8 Stores Dealing High-Priced Jeans

by InvestorPlace Staff | January 27, 2012 10:24 am

Remember the days of decent $30 jeans? Yeah, neither do we. Ever since jeans expanded from its role as everyday casual gear to a high-fashion statement, the price of these rugged pants — along with the frequency of heavy washes and glaringly intentional tears — has gone up.

Of course, there’s expensive, and then there’s expensive. The latter was detailed in a Fox Business report[1] about Scott Morrison, the founder of 3×1, a denim company that produces premium jeans. $1,200 premium jeans.

Of course, 3×1 puts out jeans by the tens, not the thousands, with a focus on customization rather than mass production. But there’s a host of other larger companies selling high-priced denim — and while they might not touch 3×1’s fourth digit, the sticker shock’s still enough to give most people the blues.

Here’s a quick look at who’s selling high-priced jeans in a store near you:

Abercrombie & Fitch: The popular retail brand is known for its ear-thumping in-store experience, and higher prices than rivals like American Eagle (NYSE:AEO[2]). Abercrombie & Fitch (NYSE:ANF[3]) does a number on jeans, selling the A&F Super Skinny Flagship Store Exclusive[4] (also available in Destroyed Wash) for $120.

Levi Strauss: The gold standard for reasonably priced jeans? Sure. But Levi knows the money is where the money is. Enter the Made in US Skinny Jean[5], which Levi doesn’t sell directly, but it goes for $178 on amrag.com. Of course, Levi has put that number to shame on a pair of original 501s that sold for $60,000 in 2005 on eBay (NASDAQ:EBAY[6]).

Guess?: Another name famous for their denim, Guess? (NYSE:GES[7]) currently sports three jeans[8] at that same $178 price — Lincoln Jeans (Establishment Wash and Rural Wash) and Rebel Jeans (Attic Wash).

Saks Fifth Avenue: The Saks Inc. (NYSE:SKS[9]) store comes even nearer the $200 mark, selling Vince Vintage Boy Jeans[10] for $195.

Joe’s Jeans: Smaller specialty retailer Joe’s Jeans (NASDAQ:JOEZ[11]) inches even closer, with the Skinny Zip Flare[12] selling for $198.

Macy’s: Macy’s (NYSE:M[13]) doorbuster deals are the stuff of legend, but when the retailer wants to go big, it goes big. Macy’s offers six different pairs of jeans[14] for $198 from 7 For All Mankind and Ralph Lauren (NYSE:RL[15]).

True Religion: Finally! Not just beating but shattering the $200 mark is True Religion (NASDAQ:TRLG[16]), which sells its Men’s Billy Premium Vintage[17] jeans for $330.

Nordstrom: The big jaw-dropper came from Nordstrom (NYSE:JWN[18]), whose website actually included a $500-$1,000 button in its jeans section. There you can find Dsquared2 “Ripped” Slim Leg Jeans (Blue Wash)[19] for a robust $565.

— Kyle Woodley, InvestorPlace Assistant Editor

Source URL: https://investorplace.com/2012/01/8-stores-dealing-high-priced-jeans/

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