21 March 2013

The Case of the Missing Rugby Training Manual


I was contacted this morning by one of the authors of the Rugby Habadasher Book.  He asked that I not post the book and explained why.  The reasons are valid but I'm not honoring the request for those reasons -- I'm honoring the request because he's the author and I sympathize with him.  I have seen my photos and my words slapped all over the internet without so much as a, "how do you do." I also want to avoid litigation.

The Rugby Training Manual, or RTM, as I call it, was one of four books prepared for the original four Rugby stores.  The author mentioned he has access to three of the books.  Mine appears to be a second, maybe even a third, generation 'bootleg.'  There are beautiful images, swatches, patterns and shirting to be sure.  But the guts of the book are on page 11, which was posted yesterday.  Read it.  It's what Rugby was...supposed to be.

The early days saw a pure form of apparel but with slight tweaks.  There were no visible logos on oxfords, unless you chose not to tuck your shirt, and the small skull and cross bones embroidered on the tail, in.  Suits were half canvassed, made in the US (South Carolina) and similar to J. Press in every way but price -- costing a third less.  Unlined ties, a personal obsession since buying a few in London, were not cheap in the retail shops, but plenty made it to outlets, along with a plethora of odd and not so odd bargains: My black wool cape  ($25)  and  a cherished, made in Italy, Black Watch sport coat ($50) just to name two.

Back in those early days you didn't have to be under 25 to get what the store was about.  Dusty Grainger dragged me to University Place  (I'm uncomfortable shopping with any man but especially Dusty)  in search of Skull & Cross black velvet slippers.  I found a pair of the Hunter-Duck slippers that I had been searching for everywhere.  That they were 50% off seemed like some sort of divine intervention. I had issues with an overpriced replica of an M-65 field jacket, made in China (the irony), and cheap surcingle belts but overall, I was a fan.

In 2010,  something changed.  The haberdasher was turning into a high street  boutique. Rugby advertising was not only youthful, it was insipid and shallow.  Boys were tricked out in 'outfits.' Rolled up critter khakis with too much madras. Too much Breton. Too much, 'too much.' Designer Burt Pulitzer told me, "For years I loved Rugby and then I'd go in the store and couldn't buy anything.  And I was trying!"

A gutsy aesthetic was held up and mugged by some sockless, critter clad, Junior Mint. Some think it was the advertising people.  Others blame the merchandisers.  Still others insist Rugby was not allowed to tell their  Habadasher Shop story and so they lost customers like me and Bert.  What rarely gets mentioned was the anchor Rugby for Women had become.  Ex-employees complain of women's bloated design staff and payroll while the look, a bit out there, was just not selling.  Many grumble that had Rugby pulled the cork on the women's line... menswear would've been saved. 

In the end?  It actually mattered.  As one employee told me, "We established with the competition that it could be done successfully."  J. Crew knocked off Rugby via the Liquor Store. Brooks Brothers tried to knock off Rugby - knocking off Brook's original  University Shop. Sadly, Brooks Brothers can't even knock off itself. 

"Too many cooks in the kitchen." "Lost its way." One enthusiast thought it might be worth a couple hundred thousand to hire a big time consulting firm for a postmortem. That is, exactly why and when did Rugby fail.  There are a lot of opinions out there and, in the end, we all wear clothes which I guess qualifies all of us as critics.

11 comments:

Mohamed_TX said...

I was looking forward to read the manual to learn about its start and what really triggered RL to start Rugby. Its end is sad though. I went to the Rugby store in my town (Dallas) and was too sad to see it empty. I always bought something every time I went there. so I bought few wooden hangers which were up for sale. If sometime the author changes his mind please post the manual. I hope it would be the Dictionary of style.

Charles said...

Makes me wonder what you think of York St Or maybe you've already posted on that. Better check.

Main Line Sportsman said...

A classic case of shark jumping...probably contemporaneous with the brands mention on a certain Blog with an acronym moniker, As I stated, I never soiled myself by entering their "haberdashery" and likely would have soiled myself when I saw the price tags....

tintin said...

longwing- I'll save you some shoe leather:

http://thetrad.blogspot.com/2012/09/j-press-little-lord-fauntleroy.html

Main Line- I'm talking the early yrs. See, this is the problem and the TM would go a long way in showing the original concept was much like the haberdasher of old. But then, I don't have 14 lawyers working for me.

jeff said...

I was interested in the early concept as it was pitched to my by a friend back in 2004. As I remember, they were putting their early stores in college towns. Perhaps once they veered away from that concept (and closed the Chapel Hill and Charlottesville stores) is when things took a turn?

This article might provide some insight into the early days (since we can see the TM):

http://www.icsc.org/srch/sct/sct0205/retailing_1.php

jeff said...

More on the closings:

http://www.dukechronicle.com/articles/2007/04/03/college-geared-rugby-store-closes-franklin-street-doors

It is especially enjoyable that Julian's moved in after Rugby closed up shop...

Main Line Sportsman said...

You should read Muffy's post of an e-mail from a reader about a new hipster prep store concept...pretty damn hilarious.

Sinbad said...

I can assure you that the "author" who contacted you was not what he claimed to be, as there was only one author of the book, and I was he. Litigation? On the contrary, I would be more than pleased to see my book made available to your readership.

Merlin said...

The demise of Rugby is not to be mourned. Hopefully we will see the same happen to York Street.

brohammas said...

O what a tangled web Raplh weaves.
I am practicing restraint regarding my beef with rugby. Wht beat a dead horse when it is already dead right?

Anonymous said...

the part about the bloated womans staff is particularly frustrating... i am a dude and i fucking worshipped Rugby, and it couldve (shouldve) been saved..

they shouldve ditched the chick shit and kept it alive...