Most fashion articles talk about the virtues of bargain hunting. You can get high-quality clothing for discount prices, they say, because fashion houses charge massive markups. People are paying for the brand name, not the clothing itself. It’s all about showing off how wealthy you are.
But is any of that actually true?
Maybe not.
It turns out that the quality of material from top brands is usually better. So too is the cut and the artistry. You’re getting a piece of apparel crafted by a top designer, not somebody skilled in making something different enough to get around copyright laws.
In this article, we take a look at the reasons why you might want to shop with the top fashion brands, like Balenciaga, and ditch the rest.
Better Production Practices
When it comes to regular factory clothes, manufacturers get costs down by making each garment exactly the same size, based on the average body shape of customers in the target market. They’ll adjust the shape slightly by offering “slim fit” or “loose fit,” but these options are still generic. You’re not getting something that’s going to fit you perfectly.
Haute couture brands, however, rarely take this approach. Instead, you’re getting something specifically made for your body that will last you a lifetime. You won’t have to struggle to get into it or wear it a certain way so that it looks good. The clothes will match your physique perfectly.
Greater Rarity
There’s nothing worse than buying a brand new outfit, only do discover somebody you know wearing the exact same thing. But when you shop at bargain brands, it’s a risk. Apparel is so accessible, anyone can afford it.
Top brands, however, have limited runs and push up their prices to reduce the chances that two people at the same dinner party will be wearing identical clothing.
Remember, some brands might only sell a dozen examples of a dress in a year. And the more you spend, the more exclusive it gets.
Continuous Innovation
The top brands are pricey for a reason – they have the best designs in the industry. But more important, they are almost exclusively responsible for moving fashion forwards. If they weren’t committed to releasing new collections every six months or so, the rest of the clothes sector would barely change from year to year. And that would be a shame.
Cheaper brands will also showcase their collections, but they’re almost always derivative. Plus, they tend to show up years later when new trends have taken over the scene.
Better Working Conditions
While there have been some scandals involving top brands using cheap labor in the far east, it’s not the norm. Most reputable brands hire experienced professionals in the west. And if they do go looking for cheaper alternatives, they will often promise to pay workers they hire a living wage.
The same, of course, isn’t always true of the cheaper brands. Low pay is one of the reasons they’re able to sell a t-shirt for a couple of pounds.
