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Tuesday, May 26, 2009

Bonobos: We Report, You Decide

"Awesome Fitting Trousers" or Full of Sound & Fury, Signifying Nothing?

A couple of years back (I'm having trouble finding the precise date), two Stanford MBA students decided to start a pant company. They were sick and tired of the pant situation, and I, for one, cannot blame them.

"We've spent our lives trying on trousers that simply do not fit well. Too much fabric in the waist band, silly looking pleats, and worst of all a tapered leg that makes our feet look like clown shoes. The fabrics are mediocre and the cuts just plain suck."

With this in mind, they started a company to fix this problem. Furthermore, they call their customer service representatives "ninjas." So far, so good. The problem, unfortunately, seems to be the pants...

The pants have a flared leg - I understand not wanting a tapered leg, but this is a bit much. Quite frankly, I am disappointed with this cut.


Apparently, Bonobos got a lot of feedback from individuals who wanted a straight cut, and this is what they produced. I'm not sure if this seems much better, to be honest. Furthermore, the thigh seems to be a bit snug.

This is perhaps the most damaging piece of evidence against Bonobos. I can't see how any self-respecting pant company would produce a garment like this.

In conclusion, I like the Bonobos philosophy. However, based on preliminary viewings, I am skeptical of the cut of these pants. Ironic, considering that they specifically lament the awkward cuts so prevalent in today's pant world.

Bonobos is an online store, but they do have a Manhattan retail location where you can go for a fitting in their headquarters. I will look into this and report back.