Duluth Trading Company: What’s with the Illustrations?
14 Comments Published by Joel January 1st, 2007 in Clothes. Share This
Our friend Bob turned us on to Duluth Trading Company last night, suggesting it as a place to find rugged, inexpensive clothing of vaguely military surplus inspiration (without the increasingly ludicrous military surplus mark-up). I’ve been looking through their online catalog for the last several minutes and I like what I see. I’m especially pumped to find these two bags: The Leather Plumber’s Bag and the “Bashful Billionaire’s Leather Briefcase.” Both meet my bag requirements of brown leather, brass clasps, restrained designed, and relatively inexpensive price. (I’m leaning towards the Plumber’s Bag, despite the fact it has no internal pockets, because it’s just the size of my laptop and no bigger. Then again, when I travel, I carry a lot of junk.)
What’s frustrating about Duluth Trading, however, is that their entire product line is displaying using illustrations of the products, not actual pictures of the products themselves. That’s not a huge deal with the bags, but with things like their trademark “Fire Hose Work Pants”, promoted primarily by the strength and texture of the material, it’s impossible to actually see the pants. Blowing up the product image [right] just gives you a bigger version of the illustration.
I’ve ordered a paper catalog with the hope that it will use real pictures. (Unlikely.) I’ll probably end up taking a risk on the bags even without pictures, but I shouldn’t have to cross my fingers, especially considering that hiring someone to draw all those illustrations took more effort than simply photographing the products would. Still, any company that uses “Dogs Playing Poker” remixed to feature their clothes can’t be all bad.
Catalog Home [DuluthTrading.com]
14 Responses to “Duluth Trading Company: What’s with the Illustrations?”
- 1 Pingback on Mar 19th, 2007 at 7:44 am
Nope, the paper catalog is just drawings, as well. Nice drawings, but not terribly hepful, as you say.
Tandy’s correct, the catalog is illustrated. However I’d like to say for the record that I have a number of Duluth Trading Company products (bags and clothes, mostly) and I have yet to be disappoitned. I use a BucketBoss brand messenger bag that I’ve combined with a Vyper series laptop sleeve (http://www.booqbags.com). It provides excellent protection for my laptop and is very non-descript in that it doesn’t betray the fact that I’m carrying a laptop like most other laptop bags do. After 3 years of daily use, neither of these have yet to show the least bit of wear or tear.
Moral of the story: If you’re willing to take the chance on Duluth’s illustrations you’ll be pleasantly surprised.
The paper catalog won’t help much its all drawings to. However, Duluth has some of the best clothing and customer service around so give them a whirl. If you want to know what the stuff looks like look for a 40+ contractor most of the time he’ll be wearing something by Duluth.
two words: J. Peterman.
Here’s what boggles me…in order to see how the clothes look on someone, don’t they have to take a picture of someone wearing the item of clothing so they can draw it correctly (other than the dogs, of course)? I mean, you have to be able to see how certain things hang, where the stitching is going to be once it’s on someone, that kind of thing, right?
i recently bought several items from them, including the twill jacket (i had been eyeing it, was pushed over the edge to buy by a recommendation on another excellent blog, “cool tools”). i had exactly the same concern as you about the illustrations. hey, i figured, unless they are crooks i can return/exchange everything. (pleased to see in these notes that others have had good customer service… i need to exchange one item for size, guess i’ll be finding out.) in all i’m very happy with everything and plan to buy more from them in the future. if what i get doesn’t match my expectations, i’ll just return it.
i think the peterman comment was right on, this is about their particular style, not what’s cheapest for them as retailers.
Duluth Trading Company is the Cat’s Ass.
I will never be in style, but DTC is a huge part of my personal style.
The illustration for their “Longtail” line of butt crack concealing T-shirts is legendary here in Wisconsin. Obscenely long link:
http://www.duluthtrading.com/store/department/mens/mens2/mens_shirts/longtail/longtail.aspx?navlocation=dept_left
I own a couple of Duluth things, bought based on drawings, and am better-than-pleased about the quality. But we’re talking Bucket Bosses and so forth, not clothes. I’m contemplating a wristwatch, and would really like a better look at it.
OTOH, I also like the drawings. They look cool, and for crying out loud, we’re talking about jeans, not Maseratis.
I’ve purchased clothing from them for several years now & have always been more
than satisfied. Their clothing selection for we old “working stiffs” is well thought out.
But, I too would often like to see actual photos of their clothing; then again, after
I’m thru rambling on this site I’ll be placing another order with them ( I have to buy my own Xmas/New Year’s presents so I have a good excuse to spend $ ).
Great products, I have purchase many items online and have been very satisfied. Only one item purchased by me has been returned with no questions and an immediate credit. They are top notch. If you work hard for a living and need clothing to match your hard work don’t pass on Duluth Trading Company!
You should know that the the Leather Plumber’s Bag is not the real deal. It’s a knockoff of the real thing – a Czech plumbers bag and the “aw shucks” just a bunch of good ol’ guys at the Duluth Trading Company are employing an age-old practice of copying an original design and having it manufactured in China. I believe at one time they did carry the real thing but evidently it just seemed easier to do an end-run and go to China. And those good ol’ boys have done it again, they’ve raised their prices.
I’m glad I got the real thing from Bohemian Traders.
The Gadgeteer – Bohemian Traders carries the original Plumbers bag in ‘2′ sizes stamped with ‘Made in Czech’. The pro is the size options, the con is that they only carry it in natural color cowhide whereas Deluth’s knockoff is in a darker brown.