Last week for Fashion Friday, I talked about the price of fashion – why clothing costs what it does.

We broke down the cost of a fast fashion t-shirt versus a luxury t-shirt and found that, on average, fast fashion is marked up 6 times, and luxury is marked up once (double the cost).  Check out the video for details.

Of course, for luxury fashion you are paying for more than just the garment.  For example, real estate (strip mall vs. Park Avenue boutique).  Sales force (seasonal mall employee vs. an Hermes sales associate).  Marketing (glossy magazine ads), material (fabric made in Italy vs. China), manufacturing (pattern makers vs. designers with salaries), and production (made in USA vs. Asia) all play a part.

This prompted a poll.  I was curious to know whether you were more interested in a fashion item if it was designer, limited edition or hard to get.  50% of you said you weren’t.  Personally, if something is limited edition or hard to get I absolutely want it more.  I love the thrill of the (fashion) hunt, finding diamonds in the rough and investing in pieces that are unique.  I don’t want what everyone else has.

What about you?

I also asked if you shopped strictly by budget or if knowing a garment’s origin was important (even if it meant paying more).  60% of you said that you’re willing to pay more if you know the garment is ethically sourced and well made.

I loved having this conversation with you.  It’s an interesting view of the current fashion landscape.  When did we start buying more for less money? (Answer: the 80s when fast fashion was born.)  And will we ever get back to the days when having a higher quality but lower quantity is the norm?

Here are some of my favorite ethical, high quality, affordable brands

Naadam
Everlane
Cuyana
For Days
Amour Vert
Able
Girlfriend Collective
Patagonia
Levi’s