There was an interesting story on Boing Boing about the luxury market in China and how many brands have their luxury products manufactured there right next to lower end products that sell for a fraction of the cost.

I admit that I’m a brand snob when it comes to certain items. About the only true luxury item I have is my watch and I get mad every time I get a junk email about Rolex knockoffs. Luxury brand knockoffs are available on the streets in most major cities and especially overseas.

Browsing one of the closeout sites for some deals (Smart Bargains, in this case) I stumbled upon a pair of Joes Jeans, which, based on their retail price of $175, must fit into the designer jeans category. Even on closeout the jeans were still $100.

So, I’m reading the details of the product. Seem standard enough. Then I get to the care instructions:
Dry clean recommended, or machine wash cold with like colors, non-chlorine bleach when needed, tumble dry medium, cool iron if necessary.

Dry clean recommended?

I understand luxury brands, but who dry cleans, not to mention irons, their jeans? I guess maybe I would if I paid $175 I would dry clean them.

And apparently, the hip thing to do must be to iron them, based on the corporate jeans store:

I don’t like to go clothes shopping, but looks like I need to get out more.

Technorati Tags: jeans, fashion, dry clean, luxury