How Pricing and Quality Relate To Fashion
The relationship between pricing and quality in fashion has been the subject of continuous discourse amongst fashion industry professionals and the general public. A tale as old as time it seems, as the preconceived notion behind the two tends to be the higher the price – the higher the quality, and the lower the price – the lower the quality. While this can be the case at times, it’s imperative that the perception of pricing and quality in fashion goes beyond just surface level, but considers the reasoning.
Benchmarks of pricing in fashion can be divided into approximately seven distinctive categories. Haute couture, runway, and design houses take the reign, with some pieces being worth up to a quarter of a million dollars due to the level of artisanship entailed. Designer signatures and luxury can be quite expensive as well, but not to the degree of haute couture. Bridge aptly bridges the price between “designer” and “better”; contemporary is similar to bridge and is favored by up and coming designers. Better features medium to high pricing – appealing to the upper-middle class market. Moderate is nationally advertised to peak the interest of middle-class consumers, and Mass Market/Budget is attained most seamlessly.
Conveniency and cost-cutting has been at an all time high from the highest end to the lowest end on the pricing spectrum. While a high end brand justifies charging a substantial amount of money for products, many consumers have found the quality is similar to that of a lower level fast fashion brand, which shouldn’t be the case. Consumers want to know that when they outsource their money for a product that the quality of said product backs it up.
Definitive aspects of quality in fashion include but are not limited to craftsmanship, materials and textiles, and the degree of durability. Many brands pride themselves on the craftsmanship which goes into manufacturing their goods, specifically those of which sell leather goods. Use of high quality, manmade materials such as organic cotton, real leather, and pure silk results in intricate production processes and a higher price. Whereas utilizing synthetic or artificially made materials like polyester, nylon, and rayon is considerably less expensive, but is known for manufacturing clothing that is less durable. A brand, regardless of pricing benchmark, runs the risk of depleting their quality depending on which is chosen.
Brand identity is a contributing factor to how pricing and quality are established as well. Luxury brands facilitate an essence of exclusivity and superiority in fashion, which is why they’re more likely to set prices on the higher end for their products – regardless of how they were created. Up and coming brands typically position themselves in the “bridge” category, as they wouldn’t have the brand prestige or trust from consumers immediately. Consumers must be cognizant and selective because they aren’t always quality, but simply buying a name; a big name doesn’t necessarily equate to the highest quality out there.
Featured Image Courtesy of iStock