Any Label in the World for US3cents

The scene is a haberdashery shop in downtown Harare. They stock the usual stuff: buttons, ribbon, pins, etc. It’s hardly the place where you would find clothing labels such as Wrangler, Tommy Hillfiger and Cherokee. but a man comes in and asks for five Wrangler “labels”. The shopkeeper unflinchingly reaches under the glass-top counter and pulls out five pieces of square cloth. The customer takes out Z$5 million (about 3 US cents) and walks away happily with his labels.

All of a sudden it hits me. He’s a tailor and will immediately multiply the value of whatever pair of jeans he sews by adding the “Wrangler” label to it. I stand there agape and taken aback. (more…)

Written by fungaijames on May 13th, 2008 with no comments.
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