Fact: When pieces are borrowed for a photo shoot, they are usually just that – borrowed, unpaid for, and are meant to be returned as soon as the shoot is over (unless someone on set has sticky fingers).
Fact: Many of these items, if returned, come back to their showrooms damaged.
Fact: So, designers are forced to consider the value of having their dress lent to a shoot for, say, ELLE against the loss of the garment itself (plus, just because something is shot doesn’t mean it’s actually going to make it into the pages of the magazine).
So James Perse is now making editors pre-pay for any borrowed items, minus a 10% discount, which they can only refund (minus the 20% restocking fee) once the items are sent safely back, no later than ten days after they’re borrowed.
WWD seems to think this is a bad idea (they posted this under the heading “Good Luck with That”). But here’s another fact: Back in the day when we used to assist on shoots, we saw many, many James Perse items shot on many starlets, later to be credited as part of the basics collection of designers that actually advertise.
So yeah. We don’t think James Perse is losing much on this one.