Alas, I'm not quite referring to the part of Hong Kong where I used to reside but an upsurge of mid-level pricing of 'designer' clothing. "Designer" seems like a very dated and broad category that could mean anything from publicly traded companies a la Prada to young designers who can't afford to pay their electricity bills. I suppose words 'indie' and 'high-end' help the categorisation a little bit but does pricing play into it? A confusing pool to wade into really because there are young, indie designers who are selling garments for well over £1,000, equal to the big gun designers. However, there's a new rise of designers who are recognising that a new generation of people aren't necessarily going to be able to afford said pricing but aren't going to settle for being constricted within the confines of the high street. The popularity of Pixie Market is testament to this and I can only see more Pixie-look-alikes popping up on the web over the next year or so.
I came across the work of Barcelona-based designer Gemma Degara whose S/S 09 images were beautifully shot and featured an intriguing print of Japanese Samurai armour (have Roberto Capucci's warrior influences on the mind…) and I just get a general feeling that the pieces would be easy to wear, incorporate and work into most people's wardrobes without too much effort but still stand fine by themselves as strong clothes…
All pretty stuff and to be frank I was just going to post these lovely lookbook images and be done with it only to have you asking the forever-asked question of "But how much does it cost?" I feel this question will only be ever more relevant in 2009 and no longer can I turn my nose up and airily say "One cannot put a price on creativity!". (Errr…just to be clear, I've always not been able to answer said question only because it's hard to find the info out without getting confused by wholesale/retail etc etc…and NOT because I'm actually turning my nose up…it's too damn small to do any kind of turning.)
Anyway, Degara sells her designs on Etsy for prices that are in the $100-$200 bracket, demonstrative of that mid-level that I feel will only rise this year… her A/W08-9 Free Fall collection again features print but around the motif of rope…
I love the simplicity of this plastic clasp belted dress…
The neoprene coat is also a bargain at $80 and just needs the *ahem* $800 Pierre Hardy neon pink neoprene sandals to offset it (budgeting in some areas gives way for fantasising about grossly expensive things in other areas…).
Her A/W08 collection is also on sale at the Doshaburi, an online store based in Barcelona that also sells a ton of examples of this mid-level pricing (all it needs is a redesign to make it truly ace…).
Sheer panelled leggings? I'm getting a bit predictable these days, aren't I?
I LOVE IT. Bloody fricking brilliantly written. I have seen a good few OAK and Pixie market look alikes and am sort of enjoying it. Thank you for posting the spread perfect source of inspiration.
+ A must/need/want, oh and baby also thanks for providing the etsy store link.
, China L.
Oh my. I want everything here. Brilliant find! And yes, thanks for putting the prices up – the context really helps 🙂
It’s quite refreshing to see mid-priced stuff that had actually been DESIGNED and is quite nice. I love those leggings!
I want all of them! Distinctive designs that I dream about…
I love those t-shirts!! Also, you used to live in the Mid Levels? Nice!
I know what you mean about rationalizing expenditures. If I go out shopping with a particular price limit in mind and find my intended purchases to be much less than expected I will find reasons to spend my maximum limit anyway, or exceed it.
I agree that the idea of mid-price items from indy designers has a lot of appeal but what happens when they get popular? Will it be on to the next one?
Love that neoprene coat. Great shape and I’m coveting anything with a big hood right now.
Thanks for sharing these sites. I’ve been looking for more interesting places to shop online.
you live in hong kong???!!
SO DO I!
soulmates right there yo, hehhehe.
whereabouts do you live?
xxxxx latte.
[http://icecoldlatte.blogspot.com/]
That pixie market website is ace! I love all of the designs on there…especially their accesories!
the cuts are great … what about pattern ?
I love C.Neon: http://www.cneeon.de/
greets from germany 😉
I think we’ve only just scratched the surface of this pricing shift and I agree for $80 that neoprene coat is a total steal.
Camilla: Nope nope…USED to….a long time ago…. I live in London now…
Imelda: I think you’re right…
i saw that you’ve been Street Peeped and even in the teeny tiny postage stamped size preview on the front page, I was drawn to your outfit and voila! it was you! if its not too much, can we see the back of that jacket that i must now covet or drool over the rest of my life?
PS you are such a divine dresser!
The pink clasped dress is a dead ringer for an Ashley Isham of many seasons past! LLGxx
darn i would have snapped up that neoprene coat but it’s gone!
I completely agree that designer prices have gotten out of hand (a $1500 Balmain tee shirt? Please!) but I wonder how low designers can afford to go before they have to start making things in sweatshops. Obviously no one wants to think about that as they shop, but I would say that ‘mid level’ is $300-500. Eighty bucks for a good coat is very cheap!
Hey S,
Thanks for the link to Bethan Wood’s jewelery and for having me on your blogroll!
I adoooooore those leggings, and the photos above. Pixie Market totally rocks – they have the most unique pieces!
xoxox,
CC
that’s a good point you bring up about what is ‘designer’ these days with such an influx of branding – there’s a book called ‘Deluxe’ that talks about this matter indepth. My biggest pet peeve is when supposed design ‘experts’ refer to RTW as ‘couture’ ~ Coco Chanel would give them a tongue lashing for sure 🙂
Anjo: I know what you mean…it’s something that’s very hard to define…I guess I can’t quantify properly what I mean but what I’m getting at is ‘affordable’ clothes that are not made in sweatshops and can be called ‘designer’ because of the originator of the garments…. in general I’d agree with you though….
I think that this idea of mid-level fashion is awesome and not only relevant during this particular economic mood but all the time. It’s frustrating when most fashion blogs and magazines only talk about the super high-end couture and ‘designer-y’ stuff that the majority of people can never dream of actually buying, and to attract the said normal people, resort to showing super cheap, terrible quality knockoffs from huge, monotonous chains. A focus on creative, fresh designs within a reasonable price range is really valid and underrated.
And to add to the sweatshop discussion: price isn’t always a reliable indicator of working conditions– some high-end designer products are still made under questionable standards.
With having a bad recession period i wonder how are the “indie” designers surviving. I mean seriously, time are really bad nowadays. i dont even know how i could pass through my graduation collection.Already right now im drafting patterns on old newspapers. Anyways i saw a couple of cool fashion obs at jobstaxi. Donna Karen,H&M, Vans and Condenast are hiring! Finally some justice.
http://jobstaxi.com
I love all the London designers like Orphan Age. I’ve already bought 2 jodhpur pants at Pixie Market and I can’t wait to see their new collection.
xoxo
Lucy.