At The Row, a seemingly simple short-sleeve jersey T-shirt costs $280, a wool blazer with three-quarter-length sleeves slightly more than $1,300 and a top-handle satchel nearly $3,000.
The prices rival those of Bottega Veneta and Lanvin, houses much more established than The Row, which former child stars Ashley and Mary-Kate Olsen founded in 2006.
The Olsens, now 27 years old, are well aware some fashion followers perceive The Row as audaciously priced. Some of that stems from what could be called Backpack-Gate.
A $39,000 alligator backpack that The Row began selling in 2011 raised eyebrows and elicited eye rolls, even as it reportedly sold out.
“That was obviously a very special bag to us but that didn’t represent the entire range,” said Mary-Kate Olsen in an interview earlier this month at the label’s showroom in downtown Manhattan.
Ms. Olsen raised the issue early in the interview to make the point that The Row also sells bags in the $1,000 to $3,000 range. “So we’ve now spent a couple of years also retraining the customer that that’s not the only product that’s available.”
Retailers were initially skeptical of the line, fearing it was just another celebrity vanity project, and overpriced to boot. At the time, the Olsens were still best known for their years on TV’s “Full House.” Read more..
