Designer Resale Vs. Designer Collaborations

Below, see Exhibit A: Two dresses from Alexander McQueen for Target’s latest fashion initiative, Designer Abominations, err, Collaborations.

Design-wise, the Zigzag Print Dress and the Tattoo Print Strapless Dress ain’t half-bad. They’re cute enough that I’d try them on and consider buying them…if they weren’t priced at $69.99 and $79.99. As previously mentioned, in a vacuum, those numbers aren’t ridiculous. But at Target, where apparel is rarely priced about $39.99, they’re all kinds of stupid. It’s all relative, peeps.

Now, see Exhibit B: Two dresses from thrift and designer re-sale store Housing Works.

The dress pictured at left is Laundry and priced at $70; the one on the right is Milly and priced at $85. Cost-wise and otherwise, these sustainably shopped dresses are totally comparable to McQueen’s Designer Collaborations stuff.

Oh, except they’re REAL Laundry and REAL Milly, not bullshit fast-fashion McQueen. Booyah.