Labels or Designers? Which of the two draws you in to spend the big bucks?

Last week, I was perusing the racks in the alice & olivia store on 40th street between 5th and 6th. I found a few lovely dresses and tops and as I was making my way to the dressing room to try them on, the sales person stopped me and offered to take my things to a room. I happened to look down @ her booties and thought that they looked rather cute and comfortable and that they complemented her outfit well. I of course asked where she bought them and she told me that they were designed by Stacey Bendet who is the designer for alice & olivia. I immediately turned around to see if there was another section of the store that I had overlooked and the sales person just smiled and said "you aren't going to find them here, because we don't sell shoes; not yet @ least."

Needless, to say I was confused. Finally she stopped her incessant laughter and told me that I could get a pair for only $48 dollars @ a place that I wouldn't guess.

PAYLESS

I was floored! I know that many stores have been soliciting the help of established designers to come in and revamp their line or to design an additional line for them to increase sales and bring variety. Like H & M, and Target, it seems that Payless has jumped on the band wagon.

Stacey Bendet's designs were released in about 400 payless stores, and you can also find her designs online @ the payless website.

Here is a look @ some of the designs and a picture of Stacey herself donning a pair.


Click on all pics to Enlarge

I like the grey ones, they are the ones that the sales attendant was wearing. Would any of you buy a pair? Or, is the purpose of purchasing designer labels a way to separate the elite from the working/lower class; and to obtain bragging rights? If that's the case then, IMO that's ridiculous... one should buy shoes because they like/love them not because of the label. I understand that certain labels you can trust in terms of fit and a guaranteed long lasting effect, but you have to try something once to know that you don't like it,right?

Remember, it's a recession y'all, you better act like you know :)