Burda Style For people who sew

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  Jul 21, 2012, 07.03 PMby Tanithompson

  Hi there! My name is Tani and I am the designer that recreated the 1959 Chevron stripped Barbie swimsuit back in 2008. I have been designing and selling my wears on line for 12 years now and I was pretty disappointed to see this post! It may have cost you $15 to copy my suit, but it is a lot more expensive to sell a product like this on line. You are an artist and you can make what ever you want. It’s a free country. As a professional, I would never throw another designer under the bus, just to get props from my fans.

  Here is a breakdown of what it cost me to produce this design: etsy fee for a listing is $0.20 USD. I send $5.00 a day to renew this listing. PayPal fees is 2.9% plus $0.30 USD of the amount you receive. Stripe Fabric: $6.95 a yard, with a 20 yard minimum Liner Fabric: $2.95 a yard, with a 20 yard minimum Shipping of materials: average is $30.00 Labor $10.00 to $14.00 an hour. I can’t do everything myself. Shipping and office supplies per month is around $15.00 a month Taxes! don’t get me started on taxes!! Returns, damaged items and left over inventory.

  The Barbie suit sells for $80.00 to $90.00. The wholesale price is $40.00 $40.00 minus the fees and expenses, you do the math!

  My best advice to you is keep create beautiful clothing and respect your fellow designers. You never know who might lift you up some day.

  Peace, Tani Thompson

  1 Reply

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    Jul 22, 2012, 03.30 AMby Mandy Denham

    Tani,

    I think I ripped 1959 Barbie off, not you exactly. I know a bit about how much it costs to run a business like that, I just quit running the office for Eleve Dancewear, but rest assured that this suit is not for sale. I have always wanted to work drafting patterns, but the best I was ever able to do is work doing grading. I went to art school so I have some friends that are willing to wear ANYTHING, so whenever I see something fun and interesting to try I do it, and when my buddy called me up and asked if I could this, it looked like a fun challenge. Out of respect, I won’t share the pattern, but it did make its rounds in the office. I would be interested, though, if I sent a picture of the pattern to you personally, could you let me know if we came to the same conclusion?

    Mandy

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  Jun 12, 2012, 07.54 PMby Ljiljan

  How did you made it so good ? It shine on you ! :)
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  Jun 9, 2012, 04.45 PMby wildcatspow

  Gorgeous! I love it! Such a perfect suit!
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  Jun 9, 2012, 02.35 AMby mollykatherine

  This is BRILLIANT!!!
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  Jun 8, 2012, 03.49 PMby daughterfish

  This is absolutely amazing! Did you use any boning in it? Would love this pattern.

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    Jun 8, 2012, 04.39 PMby Mandy Denham

    I did not use any boning, although, if I made it again I might. It was just a more rigid swimsuit bra sewn in under the lining. I would love to post this pattern, but I guess we dont have that option anymore. :-(

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  Jun 8, 2012, 07.21 AMby Dibii

  Great style and high class photos!
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  Jun 8, 2012, 07.03 AMby lazylinchen

  Simply fabulous!
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  Jun 8, 2012, 01.18 AMby pamchar

  Perfect Barbie copycat…I talk about the swimsuit and the girl… Great photoshoot!!!!

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    Jun 8, 2012, 01.57 AMby Mandy Denham

    Yes, Ariel has been modeling my designs since college, she sort of like my Barbie!

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  Jun 7, 2012, 11.11 PMby merche

  Too bad about the pattern. I want one! ;)

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    Jun 8, 2012, 01.56 AMby Mandy Denham

    I’ll figure out some way to get it out, I’d love to see what other people could do with it! It was a bit of a trick to draft.

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  Jun 7, 2012, 09.21 PMby Mary Athey

  looks great and the photos are class x

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    Jun 7, 2012, 09.28 PMby Mandy Denham

    Thanks! They were taken in North Hollywood, I think the perfect setting for a Barbie.

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  Jun 7, 2012, 08.52 PMby varenoea

  Hah, I saw that picture and thought: What the hell, did Barbie just come to life? Your pose in the first pic is absolutely perfect. But the suit is great, too! ;)

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    Jun 7, 2012, 09.15 PMby Mandy Denham

    Yeah! That my best buddy, she saw one like it online but the price was outrageous, the first thing she thought of “I wonder how cheap Mandy could do this for me?” I think all together with the swimsuit bra and fabric we spent about $15. The fun part was the pattern, I wanted to post it, but it looks like this website isn’t going to let me do that anymore.

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  Jun 7, 2012, 07.38 PMby Madcinderella

  WOW, love it!

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    Jun 7, 2012, 07.58 PMby Mandy Denham

    Thanks!