Could Gap’s Denim Line Bring Down Prices of Others Like it?

September 16, 2009 07:00 AM | Comments (3) | Posted in gap, jeans, denim, gap denim

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?