That common fashion phenomenon, where a trusted brand expands rapidly or gets bought out and quality takes a nosedive, is deeply disillusioning. Products can cost the same or more, but what you take home is diminished: French seams are replaced by overlocking; stitching on shoes is switched for glue, as you discover when the sole flaps off; product lifespan shrinks to a fraction of what it was. Anecdotally, two recent pairs of my own Dr. Martens broke after a few months, whereas my dad’s…
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