Suggestion for a new vintage repro/inspired Clothing Line?

[Last_Chael]

Thanks again Lauren!

Hahah that's ok Ada Veen, it's actually not my thread, so I think I actually hijacked it! OoopS!

 

[Lauren]

I'll send you a PM, Ada Veen. Don't want to break the rules by posting business stuff

I can, however, attest to my very short sightedness and for taking on too many projects at once! I tend to think there's more like 100 hours in a day than 24 and then keep cutting myself short. I really need to work on just starting one thing and completing it instead of trying to do so much

And ditto on sorry about hi-jacking threads.

 

[zaika]

OOOH. awesome thread!!! i just skimmed over the thread...so forgive if i'm echoing a sentiment already expressed.

my biggest daydream (when it comes to vintage clothing) is to stumble across a repro company that spends as much time and energy on making beautiful clothes for the big girls as they do for the average sized girls. not just taking an average sized dress and making it bigger...but spending a little more time in making something truly special. like, reproducing some of the fantastic dresses that we've seen in the old Lane Bryant cataloges. if those were to be reproduced today?? i would plunk down money for them in a heartbeat. modern plus sizes 18-28. please.
not being able to wear vintage clothing because it's impossible to find (real or repro) is one of my biggest heartbreaks in wanting to participate in the vintage lifestyle. if i had the time to sew...i would.
[huh]

 

[imoldfashioned]

...reproducing some of the fantastic dresses that we've seen in the old Lane Bryant cataloges. if those were to be reproduced today?? i would plunk down money for them in a heartbeat. modern plus sizes 18-28. please.

I agree!

fftopic:
Where did all those larger sized 30's/40's clothes go? We know they were made thanks to those tantalizing catalogs. So frustrating!

 

[zaika]

I agree!

fftopic:
Where did all those larger sized 30's/40's clothes go? We know they were made thanks to those tantalizing catalogs. So frustrating!

's prolly 'cause they were much loved and worn out? i wonder this all the time, too. [huh]

 

[Smuterella]

I'd also really like more daywear, jumpers, nicely hanging trousers, sweater dresses. too many repro companies seem to focus on the evening/rockabilly tight dress pin up thing. very nice but not suitable for every day.

Its knits that I'm really stuggling to find.

 

[mrswheats]

Daydresses in retro prints are high on my list. And coatdresses--those are impossible to find at anything resembling a reasonable price!

Also, feminine blouses in pretty fabrics and prints. It seems like the only things I can find in my neck of the woods are frilly, 70's style peasant blouses and menswear-inspired shirts.

 

[resortes805]

Hey folks,

Thought I'd peek back in and give an update on what my friend decided to do with her business. Her niche is basically Latinas and the rockabilly crowd, alot of casual wear (silk screened tank tops and etc) but also nice repro stuff. Here's a recent fashion show.

Here's her website: http://www.lapachuca.com/

 

[PS]

^^Those pants on the right are fabulous! I really love them! Casual clothes...finally! I love the suspenders on the other pants too!

 

[mackenzie]

hmmm I'm really loving this discussion!

I was also thinking about the whole price thing (though sometimes it's hard because I can kinda guess the US-Aus dollar thing but Pound-AUS is a bit harder!!), and thinking about the difficulty in making a day dress. It seems that pretty much everyone wants nice day dresses, especially cotton. Maybe I'm underselling myself here (and please other sewing gals, correct me if I'm wrong) but in my mind it wouldn't be too difficult to make a collection of cotton day dresses for between the $50 to $100 mark, with maybe some up to $150 is they're really detailed and made from expensive fabrics.

Generally I see really nice cotton fabrics at our major fabric store over here (Spotlight) from between $4 and $8 normally. Sometimes cheaper if they're on a real big sale. Now lets take a day dress with a circle skirt and a simple bodice. The skirt would take about 2m, and you could probably get the bodice out of the leftovers from the skirt, or you'd need about another .5m. So lets say 2.5m all up. Say that's $5m, there's $12.50. I use the example of a circle skirt as they're really easy, and I can generally get one cut out and sewn up in a couple of hours. Add on a bodice and finishing, and I'd estimate about 5 hours, if it's a simple dress with either a machine rolled hem or binding (Though that would be split over several days as you should always hang your circle skirts for at least 24 hours to let the bias relax).

I guess this is where I get stuffed up because I never know what to charge for my time. I had read in a magazine that you should take the cost of your materials and times it by 3. If you take the cost of the fabric, add in the cost of notions (another $10), that makes it $67.50, which seems reasonable enough to me. Of course, if you can get the fabric cheaper, it's even better. Though I would probably go for a standard price of around the $50-60 mark (depending on the fabric cost) and then add extra for details or more complicated designs.

So I'm thinking maybe $30-$40 for a circle skirt, $40-$60 for other skirts (pencil, a-line), $40-$80 for blouses (depending on the difficulty), $50-$100 for a day dress, maybe $75-$150 for pants or jackets.

Would people agree?

These prices are what I charge for things I make up ,but in euros( not custom made). For jackets I would lean towards 150 if it is lined since you pretty much have to do double the work. When I do custom work I usually charge 10 euros/ hour including 1 fitting. If the customer wants another fitting I charge 5 euros/ fiiting. I started to do this after my teacher that has been working as a seamstress for a long time started telling me this horror stories about people coming for 10 fittings because they couldn't decide how they wanted the hem on a skirt. I usually charge 5 euros/ hour for the time it takes me to make the pattern. I agree on the things being said in this thread but I just want to say that there is very few people that care about quality nowadays. The use-and-throw-away mentality is deeply embeded in the soul of our time. This is the reason that I don't want to open up a "legitimate" buiseness, it just doesn't work financially unless I want to spend my days sewing buttons and heming pants.
Bye the way, has anyone tried out these sites that has a few styles of dresses and a few fabric choices and make the item to your measurements?
To me it seams like a good idea but would like to know if it really works?
Sorry for hijacking this thread.

 

[LelaViavonie]

What is the name of your friends company?

Im loving the pants!

 

[resortes805]

 

[LelaViavonie]

I am in love with thier pants.... Must get me a pair... Im going to break the BANK!