Fashion is weird.

ahh totally true Dan! I guess I was just basing those prices off that particular McQueen collection in the "timeline" picture I did above. (bags like you said usually fetch for the amount you said! $$$$)

for the couture pieces I just heard that houses usually don't particularly deal with customers until they go through a process in which there was some kind of mutual relationship (prob to boost brand image!) and then they can borrow or even purchase. Maybe I'm wrong though lol!

Yeah that McQueen collection was on the expensive side for RTW, but then again so are all of the house's since their RTW really borders on couture most of the time.

And you're right, they don't. The "customers" I mentioned before are just private clients, a distinct difference in title as there are so few of them they're able to have one-on-one relationships with the designer. In addition to editors and buyers, it's these private clients that make up the audience at couture shows and who the brand is really selling to. But yes, you'll almost never see couture for sale in boutiques.