Here’s the thing. Telfar Clemens has just come up with the wildest scheme to (once again) disrupt the fashion industry. After becoming New York City’s must-have brand thanks to its shopping bag totes, the Black-owned genderless fashion line is set to release an evergreen collection of unisex garments. 

Ok. So far so good. But what’s the trick? For the first time in the history of fashion, customers will be able to choose the prices. You heard that right – you will choose the price. 

Telfar Live Price, as it’s called, is the designer’s latest attempt at shaking up the fashion industry and making clothes democratically available to everyone. This is how it is going to work: the collection will drop on March 27 at its wholesale price (which is the lowest price possible as it is the price retailers pay when they buy products from manufacturers); then, prices will go up every single second until items reach their retail prices (which are the prices designer clothes are sold in stores). 

Here comes the good news: when an item sells out, it will remain at that price for all future collections. Meaning, forever. Therefore, the higher the demand, the cheaper the product. This will prevent the price to rise according to its popularity, becoming available only to the highest social classes. With this system, Telfar is able to resist the traditional idea that trendy items are an indication of status and wealth. “If we price our clothes according to how cool they are; less cool people can afford them. If less cool people can afford them, we can’t make as many. If we can’t make as many, the clothes will stay expensive. That’s not cool,” Telfar explained.

Launched in 2004, the brand has already proved false some of the cornerstones of the fashion market. For example, the Telfar bag – often called “Bushwick Birkin” – carries the title of the most accessible designer bag while also holding the highest resale value of any fashion brand on earth at 195% retail value. To get the idea better, Hermes is in second place with a 103% retail value. The secret ingredient? Telfar’s genuine connection with its customers and its honest desire at changing the elite world of fashion. 

Finally, this sale structure will also have a positive impact on the environment. The production will strictly depend on the demand, therefore the amount of garment waste created and released on our planet will be limited. Telfar’s experiment could reframe the fashion industry, revolutionizing social canons and aesthetic traditions. 

After launching on March 27, 2023, at noon EST, Telfar Live Price will drop new apparel weekly through April 24, 2023.