Go into any street wear forum, and you’ll find some calling out the same question. So why is it that a Saint Michael t-shirt is more expensive than a complete outfit from a mall brand? Fair question, honestly. A graphic tee can cost a lot more than $100, a hoodie can cost even more. However, when you start to look at what is being put into these pieces, then the pricing does start to make sense. You already have a couple of pieces of Saint Michael Clothing? You no doubt see the hand difference by now. Don’t know what to expect; new here and not sure if it’s worth the cost? Let’s get into it.
Fabric weight is not inexpensive
Be sure to keep it simple. Saint Michael employs heavyweight cotton for their fleece and jersey, which are much thicker than the kind of material that many fast fashion companies use for a good majority of their items; they may be more expensive per yard, but they are worth every penny. Unfortunately, that weight isn’t something that’s just for show anyway. It is what keeps these items from getting utterly distorted after a few washings to become a dull, lackluster every month later. There is a lot of purchasing money to be spent to procure quality fabric at the weight and the money is passed along. A brand that takes the cheapskates approach to materials may have to sell a hoodie for thirty dollars, as thin and light fleece wears out very quickly. However, Saint Michael isn’t doing that, but the price does reflect that.
The Distressing Process is Real Work!
Many pieces of saint michael clothing have that “loved in” vintage look, faded colors and print, distressed spots as if they’d been actually worn to the point of deterioration for many years. It’s not just a coincidence that they have that look. But is a simple, unwashed article that needs not all the washing and treatment processes applied with care during its manufacture and which therefore involves labour and time that it does not require. It’s not easy to get that distressed look right. Sloppy distressing is easy to identify and will appear cheap and fake virtually right away as far back as a room.
The printer you’re purchasing costs more
This brand’s graphic heavy designs are created utilizing printing techniques designed to last and not the cheap, peelable and crackable heat transfer designs. More expensive specialized ink treatments and/or better quality screen printing yield longer-lasting results and will better maintain the cleanness and sharpness of the print, rather than dulling and cracking after a few wear periods. Durability is important to repeat customers. A Saint Michael’s Logo, which lasts for years instead of fading away quickly is certain to get people to return and purchase even more later in the future. While printing methods may be less expensive, if customers notice their high dollar investment is disintegrating sooner than it should, this brand has lost the customer’s trust. But, unlike some of the larger fashion brands, Saint Michael doesn’t mass produce.
In other words, if production is smaller, there will be a smaller economy of scale and consequently the unit cost would increase. A brand that creates a hundred thousand pieces of the same design can talk with an a lot lower manufacturing expense than a brand that simply makes a couple of thousand units from a similar piece. It’s a deliberate trade-off, after all. Limited runs maintain a feeling of lack, rarity, and conductibility to pieces. That’s part of the reason why saint mxxxxx pieces can be worth anything, as opposed to the type of fast fashion that people have that barely retains its value once it has gone out of the shop. Rarity means increased production costs and establishes real demand for the brand, ensuring its continuity.
The creation and direction of the design is not free
Each graphic, each typography option, each set of Saint Michael colours in the catalogue is as much as an actual creative endeavour under the surface. The gothic lettering, the symbolism on top of that, the placement of the graphics on a piece of clothing it’s not random. Designers and creative directors are paid for that work and so are the costs, which are included in the price of the end product. Instead of the brand stickering a universal generic clip art graphic on a plain tee and being done. It’s hardly design cost at all, that’s why these sorts of pieces are so much cheaper. It is the actual money that Saint Michael’s invested in creative direction and that’s reflected in the actual price tag.
The brands’ positioning
One element of the saint michael clothing is the brand itself, its reputation, the uniformity of its aesthetic sense, the weight, its cultural load, that is accumulated through time. Not only on streetwear, though! But any brand that has been signed up and positioned for a great brand, such as a fashion brand or another industry altogether, expects a beast in prices. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing either. Building brand equity takes years, not a day consistent quality and design. Saint Michael’s is charging what they charge because the pieces have always delivered on both fronts, in terms of quality and in terms of a distinct style which changed neither from game to game nor with their ‘new’ pieces.
It could not be a fair comparison since there are no equal items. It’s natural to think about how much more expensive a Saint Michael hoodie is than something bought from a mall brand and wonder why. That’s a comparison, however, that has a lot of context that it’s missing. Saint Michael’s was working on a totally new model. A smaller operation, superior raw materials, and true custom work, all of this translates into a product that will last instead of disintegrating and ending up in the garbage quickly. This isn’t really a comparison between the two prices if that didn’t take that into consideration.
How useful or valuable is It?
That’s a choice per individual and what they’re after really. As regards durability, particular design and high-quality craftsmanship, saint michael clothing is uniformly on the top three. Unless you really show interest in the resale value or “longevity” of your items, if they’re only going to wear for one season, then a more budget-friendly choice may be what you need in this instance. If you have already invested in a Saint Michael Hoodie or a couple of tees, then it’s normally evident quickly which has the better quality. Pieces that retain their shape well, colors which don’t fade out too soon, prints that don’t begin to go limp after couple of months, that is just what is worth spending more money for after you have experienced the other one fading out or breaking apart.
It’s backed by the Resale Market
A key indicator of how worthy a brand is, or not, is that which occurs on the secondary market. Limited colorways or pieces that seem to have sold out quickly, or other rare amts, often appreciate in value after production of Saint Michael. That’s not a territory to which fast fashion is running, where the value of the product slips away instantly. The sale strength is not just hype, but a sign of there being some actual demand for the resale. However, consumers are ready to pay almost or at the RRP level as they believe in the quality and feel that it is a culturally relevant brand. Brands can’t simply ask the customer to pay high prices and not do anything when it comes to keeping their promises.
Where the Money Actually Goes
Unravel a typical price of a Saint Michael and it’s hardly a padded profit margin. Before one of these items even arrives at a client, the fabric sourcing is cut, distress labour is cut down on, the production of the prints is cut, manufacturing runs are limited to the agreement of the client. Throw in packaging, shipping, and overhead costs of maintaining a brand that has a bit more credibility behind it and all things begin to gel into the final number, which might be a lot more reasonable on the surface. Not that in all cases every dollar is justified but… There is no exemption from the fact that there is markup across different industries and the streetwear industry is no different.
Final Word
The pricing of Saint Michael’s garments is a role of various things: a real quality of fabric, labor-intensive distressing processes, sturdy print work, restricted manufacturing volumes and an actual imaginative investment in every collection. It is all not random. All the pieces of the pricing puzzle lead back to something physical that really impacts the end consumer’m before they are wearing. Depending on one’s preferences, that may or may not be the case but the justifications behind its price tag is holding up well. Saint michael clothing isn’t that costly simply due to a logo. It costs a lot due to its essence and to a lot of people, it is just that which makes them repeat drop after drop.