buying local

Taking a moment to provide you with a little self righteous rant about what it costs to make designer clothing in the USA, and why you can get a dress for $7.99 at Walmart. You think people would understand this, but they don't seem to.

Exhibit A: The Lace Ballerina Skirt - currently priced at $165, from my Fall 2010 Collection.



It takes me a good 16 hours to churn out this baby. If i'm working on nothing else, and spend 2 days - 8 hours each day on it.
My regular rate is about $15 an hour. Which I have been told is too low, but whatever. For now, that's what it is. If I were to charge people for the amount of hours to make this skirt at my hourly rate, that would price it at $270. We haven't even factored in the cost of materials. A double faced satin ribbon - about 3 yards needed at around $3 a yard. 3 yards of lace - $39. 6 yards of tulle - $12. Total materials cost - $54. I should actually be charging $324 for this skirt.

Why don't I? Well, priced at $165, everyone I know is asking if I can go lower.

And what do I say to that? Go shop at walmart. Where the prices are low because people aren't paid $15 an hour for their talents. They are paid at most maybe 10 cents an hour and work in a sweatshop in undesirable conditions. People know about this, they hear about it, and it's no mystery. They disregard it and keep on shopping at these places because its the American way to want something for nothing. Then to whine about the lack of jobs or the rising unemployment rate.