How Much Is Too Much? Designer Pricing

[brian]

Okay, so, I'm starting my haute couture line... I want people to actually buy, but I don't want to scare them away with horrifyingly high prices. How much is too much for an up-and-coming designer/line to charge for certain items?

The first collection is going to be an outrageous (people compare it to Galliano for Dior Couture...) collection revolving around huge flouncy flamenco skirts, mixed with traditional Victorian garb mixed with hooker/dominatrix..

I'm thinking about charging $250-450 per flamenco skirt (sample drawing of skirt below) depending on the intricacy of the piece, and fabric used (I'm going to be doing one completly out of patent leather that I am thinking of charging $1500-1700 for, because labor and materials are so high)... and I'm also going to be doing some gothic victorian button-up collars, overskirts, and some flouncy stretchy cotton jersey asymmetrical tops with embroideries and such on them. I'm thinking $100-150 for the collars or more depending on fabrics used, $250-450 for the overskirts depending, and $200-500 on the tops (they're going to be collarless shells with zip-up or lace-up backs, no sleeves, or ruffle flounce sleeves to match the skirts) depending on fabrics.

There are lots of other pieces going to be included, but I decided not to list them...

Here are some examples of pieces going to be used:

 

[brian]

these are going to be skirts, not full dresses

 

[PrinceOfCats]

Hmmm...*strokes financial beard*

 

[metal-on-metal]

It sounds like you have good prices, though I'd like to see finish products to make a more educated estimate.

I remember when a certain buyer (Julie Gilhart, maybe?) was gaining interest in Hussein Chalayan's work, she had to beg him to lower his prices. To this day, Hussein's stuff is pretty out there in prices ($3600 for a plain canvas jacket?), but have come down slightly as of late. I'm sure he's feeling the pinch.

 

[brian]

Originally posted by chickonspeed@Jan 18th, 2004 - 9:45 pm
It sounds like you have good prices, though I'd like to see finish products to make a more educated estimate.

I'll be posting a few looks once I finish

 

[pradaromance]

Originally posted by brian+Jan 18th, 2004 - 10:48 pm--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(brian @ Jan 18th, 2004 - 10:48 pm)</div><div class='quotemain'> <!--QuoteBegin-chickonspeed@Jan 18th, 2004 - 9:45 pm
It sounds like you have good prices, though I'd like to see finish products to make a more educated estimate.

I'll be posting a few looks once I finish [/b][/quote]
i cant wait!

 

[Salvatore]

Sounds quite interesting! There is a Haute Couture designer here in New Orleans that makes dresses especially for Mardi Gras Balls. I'm thinking they are around $5000+ (but not totally sure) which is quite reasonable I guess. Your stuff sounds fun! I'm anxious to see

 

[ykidkwis]

Originally posted by brian@Jan 18th, 2004 - 8:19 pm
these are going to be skirts, not full dresses

Do you draw alot of your inspiration from John Galliano? He had very similar polka dot flamenco skirts in his fall 2003 Dior couture show?

 

[Lena]

you need to calculate very well your expenses, add all working hours, fittings, fabrics, future tax, advertising, show, just anything that you might need while going on production.
new designers have more expenses than established houses, so be brave and ask for your clothes what they are worth.
please note that once you start selling 'cheaper' people might take your pieces at price value and some might even not buy just because of 'lower' prices. A couture skirt should be much more expensive than a 'lux pret-a-porter' one. Avoid under-costing , its a great mistake most new designers do, you may think it will bring you more clients, but it can ruin you in the long run.

Be proud of your workmanship, much more if you are REALLY doing couture, ask for what it costs and remember to include some fee for your own work on the piece.
If you put your work down (with lowering the price) nobody will take you seriously.
*another point is: if you start with 'moderate' prices (eg. making no money, just covering production costs) you will create the wrong kind of clientelle, that will have difficulty to follow you when you decide to bring your price to normal standards. Be proud and ask for what you are worth, if your pieces are real couture people will be glad to pay for this

keep us updated on how you go, and please be as original as one can get, this is couture after all, stay away from refferences to other designer's work

 

[ingenue]

its just about the right amount i think. but contruction better be good or else people cant justify paying that amount for a skirt that doesnt have enough definition. haute couture should always be top of the line B)

 

[Nader]

So far, I love what I see, and cant wait to see some finished peices. The prices seem decent.

 

[saad]

this is nice....but i think the prices are too low (vry good for 'normal' people.....but then youwant to establish yourself, right? so in te long run, youre not aiming at 'normal' people...youre aiming at the hedonists- remember that!)
youre doing couture.....and i like what i see..
like lena said, have the confidence to ask what you think is right....but dont undervalue youre suff.

p.s. no offence to 'normal' people.....im one of them aswell, so... )

 

[metal-on-metal]

I think Lena gave great advice. Maybe Spacemiu and Acid can add as well.

 

[Scott]

Originally posted by chickonspeed@Jan 18th, 2004 - 9:45 pm
It sounds like you have good prices, though I'd like to see finish products to make a more educated estimate.

I remember when a certain buyer (Julie Gilhart, maybe?) was gaining interest in Hussein Chalayan's work, she had to beg him to lower his prices. To this day, Hussein's stuff is pretty out there in prices ($3600 for a plain canvas jacket?), but have come down slightly as of late. I'm sure he's feeling the pinch.

Isn't that the reason he lost his backer a few years ago because they couldn't afford some of his pricetags? I think he is finally waking up and by putting elaborate prices on simpler garments I think he's realizing that's only going to turn people off. But alot of his stuff is indefinitely worth the prices.

I would also add in there you have to consider that the more elaborate,designed and well crafted a garmet is most likely it will cost more. You know the stuff that you put more work into. Usually the simpler stuff in P-A-P,like a pair of simple well tailored trousers(a la Margiela) will normally go for between 200-400$ at a rough estimate. Again,it really all depends on workmanship and how much you put into the garmet. Not to mention counting the amount embellishments and detail work.

 

[Spacemiu]

Well if youa re doing seriosu Couture ( as in hand sewn with super high quality fabrics) than i thinky ou can charge more than you are priceing, I geuss teh msot important things to take in to consideration are cost ( labour, fabric, adornments, etc.) and how much you whant to make of piece as well as teh time it takes to produce each agrment.

hope this helps

 

[dazzle]

how long do they take to make?

 

[brian]

Originally posted by Spacemiu@Jan 19th, 2004 - 8:33 pm
Well if youa re doing seriosu Couture ( as in hand sewn with super high quality fabrics) than i thinky ou can charge more than you are priceing, I geuss teh msot important things to take in to consideration are cost ( labour, fabric, adornments, etc.) and how much you whant to make of piece as well as teh time it takes to produce each agrment.

hope this helps

I guess they're not "serious" couture pieces.
Just "couture" as in made-to-order/custom-made...because I cannot afford what it takes to do a ready-to-wear collection.

I'm not really using the utmost highest quality fabrics available, but as high quality as I can find. There aren't many places I know of that sell haute-couture quality fabrics such as what Dior and Chanel and such use.

It's just basic stuff, but very creative. Most of the pieces are made with a machine, with the ruffles and embellishments, little details, and such done by hand.

I'm going to be making the first few pieces (to be photographed and shown on the runway) by myself, and will be hiring local experienced Mexican/Spanish seamstresses to do the rest of the ordered items, along with myself.

I was thinking of probably charging a little more than I initially said, now that I think of it. Making such things isn't easy, plus the costs of labor, and I am giong to be doing a lot of things that have never been seen or done before (as in using fabrics that traditionally would not be used to make such flouncy skirts and such, AND I am very detrail-oriented, and I like everything to be just perfect)...

 

[brian]

Originally posted by saad@Jan 19th, 2004 - 5:38 am
this is nice....but i think the prices are too low (vry good for 'normal' people.....but then youwant to establish yourself, right? so in te long run, youre not aiming at 'normal' people...youre aiming at the hedonists- remember that!)
youre doing couture.....and i like what i see..
like lena said, have the confidence to ask what you think is right....but dont undervalue youre suff.

p.s. no offence to 'normal' people.....im one of them aswell, so... )

I agree!

My stuff isn't targeted to the "normal" people, anyhow!

What kind of "normal" "everyday" person can you imagine prancing around town on any given day in a floor-length flamenco gown? ;D

 

[brian]

Originally posted by ykidkwis+Jan 19th, 2004 - 1:46 am--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(ykidkwis @ Jan 19th, 2004 - 1:46 am)</div><div class='quotemain'> <!--QuoteBegin-brian@Jan 18th, 2004 - 8:19 pm
these are going to be skirts, not full dresses

Do you draw alot of your inspiration from John Galliano? He had very similar polka dot flamenco skirts in his fall 2003 Dior couture show? [/b][/quote]
Yes he did, and that collection was gorgeous, but I'm not really drawing that much inspiration from that collection. I wouldn't want to be labelled as a Galliano knockoff! :\

I'm not going to be using the polka dots that much. It's not really my style. I might, however, use them sparsely to hint at the traditional Spanish flamenco culture.

I'm going to be doing the pieces in fabrics that would not necessarily ever be used (such as fleece, patent leather/vinyl, denim, and tweed, as well as the traditional cotton/satin/lace stuff) ...As well as lots of embellishments because I am very detail-oriented.

 

[ykidkwis]

the tweed sounds great! when will you or have you already started working on your collection?