"Thanks!" to J.Crew Guy In Canada who shared the following article from the New York Times, which sheds some light on why the price difference. To read the article its entirety, click here.
After reading this article, J.Crew's Bowery Acadia Paisley Pants look like a bargain! ;) But in all seriousness, it was interesting to read the work behind high-priced pants as well as the mark-up in price by the designer and retailer.Why Does This Pair of Pants Cost $550?
By Eric Wilson
April 28, 2010
Even in a season when designers made no secret about reining in prices to appeal to the newly chastened luxury consumer, it is still possible to walk into a store and wonder what exactly they were thinking when a pair of khaki cotton pants — right there on the hanger, no special packaging or 3G plan or anything — can cost as much as an iPad.
Never mind that classic button-fly chinos at Abercrombie & Fitch cost $70 or that Gap sells “original khakis” for $44.50. The fact that luxury chinos exist — and in surprising numbers — is another story, one that illustrates the challenge faced by designers to justify the still sky-high prices of their clothes. A distinctive design might strengthen the argument, but is $550 really a fair price for basic pants?
Yet, from the designers’ perspective, there is value to be found in pants that are thoughtfully designed with high-quality materials and labor. ... For new designers, like Scott Sternberg, ...his cotton gabardine khakis, sold at Bergdorf Goodman, cost $550.
...So with labor and fabric, the cost to make Mr. Sternberg’s pants was about $110 — a fifth of what they cost in a store. The final price reflects the markups of the designer and the retailer, what they charge to cover expenses, pay their employees and, with luck, make a profit on what sells to cover the losses on what does not. Mr. Sternberg doubles the cost to arrive at a wholesale price of $220. The retailer adds another markup, typically a factor of 2.5, which brings us to $550. Is it too much? ...
What are your thoughts on the article? Do you think there is the value behind high-priced khaki cotton pants?
Let's see... Would I prefer a pair of $550 pants or 11 pairs of Gap khakis (in different colors, styles, lengths etc.) for the same price? I would definitely choose the latter for the variety. Plus it would give me 11 chances to ruin/snag/stain them.
ReplyDeleteI would buy the $550 pants if it makes me fly.
I would pay $550 for pants if they came with a built-in iPhone, vibrator, and espresso maker, AND made my behind look amazing.
ReplyDeleteI agree that style and quality do cost, but the just in price does not reflect those to that degree.
ReplyDeleteI'd love a pair of Michael Bastien chinos, but they are out of my income bracket and comfort zone(cost wise).
Hexicon you crack me up.
ReplyDeleteI have a pair of cotton designer pants, not jeans, that cost $495 two years ago and they are worth every penny. No built-ins, but they make me look incredible from e-v-e-r-y angle. I scour ebay regularly looking for another pair in a different color and wouldn't hesitate to pay that much again. I don't quite get the same vibe from the J.Crew pants but maybe one has to see them, or try them IRL.
My husband and I popped into a uber-hip boutique in our neighbourhood over the weekend. Hubby called me over to check out a pair of jeans he'd picked up -- $720! Outrageous! Now, he's been guilty of paying $100 for a designer t-shirt, and god knows too much of my income goes to clothes, but WHAT THE WHAT?? $720 for denim? And pretty average looking denim at that. I'm sorry, but something is very wrong with that.
ReplyDeleteI'm with Pansy. I'd definitely prefer several pairs of cheap khakis. A pair of khakis is NOT an investment piece!!
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