PETER Morrissey tipped the sacred sartorial realm of tailored suiting on its head.
In August, it took just three days for 3500 men to sneak into Big W stores throughout Australia, slip $130 to a check-out chick and clean out the discount chain's stocks of slick, tailored Peter Morrissey suits. Or, maybe they didn't sneak at all. Morrissey likes to think they strolled in, bold as blokes can be, not sheepish in the least about slapping down less than the price of a new tyre for what's historically been the quality sartorial swivel piece of any grown man's wardrobe. Fashion is where you find it these days, right mate? Designer? Discount? What's the diff?
"I haven't made a cheap suit," Morrissey says. "I've made an affordable, fabulous suit because I care about people. My job is to make people feel good about themselves and in this [economic] climate, a $130 suit, if your quality is incredible, is a $1500 suit." He isn't fond of the word "cheap" even less its insulting connotations.
Morrissey and business partner Bruno Schiavi risked entry into the fraught, finicky category tailoring that discount chains traditionally avoid with their there's no better, bullseye word for it cheap, Chinese-made "MAN by Peter Morrissey" suits and it's paid off, big time.
This week another delivery of 15,000 dropped into Big Ws and Morrissey and Schiavi fully expect them to go the same amazing way of the first sold, Morrissey says, to men, and some mums and girlfriends, seduced by their slickness, lean-ness, anything but their cheapness. "You have to understand what people's lives are like if you are a designer," he says. "Everybody wants "designer" and when you do something, you want everyone to have it."
He likes the word "masstige", coined by Karl Lagerfeld about fashion's modern way of melding and mashing markets and thus, ways of thinking: racking and marketing cheap capsule collections by designers better known for their $1000 frocks, beside discount fashions better known for their pocket-money prices. "That makes it a little bit easier in these economic times to dress well," says Morrissey. "And that's good. I'm proud."
He says the suit is good for weddings or the office and can be split into jacket with jeans or shorts, and trousers with shirts for smart-casual weekends. "And, yes, absolutely, it can last years," he says. "Five, if you like."
The MAN by Peter Morrissey suit, in black jacket $79.82, pants $49.93.
Frequently Asked Questions about this Article…
What is the Peter Morrissey suit being sold at Big W and how much does it cost?
The line is billed as MAN by Peter Morrissey and is sold through Big W. The article highlights a roughly $130 complete suit, with the black jacket priced at about $79.82 and the pants at about $49.93.
Why did thousands of men rush to buy Peter Morrissey suits at Big W?
According to the article, about 3,500 men bought the suits in three days because the product combines a known designer name with discount pricing — delivering a slick, lean look that many shoppers found appealing in tough economic times.
Are MAN by Peter Morrissey suits good quality and will they last?
Peter Morrissey says he didn’t make a ‘cheap’ suit but an ‘affordable, fabulous’ one and claims that if the quality is right a $130 suit can feel like a much more expensive garment. The article also notes Morrissey’s comment that the suit can last years — ‘five, if you like.’
Who are the people behind the Big W Peter Morrissey suits?
The collection is created by designer Peter Morrissey in partnership with Bruno Schiavi and is sold under the MAN by Peter Morrissey label through Big W discount stores.
How many Peter Morrissey suits have been shipped to Big W after the initial sell-out?
After the first batch sold rapidly, the article reports another delivery of about 15,000 suits was sent to Big W stores, and the partners expected them to sell similarly well.
Is the MAN by Peter Morrissey range ‘cheap’ or an example of ‘masstige’ fashion?
Morrissey rejects the word ‘cheap,’ preferring ‘affordable.’ The article frames the range as part of ‘masstige’ — a mash-up of mass market and prestige (a term credited to Karl Lagerfeld) that brings designer-style pieces to discount retailers.
What occasions and outfits are Peter Morrissey suits at Big W suitable for?
Morrissey suggests the suit works for weddings and the office and that pieces can be split: for example, the jacket with jeans or shorts for a casual look, or trousers with shirts for smart-casual weekends.
What does the success of Peter Morrissey suits at Big W show about discount retailers and tailoring?
The article notes discount chains traditionally avoid tailoring, but Morrissey and Schiavi’s move into this category 'paid off big time,' suggesting demand exists for designer-branded tailoring at budget prices and that discount retailers can successfully sell tailored lines.
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