In my opinion, anyone manufacturing apparel no matter how mundane, should be grateful and thank (insert your deity of preference) for the exclusive and even sometimes whacko couturiers. In my opinion, the press and consumer interest they generate amounts to the closest thing to an industry marketing group as we’re ever likely to get. I don’t even think that the controversy they generate is necessarily bad (just spell my name right); if it weren’t for couturiers, I think consumers would have given up on fashion long ago. Couturiers are the closest thing to a “Got Milk?” campaign as we’re ever going to get and it doesn’t cost us a dime.
In fact, one of the greatest benefits that the sometimes strange couturiers generate is maintaining perceived value -the retail price levels of apparel. As the haute designers charge ever more obscene prices, it makes our prices seem much more reasonable in comparison….