Why does luxury menswear couture command premium pricing? The answer lies in artisan craftsmanship, premium materials, and bespoke tailoring that mass-market brands simply cannot replicate. As a designer specializing in handcrafted menswear, I've spent my entire career mastering the art of couture — and recently, friends have noted my pricing aligns with established luxury brands. This prompted me to examine my cost sheets and share the truth about what goes into creating true couture quality.
Recently, several people close to me have told me I have reached a pricing level comparable to that of well-known luxury brands. At the first whisper by cell phone, I dismissed the banter and made a mental note that my friends are not necessarily my customers. And the innuendo continued, prompting me to take a deeper dive into my cost sheets to see if there were mistakes in my prices that could save my clients money. The books flew open, and I spent two evenings looking at everything objectively until it made me sick to the stomach. The truth is that my business model provides a special service that signals the resurrection of something that was once alive but is now dead. And you might be thinking: What is he writing about — death? No, silly; I am speaking of the concept of COUTURE. It is specially made, luxurious clothing for specific clients in specific sizes, ahead of a season, so they are prepared to be well-dressed within a short time.
The full essay — including the complete cost breakdown and the argument for why couture pricing is not only justified but necessary — is published in Atelier Quarterly Vol. I: La Belle Époque Redux.
Vol. II — Couture Reformation is available now: Get Vol. II — $35 →
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Atelier Quarterly is a menswear couture magazine written and designed by Stacy Stewart Smith. Published from New York.
Stacy Stewart Smith (he, him)
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