Good quality/price ratio when you buy pre-order , but this young brand sometimes fails in terms of design, with sneaker shapes that are not necessarily perfect, or choices of leather that are less premium than advertised.
What we remember :
The shirts (entry-level Japanese weavers), the sweaters, and the suits seemed generally successful (good tailoring and pretty flannel).
And thanks to rather modest margins, inexpensive manufacturing locations, and a “direct to consumer” model, the brand offers very affordable prices.
What disappointed us :
The jeans are disappointing in terms of material and the sneakers (shape and leather).
Regarding the t-shirt, our full opinion on the piece can be found in the comments at the bottom of this page.
Then, there are two major criticisms that could be made of the brand.
First of all, their model based on rapid production, in large quantities, seems to cause some problems in meeting delivery times, but also and above all some quality control concerns (that said, it is a constant challenge for good number of brands).
And the second point is that Asphalt's marketing would benefit from more restraint and precision . The brand does not hesitate to appropriate the codes and jargon of insiders, using words that the public has learned to associate with quality in clothing, but without showing rigor in their use.
An astute reader will therefore quickly detect that there is a certain "artistic blur": finishes described as incredible while they are sometimes banal (zampa di gallina buttons but not sewn on the foot), implying a extraordinary durability, manufacturing “at Michel in Casablanca” to avoid saying “made in Morocco”, etc.
Some novices may therefore believe in a very high-end product and at an exceptional price, when in reality they are mid-range products at an attractive pre-order price.
The same goes for the brand's social and environmental "policy". Presenting the European REACH standard as a label is misleading for the uninformed consumer, and anything but an argument: it is only the legal minimum to import a product from Morocco to the European Union, and have the right to market it.
In short: you can try a pre-order if a piece interests you and you want to save a little on the budget .
But we recommend that you take a long step back from the brand's arguments.
“Sister” brand of Six & Sept (which has now closed its doors), Asphalte launched at the end of 2016, offering a round-neck sweater nicknamed “The Perfect Sweater”.
The brand produces clothing that is accessible and of good quality, marketed via a pre-order system.
The prices charged place its products in a mid-range segment.
Above all, there are basics: low-top sneakers, jeans, chinos, round-neck sweaters, Oxford shirts, etc.
