Cheap JAP » fast fashion http://cheapjap.com shop cheap. look loaded. Tue, 20 Sep 2011 18:38:41 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 Rodarte for Target A Nightmare Before Christmas http://cheapjap.com/retail-fare/rodarte-for-target http://cheapjap.com/retail-fare/rodarte-for-target#comments Mon, 30 Nov 2009 18:21:15 +0000 Cheap JAP http://cheapjap.com/?p=3920 upcoming collabs with Zac Posen today, and everyone’s flipping their respective nuts. This bean-spillage on behalf of the big box is a highly strategic move: It’s almost enough to distract me from the ‘collection’ slated to launch in a few weeks. Almost.

I read somewhere that ...keep reading Rodarte for Target A Nightmare Before Christmas

]]> upcoming collabs with Zac Posen today, and everyone’s flipping their respective nuts. This bean-spillage on behalf of the big box is a highly strategic move: It’s almost enough to distract me from the ‘collection’ slated to launch in a few weeks. Almost.

I read somewhere that Rodarte for Target was inspired in part by Tim Burton. Perfect. Poetic. The December 20 launch date coupled with the below images is SO Nightmare Before Christmas!

Target and the Rodarte chicks are being all militant about letting the masses see the full collection. We’ll assess the officially released images now, and deal with the rest of the heinousness when I visit the line in stores. Get excited.



The striped shirt gets a meh, as its obvs the least offensive number here. The dead sheep layered on top of it fails to achieve the purpose of all things faux – it’s not fun, it’s not fluffy, and it’s not even remotely exciting. The sleeve length and circumference make the Fat Arm phenomenon all but inevitable. It is a lost lamb of a jacket, and it makes me sad all day.

The skirt appears to be directly jacked from Forever 21′s Twelve by Twelve line, not that I have a problem with that.

What I have a problem with is (a) the length (above-the-knee skirts that aren’t minis flatter approximately no one) and (b) the fact that it’s at least five bucks more than its inspiration. FAIL.



A pre-Halloween Rodarte for Target launch would have made this the best slutty skeleton costume EVER. But post-October, the whole bones on the outside thing just feels kinda done. This is not an edgy, goth-esque mini dress. This is death with sequins. It’s the Suck-Cut of cocktail wear, and it’s sucking my will to live, man.

(That last part was possibly redundant but whatevs. With Wayne’s World quotes, more is more.)

I will def be hitting Target to see the carnage in person – the above is merely an initial gut reaction. For now, I’d like to close with another tidbit re: the inspiration for the store’s latest Designer Collabs.

According to designers Kate and Laura Mulleavy, “Tavi Gevinson defines Rodarte for Target.” The thirteen-year-old Style Rookie‘s a ballsy dresser, fo sho. She also has… the body of a thirteen-year-old. No boobs, no hips, no butt.

It’s the absence of these things that enables runway models and pre-pubescent dolls to wear anything. Rodarte for Target might look fab on them.

Then again, so would a belted trashbag.

I’m just saying.
]]> http://cheapjap.com/retail-fare/rodarte-for-target/feed 2 Jimmy Choo Gives H&M Shoppers Chance to Experience Monetary Guilt http://cheapjap.com/opinions/jimmy-choo-hm-guilt http://cheapjap.com/opinions/jimmy-choo-hm-guilt#comments Fri, 13 Nov 2009 22:16:52 +0000 Cheap JAP http://cheapjap.com/?p=3791 Tamara Mellon, the brand’s founder and president. Her Wikipedia page bears the cautionary warning: This article or section reads like a news

...keep reading Jimmy Choo Gives H&M Shoppers Chance to Experience Monetary Guilt

]]> Tamara Mellon, the brand’s founder and president. Her Wikipedia page bears the cautionary warning: This article or section reads like a news release, or is otherwise written in an overly promotional tone. I freaking love Wikipedia.

To be fair, no trace of blue blood entitlement seems to have resulted from Tamara’s upper crust upbringing; she’s a kickass businesswoman who clearly didn’t view marrying into the Mellon Family as an excuse to stop working. Respect, for reals. She’s also never been broke a day in her life. And when you’re designing for the masses, that’s a serious problemo.

Mellon describes Choo for H&M as “a sophisticated, fashion forward, accessible and glamorous collection – the perfect party pieces to buy now and then wear out that night!”

Firstly: Most twentysomething urbanites don’t have hordes of holiday parties to attend – we’re too strapped for cash to rent out a space, and our apartments are too small to host them ourselves.

Nextly: While some of the individual pieces are more Wet Seal feel than high fashion (jewelry and belts, specifically), most of Mellon’s assessment holds true… except the part about them being accessible. That’s a PR-friendly way of saying affordable, and the collabs – on the whole – is decidedly not.

Peruse the itemized price list with corresponding images, and you’ll see why. Yes, over a third of the collection falls into the $24.95 – $49.95 range, but it’s all jewelry, scarves, belts and coin purses – most of which are trashy as hell, but that’s to be expected of cheaply made accessories.

What’s unexpected is that piece of blue fabric masquerading as fifty dollar neckwear. You want a trendy, jersey-knit scarf, go to a fabric store and buy a $6.00 yard of t-shirt material – doneskies.

The $50.00 – $99.00 section is the realm of the not-cool-enough-to-be-featured-in-the-ad-campaign shoes and bags.

It offers some kinda meh, Tory Burch-wannabe flats for around $70, laughably overpriced things like $99 sequined t-shirts and $60 studded belts (please – you can DIY that shit for ten bucks), animal-print shoulder bags of questionable taste level, and jersey leggings which, somehow, retail for $49.95.

If you specialize in leggings a la American Apparel or Members Only, maybe, MAYBE, you can get away with that. But H&M? Nofuckingway.

Now we move to the $100.00 – $199 block, where some of the refreshingly un-stripper-like shoes start to appear, and I mean that sincerely.

They’re def more sexy than slutty – they’re also, from the looks of it, completely un-walkable.

If I hadn’t broken my ankle in a stilletto-related incident years ago, I might not have a problem paying $149 for a pair. But I still trip up flights of stairs in flat boots; I’m not about to tempt fate by blowing my dough on blister-inducing five-inch heels.

Admittedly, I’m bonkers for the studded snake boots pictured, which are technically part of the men’s line (the very metro men’s line, as it were). I’m not quite so nuts about the $199 beaded, drapey debacle below them. This dress appears to be inspired by Forever 21, and that is some backwards weirdness.

Onto the $249 fringey suede dress… what happened?

Did someone try for Stevie Nicks and end up with a Melba toast version of goth rock instead? Sadface. The cowgirl uncool number brings us to the last and most abhorrent rung of merch: The $200 – $299 group.

At places like Bloomingdales or Saks – places where you walk in prepared for the numbers – $300.00 buys you one pair of over-the-knee boots, or one pair of leather leggings, or one handbag, or one weekender tote. But at H&M? COME ON.

As I understand it, this line is inspired by the holiday season – a time when we’re supposed to buy gifts for others, and then scrape together whatever’s left to buy something for ourselves.

I’m sorry, but a $200 piece of festive, mass-produced party garb isn’t a satiating material fix; it’s a rip off that will inevitably leave you feeling like a Scrooge for having spent that much on one item.

If you’re used to wearing $900 stilettos and $3000 dresses, then yes, $129 strappy sandals and a $249 dress seem like a steal. Alas, for the other 98% of the population, an outfit costing upwards of $400 isn’t a throwaway purchase.

It’s a splurge, an investment… a number that possibly puts us into credit card debt. Shocking, I know.

To be fair, the boutique-esque price points of Choo for H&M are a byproduct of the over-enthusiastic use of real leather. Alas, the collection needed a hearty helping of perspective more than an abundance of cowhide.

My hunch is the bulk of us don’t give a rat’s ass about material authenticity – we’re shopping fast fashion, for fuck’s sake. We just want to know we’re browsing things we can realistically buy.

Jimmy Choo for H&M will probs sell out in select stores carrying it, if only because ‘select’ tends to mean ‘in or near major shopping cities.’

I’m south of New York at the moment, and was planning on viewing the collabs tomorrow at the Atlantic City location. Turns out they’re not even carrying it.

Good decision, H&M. Us Jersey chicks are too savvy for scams.
]]> http://cheapjap.com/opinions/jimmy-choo-hm-guilt/feed 3 Jimmy Choo for H&M Overestimates Its Worth http://cheapjap.com/retail-fare/jimmy-choo-for-hm http://cheapjap.com/retail-fare/jimmy-choo-for-hm#comments Fri, 13 Nov 2009 19:04:50 +0000 Cheap JAP http://cheapjap.com/?p=3781
This is, of course, horseshit. If fast fashion were about consumer convenience and accessibility, H&M’s How-To Guide for shopping the store tomorrow – ...keep reading Jimmy Choo for H&M Overestimates Its Worth

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This is, of course, horseshit. If fast fashion were about consumer convenience and accessibility, H&M’s How-To Guide for shopping the store tomorrow – Jimmy Choo Day, duh – wouldn’t read like communist propaganda.

Observe:
The first 160 people in line will receive a bracelet; on the bracelet you will be given a specific time for shopping in our designated area… When your time has come, we will let you into the designated area to shop… Every customer can buy the whole collection but with a limitation of buying maximum one per product, i.e. not more than one size (shoes/garments) or piece (accessories) per product per customer… Your place in line does not guarantee any items from the Jimmy Choo for H&M collection.
A bracelet. What am I, chattel? Then I have to wait until my “time has come”? This has all the melodramatic makings of a Greek tragedy.

This is madness! THIS. IS. SPARTA!!! (Except without the gorgeous, badass warrior dudes. So not nearly as fun.)

The addition of Jimmy Choo has H&M thinking it’s McDonald’s in Moscow circa 1990 or something: The well-timed bombardment of ad campaigns, celebrity endorsements and blogosphere buzz makes lines around the block on launch day seem inevitable.

They also make us forget to look at the merch and its price points. Common sense is bad for business.

Numbers aren’t as pretty as skinny models in edgy clubgarb, but they’re a little more relevant to your checking account balance and your life. On that note, let’s move to an excerpt from the official price list on the Jimmy Choo for H&M press site.



The left and right columns denote cost of items in pounds and euros, respectively; the middle numbers are the U.S. dollar amounts. Pardon the small text, but the cryptic Media are never allowed to manipulate, alter or edit H&M’s images in any way warning coupled with the unsettling Legal proceedings will be commenced without further notice in the event of any infringement… apparently means I’ll be sued if I re-size the frame (and/or use Picnik’s “Create” function to slap a phrase like Don’t Buy This Shit on it, which is what I really wanted to do. But I digress.)

I’m in the midst of going through the entire itemized list to determine which wares fall into the what-I-deem-reasonable-for-H&M range of $24.95 – $49.95; which are, at $50 – $99, only a moderately offensive rip off; which cost $100 – $199 and make you forget where you’re shopping and why you’re shopping there; and which cost $200 – $299 and are, as such, a crime against shoppers/humanity/et. al.

Remember people: If it’s an H&M Collabs, H&M manufactures the line, and it’s H&M quality.

The quality of H&M merch isn’t necessarily bad. But it sure as shit ain’t Jimmy Choo.

Stay tuned for the nauseating results of my tallying. Also, an exploration of why girls who grow up rich and marry socialites can’t comprehend accessible fashion for the masses.
]]> http://cheapjap.com/retail-fare/jimmy-choo-for-hm/feed 4 Stupid Things in Style: Fast Fashion Footwear http://cheapjap.com/retail-fare/fast-fashion-footwear http://cheapjap.com/retail-fare/fast-fashion-footwear#comments Wed, 14 Oct 2009 17:28:19 +0000 Cheap JAP http://cheapjap.com/?p=3457 Jimmy Choo for H&M and Pierre Hardy

...keep reading Stupid Things in Style: Fast Fashion Footwear

]]> Jimmy Choo for H&M and Pierre Hardy for GAP exist.

Let’s play a little game called What Are You Willing to Pay for Shoes from GAP and/or H&M? I’m willing to pay $50-$75ish, maybe a bit more if the shoes in question are very special (unlikely).

Let’s play another little game called What Would You Do if You Saw a $178 pair of platforms or a $345 pair of boots at either store?

I’d laugh my ass off.

I realize that in comparison with the Choo’s and Hardy’s Original Price Points, the numbers aren’t all that offensive. Here’s what pisses me off: The designer heavyweights behind collabs of this ilk have such hard-ons for their own names, they fail to consider the expectations of the shoppers who frequent the stores with which they’re collaborating.

When I’m shopping for shoes at GAP or H&M, I’m obvs expecting to score something reasonably cute ON THE CHEAP. If I was expecting to pay hundreds of dollars, I’d be shopping the clearance rack at Saks or Barney’s. It’s not effing rocket science – just a smart move for the average label whore.

If names are what you’re wooed by, would you rather pay $178 for Pierre Hardy’s GAP platform, or $394.63 (reduced from $1045) for his infinitely more badass Scuba Pump?

Why pay $345 for Choo’s “cost-friendly” H&M boot, if a hundred bucks more buys you the May Leather Boot ($478 reduced from $1195) from Choo’s namesake line?

Why, indeed.
]]> http://cheapjap.com/retail-fare/fast-fashion-footwear/feed 3 Dressing Room Shots: H&M Faux Fur http://cheapjap.com/retail-fare/hm-faux-fur http://cheapjap.com/retail-fare/hm-faux-fur#comments Mon, 28 Sep 2009 19:05:01 +0000 Cheap JAP http://cheapjap.com/?p=3308 (Oh,

...keep reading Dressing Room Shots: H&M Faux Fur

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(Oh, and I’ve been to What Comes Around Goes Around. I don’t know what pissed me off more – the ludicrous mark-up on high-end vintage, or the whiff of pretension pervading the entire store. But I digress.)

H&M’s white, pseudo-mink number reminds me of something my BFF Lucy bought at a flea market last year: We call it the Russian Prostitute coat. (Offensive, yes, but I mean that in the most complimentary sense possible). It’s the kind of coat you see on someone and you can’t tell if they’re edgy, homeless, crazy or all three. I obvs borrow it whenever I can.

H&M’s Russian Prostitute Redux is as well-cut and warm as the Fraggle Rock, and bears the same $129 tag. I thought the price was a bit high until I recalled what my mother used to spend on my winter coats, which is astronomical in comparison. Quality, stylish outerwear at anything under $200 is hard to come by, and while I can’t speak to the staying power of H&M’s options, I can affirm that they’re hot as hell (figuratively and literally). Based on all that, $129 ain’t so bad.

Onto the cropped vest: It’s a funky addition to any outfit, fo sho. I’m just not that into spending $49 on a fur-esque excessory. If you’re more into accents than outerwear, Uniqlo’s Faux Fur Scarf is, at $10.50, a much wiser choice.

Now, for the fuzzy rock star of the bunch: A fluffy-necked peacoat/dress fusion that also comes in black and gray. I flipped when I saw it on the hanger; I double-flipped upon trying it on.

It’s thinner than both the Fraggle and the Russian Prostitute Redux and, as such, not as toasty.

It’s also tagged at $99, so kudos to H&M for pricing according to amounts of material used. That this beauteous marriage of trendy and classy can be had for less than $100 is the icing on the cake.

Or the fur on the collar, as it were.
]]> http://cheapjap.com/retail-fare/hm-faux-fur/feed 4 Fraggle Rock for H&M http://cheapjap.com/retail-fare/faux-fur-hm http://cheapjap.com/retail-fare/faux-fur-hm#comments Mon, 28 Sep 2009 17:16:37 +0000 Cheap JAP http://cheapjap.com/?p=3305 Been shopping with Dr. Suess?
Dionne: Well at least I wouldn’t skin a collie to make my back pack.
Cher: It’s faux!
Cher’s concern for animals trumped her desire for authentic fluff – she did “fully intend to brake for animals” post-passing her driving test, after all. So, on this

...keep reading Fraggle Rock for H&M

]]> Cher: Been shopping with Dr. Suess?
Dionne: Well at least I wouldn’t skin a collie to make my back pack.
Cher: It’s faux!

Cher’s concern for animals trumped her desire for authentic fluff – she did “fully intend to brake for animals” post-passing her driving test, after all. So, on this day of atonement, let’s pretend to be virtuous by choosing faux. It’s not like our meager budgets allot for the real thing anyway.

I’d seen an abundance of faux fur at H&Ms about the city, and headed to the Prince St. and Broadway location for a closer look. The first thing I culled from the racks was a black, yarn-like jacket reminiscent of Fraggle Rock. I assume they were going for something of the Mongolian ilk, a la Antik Batik’s $635 vest, but it wasn’t happening: The fact that the thing looked like a wet, un-groomed poodle suggested it’d be as heinous on me as it was on the hanger. The $129 pricetag didn’t help either. Then, I tried it on, and was overcome with joy.

As soon as I had it on, I realized the Fraggle Rock jacket wasn’t trying to fake anything – it was reveling in its ridiculousness. It made me feel like a pimp and a puppy and I liked it. The jacket seemed to be saying, “Obviously I’m fake, but aren’t I FUN?!” Heck yeah you are. Onto more practical thangs: The cut was uber-flattering, and the yarn-esque material provided serious warmth. One minute in the jacket had me sweating my arse off.

The New York Indian Summer and the lack of air conditioning on H&M’s basement level made donning and snapping pics of the rest of my faux finds a trying process. But – seeing as H&M only posts a selection of their merch online (irritating), and seeing as said merch is only available for internet purchase to speakers of Scandinavian languages (really fucking irritating) – I figured I’d sweat through it and hydrate later so you could see the goods. You’re welcome.

Stay tuned for a few more faux fab finds.
]]> http://cheapjap.com/retail-fare/faux-fur-hm/feed 3 Dressing Room Shots: Anna Sui for Target http://cheapjap.com/retail-fare/anna-sui-for-target http://cheapjap.com/retail-fare/anna-sui-for-target#comments Wed, 23 Sep 2009 14:30:38 +0000 Cheap JAP http://cheapjap.com/?p=3250 Of the four dresses I tried on, I genuinely liked three, was borderline-obsessed with two, and

...keep reading Dressing Room Shots: Anna Sui for Target

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Of the four dresses I tried on, I genuinely liked three, was borderline-obsessed with two, and ended up purchasing one. Here’s how it played out in the dressing room.

On the hanger, the Silk Patterned Dress – a carbon copy of a Sui RTW look from a few years back – had me at hello. Alas, a crisscross bodice and a puffed sleeve don’t work so well when paired with real, live boobs. I felt like a slutty shepardess or something. An A or B cup could totally rock this dress but if you’re a C like me or bigger, no dice.

The Blue Print Floral Jacquard Dress was the first thing that made me say Yay. A wide elastic belt gives it serious shape, and the conservative neckline is nicely balanced by its shorter-than-average length.

The uber-versatile Silk Jumper and the perfect-for-partying Metallic Jacquard Dress were my faves of the bunch. I briefly considered buying both, but then thought better of it – while Sui’s collection for Target achieves her characteristic vintage aesthetic for less, it still fails to meet my standards of Cheap. Then again, few things do.

Based on the fact that Sui’s prints are all over this line, I’m going to give it a rating of only slightly overpriced/possibly worth paying for.

Ultimately, versatility won the day and I decided on the black Silk Jumper.

Did I enjoy ponying up $59.99 for something from Target? Fuck no. But I’ve already worn the thing twice. So there ya go.

]]> http://cheapjap.com/retail-fare/anna-sui-for-target/feed 2 Anna Sui for Target Forgets Grammar Check http://cheapjap.com/retail-fare/anna-sui-target http://cheapjap.com/retail-fare/anna-sui-target#comments Mon, 21 Sep 2009 20:43:24 +0000 Cheap JAP http://cheapjap.com/?p=3242 your own designs really that difficult? Oy.

...keep reading Anna Sui for Target Forgets Grammar Check

]]> your own designs really that difficult? Oy.

I can, on occasion, be too proud to retract an opinion. Oh who are we kidding, I’m a stubborn little beotch, and I went into Target today amped up to give another piss-poor designer collabs effort the verbal bitchslap it surely deserved. Then I tried on a bunch of stuff from Anna Sui’s Gossip Girl-inspired line, and realized I couldn’t knock it.

Like any collection, it has its ups and downs. But on the whole, the majority of it exceeded the only standard I use for determining whether or not something’s worth buying: I have an honest chat with myself and ask, “If this weren’t sanctioned by the hands of X designer, would I love it and wear it anyway?”

Granted, I like nothing more than a solid rant. So let’s start with the bad news first. The Tops portion of Sui’s line ranges from the mediocre to the utterly appalling. Case(s)-in-point: These two outfits.

I’m not sure what’s going on with the vest/cropped pants combo. Having seen the vest up close, I assure you it’s as stupid in person as it is in the pic. The real horror story though, is the black Tulle Tie Top, which I was brave enough to try on. It’s like a netted, short-sleeved cardigan forgot its purpose as a cover-up. The gaping holes created by the ties make it more of a slutter-up. BAH!

Then, there’s the Text Tee – a gimmicky disaster of a long-sleeved shirt bearing the letters BFFLWHLAGSAL.

Best Friend For Life Who Have Lunch And Go Shopping A Lot. I’m sure Gossip Girl’s producers insisted on the inclusion of texts in Sui’s line, and that’s fine – I can excuse shameless promos. I can’t, however, get past shitty grammar.

A Best Friend Has Lunch; Best Friends Have Lunch. This is basic subject-verb agreement here, people. COME ON.

Okay, okay, nitpicking accomplished. Overall, the line doesn’t entirely suck. Stay tuned for the good news.
]]> http://cheapjap.com/retail-fare/anna-sui-target/feed 8 An Authentic AND Cheap Trovata Dress http://cheapjap.com/resale/authentic-cheap-trovata-dress http://cheapjap.com/resale/authentic-cheap-trovata-dress#comments Wed, 26 Aug 2009 17:39:24 +0000 Cheap JAP http://cheapjap.com/?p=3063 Trovata took Forever 21 to court a few months ago for ripping off its overpriced designs. I’m sure we’re all eagerly awaiting the pending verdict of this crucial case (yawn).
I’m as much a fan of designer copies as I am of getting the real thing for less; regardless of

...keep reading An Authentic AND Cheap Trovata Dress

]]> Trovata took Forever 21 to court a few months ago for ripping off its overpriced designs. I’m sure we’re all eagerly awaiting the pending verdict of this crucial case (yawn).

I’m as much a fan of designer copies as I am of getting the real thing for less; regardless of who comes out on top, it’s not going to compromise my ability to buy and wear Trovata and/or Trovata-esque things. Is this because I can afford the brand-name at full retail price?

Eff no. It’s because I shop resale, silly goosefaces.

Forever 21 might do a damn good job of mimicking Trovata’s cardies and polos, but I highly, HIGHLY doubt its got the wherewithal to copy this expertly-crafted dress pictured (snagged at Beacon’s Closet for $34.95).

The best thing about this dress isn’t that I got it for a tenth of its retail price: It’s that said dress can be worn at least four different ways depending on how it’s buttoned, unbuttoned or tied.

Here’s the dress in its original form. The button-secured pockets can be attached and detached at will, but that’s child’s play – it doesn’t really change the overall cut of the garment.

Unbutton the halter strap from the interior buttons, however, and it’s a peacoat-esque strapless dress. Unbutton the peacoat portion, attach it over the exterior buttons to the interior buttons, and it’s a plaid tubedress.

It’s magical, I tell you. Effing magical.
]]> http://cheapjap.com/resale/authentic-cheap-trovata-dress/feed 0 Design Editions A Khaki Disaster http://cheapjap.com/oy-vey/design-editions-khaki http://cheapjap.com/oy-vey/design-editions-khaki#comments Thu, 18 Jun 2009 16:42:19 +0000 Cheap JAP http://cheapjap.com/?p=2370 ...keep reading Design Editions A Khaki Disaster

]]> Alexander Wang and Vena Cava for GAP Design Editions, so I figured I’d hit the 54th Street location to see what all the fuss was about. Trying some stuff on (and surreptitiously snapping pics in the dressing room, natch) gave me a better idea. Where dresses and outerwear are concerned, the hype surrounding these collections seemed legit enough.

I seriously dug Wang’s khaki bomber jacket, and found Vena Cava’s dresses equally well-made and flattering. The pockets nearly won me over.

But the bottoms. Sweet Jesus, the bottoms.

The Vena Cava slim-fit pant was all kinds of icky for many reasons. The waist hit directly at the belly-button, which meant muffin top for anyone with even the slightest amount of tummy pudge. The crotch made the risk of camel-toe palpable. And the designer’s name scrawled in various places on the legs seemed excessive, as did the purposeless ankle zippers.

Where Wang’s pleated number’s concerned, I have two words for you: Diaper shorts.

Onto the price points. In comparison with a $795 Velvet Motorcycle Jacket, an $88 khaki bomber is reasonable enough. Ditto for an $88 dress in comparison with its $500 high-end counterparts.

Alas, eighty eight is a number I reserve for items like shoes. Not an amount to be spent on something from the GAP, particularly if everyone and their Mom is going to be wearing it. Thanks, but no thanks.
]]> http://cheapjap.com/oy-vey/design-editions-khaki/feed 6 The Crock That Is Designer Collaborations http://cheapjap.com/oy-vey/target-designer-collaborations http://cheapjap.com/oy-vey/target-designer-collaborations#comments Tue, 20 Jan 2009 21:30:05 +0000 Cheap JAP http://cheapjap.com/?p=1523 ...keep reading The Crock That Is Designer Collaborations

]]> GO International line, what with the dire economic sitch and all. And while I’ve enthusiastically bashed some of its offerings, I can’t knock the line’s concept because 1. It gives emerging designers a chance to establish themselves in the Fashion world and 2. It’s reasonably priced.

As someone without the means to indulge in legit designer goodies at full retail price, one would think I’d be all-a-twitter about Target’s latest fashion initiative, a.k.a. Designer Collaborations. WRONG. So effing wrong.

Let’s first examine WHY bigwigs like Alexander McQueen are partnering with stores like Target. Is it because they’ve had a change of heart that’s prompted a view of Fashion as more inclusive than exclusive? Is it because they suddenly feel guilty for selling their wares at triple their worth? Is it because they want women of all shapes, sizes and socioeconomic backgrounds wearing their clothes? Riiiight. I don’t THINK so. Sorry to burst this warm-and-fuzzy bubble of PR bullshit, but Fashion’s deities are collaborating with Target for one reason, and one reason only: MONEY. Or lack thereof, more accurately.

I got a C in Macro, so I may or may not know what I’m talking about, but let’s pretend I do. A Recession is a big icky wake-up call for how we spend money; it’s our collective tendency to spend beyond our means that has – until now – not only kept Fashion in business, but also enabled it to sell us things we can’t afford. Living off of credit is totally okay…until you get evicted or your house gets foreclosed or whatevs. The moment we put away those credit cards in an attempt to get our fiscal shit together is the moment that Fashion – and everything attached to it – freaks the fuck out.

I don’t know much about Alexander McQueen, aside from the fact that his Ready-To-Wear line is so ludicrously overpriced that I wouldn’t touch it with an eight-inch stiletto. Statistically, 99% of the population wouldn’t either, but McQueen – and Prada and Gucci and Chanel and whomever – still made moolah, thanks to our magical plastic. Now that I’m not the only one who thinks $2000 tuxedo pants are more “Must-Be-Kidding” than “Must-Have,” Fashion is scrambling to adjust. Target’s Designer Collaborations gives us reasonably priced access to iconic designers we’d otherwise never be able to afford; Shouldn’t we be grateful?

I’d be grateful if any high-end designer knew what ‘reasonably priced’ means. In a vacuum, a $70 Alexander McQueen dress isn’t overly offensive. But we don’t live in a vacuum, reasonably priced is all relative, and paying $70 for one item of clothing at Target is fucking insane. I don’t care who the designer is; if I have $70 to burn, I’m not going to spend it on the same mass-produced dress every other ‘Recessionista’ is buying. I’m going to hit a designer re-sale shop and find a brandtastic, gently-worn number instead; I’ll take secondhand Chloe over fast-fashion McQueen anyday.

Stay tuned for Sustainably Shopped alternatives to the crock that is Designer Collaborations. It can be done. Oh yes. It can be done.
]]> http://cheapjap.com/oy-vey/target-designer-collaborations/feed 2 H and M Drinks the Kool-Aid http://cheapjap.com/oy-vey/hm-drinks-the-kool-aid http://cheapjap.com/oy-vey/hm-drinks-the-kool-aid#comments Mon, 13 Oct 2008 14:33:22 +0000 Cheap JAP http://cheapjap.com/?p=877 ...keep reading H and M Drinks the Kool-Aid

]]> Commes des Garcons. I brushed up on my knowledge of asexual, monochromatic clothing when I heard about the label’s collabs with H&M (Commes des Garcons means “like boys,” and boy, does it show!). Seems like this uber high-end line wants to go mainstream in a big way.



And nothing says “mainstream” like a $700 polka-dot cardigan.

When I saw what Commes des Garcons plans on charging for their H&M debut, I assumed the decimal points had been erroneously omitted. That black velvet dress couldn’t possibly be $1290…could it?



Look, Commes des Whatever, I don’t give a fuck what you charge at your Guerrilla stores. You want to do a line that masquerades as reasonably priced high fashion, kudos to you. You can even pretend that women will pay $499 for shorts that make them look like they have penises. But you cannot, and will not, do it on my turf.

H&M is Cheap JAP country. I don’t shop there to have my hopes dashed by clothing that costs what I might spend on a massive leather handbag: If I find something fabulous, I presume it’s something I can afford too. This is NOT an unreasonable expectation for a chain that “offers fashion and quality at the best price.” At least it wasn’t, until Commes des Crap arrived on the scene.

Shame on you, H&M, for promoting a line that’s an insult to 98% of shoppers who patronize your store; to us gals who love clothes but can’t pay for high fashion. You just put the “H” in hypocrisy. Ohhh Snap!

Later that day…

@ 7:18 pm on October 13th, 2008, re: H&M Drinks the Kool Aid, Rita wrote:

So, I looked at the website that you linked to, and you seem to have missed that the prices given are in Hong Kong dollars- 1 US dollar is approx. $7.75 Hong Kong dollars. Therefore, that dress is actually $166 dollars, and those penis shorts are approximately $66.00

Clearly these are a bit higher than the usual H&M fare, but the designer did make the point that she tried to make these clothes with the same care she puts into her regular comme des garcons collection.

The point is, you can get a lot of things for low prices at forever 21 and h&m, but avant garde fashion really isn’t one of them. And yes, perhaps not everyone can afford even the h&m comme des garcons clothes, but I doubt that lower prices would significantly make more people buy them.

DAMMIT! I KNEW that rant was too good to be true. And I thought my uber righteous anger was justified. Fine, Commes des Pou-Pou for H&M’s prices aren’t quite as ridiculous as the Hong Kong dollars led me to believe. Whatever. Those shorts are still penis shorts.

(Thanks to Rita, KD and co. for setting the record straight).
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