. What is a poor CEO to do?
some questions about this "heartwarming" response...
1) funny how he says they sold almost the entire range of 700 blousons in one night! here in munich, there's a men's wear shop that had 5-10 Craig Blousons and they surely didn't fly off the shelves ?:)
2) Is he blaming the customers and says that we're trying to damage their company?
3) what does he mean by "it'll stay forever in our collection"
4) nice thing hiw he says "we've got 3000 people on the waiting list, if you don't like it, we'll find another bloke for it"
Had I known how unpleasant this company is, I don't think I would have went for the INACCURATE jacket at all!
Cheers
Well to be fair, the company has sold the jacket to third-part stores, so they have flown off his warehouse shelves only to become dead stock for others.
The forever in his collection comment is odd for a limited number. We know they did a blue colored run for one retailer, maybe we'll get different colors each year: dollar green, blood red, and a lovely lilac.
Ah yes, his waiting list...in actuality the email notification list. I'm on it, but I have no intention of buying.
So he made DC's jacket personally? I guess the costume designer handed him the JV split seam jacket and said copy this in light tan?
Whatever...I'm glad I didn't purchase this jacket: inaccurate, too expensive for what it is with too many price discrepancies based on location, and an unpleasant customer experience.
It's still (or again) available on their website in all sizes. Is this the rest of the 693 sold in the first night? or is it another run of the limited jacked counting from 700 upwards?
Wow, reading that just reaffirmed my decision not to buy the matchless jacket. I hadn't planned to anyways because I have and love the Varvatos and didn't really need 2 of the same type of jacket. But, watching your review David, and then seeing the arrogance of this response, I have no intention of ever buying anything from matchless. There are so many points of that instagram post that I could counter-argue, but I won't waste my time. Except to say, the customer is always right, and the experience matters. The companies that figure that out are the ones that will get my hard earned money. Those that don't, will not. matchless is one of them.
P.S. - keep up the great work David. Although I will say, your videos and reviews have cost me a huge chunk of change over the last few years. ) -{
I was going to mention the other day about this 700 limited run. Im very dubious that they only made 700 available as not exactly hard to find. I pointed someone to one the other day
"Stay in our collection forever comment" sounds a bit weird with regards to the above also.
That is one creepy as hell response the Matchless guy gave! Totally agree that it is filled with cleaverly hidden (some not so hidden) insults. Like Matt S was saying, the writing is so bad, it's hard to tell what the guy is getting at half the time. I will never buy a jacket from this company unless they really do some serious restructuring.
HatThrowingHenchman thanks for the advice on the pics -{
Here are the ones i took from the exhibiton:
Golden Gun
Selection of Omega watches
Random items from Bond's bedside table
Solitaire's dress
Tuxedo from GoldenEye
Tuxedo from Dr No
Tuxedo from Quantum of Solace ( please don't comment on the wig they used )
Vesper's dress
Aston Martin DB5
HatThrowingHenchman thanks for the advice on the pics -{
Here are the ones i took from the exhibiton:
Golden Gun
Selection of Omega watches
Random items from Bond's bedside table
Solitaire's dress
Tuxedo from GoldenEye
Tuxedo from Dr No
Tuxedo from Quantum of Solace ( please don't comment on the wig they used )
Vesper's dress
Aston Martin DB5
you're welcome, nice pictures {[]
"You see Mr.Bond, you can't kill my dreams...but my dreams can kill you.Time to face destiny" - "Time to face gravity"
Definitely a win that your feedback reached the CEO. In that regard, nice work David. Perhaps its an opportunity to open up a dialogue with him and interview him for a video on the bond experience. No question the jacket is beautiful and who doesn't love a customer service redemption story.
Interestingly, in an interview Malenotti says "It’s also so important to fully understand the feedback from our consumers who, after all, are our most valued of assets."
I think they suffer from some serious arrogance... Including their brand logo on the Craig Blouson ruined it.. But then I saw their Star Wars line.. Talk about destroying the look of those designs with their logo... Matchless just oozes "hey look at what brand I am wearing"... His response was no surprise.. Definitely a douchebag brand..
Don't think so, as this jacket has peaked lapels and the SA BC jacket has notched ones. Colour looks good though but hard to be certain if it's the SA colour without a photo taken in daylight/sunlight.
Regarding the Matchless CEO response: It is one thing that the CEO is not able to handle all functions in his firm professionally (in this case corporate communication). But why he (and other CEO's in other relatively large firms) insists on doing it anyway puzzles me. It is fair that he isn't sufficiently fluent in English to a point where his intentions cannot be severely misunderstood, but then make somebody else take care of customer communication
Friedl... Wrong lapels. (Looks like we just replied at the same time!)
Would love to get something approaching a SA one, looked at a few alternatives (including those provided by canoe2) to go with my BC chinos. Ordered a similar shirt to Morocco one (with cocktail cuffs) from Magnoli.
Still looking for SA tie, not seen many viable alternatives, waiting to see what Magnoli comes up with as I have a number of his ties.
I was thinking of getting another Baracuta G4 in tan ... As an alternative to the infamous matchless blouson. Any thoughts on that?
Any idea?
I'm not an expert on the Matchless, but honestly I think the G4 is a very different type of jacket and no one is going to confuse the two. I guess it comes down to your priorities: if you just want a beige jacket, then go for it. But if you want a suede one that comes closer to the Matchless at around the same price as the G4, then I would suggest one of the these two:
Thanks. Now the links worked. I saw and tried on the Zara in the shop and almost bought it. Great fit but it is a winter jacket. It has a stepped lining inside. Something for now till February I would say. Therefore j did not get it.
The reason I brought up the Barakuta was. It is a blouson. Like the matchless. And it is similar in color. Meaning it would look well with grey chinks and the sky linen shirt and it would be more likely wearable in warm weather. Not to be SA but to create a similar look ... But maybe I am being silly. I still like the tan Barakuta. Haha and I think with Chinos and my Kentons it would look great.
Comments
some questions about this "heartwarming" response...
1) funny how he says they sold almost the entire range of 700 blousons in one night! here in munich, there's a men's wear shop that had 5-10 Craig Blousons and they surely didn't fly off the shelves ?:)
2) Is he blaming the customers and says that we're trying to damage their company?
3) what does he mean by "it'll stay forever in our collection"
4) nice thing hiw he says "we've got 3000 people on the waiting list, if you don't like it, we'll find another bloke for it"
Had I known how unpleasant this company is, I don't think I would have went for the INACCURATE jacket at all!
Cheers
After all, it's not like he personally, as the proud CEO, had a hand in deciding what e-commerce service his company would use ...
Or Matchless ever had one of their jackets used in a big Hollywood movie before ...
Or they knew in advance their jacket would appear in Spectre and had time to prepare ...
Or Matchless REALLY played up the Daniel Craig connection ...
Or other smaller sized companies have had their products featured in a Bond film and have done an excellent job with customer service, often with little to no warning of what was coming ...
Where was MM going to look for examples or guidance?
:v
I think a lot of it is that he's a terrible writer. And he writes things like this: "Just for you to know Spectre is consider (sic) the best James Bond movie ever." Is he trying to convince David that the general public considers Spectre to be the best James Bond film ever? He says it like it's an inside secret that he only wants David to know.
I can't fault your logic, Canoe2. What is a poor CEO to do?
Well to be fair, the company has sold the jacket to third-part stores, so they have flown off his warehouse shelves only to become dead stock for others.
The forever in his collection comment is odd for a limited number. We know they did a blue colored run for one retailer, maybe we'll get different colors each year: dollar green, blood red, and a lovely lilac.
Ah yes, his waiting list...in actuality the email notification list. I'm on it, but I have no intention of buying.
So he made DC's jacket personally? I guess the costume designer handed him the JV split seam jacket and said copy this in light tan?
Whatever...I'm glad I didn't purchase this jacket: inaccurate, too expensive for what it is with too many price discrepancies based on location, and an unpleasant customer experience.
P.S. - keep up the great work David. Although I will say, your videos and reviews have cost me a huge chunk of change over the last few years.
"Stay in our collection forever comment" sounds a bit weird with regards to the above also.
CR/QoS, TLD, DN, GE, TSWLM, LTK, TND, TWiNE, TMWTGG, TB
http://www.iconicalternatives.com/author/james-brosnan/
https://www.instagram.com/shawn.michael.bongiorno/
Here are the ones i took from the exhibiton:
Golden Gun
Selection of Omega watches
Random items from Bond's bedside table
Solitaire's dress
Tuxedo from GoldenEye
Tuxedo from Dr No
Tuxedo from Quantum of Solace ( please don't comment on the wig they used )
Vesper's dress
Aston Martin DB5
http://www.bluefly.com/brunello-cucinelli-brown-silk-and-linen-blend-three-button-jacket/PRODUCT_FEED/335870801/detail.fly?referer=ca_shopstyle&cm_mmc=ca_shopstyle-_-Brunello+Cucinelli-_-mens-outerwear-_-3358708&partner=Gate_CSE_shopstyle_Brunello+Cucinelli_mens-outerwear&utm_medium=comparison_engines&utm_source=shopstyle&utm_campaign=Brunello+Cucinelli&utm_content=mens-outerwear
I've just done the same, Really like their jackets tho, have 2 leathers which are excellent quality.
desperate times...desperate measures -{
you're welcome, nice pictures {[]
Interestingly, in an interview Malenotti says "It’s also so important to fully understand the feedback from our consumers who, after all, are our most valued of assets."
http://howtospendit.ft.com/style/89681-matchless-ceo-designer-michele-malenotti-day-1
Don't think so, as this jacket has peaked lapels and the SA BC jacket has notched ones. Colour looks good though but hard to be certain if it's the SA colour without a photo taken in daylight/sunlight.
Thanks matchless 8-)
Still looking for SA tie, not seen many viable alternatives, waiting to see what Magnoli comes up with as I have a number of his ties.
Any idea?
I'm not an expert on the Matchless, but honestly I think the G4 is a very different type of jacket and no one is going to confuse the two. I guess it comes down to your priorities: if you just want a beige jacket, then go for it. But if you want a suede one that comes closer to the Matchless at around the same price as the G4, then I would suggest one of the these two:
http://us.topman.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?searchTermScope=3&searchType=ALL&viewAllFlag=false&beginIndex=1&langId=-1&productId=19856465&pageSize=20&searchTerm=TM80J25JSTN&catalogId=33059&productIdentifierproduct=product&geoip=search&x=25&searchTermOperator=LIKE&sort_field=Relevance&y=11&storeId=13051&qubitRefinements=siteId%3DTopManUS
http://www.zara.com/?go=http%3A//www.zara.com/share/man/leather/suede-jacket-c765516p2812897.html
Unfortunately the links don't show the jackets ...
Nothing like each other at all - only thing in common is that they are lighter colour
Baracutas are overpriced also so guess two things in common
Weird, they work when I try them ...
Try this one for Topman: http://www.topman.com/en/tmuk/product/clothing-140502/mens-coats-jackets-140512/ltd-roadtrip-suede-harrington-jacket-4881853?bi=40&ps=20
Or if you go to Topman.com, search for Ltd Roadtrip Suede Harrington Jacket
Try this link for Zara: http://www.zara.com/us/en/man/leather/suede-jacket-c765516p2812897.html
With Zara, you may need to select your country and language first to get into the site. You can also search for Ref. 0706/329.
The reason I brought up the Barakuta was. It is a blouson. Like the matchless. And it is similar in color. Meaning it would look well with grey chinks and the sky linen shirt and it would be more likely wearable in warm weather. Not to be SA but to create a similar look ... But maybe I am being silly. I still like the tan Barakuta. Haha and I think with Chinos and my Kentons it would look great.