Wednesday, November 11, 2009

Pricey Is As Pricey Does and Other Things


I'll be vending with Salome's Suitcase at Tribal Fusion Faire! Cant wait! I hope I see you there!

 
Im putting cute little things up on Etsy as I can make them!

 

And I am getting my orders shipped out as fast as humanly possible! I tried to take a huge bag of packages to the Post Office this morning only to discover that its a holiday today and the doors were locked! Oh well, I tried. Tomorrow is another day!

These little baby bloomers (I mean - in general - not MINE) were all over the Spring Runway according to my new Style.com iphone app! Quite often paired with a tux jacket or some such thing - very cute and of course, not for everyone. But adorable nontheless! Im in love with my iphone. Ive said this enough and Im sure everyone is sick of hearing it. But the Style.com app is so much fun! When I need to take a break or wind down before I go to bed, I just check out the runway stuff. Im only about 1/3 of the way through. I get so much inspiration right now from this. My dream has always been to make uber expensive fabulous quality creations and have them on a runway. Well, one can dream. In the meantime, I will do what I can and try to keep making quality items for the best price point I can deliver.


And Now for a rant:
Once again, someone actually said to my face the other day that my things are pricey. I try not to get defensive. I try not to get upset. But this time, it hit me below the belt because it was said in front of other people and it was said in ignorance by someone who I felt should know better. I am not going to go over my pricing strategy here. Lets just say that by San Francisco standards, I am llving below the poverty line. Oh yes I am. If I sell you a garment for $75.00, you had better believe that I am not making $75.00 off that piece of clothing.  A friend of mine has been working on a pilot about how things are made. God, I hope it gets picked up because I want more people educated on this subject that I find fascinating!

I SHOULD be making more money - but so should MOST of us right now. Or at least some sort of reform should be happening with us so that we can all be living within our means. ( I know, I know....if wishes were horses....) Things will turn around one day as they always do, but please note, that when something is sold for a price, many things are factored in for resell. Fees, materials, electricity, transportation, rent, food, skill, labor...........makers do not just wiggle our noses like Samantha on Bewitched and magically a well made thing appears. (OH how I wish it could be done!) If you cant afford something that someone makes, well, just try to be tactful about it. We are struggling just as hard - if not more so. I cant afford things too - but at least I know that I am not the target customer. And I know what goes into making it. And I know that the person should make as money as they can - they worked damned hard to get to where they are.  There will always be something that is out of reach for someone. That makes the item all the more special. Because if it were accessable to everyone, it would be just like walking into Ross, Target, or Walmart. Not very special at all.

Rant over! I feel better now!
XXX
kc.costumecouture@gmail.com


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