By: Katie Borders

Opinion Editor

I find it extremely irksome when I go shopping and I cannot justify the cost on an item given its quality. Places like Free People, Aritzia, Abercrombie & Fitch, and Urban Outfitters — all places with regular, daily clothing – are increasing their prices to a point where the price point does not reflect the quality of their products. A simple summer crop top at Aritzia now costs around 50 dollars. While I understand that these clothing places are businesses and where they see demand, prices will increase to reflect that demand, I still find it frustrating how clothing brands increase their prices, blame it all on inflation, and either maintain the same quality or often lower it. More often than not, inflation leads to price increases but those prices do not come back down once inflation decreases; they either maintain the price or increase it even more to grow their profit. As soon as a brand takes off and becomes trendy or popular, the brand raises its prices in a continuous and predictable style.

I would be more understanding if the brands had unique and original designs for their clothing; more often than not, the influx of pricing from many of these brands is honestly just a money grab and there is a complete lack of originality in their style. To clarify, I do think that some brands are worth their expensive price points, but purchasing such brands is a personal preference and depends on if I find the quality worth the price and if the style of the clothing is original and unique to that particular brand. However, it feels like the majority of brands that raise their prices lack much originality.

I also dislike how these brands blame their increasing prices on inflation, when according to Glossy, “Between 2019 and 2022, luxury prices increased by as much as 25% … far outstripping the pace of inflation.” It bothers me to see a simple, plain top at Free People for 60 dollars, when I could find similar pieces at places like Target, which would probably price it at 20 dollars. 

This pattern of clothing brands raising prices to a point that doesn’t reflect their quality needs to change. With so many brands with similar styles and clothing, it is astounding to me how so many are still in business and still have enough sales to maintain their obnoxious – and frankly ridiculous – price ranges. Whether it’s through boycotting or spreading more awareness of these brands’ frustrating business practices, we customers need to do something about this to put an end to this practice of brands raising their prices to amounts that don’t reflect the quality.

(Source: Glossy)