Vulpine Clothing

On the flipside... I've been rocking the Vulpine Harrington most of this week (this morning's storm was the exception, I chose to cape it). And today... on the commute home, the weirdest thing. I got chatted up. But I guy who thought the jacket was very good looking, and then decided I was very good looking. One of the stranger commutes, but very flattering. All down to the jacket of course, I'm currently an unshaven mess.

My jacket looks nice but seems to actually attract water when it rains, which is annoying.

.

While you're taking requests... Any chance of longer arms on the Harrington Rain Jacket?

Mate your brand is dying on it's arse

It's pretty unusual, across industry. But we're talking the factory. Today, weirdly. Factories hate other sizes. They have to cut new pattern and CAD again. But it's definitely of interest. Touch wood we can.

Mate you're anonymous so you can say what you like after a few Camparis.

My name is Steve McColl and I used to see your product being worn by people riding bikes in London but now I don't at all so I commented on an internet thread about your brand.

Mate

The guy has come on, put his hands up and seems genuine. If you're going to say stuff at least try and have a positive contribution. So you've not seen as many people in Vulpine in the last few months, no biggie, its been t shirt and shorts weather for a lot of folk until today

I still think he needs to answer @fussballclub though, ignore him at your own peril!

@vulpinecc nice to get an online sample sale this morning. Not so nice to be unable to load your website. Think you might need a server/website/'some other tech bit' upgraded for these occasions! Spent 30 mins trying in vain to get a merino tshirt, neck ruff thing, and socks in my virtual basket; was just staring at endlessly loading pages which then turned into half loaded pages with pics and links all in the wrong place. In the end I had to go to work empty handed.
On the pos side, love the sound of your upgraded merino... sounds v.soft!

yeah it's been crazy slow all day

tough crowd

I wondered if that was what the "good luck!" in the email referred to - your chances getting through the right number of clicks in the website before your basket times out... frustrating.

Feedback... from a happy customer

website worked perfectly for me today, maybe I got lucky, and my bank balance got unlucky

Longer arms in womens stuff would be good too, although I appreciate I have longer-than-average arms.

I love some vulpine stuff and wear it all the time, other stuff doesn't work at all and I send it back, the frustrating third category is stuff I almost like, or I like and it almost fits, but doesn't quite work or quite fit. But, I'm sure other people love those things too. I'm annoyingly between sizes, and there's quite a jump, but as time goes on I'm moving more decidedly up into L rather than M...

One thing I'm curious about: I have a pair of well-worn womens cotton rain trousers (a few years old), and I thought I'd add another colour in the recent sale only to find that the "updated cut" means that the lower leg has gone so skinny I can't comfortably get the things on, let alone bend at the knee. Knee circumference has gone from approx. 46cm to 40cm. On a size large. I don't think I have particularly hefty calves, certainly not for a cyclist, so I find it hard to believe this isn't a common issue?! Has the updated cut been a success?

Site too slow gave up, nothing to see.

@vulpinecc
the website is appalling, if you search by size it takes ages to come up with loads of garments, but when you click on them none are actually in stock

and just as i posted the above i got this email

"
We finally did an online sample sale this morning, due to popular demand. It didn't go to plan for us, or you. I can only say sorry by writing, and giving you something.

Our systems and server could barely cope with demand. It was like trying to grab tickets for a series of intimate Beyonce gigs in a broom cupboard. It's been gruelling for most customers, and for us trying to cope with demand. I'm sorry.

I'm concerned with the level of frustration this is causing, so I've asked the team to shut down the Sample Sale until we've ironed out these issues and have implemented our new systems. Please don't wait, it will likely be early next year.

Tomorrow I will offer you a gift to say sorry. I'm holding back so that we don't add further to the huge traffic that we've had all day, and frustrate you further.

Thank you for your patience. Thank you for loving what we do so much you broke the site. We're still young and growing up is hard to do, but we're trying hard to please you. Let's make it better tomorrow.

Ride well,
Nick Hussey - founder"

am now feeling like a bit of an arse - sorry @vulpinecc

All a bit david brent.

The "funny" gif in the mail did not sit with me well at all. My reply to Nick:

Nick

Smoke a doobie, sit back and smoke a large cigar, smoke whatever it takes.

I don't know any cyclists who enjoy "funny" gifs of cyclists crashing in such a fashion.

Much of the gear your supply is i think good stuff. You're just diluting the brand even more now, after the endless summer of sale, by first promising a sample sale and then offering a free gift because the sale did not happen. Can't you see this?

Especially after an expensive relaunch, where i hear talk that the gremlins had been ironed out. Whilst i am sure it is not true, you give the impression currently that you are more interested in building some form of spurious brand than you are about supplying quality gear to cyclists. In other words, another non-cyclist jumping aboard the UK cycling bandwagon, as a get rich quick scheme.

As i write this i am wearing one of your long sleeved cycling jerseys. It's soft, grips right and is perfectfor riding around the city. I am yet to attest to its longevity, although other gear i have had from you in the past remain in my favourite part of the wardrobe. That said, the refund my girlfriend is owed for the three sets of photos that arrived and then departed due to damage in delivery remains a moot point. I put this down to your own teething problems and thought that in time it would be addressed by your company. Still waiting....

I see that you've been on lfgss lately and pleading mea culpa. All very good words, but as we all know talk is cheap. Show us that you give a flying one, not by "funny" gifs or free gifts, but by treating your public with a modicum of respect.

Oof, tough crowd indeed.

It's frustrating, but that's all its not life or death. I did spend a couple of hours all told today with stuff in my basket, which then timed out.
I say fair play in your efforts to placate those frustrations, but maybe ask those folk at Rapha what kind of server they use to spare us the indignation next time you have a sample or any sale.

I was left without the kit I ordered from you a few weeks ago as your website showed unreliable stock levels.

I heard you are moving to online exclusively, hope you can invest in a bigger and better platform that can fulfill the traffic drain it will encounter.

Genuinely wish you all the best, kit is great, sales promise loads, website is and was woefully inadequate.

Embarrassment. Maybe Chris Hoy can nip round and sort it out.