Current Read: March 2006 issue of W

I love this ad from TSE. The stich pattern is gorgeous! I saw this in W, which has an even better view of the stitch (you know because W's format is so big!) Also an article on the TSE deisgner, Tess Giberson in this issue of W.

I finally got around to reading the article in W that Amy was talking about. It's frustrating to read that knitters/crocheters are only paid $8-12 to make a hat that retails for $110! Mind you, it must take at least 3-5 hrs to complete one! As well, the fact that the labor was coming from elderly women sounds more like taking advantage. One designer called it "fair trade". Fair? Maybe if you were hiring people in third world countries, but $8 isn't even ann hourly wage in Europe! Meaning what they are paid is below poverty level. I hope these grannies have a decent pension to live on. Overall I found the article so patronising of the elderly.

Of course, as an ex-member of the fashion industry, I understand what the pie chart looks like: $50-60 goes tot the retailer, $35-40 goes to the designer, $10 to the knitter, and $5 for material. I feel so uncomfortable with this breakdown that I rarher knit everything myself because I know that I can't offer a fair wage for someone else to do it. This is just another fine example of capitalism, the laborer always loses. Now aren;t you glad you can make your own?