Benetton

Never shop here. They don’t honor the tax free shopping and the person who are works cashier is horrible and rude beyond belief… stay away

J’avais gardé en tête l’image des Benetton de province, petits magasins avec peu d’offres hormis les pulls et les te-​shirts.
Là, c’est 3 étages, des espaces femme, homme et enfant et un festival de couleurs, tissus, imprimés à tout rompre !
Au niveau prix, c’est certes plus cher que les suédois et espagnols mais la qualité me semble tout de même meilleure et le style est plus affirmé, moins copier-​coller.

At some stage, during the pre-​Christmas run up to that over-​blown commercial event, the thought of shuffling around shops that were being systematically squeezed at the seams to breaking point with over-​zealous and obsessed gift givers has, in recent years, not been high on my list of life-​saving priorities.
However, like any good, warm hearted — yet, commercially masochistic individual — who, at the end of the day, gets a kick out of a dose of wallet purging-​splurging around that time of year, I look out for somewhere trendy, zappy and unique to take my frustrations out on.
Spotting Benetton and eye-​balling their rather provocative and cunning store front with their latest Unhate advertising campaign with morphed images of every world and church leader, despot and aspiring despot locking lips in an obvious consensual change of heart for each other. This type of shock and awe advertising therapy is usually not my cup of tea. It’s much too like the American Republican Presidential Campaign. A blatant distraction from what’s really going on inside. In fact, it reminds me so much of the American election system where the opposite party to the encumbered Government, takes the attention away from themselves totally and their own rather poor policies, by way of highlighting their opposite number’s shady and inadequate side.
The same, I am afraid, can be said for Benetton’s empowering campaign. Cheap gimmickry — under the guise of Love thy Neighbour with passionate embraces outside (no matter how much you really want to spit on him) sublimating for cosy warmth and fair play inside.
The ‘oh so obvious’ Powers of Psychological Persuasion aside, I, just like the rest of the synthetic sheep following (Don’t expect to see many natural fibres at Benneton any more) took the plunge and shuffled inside.
I have to say, your heart indeed lifts when you walk into a Benetton store because the vivid colours are designed to attract you, however, if you tend to be a weary, investigative type like me — having just witnessed the not too subtle show-​boat advertising posters outside — you quickly realise the same cunning approach to marketing hasn’t stopped at the front door, because, the rather sly façade continues within. And, if it is true accord you are looking for, where skin seamlessly moves in sync with natural Benetton fabric, then, you are really in for a harsh reality check.
Manufacturers world-​wide have seen the days of huge profits sliding through their greedy little finger tips. The hefty margins have gone bye bye and to overcome the turning tide, they have opted for cheaper quality materials and even cheaper labour costs — the result? It’s as obvious as the plastic surgery on many famous Hollywood faces.
Benetton is one of these companies — and it is a sad indictment indeed. And, the reason why they have to rely on contrived advertising to get people in these days instead of going back to the basics. Quality is what Benetton used to stand for, but sadly, no longer.
There is no question that their snazzy colour-​range — which conjures up a refrigerator full of vegetarian delights that would have Lady Gaga ripping off a cardigan arm hoping to make a meal out of the decidedly edible looking garment. The styles as well are always super hip, so in both these particular departments, nothing has changed. But, gone are the lusciously thick and thoroughly pure woollen knits and rich cotton fabrics in skirts, tops, slacks and jackets and instead replaced by ‘wool mix,’ ‘cotton blend,’ and plastic like synthetics that you could easily float down the Amazon on and even the hungry ‘Crocs’ would snub you.
Years ago you could always tell if someone was wearing a Benetton item, it stood out a mile and you felt thoroughly groovy wearing the trend setting label. But now, disappointment has replaced that former glee. Benetton has forfeited their distinctive measure of excellence for appearance and profitability — What’s new Pussycat — In other words, like other clothing chains who have fallen foul of the Asian sweat-​shop syndrome, using inferior quality, artificial fibres — and often poor workmanship — even though in Benetton’s case they have mostly chosen the former Eastern bloc countries as well as taken the Asian and Oriental locations for their outsourcing. No great difference. Cheap labour is still cheap labour.
Have other Benetton faithfuls also noticed how poorly the finish is these days, and how thin and coarse the fabric has become? Check out the labels and you wouldn’t even recognise the country that the garment has been manufactured in. Places I didn’t even know were still on the map like Chernobyl — well, possibly not quite contaminated to that degree, but I feel you’ll get my drift.

J’adore ! Toutes les fringues né sont pas super certes, mais je suis un fan absolu de leurs pulls :
— de super couleurs
— pas mal de choix
— et un prix dérisoire ! (25 euros environ)
A ce prix là, je n’hésite pas en acheter des caisses, et à les changer chaque année. Par contre, bien évidemment, à ce prix là, c’est pas de la méga qualité. Mais c’est un choix: je péfère qu’ils me tiennent une saison, mais je peux en changer plus souvent, et en fonction des modes !
Je recommande vivement. Pour moi, une adresse utile, et pas chère (qui l’aurait surtout cru, pour du Benetton)

Le magasin Benetton, sur la place de l’Opéra, est si difficilement accessible que l’on a parfois envie de faire demi-​tour. Pourquoi? simplement car cette place est interminable à traverser à pieds avec le carrefour et ses nombreux feux.
Une fois dedans en revanche, c’est plus sympa, trois étages, enfant, femme et homme, chacun son rayon, un peu communautaire mais tellement pratique !
Pour ce dont je peux parler, les hommes donc, les prix et la qualité sont au rendez-​vous, mieux même que ses enseignes nordiques que tout le monde connaît malgré lui !
Benetton n’est donc pas qu’un concept marketing initié par le trop célèbre Toscani, c’est aussi une marque à part entière…

Peu d’originalité dans ce magasin mais beaucoup de coloris disponibles (ce qui change de certaines marques dont la gamme de couleur s’arrête au couleur pastelle ou neutre, assez triste tout de même). Leur spécialité c’est les pull overs et la maille que je né peux que recommander car le tout est de très bonne qualité.
De plus, c’est une marque impliquée dans de vrais causes et qui a beaucoup fait parler d’elle notamment grâce à ses campagnes publicitaires controversés pour la mixité et l’acceptation de tous dans la société quel que soit son origine. A regarder dans les photos.