Though I know I'm preaching to the choir here at Tribe, the following is in response to an ugly email I received this morning regarding my corset sale. She stated that I should make things that everyone needs and charge just a little more than Walmart. She also thought it would be a good idea for me to hire manufacturing out of Mexico or China to bring my price down. So enjoy the following response!

In our current economy, it is understandable that one might think it highway robbery to ask $350 for a corset when you can buy a pre-made one online for about $50 or $60. But I want to explain the difference between that type of a corset and the one you will get from me...

*I do not have an assembly line of workers. I am a single 'artisan' who creates one of a kind garments to specially fit a woman and sometimes a man.

*The supplies for a proper corset cost me $90 a piece because I am not a big company that can buy them in bulk.

*The labor & fittings for a corset equals approximately 15 hours because a lot of the finish work is done by hand in couture style.

*And, I am asking for half down to start the work and the remainder at delivery...which makes this incredibly affordable.

I also feel that asking people to support their local artists right now is not out of line. Supporting enterprises that employ people outside of our own country right now is very defeatist and part of our current economic problem. We have to support each others work and stop buying into mass production thinking sold to us by the mega corporations. I will never engage in mass production work, only one of a kind, specialty work for my clients! It's what you deserve!