Could Gap’s Denim Line Bring Down Prices of Others Like it?
Gap 1969
What:The Gap introduced a premium denim line called 1969 last month, and it did so with some pretty aggressive advertising. Well, now makers of other similar high-quality jeans (like 7 for All Mankind and Levi’s) are having to defend their high prices. Gap’s denim costs around $50, while others cost triple that. Many say the Gap is overstating how premium their denim really is, as most their materials come from China and Mexico - as opposed to Italy and Japan.
What They Say:
“I think the Gap is going to have some impact, but I don’t think it is going to shake up the overall retail environment,” said Stefano Aldighieri, a denim designer who has worked for 7 For All Mankind, Levi’s Premium and Hudson Clothing Co. He is also the co-founder of the Los Angeles consulting firm Another Design Studio Inc. “But you can find premium denim at any price point and at any distribution. If you go to JCPenney or Sears, you will find examples of what they call premium denim. Then you go to Barneys and see their premium denim. Premium denim has become an obsolete word.”
What We Say: We’ll take a good $50 pair of jeans over a slightly better $150 pair of jeans any day, especially right now. We doubt the entire denim industry is going to start heavily discounting their products, though, because if they do, they’ll be admitting that they’re not putting out that much better of products in the first place. Any predictions?
| Posted by LauraJaneKyle
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Member Comments
Well, if the economy continues the way it is, they may have to. I personally don’t know what the big deal is with designer jeans. I’ve never paid more than $30.00 for my own jeans, and quite frankly, don’t see why I should, when there such a variety available in the marketplace at affordable price points. But then again, to each his/her own.
Honestly, I worked for A&F for a good 4 years and I’ve literally watched the quality of their clothing deteriorate during that time. When I started working for them back in 2004, their denim was well worth the price of $79-$90 bucks. Now, they clearly skimp on materials (stretch denim equals: not durable, thin, and nowhere near worth the price they sell them for which is higher than what it was 5 years ago. I can’t say with 7 For All Mankind or Levi’s whether this trend has occurred as well but I wouldn’t be surprised. The whole point of the “premium” jeans is for them to appear relatively exclusive; therefore to keep up appearances (and for the simple fact that people will still pay for them), I doubt they’ll ever reduce the prices. I also sincerely doubt that Gap will one up them; their jeans are made to be cheap.
The only that matters about jeans, or any pants for that matter, is how they look on your butt, aka, the FIT. A person in $30 awesome fitting Wal Mart jeans will look better than one in ill fitting $150 jeans. I get more compliments on my $50 guess jeans, which cost me $15 on the clearance rack, than my $300+ Dolce & Gabanna jeans, which cost me $125 on sale. Plus my fiance says my butt looks way better in the Guess ones, and per him, that’s all men care about anyways.