Buyer Beware

[M. A. C. Newsome]

While doing a google search looking for images of Sheriffmuir doublets for contribution to another thread, I discovered yet another occurrence of some of the unscrupulous behavior one encounters far too often in the Highland dress supply industry. Copyright infringement, product misrepresentation, blatant rip-off, call it what you will -- in the end it hurts both the Highland dress customer as well as the supplier of quality goods trying to keep this tradition alive and make a little honest money to support themselves in the process.

Here's what I found.

First, on the web site for Highland Clans, a reputable and well respected provider of Highland Dress, owned by the chief of the Clan Livingstone, located in Argyle, Scotland, and specializing in high quality, bespoke clothing.

Here is a direct link to their Sheriffmuir page.
http://www.highlandclans.co.uk/Sheriffmuir_Doublet.html

Here is the photo of their product:


Here is the description they provide:

The Sheriffmuir Kilt Doublet is a delightful old-fashioned jacket with gauntlet cuffs and a high-buttoned waistcoat. It is normally worn with lace jabot & cuffs. Alternatively some people wear a highland cravat which is less jacobean. We can offer this in Velvet or Barathea. If you click on the image you will see one in velvet and a tartan waistcoat.

Sheriffmuir lies between Dunblane and Stirling overlooking the Allan Water. In 1715 a battle was fought here between the Jacobites under the Earl of Mar and the Government forces under the Duke of Argyll. The Sheriffmuir doublet reflects the style of that period with all the panache that a highlander could ask for.

We have shown it here in Velvet. It can be also be done in Barathea with a tartan waistcoat cut on the bias. We can only do this if we are also supplying the kilt (unless you can supply the tartan in which case we will be happy to quote). Alternatives to the tartan waistcoat are a "white" waistcoat or one to match the jacket. The latter produces a very sombre effect - more suitable for David Balfour of Shaws than Alan Breck Stewart.

As standard the Sheriffmuir Doublet comes with the silver plate buttons shown.

Their doublet costs £540.50 and they ask for 8 different measurements when you order, including your "posture." No stock sizes here.

Now, as I was continuing my Google image search, I came across another web site selling Sheriffmuir doublets, this time for a company I have never heard of, Great Highlandwear, whose tag line says, "We can do better!"

According to their "About Us" page they have an office in Bloomington, IN, but their "factory" is in Sailkot, Pakistan.

Here is a link to their Sheriffmuir page:
http://www.greathighlandwear.com/pro...d_product=2212

Here is the image they provide of their garment:

Look familiar?

Here is the written description they provide:

The Sheriffmuir Kilt Doublet is a delightful old-fashioned jacket with gauntlet cuffs and a high-buttoned waistcoat. It is normally worn with lace jabot & cuffs. We can offer this in Velvet or Barathea.We have shown it here in Velvet. It can be also be done in Barathea with a tartan waistcoat cut on the bias. We can only do this if we are also supplying the kilt (unless you can supply the tartan in which case we will be happy to quote). Alternatives to the tartan waistcoat are a "white" waistcoat or one to match the jacket. The latter produces a very sombre effect - more suitable for David Balfour of Shaws than Alan Breck Stewart.As standard the Sheriffmuir Doublet comes with the silver plate buttons shown.

Sound familiar?

They sell this doublet for $149, and require only two measurements to have it made. Oh yes, and it will ship out in 1 to 2 weeks. And did I mention they offer discounts for buying in quantities of 25, 50, 100, or 500 or more?

Obviously from the price alone, let alone any other factor, one should surmise that these are not the same two doublets being sold. Yet the image and written description provided on the latter site are a complete and unabashed copy from the former. One would think that if they were manufacturing and selling these doublets in such quantity, it wouldn't be that hard to snap a quick photo of one for the web site, so you could show the ACTUAL item you are selling.

Taking a quick look around this web site, I quickly discovered this page where they sell sporran straps. The photos are straight off the L&M web site, but the retail prices they list are well below what I know L&M's wholesale prices to be.

Who knows what all else on their web site is misrepresented. I know from personal conversation with the owner of L&M that their sporran designs are constantly being copied and reproduced on the Asian market.

I once had a phone call from someone who ran a Highland Dress mail order business from his home, wanting to know if he could "have" one of our Prince Charlie jackets so he could send it to a factory in Pakistan where it could be taken apart and used as a pattern for them to make their own jackets that he could sell for half the price of ours. He flat out told me that he planned on underselling us with Pakistani-made jackets and was asking me to give him a free jacket so he could make it happen. He didn't even want to buy one to invest in his business venture.

I could go on and on relating similar stories collected from years in the business, but I'll spare you.

Folks, when you see a price on an item that looks too good to be true, it probably is.

And when people criticize "Pakistani made" Scottish goods, it's usually not because of some racial motivation, or some philosophical aversion to inexpensive goods -- it's usually because they have had experiences like this, with unscrupulous vendors, blatantly ripping off one of their higher-end competitors.

This kind of thing happens way too often in this business. One thing that the consumer can do is to educate themselves before they buy, and not support business who engage in this kind of practice.

Getting off my soapbox now....

[Catdad]

All good advice and I do thank you for the educational points. Your heading sums it up very well.

[Bugbear]

That's a shame, and those descriptions are wonderful, too. They put a lot of work into them.

[piperdbh]

As one of the poor suckers who gave Great Highland Wear the benefit of the doubt, I can advise the rest of you to not even bother with them. I ordered a pair of shoes from them in May, and they've just now been shipped. I await their arrival to see if there's anything in the box. It's best to save up and spend the money with a reputable merchant.

[ForresterModern]

Matt

There have been several threads over the last month or two about this company. Virtually every photo of a stock item they show on their web page has been ripped from another highland dress supplier (with a GOOD reputation)---Highland Clans, Glengarry Hats, L&M, on an on ad almost infinitum.

Also they have had a few good reviews but myself and the majority of folks who have tried to deal with them have had very bad experiences. I myself had to cancel and reverse a paypal payment for an order that never was even started to be filled after 6-8 weeks, despite limited communication to the contrary. And they do not have very good customer service----one rep I chatted with on their help line (they all seemed to be named Mr Ahmed) could not even locate my order in his system after I gave him an order date, number ,and info on the paypal charged payment.

I would hope we all now know to steer clear of Great Highlandwear regardless of their prices.

Jeff

[lethearen]

Wow. The least the guy could have done was actually paid for one of the jackets he was hoping to make a fortune on... but on the other hand, you know not to ever deal with him!

It's sad what these things come down to. And even sadder that there's a market for it.

[cessna152towser]

Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear.
From a Scottish perspective.
Pakistani knock off kilts I can live with and forgive because at least they are making kilts affordable and fashionable here in Scotland with the younger generation as casual comfortable wear,
but I wish they would leave the black jackets alone it would be nice to think someone who dressed as a serious Scot would wear Scottish made products.

[Alan H]

ugh. The guy who wanted a free jacket....scum.

As for the rest, I wouldn't patronize them for love nor money.

[davedove]

Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear.
From a Scottish perspective.
Pakistani knock off kilts I can live with and forgive because at least they are making kilts affordable and fashionable here in Scotland with the younger generation as casual comfortable wear,
but I wish they would leave the black jackets alone it would be nice to think someone who dressed as a serious Scot would wear Scottish made products.

I don't even mind that so much. If it makes something affordable, that's great. BUT, and it's a big BUT, BE HONEST ABOUT IT. They are deliberately misleading people into thinking it's the same product.

[Chas]

Just before we get too xenophobic and racist, we should remember that, with the exception of a notable few, it is not the Pakistanis who are selling to us. Quite often it is our own people, our own countrymen, who source their goods worldwide.

If they don't buy it in China, then they buy it in Pakistan.

Then they sell it to us.

And then we buy it.

Hopefully, it is like our first cars. We bought any old rubbish, just to have wheels. Or just to have a hair sporran; or just to have a PC; or just to have coloured hose. In time we will buy a better car or a better sporran, a better jacket or better hose.

But for now, we should look at the people selling, not the people making.

Regards

Chas