Pricing-New Designer Vs Established Designer

[softgrey]

tristan...yes...it's likesome sort of cotton lycra...which means you don't need to really cut the pattern well and it will stretch to fit anyway...a bit of a 'cheat' in my book...not a substitute for good tailoring...there is a whole crop of these designers using this type of material to do this kind of stuff...elissa jimenez ans MRS are two that have already gone out of business i think...

it looks very DIY...but my thing is that if it looks DIY...it should BE DIY...and you should do it yourself...otherwise i find it a bit pretentious...and hipster...

 

[Fade to Black]

Another example of crazy pricing for an up and comer is Duckie Brown. Does anyone else here know of this brand? I see the clothes at Barneys and they're nothing spectacular in terms of quality...i think i saw a sweater there that cost like $1000+ and it was very run of the mill, ESPECIALLY for that price.

 

[AlexN]

^I remember liking some stuff from their runway show. I definitely wasn't expecting it to be really expensive, though. That's too bad.

 

[LibertyRose]

I think it depends on where the collections are sold. When up-and-coming designers raise their prices, it's a double-edged sword.

Proenza Schouler and Derek Lam have to be expensive even though they are relatively new because they are sold at upscale department stores such as Barneys and Bergdorf. When your cliente is so affluent and take pride in buying the newest, most expensive things, a couple hundred dollars will not matter. That is why they retain their competitive edge by charging a little less than Oscar de la Renta or Calvin Klein, but if they charge a whole a lot less then they risk appearing cheap.

But the risk is that both de la Renta and Klein have a number of diffusion lines which contribute to the enterprise significantly financially, while Proenza Schouler and Lam do not have that infrastructure yet. When a high-priced de la Renta or Klein number remains unsold, at least it works as an advertisement for the brand--people see it and contemplate get something similar and pared down in the designers' more economic lines. But Proenza Schouler or Lam wouldn't have such luck. If admirers of their clothes don't want to shell out that much money or simply cannot afford to, there is not much 'other' profit the designer can realize.

I could be completely wrong, of course. The above is just my speculation.

Personally I think Proenza Schouler is outrageously overpriced, and they only dare to do that because Anna Wintour's placed a halo above their heads. I don't know how many clients of hyped designers would stay. It could end when the next kid on the block appears. I mean, Marc Jacobs and Narciso Rodriguez weren't this expensive a couple years ago, but they started out low enough that there was room for the price to go up. But that's not the case for Proenza Schouler. They've exhausted the room for price increase; they are as expensive as they could be.

So I must applaud Helmut Lang and Jean Paul Gaultier for being more modestly priced. Jacobs and Rodriguez were opportunists with pricing (inflating their price by as much as 1/3 of the original), but at least they did that after they've achieved fame. Plus, I suspect a lot of their things get sold in the outlets anyways. I don't think Prada is outrageously expensive, esp. not its accessories. Some Prada shoes are half as cheap as Manolos.

The most overpriced brands? Chloe and Marni come to mind immediately. I believe some of Chloe's knee-length dresses are as expensive as Oscar de la Renta's gowns (in the $3000 range).

 

[Misako]

Some of Chloe's MINIDRESSES are $3000...

 

[tricotineacetat]

I don´t know if everybody´s tired of discussing on this thread, but I just wanted to add that in case of Proenza Schouler, I can only underline that the clothes that we have ordered for F/W 2005 are all VERY, VERY well made, with the prices roughly in the same league as other designer mainline collections. I give in, a pair of well-cut tailored trousers shouldn´t cost about 700€ and more, which is a pity because we had to skip on those with the collection, focussing on knits (a fully fashioned, highly detailed cashmere/wool vest costs around 280€ retail), skirts, tailored jackets (a cropped cashmere/wool herringbone jacket retails around 1200€) and evening (a signature silk jacquard bustier dress priced at around 1150€, one of their bustier tops at 750€). All of this is for sure above the level of several other designers, but I would definitely rate their craftsmanship as a higher one than Helmut Lang, Prada, Viktor & Rolf or Dolce & Gabbana.

I think it´s gonna be very intersting to see how we will be able to sell their first collection with us, especially since we definitely lack the "hype" from overseas... only very few people know Proenza Schouler over here so the product definitely has to speak for itself.

 

[Scott]

You know,Libertine is another that gets on my nerves with their pricing. I don't care how much one loves their style there is just no justification for a $1200 plain vintage trench coat with a bunch of silk screening;or a very basic shaped blazer for 1100. If one really looks at it,it's basically a bunch of vintage clothing that are silk-screened. Half of the pieces one can probably scour for and purchase for cheaper.

As I said,like their style but I wouldn't buy any of it.

 

[shanatippin]

New Designers Rule

TOOOTALLY agree!!! I had my own fashion line and it was sooooo expensive to make few items than if you have large quantities...Also, the bigger companies have the means to produce overseas anyways so they get it for so much cheaper! It pisses me off when people say new designers should not charge as much. They put in more of their time, more money, and it's so hard doing everything yourself!

SUPPORT NEW DESIGNERS!!!!!!!!!!!!

my two euro cents here:

being an indie designer and mixing with indie designers, i'd say, yes, we seem to be charging a lot, but we should actually charge even MORE, i dont think fashion is a matter of 'status' fashion is what you do, how original you are, who you hire to do it, what fabrics you use, ways of manufacturing etc.

big companies have the ability to produce cheaper becuase they produce more, for indie designers, everything is more expensive.. fabrics, manufacturing, delivering, PR, everything, just becuase we are small scale
we pay surcharge in every tiny little thing, just because we are not Dolce&Gabanna or Gucci..

some say :but with this amount of money i could go and get myself a so-and-so label.. well, enjoy yourself..
D&G is mass manufactured, our items are handmade, labels are selling by thousands, we sell by tens.. there is a price to pay and thanks god, some are still willing to support indie design.. and enjoy originality, exclusivity and top quality

much more in times like ours.
hope nobody here gets annoyed by my post

 

[Beautiful Stranger]

I actually thinks its okey, because the less known brands are often more exclusive and hard to get. And im also agree, i think we should support the new designers.

 

[sea of stitches]

i think it's totally reasonable for new desigers to charge as much as established ones, as long as the quality is there. even if bigger companies are spending less on materials due to economies of scale, they are probably spending more on pr and advertising. sometimes i justify my purchases by figuring out how much it would cost me to make something myself and if the price is reasonable compared to that, i'll buy it, big name or not. although i am kinda biased against bigger names...

i think looking at the quality of work/materials is the best bet in pricing. i just wish more people (designers and consumers) would educate themselves on the actual worth of an item, as it seems to be quite rare.

 

[Scott]

Cannot agree with you more,Stitches

 

[zamb]

i wanted to revive this thread as based on the "consequences accessible design "thread i think we can, and probably should discuss more, the cost of producing designer collections

 

[Lena]

thanks for reviving this thread zamb
as for me, my point is already made here, i dont have much to add

indie designers cost more cause they have bigger production expenses and nothing will ever change that

 

[JJohnson]

I think newer designers charge a little less to give an edge for people to buy their collections. Im sure once they're more famous, they'll jack the price up

 

[Scott]

completely agree,lena. and they have no money in the first place either so they have to compromise somehow. i mean,financial backing only goes so far,and that's always perused at the expense of production,fabric, and other bits that goes solely into the collection. and whatever sales they do make from the collection they only get very little out of it as well.

 

[ultramarine]

is it reasonable for a young designer who is just starting out to charge the same prices as a label or designer which has been in business for many years and has established a certain reputation in the world of fashion?...

what do you think?...ie-should proenza schouler be charging as much as chanel?...and would you pay that much for it?...

what are your thoughts on the matter?... pros and cons...
please share...

Hum ... I find it super interesting that you mention Proenza priced as Chanel, Gabrielle Chanel, when she first opened her first boutique in Deauville ... priced her stuff really high from day one, and she established her first boutiques at the playgroud of the french rich and famous ... most young designers try to emulate her by the hand-me-downs to celebs and then once featured on mags or by paparazzi shots they add a couple of zeroes ... IMHO, Proenza doest bring anything to the plate, opposite Gabrielle who made clothes simple and wearable and practical and sporty, she was charging a lot of money for pieces made with fabric used only for sportswear or undergarments at the moment and throught design revolutionized ...

 

[JJohnson]

Darn...I love Proenza... so hardcore and sexy! btw, they're stuff is expensive

 

[markie]

i think it's totally reasonable for new desigers to charge as much as established ones, as long as the quality is there. even if bigger companies are spending less on materials due to economies of scale, they are probably spending more on pr and advertising. sometimes i justify my purchases by figuring out how much it would cost me to make something myself and if the price is reasonable compared to that, i'll buy it, big name or not. although i am kinda biased against bigger names...

i think looking at the quality of work/materials is the best bet in pricing. i just wish more people (designers and consumers) would educate themselves on the actual worth of an item, as it seems to be quite rare.

Completely and totally agree. Instead of looking at pricing by name, look at pricing by quality and availability...

 

[zamb]

do we honestly believe that the quality of new designer merchandize is better that that of establish designers?
If yes, what is the criteria that we use to dertermine quality, and how do we use such a criteria to conclude that the new designer merchandise is better.

also, can we get some examples of new designers who are producing better quality collections that those of thier fellow established (not so new) professionals..........

 

[tott]

^ I don't think that was what's been said... Merely that the production costs are higher for a small line vs. a major one.

I've seen some beautifully made pieces from "unestablished" designers, as well as what looks like homemade crap... It doesn't really matter if you use the finest fabrics there are if the tailoring sucks.