Madness & Mayhem for Missoni – The Fashion Pimp

Last week the fashion house Missoni launched an exclusive and moderately priced line for Target retail stores. It was amazing to read and hear about how quickly stores sold out of the merchandise. It was also equally amazing to see the merchandise end up on online for double, triple and even quadruple the original Target price. Now, being a capitalist or as like to say now, a fashion pimp, I appreciate how people can drive up demand. Demand is WONDERFUL, but what I could not figure out was the logic behind how people arrived at their price setting for the Target branded Missoni. What pimp juice cocktail did these folks take to consider even asking three to four times the original price? Now keep in mind, the Missoni for Target brand is NOT to be confused with the original Italian-made luxury items. Maybe the pricing was not based on logic, but perhaps old-fashioned greed and the likelihood some unsuspecting dupe, oops - consumer would be willing to shell out some really big bucks when a little bit of savvy internet searching could yield them the “real” Italian deal.

If you take a few moments and do a Bing, Google or Yahoo search for Missoni, more than likely you will see web links to the most expensive and exclusive stores such as Neiman Marcus and Bergdorf Goodman carrying the upscale Missoni merchandise. You will also come across many recent news articles reporting on how Target stores sold out of their Missoni inventory in one day. So, before you go clicking on link after link trying to find a great Missoni item within your price range, ignore all those links and go directly to eBay. Here you will come upon approximately 35,000 items up for sale including a pair of Missoni for Target rain boots for $31,000.00 – yes, $31,000.00 - now that is real pimping! Talk about it is hard out here for a pimp! This seller is hoping someone will buy the boots to cover the costs of her freshman daughter’s college tuition - good luck!?!? She did have 18 years – right? Okay, I have digressed; let me get back on track.

Now, for the person truly looking to add a Missoni item to your wardrobe, whether the Target brand, the M Missoni bridge line or the crème de la crème exclusive runway line, there is an excess of offerings to choose from and at a variety of price points. Remember, these economic times have caused many people to clean out and sell off goodies from their designer filled closets to make additional money. In pimp lingo, they have taken to the streets and are hookin’ for bids and it is your opportunity to find some great items at 50% to 75% percent off normal retail prices. Remember as you wander the eBay corners, seeing the masses pimp their Missoni wares, there are other high post designer goodies also up for sale too. So do yourself a favor, take your time while on the stroll as you shop the eBay marketplace; ask questions of sellers and most of all be an informed buyer.