TWO practically-identical woolly jumpers are on sale in different budget high-street chains – with a price €20 apart.
The jacquard-print jersey in brown and beige tones is on the shelves in Pull&Bear for €29.99 (pictured left) and in Mango for €49.99 (pictured right).
Although low-cost chains regularly use haute couture designs as inspiration, watching the catwalks every season in an attempt to bring their wares closer to the ordinary wearer, it is rare for two retailers on a similar plane to take that inspiration from each other – although it is not known which of the two came first, or whether it is simply a case of 'great minds thinking alike'.
Pull&Bear, one of the brands within the Inditex empire whose flagship label is Zara, plays to a different audience than that of Mango – its designs are geared towards teens and young adults, with casual and street-wear lines affordable on a low budget, whilst Mango is at the higher end of the budget market and targets adults, which accounts for price differences in the two stores' jumpers in general.
But with two designs almost carbon copies of each other, it would seem Mango has not made the best business decision by selling the same jumper as Pull&Bear for €50 rather than €30.
In practice, however, the gap in price is justified: Mango's version, a wool and polyester mix, is 8% mohair, an angora wool which is highly valued in the textile industry; in fact, 100% mohair jumpers come in at upwards of €100, even if they are unbranded.
Meanwhile, Pull&Bear's version is 75% acrylic and 25% polyester, a lower-quality, man-made material.
At present, and especially with Christmas looming, low prices seem to be priority among high-street shoppers, though – Mango's 8% mohair jumper is still available in sizes S, M and L on the store's website, whilst the Pull&Bear version is only on sale in size S, with the others having sold out.
Photographs by Pullandbear.com/ic (left) and Mango.com/es (right)
