I use 'collaborations' to support our local designers here. The local designers need to be able to sell their collections the larger mass market retail chains who give them volume I cannot. However they all want to also sell in our stores. They believe, right or wrong that our stores deliver a platform for their brands that is aspirational and ultimately beneficial. I cannot ask the young designer (nor would I)to stop suppling the chain who provides them the orders which allow them to continue their passion. So our solution is a 'collaboration'. A seasonal collection by the young designer for our stores that it exclusive to us, they can experiment with a broader variety of fabrics that would normally be out of reach, explore new ideas and have the collection run through by experienced buyers at development stage who give them commercial guidance on their creative concepts. The 'collaboration' then also allows a person who aspires to shop in our stores but for economic reasons cannot the opportunity to do so. The result of this 'collaboration' is: -A happy mass market chain of stores -A thrilled to pieces young designer -A proud me -A person who normally cannot, having the experience of shopping in a luxury department store. So I guess my point is please dont throw the notion of a Designer Collaborations out the window because used properly they are good things. this was an extremely well-written article. i was very impressed... until i got to the end,