Design houses that burn clothes?

[itsme]

This is getting a bit off-topic, but I found the shop I was talking about. Dunno if the makes in the store are "top notch" though... Not been there myself. Perhaps someone else could tell!

L'Une et L'Autre
Address 24 rue Feydeau, 2e

Transportation Métro: Bourse or Grands-Boulevards

Phone01-44-76-03-03

Frommer's Review
Hidden in an apartment on the second floor of a building, this shop has amazing discounts on the big brand names sold in expensive 8th- and 16th-Arrondissement boutiques. An item that might sell for 600€ ($780) in a boutique is sold here for 250€ ($325). The kindly owner, Nathalie Metz, keeps her fashion sources a secret and is sometimes forced, because of trademark restrictions, to sell garments without their original labels, but in light of the savings generated, few value-conscious consumers seem to mind. Open Monday to Friday and first Saturday of the month 11am to 6pm.

 

[PrinceOfCats]

This doesn't seem to be going anywhere, we're all agreed that it's the kind of thing some companies might do, but until someone has actually seen a Ligne Cambon up in flames, it's just speculation...

 

[HELLAS]

oh come on...of cource they do not burn them, it's just a marketing trick

 

[sakina]

The burning of clothing just seem so horrid I don't want to believe it! How could they?

I like to think they just dump the leftover stuff in some basement so many years from now we'd open it and find wonderful never used clothing. Like a lost treasure

 

[Diorling]

it is a fact that most retail stores get rid of slightly damaged or very out-of-season clothes. any recognizable logo is snipped off, and they're ripped to the point of no return. i do that at h&m, i know a lot of my friends do it..my friend's mother did it at reitman's 20 years ago..

We'd do that at Coach, it was REALLY fun and good exercise ripping up those bags, especially the ugly ones...

Wierd, I was just reading about how Chanel used to burn thier backstock, but now they just put it on sale or whatever. Ive seen Chanel's sale items, they're absolutely godawful, it's like the ugliest color in the most awkward size with some dirt on it, and it's only 20% off too. Ive never seen Chanel RTW on sale, only accessories.

I wonder what Hermes does, with thier bags they just circulate them till they sell, with thier RTW they probably extend discounts to VIPs...

 

[JJohnson]

someone should burn chanel, and the stuff that is selling cuz all of it is horrible!

 

[ultramarine]

This doesn't seem to be going anywhere, we're all agreed that it's the kind of thing some companies might do, but until someone has actually seen a Ligne Cambon up in flames, it's just speculation...

I had the mental image of the ligne cambon in flames! How liberating! How very modern-art! We should throw a seasons's must have items and have someone burn them all to finally make compost to grow stuff to feed someone on some empoverished area!

 

[TheDesignStudent]

If the items are cannot be sold, then the design houses would need to place lineups and unsold inventory into storage which would create more of a loss; since not all of the merchandise can be placed without an affect to the image, much of it is probably rendered destroyed and compacted, then filed with the IRS as a loss.

Some of the designers do warehouse creations for their historical and legacy value, held in vaults for future donation to museums and private collections with a focus on maintenance and future presentation.

 

[TheDesignStudent]

Hi Diorling, I remember you from Models of the Moment on another site...
Deja Vu...!

 

[mr.minglesworth]

an SA told me that louis vuitton shreds their shoes at the end of every season...that is, after letting the employees have their pick

 

[thesiren]

people who can afford to care, of course.

burning clothes to maintain an image? give me a freaking break. if that's done it's completely stupid in every way.

also, even if a $3000 coat IS marked down to $300, the company/designer is still walking away with a profit, trust me.

 

[Tinuviel]

now that's just evil.

 

[Ameera]

I don't get it.. if they're so scared it would loose its value why don't they send it to their rich customers and celebrities as presents! hehe at least someone will wear it and make more publicity for the designer.

maybe they only burn the damaged ones so that no one can put a hand on it. if i had a damaged chanel garment in my hand i'd show it to everyone! haha ! i'd be like SEEEE!!!!

 

[Deleted member 82231]

Yes. Karl has a bonfire each year, which he fans heavily until it goes out. That's where he picked the fan up from, y'know.

kidding.

besides, the devalues thing is crap for a fashion house- LV peices are pretty static, so they do't count. But by the time a Chanel peice is on bluefly, it is old, and passe in the fashion world- therefore no longer desired by the elites. It's Simmel's classic trickle down theory

 

[HBoogie]

If this is true, I find this practice deplorable and incredibly wasteful.

Can't fabric and notions be reworked into something new? Can't pieces be auctioned off for charity? Donated to charity? Donated to costume shops at theatre companies? Given as presents to employees and their families?

To do such a thing to maintain an air of elitism seems incredibly ignorant. And even at lower level retailers (H&M), it's ridiculous.

Given the current examination of sustainability, I'm thinking (hoping) that those manufacturers who do destroy clothes will come to think of this behavior as totally passé. Our landfills don't need to be any fuller.

 

[Pastry]

I had the mental image of the ligne cambon in flames! How liberating! How very modern-art! We should throw a seasons's must have items and have someone burn them all to finally make compost to grow stuff to feed someone on some empoverished area!

well, not modern, but contemporary..
your comment reminded me of this british artist who did a project a couple of years ago..
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2001/01/28/nart28.xml

 

[Pastry]

And even at lower level retailers (H&M), it's ridiculous.

yes it is! today i found out why we do it. h&m used to donate the damages to charities, but the charities got greedy. everyone was asking for a donation, so the company said no to everyone.

 

[fashionandstyle1]

NO! Don't burn them! Give them to me!!

haha yes exactly!

 

[Chanel4me83]

Couture houses burn their leftover fabric. Louis Vuitton will also destroy remaining merchandise. This is done to help maintain an item's value.

I've also heard of Vuitton doing that, and from what I know they are the only ones who don't have sales.

 

[stilettogirl84]

hermes does not have sales do they?