Catharine Higginson writes
Eighteen years ago, I bought a bag from Lands’ End. I remember the purchase quite clearly; I was very pleased to be pregnant with my eldest daughter and thought I would need a big, sturdy bag. The bag turned out to be big, sturdy and very, very well made.
It still is.
Over the years it has been laden with everything from wine bottles to nappies (often simultaneously...) and despite having been chucked in the washing machine on numerous occasions - even though the instructions say ‘Hand Wash’ - it is still going strong.
And this is what Lands’ End is all about; high quality goods that are made to last. And this is why Susan Morse-Chassier was so delighted when she was asked to work with the company to introduce the brand to France. Susan explains, “I’ve known Lands’ End all my life. It’s a brand that I associate inextricably with my childhood and my father was one of their very first customers when they launched back in 1963.”
Now living in the Val d’Oise, north of Paris, Susan has been in France for ten years but she originally hails from California. With a background in direct marketing and e-commerce, she was working on the launch of the Atkins diet direct marketing programme in New York when she when she met her husband Claude. He was running a restaurant that Susan began to use for shoots and promotions and, as they say, the rest is history! In 2003 the couple decided to return to his native country of France; this was a big change for Susan.
Claude thought that she would be speaking fluent French within three months but Susan was a bit more realistic. “Although I am now fluent, I don’t think I will ever speak perfect French” she says. “I took some immersion courses when I first arrived. However, the problem was that there were loads of international students on the courses and they all wanted to practice speaking English! But I persevered and managed to start working in France. I’d recently finished a CDD (short term contract) when I saw the advert for the Lands’ End position and just thought, ‘wow’ - this is my dream job! It was quite tough at first as there was no French office and I had to commute to Germany on a weekly basis but the company loved that they had an American on board and everything slotted into place. It’s a great brand and a great company and something that I’m really proud to be associated with.”
If you ask any Lands’ End customer what they think of the brand, they are likely to talk about high quality goods, durability and great customer service. The company are so confident that you will remain happy with your purchase that they offer what is effectively a lifetime guarantee. They say they will exchange or refund any item at any point if you are not satisfied and this guarantee applies for any reason whatsoever - which, when you stop to think about it, is a pretty amazing undertaking and you can read more about their famous guarantee here.
But fantastic products and great customer service are not the only things that set Lands’ End apart. I love the way items can be monogrammed. Trousers can be hemmed to fit and this hemming service is even free of charge.
Plus, those of us who are anything other than a standard size will appreciate the range of clothing for petite, tall and plus sizes. Lands’ End really do go the extra mile and even offer a gift-wrapping service.
We’re delighted to announce that Lands’ End are offering SFN members a whopping 25% discount on any order. All you need to do is use the discount code SFNLE when placing your order on the French website. http://www.fr.landsend.com/ - best of all the discount lasts until December 31, 2013 so there’s plenty of time to bag some bargains.
As we’ve had the wettest spring for some time and given that Lands’ End have an unparalleled reputation when it comes to rain wear and squall jackets, maybe now is the time to take advantage of that discount and treat yourself to a new waterproof jacket? Why not request a catalogue and spend some time browsing through? You can also sign up for the newsletter that way you’ll be kept up to date with any special offers, new products and promotions - and it’s well worth keeping an eye on the Sale Page too as there are often bargains to be had!
Thanks
Catharine