Smathers & Branson vs. That other needlepoint belt company

Sorry for the week long blogging hiatus. Work is super busy this time of year and I have not had a day off since Thanksgiving, so I haven't even had much time to read blogs let alone post, I'll try to be better though I promise!

This is an issue that has been bothering me for some time now. Right around xmas time last year a new "preppy" needlepoint belt company came on the scene. Initially I was excited with the idea since Smathers belts are generally too masculine for me and I just thought that something new could be cool. I also loved the idea of the needlepoint headband, finally something for the ladies, and the belts were selling at that time around $125 which is quite a jump from the smathers at $165. Of course this was right when the recession was really starting to hit home for people and price is always king. So of course the Tucker Blair belts were selling well. However, then a few months later Tucker Blair started selling the belts exclusively on their website for $80. This is the reason as stated on their website that they decided to move just to online sales.


we decided to pioneer a new type of distribution model where the retailer isn’t the one that gets the value - the customer does!  “Brick & mortar” stores are great if you’re strolling through Georgetown on an idle afternoon, but with them come substantial mark-ups, limited selection and other customers trying on what will one day be your belt

Now I am all for a competitive market and fair pricing but I do have a problem with debuting your line in stores, having them promote it for you and essentially being the only way that your target market will be exposed to your porduct, THEN underselling your retailers online. the headbands were originally selling for something like $75 in stores but $50 on the website. Now they list the headbands at $40 and they are on sale for $25. Now this is where when you claim that you have the "best product on the market" at "the best price possible" I find that hard to believe when you have substantially reduced the price 3 times. What that really means is you have a cheap product that you are marking up to mark down.

That is all well and good and I am sure most people will say "well who gives a hoot you are getting essentially the same idea (note not the same product) at a lower price". My real grievance comes on the design level. When you take a look at the belt designs of Tucker Blair in comparison to Smathers & Branson all he has done is copy their designs or the idea of the design and maybe change the colors.
Lets examine the evidence:

Smathers

Tucker

Smathers

Tucker

Smathers

Tucker

Smathers

Tucker

Smathers

Tucker

Smathers

Tucker

Smathers

Tucker

As you can see the evidence speaks for itself. Check out each of their websites to compare more for yourself Smathers & Branson    Tucker Blair . Every single belt theme that Tucker Blair has done is a knock off of the Smathers & Branson theme. I mean this guy is not even creative enough to come up with his own themes. Then when you look at the quality of the stitches (you can even see it online) the Stitches in the Tucker belts are not as tight so they make the images look a little distorted. As well the thread feels gross, like a bad wool sweater.

It gets worse:

Smathers Key Fob

Tucker Blair Key Fob

Ok so not only is he copying the idea of the key fob AND calling it the exact same thing he is also copying the exact same style with the leather tab AND look at the little SB in script inscribed in the leather that is the same as Tucker Blair's TB logo. Which leads to even more similarities Smathers & Branso, Tucker Blair both companies have two names and smathers is in Bethesda, MD Tucker Blair is in DC. Its just too much!

Smathers & Branson Dog Collar 

Tucker Blair Dog Collar

Smathers Headband

Tucker Blair Headband

Now in all fairness I will point out that Tucker Blair did come out with the headbands before Smathers & Branson but once again even though Smathers was late to the gate they have a far superior product.

So as you have seen Tucker Blair is nothing more then a knockoff of Smathers & Branson, buying a Tucker Blair belt is the same thing as buying a knockoff coach bag (expect they arent being sold on the streets of New York... Yet) you know how the C's just aren't right on the knockoff and the lining is a crap nylon, thats the same idea here.

 The one good thing that I will say that has come out of the tucker blair brand is that once it came on the scene it gave Smathers & Branson a kick in the ass and they came up with some new themes and products.

Needlepoint Wallet (Daddy is getting this for Xmas)

Needlepoint Flask (Going in Mummy's stocking, believe me she'll use it too)

I think the Mistletoe Cummerbund is hilarious and if I say a guy wearing this at a party I would fall in love immediately

Coin purse

Ladies Belt

I just think that is it really wrong for someone to scope out the success of another business and copy it almost exactly. There was not a hole in the market for fun needlepoint belts so there is really no need for Tucker Blair. He was just not smart enough to come up with his own business model so he stole someone else's. Smathers has done a great job with their brand and continue to make and sell a superior product at a fair price. I know they will outlive Tucker Blair and I hope their sales are soaring  as people purchase the original preppy needlepoint belt.