Why my coats aren’t cheap.
Posted by leanne on Wednesday Jan 13, 2010 Under Uncategorized
Hi, I'm Leanne, I'm 27, and I'm not just here to make pretty clothes (though that certainly is fun!)
HINT it’s not because a. I’m elitist b. for my personal financial gain or even c. I set out to make a high end clothing line. It’s because d.-I’m just not okay with making compromises, of ethics, quality, or performance for the sake of cutting costs. It’s just not why I’m here.
We know that clothes can be cheap cheap cheap when workers are paid outrageously low wages. But it swings both ways- when workers are paid more than a “fair” wage- a living wage, and production is local (higher cost of living) that makes the clothes more expensive too. But that’s just the tip of it.
I’m not here to make pretty clothes (though it’s certainly fun!). But I didn’t spend a year and a half (and counting) on no income just to make something cute to wear. I’m here to put respect for all into the business equation– an equation which typically consists of two factors 1. costs to cut and 2. profits to make. Similar to government subsidies on food creating falsely low prices, the snowballing cuts in ethics have created falsely low prices (and low quality fast fashion) that we (myself included) have grown used to (based on unfair wages and cutting corners). My background is not in fashion or design. I started this little project to create clothing options that are vegan and conscientious and weren’t available on the market- basically to create conscientious clothes I couldn’t find. In each detail I wanted to do it right.
And it was when I realized that starting a business, which touches so many different entities, could be a way for me to create positive change within each of those relationships that I realized I’d found my mission, got super giddy (where you know your heart is happy) and decided that I had to do this. For me, the value is not in cutting as many costs as I can to create more profit, it’s in seeing every thread of the process as an opportunity to create positive change. In my first season, I’ve been able to develop a line with most of the quality, ethics, performance and style that I thought was missing, the only thing not ideal is the accessibility. But it is in the action of respect (for the earth, the animals, the workers, the fabrics!) that is the basis for these prices, and at once it requires a two-fold new understanding of fashion: that we can make a difference within each part of the supply chain and that an investment piece that you’ll wear every day for months (and again next winter) is worth more than dozens of fast throwaway cheap pieces. I’d love to make something that everyone could easily afford- seriously I would in a heartbeat! But the lower the price, the more compromises are made- (and the less those who make your coats can afford… ) and that’s not what I’m here to do. (I do- however- try my best with special discounts when I’ve found a win-win and it will help the project survive like my upcoming sample sales. or the current winter sale. please keep in touch!) I hope you understand- I’m just one 27 year old girl doing my best with what I have.
So why are conscientious clothes typically high end & more expensive? The main reasons are…
1. We’re being fair- Everyone’s getting paid their fair share. It’s hard to see how many people need to get paid to create your coat but your purchase supports several different entities and groups of people who are doing their part too to make a difference (like sustainable innovating fabric suppliers), or to just making a living… from the people who cut and sew your coat on a living wage in the US (which I’m sure you know- living wage is higher in Chicago and NYC, where ours and other indie labels often produce, than in other countries), to the emerging artists I work with. Think about this- if you’d expect it takes someone at least 3-4 hours to cut and sew a winter coat, how in the world could we sell it for $50 including covering the cost of fabrics and development if that worker wasn’t getting less than a few dollars an hour? Cheap often means someone hasn’t been paid their fair share or a less than ideal situation. Fair means more people are getting paid properly for their hard work. Supporting conscientious labels means directly supporting those workers.
2. No Compromises- Caring about the earth and the animals isn’t an “excess expense.“ This isn’t the same as being perfect. It’s impossible to get a checkmark on everything on my ideal list of what I want Vaute Couture to do. But that doesn’t mean I don’t try. Conscientious means everyone is considered (the people, the earth, the animals), which in typical business means lots of “unnecessary costs” that need to be cut to gain a “price advantage.” I don’t think like that because my goal is not a price advantage- my goal is to support these different entities and be an advocate for animals in the industry. How the earth is affected, how we can find alternatives to using and exploiting animals, how we can not only minimize harm but actually create positive change, these aren’t optional to me, these are the reason I’m here.
2. We are small independent labels, so we are doing this on a smaller scale and don’t have the benefit of doing thousands of one style, which for the big guys like North Face or American Eagle- spreads out the fixed costs of development (like pattern making, fabric research, sample making, fittings, etc.) to more pieces making it less expensive per piece the more they make. I hope we grow to gain this advantage, but it’ll be a while, and definitely can’t happen if we don’t survive earlier years.
3. We are using fabrics that are new and innovative to push the industry towards using more conscientious fabrics and methods. So not only are our own productions smaller, but because we are using new eco-conscious vegan fabrics who have smaller runs too! Even to the point that some have never been made before (our shell fabrics for FW09 were made just for us, for the first time this season- the first really warm vegan wool alternative fabric) and otherwise are being made on a very small scale, again, for reasons listed above (see #2), it’s not cheap. But the more we use these new conscientious fabrics, a. the more we can get closer to even more idealistic fabrics and b. the more these fabrics will be used and costs will come down.
4. With the whole movement in mind. My main focus is to create vegan fashion that doesn’t yet exist out there- in this case, my mission was warm (actually warm!) and chic women’s winter dress coats, something I’d wanted for ages. I wanted to create something for other animal lovers like me but also excite women who really just love fashion! Quality, style, and comfort that surpasses conventional coats is my aim… I think about wowing the girl who can have ANY coat she wants, and hopefully showing that considering others is not about sacrifices.
Lastly- Yes- the amount I’ve taken home from 1 year and 5 months of full time (60-80 hour weeks) work on starting and running and launching this label is $0. I have yet to pay myself anything, nor pay myself or my parents back for the start-up funds I put in for development. Obviously I can’t do this forever. But for now, I’m fine with that…. I understand it’s part of building something I believe in & I couldn’t be happier.
Again, it means the world to me when you support my little label. Hope now you know a little more as to why and what it means to me. (and the “what” in that sentence is “the world.”)
warmest,
