Very interesting article on high-end jeans. What was most interesting to me is not the fact that some designer jeans sell for over $1,000, but that jeans in the $200-300 range are going so strong. Excerpt:

Though the high-end-jeans market made up only 3% of all the jeans sold in the first quarter of 2008, the market is growing at a double-digit pace, much faster than the market for less expensive jeans. Purchases of jeans costing $75 or more jumped 24% on a dollar basis from the same period last year, according to NPD Fashionworld's AccuPanel data. Purchases of jeans that cost less than $75 were up only 2%.

I will be looking for a great pair of jeans for fall soon, and am still very much hoping to avoid paying more than $150 max. But judging from the many threads we've had on denim on this forum, a higher price for higher quality denim will pay off. Some rethinking is required there for me, considering I used to buy $50 Sohos in the past (but have become unhappy with excessive loosening even on the first day of wear.) Anyway, thought it was an interesting piece.