Not even for free will I wear them.

The Problem with Fast Fashion and Luxury Brands

The fast-fashion industry marks the epitome of waste and overconsumption at the expense of quality and longevity. 

However, luxury fashion can be just as wasteful because of unsustainable production and unattractive designs that end up in landfills despite high price tags. 

Outrageous Pricing in Luxury Fashion Industry

One Reddit user posted examples of outrageously overpriced T-shirts and sweatshirts to r/KithNYC with the caption, “Prices are ridiculous.” 

The photos show a plain sweater, crew-neck sweatshirt, and T-shirt with Giorgio Armani Kith’s simple logo. According to the OP, who posted the prices in Euros, the sweater costs approximately $2,563, the sweatshirt $779, and the tee $461. 

Many designer brands have been pushing the limits of what they can sell for exorbitant costs because consumers continue to buy into their hype. 

For example, another luxury brand, Balenciaga, sold “super destroyed” jeans that looked like they were pulled out of a dumpster for $2,450. 

The Issue of Value and Ethical Concerns

Unfortunately, these examples show how little value there often is in the high-end fashion industry. 

Meanwhile, many high-end brands have reduced their quality while charging ridiculous prices. Pricey garments often don’t last much longer than $5 T-shirts, duping shoppers into wasting their money on fashion statements designed to withstand only a few wears. 

There are also significant ethical concerns regarding high-end luxury fashion production because garment workers are notoriously undercompensated and exploited. 

Exploring Alternatives

Fortunately, there are much better alternatives to blowing your hard-earned money on questionable luxury wardrobe updates. 

Upcycling tattered clothes instead of buying brand-new ones can save you a lot of money while helping you embrace a low-key, distressed look. Another excellent option is developing a thrift store shopping hobby to uncover vintage gems and give someone else’s unwanted clothes a second chance. 

Consumer Reactions

Fashion enthusiasts were appalled by the Kith prices for such basic, boring apparel pieces. 

“Easy pass,” one Reddit user wrote in the comments. “Even if they were priced at 1/10th of this, I think I’d pass on these.”

“This is a technique used by fashion companies to promote the fashion culture of materialism,” a Redditor commented. “The only people buying these pieces at this premium are those who shouldn’t be spending this much to begin with.”

Someone else wrote, “I won’t wear them even for free.”

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