After a year of being unable to shop for clothes at the mall due to a knee operation, I was surprised by the high prices of polos and shirts at SM Southmall, which were two to three times higher than what I was used to when I worked as a sales head. During my time at Marsman Drysdale, clothing allowances made the prices negligible, allowing me to choose any brand.
As a former expat in the Middle East, I was required to wear suits for hospital visits in 30-40 degree heat, highlighting the importance of dressing well in sales. People often judge you based on your attire, especially when you’re selling high-value products. I recall Edgar Liu, a well-dressed former Sales Director, and Jon Gavino, a colleague I met in the Middle East, who would quickly tack in his “barong” and pair it with necktie when our Palestinian Branch Manager arrived. Despite their different styles, they understood that clothing is essential for professional presentation.
During a visit to Alabang Town Center with my brother-in-law, Othello Servañez, I saw shirts priced from ₱10,000 to five times that amount, and pants ranging from ₱50,000 to hundreds of thousands. These exorbitant prices are likely aimed at the wealthy or those seeking social status.
The high cost of branded clothing has led to a rise in copycat products, including clothes, bags, shoes, and watches, providing alternatives for those who cannot afford the originals. This reflects a shift in consumer behavior, influenced by marketing that shapes our perceptions and creates fantasies through commercials in TV, magazines, and social media.
Online platforms like SHEIN have entered the Philippine market, offering affordable clothing options that compete with expensive mall items. The second-hand market, or “ukay-ukay,” has also seen changes, with original branded clothes priced close to new items.
Unlike in the early stages of mankind when clothes were either from raw plants or skins of animals, modern man had many choices as to types, color and design of fabrics, which comes at the cheapest to the most expensive once especially designer clothes.
The well known brands in the 80’s had been reduced to the stage of none existence, from premium to a commodity price item. Of course, tailored fit clothes while may look good, are price high due to labor and material choices. One advantage tailor fit is that the clothes you wear are really fitted to your actual size.
Had it not been for Adam and Eve’s doing, mankind could have no problem about clothes since in the early days of creation we were all naked. Our nakedness would not matter as we were all innocent and would not find malice seeing our opposite sex without any covering. We could have roamed the world without any clothes, yet would not be declared as scandalous despite everything is bared. Maybe some of my HS batch 88’ from LCC-Bacolod like Dennis John Reyes, Vlademir Nonato, Ben Gonzales and Percival Salado wished they were back on these days, and remain there forever.
Eventually, malls may need to adjust their clothing prices to compete with online retailers like SHEIN, FB Marketplace or Lazada. Ultimately, the buyer will decide which brand to choose. But as for me, anything would not matter, since as the Bible says, naked we came and naked we leave this world. ||
