MERGED --> OMG! Bono and Ali at Saks 5th Avenue! + More EDUN Pics from Saks!

[U2Kitten]

I went on Saks website. A blouse is $178 USD and a pair of jeans are $150USD. Maybe a rock star can afford those, but a mere mortal like myself, cant.

I'm very disappointed to hear that. I thought they'd make them more affordable for everyone, especially considering the good cause they represent. $178 is more than my electric bill! You know, I guess I've been poor too long, but even if I hit the Powerball lotto tonight I can't image paying that much for a pair of pants, I mean, it's just some material sewn together.

 

[Diane L]

I just checked out saks.com too. My gripe is the size range:
Large
Medium
Small
and something called XSML--Extra Small?!?!?!

I'd consider the camisole if it was made in an XL. And someone should tell the Edun staff that the average American woman is a size 14-16.

 

[one4u2]

It just started snowing here I hope it stops at some point!

 

[dandy]

I'm very disappointed to hear that. I thought they'd make them more affordable for everyone, especially considering the good cause they represent. $178 is more than my electric bill! You know, I guess I've been poor too long, but even if I hit the Powerball lotto tonight I can't image paying that much for a pair of pants, I mean, it's just some material sewn together.

i'm laughing as i read your post, Kitten, but only because it's so true. i feel the exact same way.

ah well, i didn't figure the stuff would be all that reasonably priced, being that ali's the wife of a rock star and all. at the very least you know the money is well spent and isn't funding a sweatshop...

snow

 

[miss becky]

I went on Saks website. A blouse is $178 USD and a pair of jeans are $150USD. Maybe a rock star can afford those, but a mere mortal like myself, cant.

For $150 I would expect a pair of jeans to make me lose 20 pounds and wash themselves. Wow.

That is disappointing. Not quite the prices I had hoped for.

 

[caragriff]

i found this article on the CEO of Saks, it gives some insight on who the customer is that Saks attracts.

There's a little snippet on Bono:

He’s just agreed with Bono, front man for the rock band U2, who has developed a line of clothing that will be released exclusively at Saks. Edun ("Nude" backwards), is a Bono original. He’ll develop factories in Third-World countries and run them with local people in an ethical operation.

"This line really follows Bono’s notion of ‘Give a man a fish, and you feed him for a day; teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime,’" Wilson says. Bono believes completely in the latter, as do Wilson and his team.


http://www.wabash.edu/academics/economics/departments.cfm?pages_id=70&news_ID=2131

 

[EveClayton]

What 's time r they gonna be there??????????? My mom wants me to go to Manhattan with her but I was gonna tell her I'm not up for it ,but if Bono and Ali r gonna be in Manhattan then shit I gota go

 

[nurse chrissi]

I wonder how much the whole package costs (model included)

 

[one4u2]

I wonder how much the whole package costs (model included)

 

[Liesje]

I'm very disappointed to hear that. I thought they'd make them more affordable for everyone, especially considering the good cause they represent. $178 is more than my electric bill! You know, I guess I've been poor too long, but even if I hit the Powerball lotto tonight I can't image paying that much for a pair of pants, I mean, it's just some material sewn together.

So true! That's more than TWICE my electricity bill, lol. Ah well, it's simple economics; they can't bring the price down and it's not their fault. Cheap clothes = cheap labor.

 

[MissMoo]

What LivLuv says (cheap clothes=cheap labor) is the reason the clothes are so expensive. The reason regular clothes are so cheap is because they are made by people who do not get a decent wage. I think the reasoning behind the store is that the people who normally spend 100 on jeans might be willing to spend 200 because that's what it's costing to make the jeans. Unfortunately, it is expensive.

 

[U2Kitten]

Ah well, it's simple economics; they can't bring the price down and it's not their fault. Cheap clothes = cheap labor.

Yes it is their fault. I'm sure the people who make them don't make $100 per hour. Even if they make about $15-$10 which is a good wage, the material couldn't be worth more than $25 or so itself, so I have to think the hugeass markup is because of the name, and the middleman (Saks 5th?) The whole fashion industry is so dumb to me, all that money for stuff that shouldn't be nearly that much, all for a name. Even if she's giving to charity, it would be nice to have poor people be able to afford them!

 

[MissMoo]

I think the idea is that it costs money to help the poor people that live in other parts of the world. People that we normally take from instead of giving to.

 

[kellyahern]

I think the idea is that it costs money to help the poor people that live in other parts of the world. People that we normally take from instead of giving to.

They're not just doing it for "charity." They're trying to create a fairer industry for the workers in those countries and a new way of doing business. Plus they had to find a designer willing to work with them. It doesn't matter to me that I can't afford the clothes. It's not marketed toward people like me, it's marketed toward people who normally buy Rogan's designs (all of which are really expensive). What's more important is that this is creating new jobs with benefits for people who would not normally have a chance at that.

Maybe in time there will be more affordable clothes, but for now it's great that they've started this.

 

[nurse chrissi]

pictures? news? anything?

 

[one4u2]

pictures? news? anything?

It's not until tonight....

 

[Lisa71]

They're not just doing it for "charity." They're trying to create a fairer industry for the workers in those countries and a new way of doing business. Plus they had to find a designer willing to work with them. It doesn't matter to me that I can't afford the clothes. It's not marketed toward people like me, it's marketed toward people who normally buy Rogan's designs (all of which are really expensive). What's more important is that this is creating new jobs with benefits for people who would not normally have a chance at that.

Maybe in time there will be more affordable clothes, but for now it's great that they've started this.

I agree.

It's also my understanding they are trying to use Organic materiels, which is very very costly! Import and Export tax is very high as well.

The only reason 3/4 of the clothes at Walmart are so cheap is because they are paying people 20 cents to make them. The old saying "You get what you pay for" is very true sometimes.

 

[nurse chrissi]

- oh well guess pictures in the morning then - help get geared up for another bloodthirsty general sale

 

[kellyahern]

- oh well guess pictures in the morning then - help get geared up for another bloodthirsty general sale

Thanks for the reminder

ticketmaster

Not to get too off topic, but Lisa71 are you trying for Tampa tickets?

 

[EveClayton]

Wow that's one handsome model Is he gonna be there too??????????

 

[sue4u2]

They're not just doing it for "charity." They're trying to create a fairer industry for the workers in those countries and a new way of doing business. Plus they had to find a designer willing to work with them. It doesn't matter to me that I can't afford the clothes. It's not marketed toward people like me, it's marketed toward people who normally buy Rogan's designs (all of which are really expensive). What's more important is that this is creating new jobs with benefits for people who would not normally have a chance at that.

Maybe in time there will be more affordable clothes, but for now it's great that they've started this.

Excellent post kelly!!
There's a multitude of things I can't afford, but I don't loose sleep over it. I'm glad this is being done and maybe if it really takes off well, I'll be able to afford a pair of gloves in the future.

 

[EveClayton]

I wonder how much the whole package costs (model included)

This lovely picture was meant to be apart of my rely sorry

But again .............. Wow that's one handsome model is he gonna be there too

 

[The_Edge89]

Where will they sell Edun clothes more than in the US?

I want to wear them awesome good-looking clothes!!

 

[one4u2]

- oh well guess pictures in the morning then - help get geared up for another bloodthirsty general sale

Don't worry; if there's anything to report I'll let you know tonight when I get back

 

[nurse chrissi]

its so nice to know that we have a web of u2 "reporters" out there for up-to-the-minute news and reporting

 

[one4u2]

its so nice to know that we have a web of u2 "reporters" out there for up-to-the-minute news and reporting

I really need to get out more

 

[dazzledbylight]

CHANGE OF PLANS

one4

I'm not feeling that great. It's been a jammed packed few mounths and i desperately need a quiet rest up at my sibs [housesit] tonite & over weekend--where I'll be blaring U2 on her real good music system & watching VIDS including 90-2000 & Brooklyn.

I'd rather rest up AND save my engery for MONDAY NIGHT standing out side the Waldorf!!! I'll either have my blue coat on then or sort of B&W square very small check[er] coat on.

Also I may half to get up extra early for me and hop to the net cafe on Mon morn for the gen sale . I have just enough in my account to cover a 54.99 tix w the tm service charge.

did SAKS give a time?

Maybe i'll still swing by saks if I'm heading uptown and the weather is not raining heavy or snow yet. Maybe even just to meet up w you & I forgot her user name ?? blue stars? that's thow tired...
oh wait I got it starsgoblue.... just to say hi.

good luck....

 

[kellyahern]

Don't worry; if there's anything to report I'll let you know tonight when I get back

good luck again! have fun

 

[Liesje]

I think the idea is that it costs money to help the poor people that live in other parts of the world. People that we normally take from instead of giving to.

I don't know details, but it can't be cheap. They have a factory in South America right? It's probably a rather expensive venture, being that those countries were pretty much completely nationalized for decades and they don't like to make it easy for foreign companies to come in and start manufactoring/running factories even though this is obviously a good solution given the past and present state of their economies. It's all supply/demand. There's not exactly a booming demand for Edun at the moment so it's going to cost way more to produce, regardless of the price of materials. Not to mention importing/exporting can be expensive, especially is these countries don't have a very good economic history or have their own trade barriers in place.

Yes, I'm a capitalist and I believe this is outsourcing in its purest form. There's no way on God's green Earth I can afford those clothes, but I fully support and appreciate Ali's social and economic motivations.

 

[stonecircle]

This is a funny thought....
as an organic farmer, I'm very much aware of the organic cotton industry, especially in the US. I'm also aware of natural dyes and such. Black is a very hard color to make. While there are organic black clothing (Maggie's Organics makes black stuff), it invariably fades like hell!!

If any of you will note, the colors of Edun are "natural" pastelly kind of shades. The black clothing Ali wears (and Bono too) for the most part is Prada or some Irish designer I can't remember the name of. Also, other Italian designers.

So...if the Hewson's really don't want to wear clothing made by children or made from cloth that was made by practices unhealthy for the earth, they will probably be seen wearing more lighter shades than their typical blacks.

Like I said, a funny thought...