High x Low Fashion: What Does it Mean for the Consumer?

By: Glowing Doll Blog Spot

High x Low Fashion: What Does it Mean for the Consumer?




It seems like high/low fashion collaborations have always existed. Such was the success of Karl Lagerfeld for H&M that it spawned countless high/low collaborations and now they are literally everywhere.

But what does this mean for you the shopper?

Does this so-called democratization of fashion mean that you are getting access to a coveted brand, better value or are you just buying for the sake of buying?

Firstly not all high/low fashion collaborations are created equal. You may remember that the Karl Lagerfeld collection at H&M was ridiculously cheap yet the pieces were made from silk and wool and echoed the fine tailoring that Lagerfeld is legendary for. And you may also have noticed that with each successive H&M collaboration the quality of the materials has not been as good and yet the prices have gone up. The one positive thing though is that at least designers working with H&M take their projects seriously and like Matthew Williamson and Comme des Garcons reuse signature elements from archive collections.

Target also regualrily collaborates with big name designers but the collections are not always a success. the prices are great but he aesthetic of the brand or designer can at times seem too watered down. It's as if Target are so focused on providing an excellent price that they have forgotten to focus on that fine aesthetic balance that must be achieved in order for the high/low collaboration to be a success.A recent success for Target would be the Liberty of London collaboration. I believe this was successful beacause they used famous liberty prints but in a different way. For example the beautiful liberty print bicycles which were something totally new. The colors of the prints were also very different from the traditional Liberty palette.



The Gaultier collaboration however, was not, in my opinion, very successful. Had I not known that they were Gaultier for Target I would have had no idea who had designed them and wouldn't even have give them a second look. To me the pieces didn't say 'Gaultier for Target' but just 'Target'.



So should we dismiss high/low collaborations, are they just another over-saturated marketing tactic like the pop-up shop?

Well, yes and no. When you here about your favorite designer or brand coming to an H&M or Target near you first take a step back and ask yourself if the garments are actually something you would wear and if they are good value for money. Don't get caught up in the marketing hype as so many do. After all you could be saving your pennies for the real deal. End of season and sample sales, ebay and various online retailers are a great way to get those coveted labels for less.