[notahacker]

In fairness, these elements of customer behaviour are actually in the favour of someone starting a designer clothes business targeting the rich:

   - many of them didn't earn it themselves, so...
   - they really don't really understand the concept of "value"
   - they don't understand investing vs. consuming

(that's also why "designer" markets don't appeal to me as a startup space either)

A bigger issues with targeting rich spendthrift consumers is that most people considering a startup don't know any and don't understand them. I expect that irrespective of any issues with sharing their body size, wealthy women who buy fitted designer clothes really enjoy the experience of visiting high end stores to touch the material and be complimented on the fit by a helpful attendant, are prepared to pay the resulting premiums and wouldn't replace the experience with a super-efficient website even if they already do all their grocery shopping and flight-booking online. (But then that's a hypothesis too as none of my female friends qualify as rich yet)

[PaulHoule]

The main pain in the ass I see in that is you need to travel to one of a few big cities to find a store that sells certain brands.

Personally I live the Howard Hughes lifestyle and don't travel a lot and being able to get fancy stuff without going anywhere.

[HeyLaughingBoy]

For many people in that target market, that's probably a feature; use your shopping trip as an excuse for a vacation in NYC.