Floor Member TT$3,750 (US$625)
Frontline TT$5,350 (US$892)
Male TT$2,950 (US$492)
Charmeuse
Floor Member TT$3,795 (US$633)
Floor Member (Large Headpiece) Add TT$200 (US$33)
Frontline TT$5,995 (US$999.)
Male TT$2,895 (US$483)
Eri
Floor Member TT$3,550 (US$592)
Floor Member (Large Headpiece) Add TT$300 (US$50)
Frontline TT$5,950 (US$992)
Male TT$2,775 (US$463)
Xi Ling Shi
Floor Member TT$3,695 (US$616)
Floor Member (Large Headpiece) Add TT$295 (US$49)
Frontline TT$5,495 (US$916)
Male TT$2,875 (US$479)
Habotai
Floor Member TT$3,575 (US$596)
Floor Member (Large Headpiece) Add TT$300 (US$50)
Frontline TT$5,975 (US$996)
Male TT$2,825 (US$471)
Lapis Lazuli
Floor Member TT$3,725 (US$621)
Frontline TT$4,250 (US$708)
Male TT$2,695 (US$449)
Mulberry
Floor Member TT$3,650 (US$608)
Floor Member (Large Headpiece) Add TT$275 (US$46)
Frontline TT$5,600 (US$933)
Male TT$2,795 (US$466)
Osage
Floor Member TT$3,625 (US$604)
Floor Member (Large Headpiece) Add TT$285 (US$48)
Frontline TT$4,295 (US$716)
Male TT$2,875 (US$479)
Serica
Floor Member TT$3,499 (US$583)
Floor Member (Large Headpiece) Add TT$200 (US$33)
Male TT$2,750 (US$458)
Silk of Rajasthan
Floor Member TT$3,550 (US$592)
Floor Member (Large Headpiece) Add TT$300 (US$50)
Male TT$2,795 (US$466)
Threads of Morocco
Floor Member TT$3,550 (US$592)
Floor Member (Large Headpiece) Add TT$350 (US$58)
Floor Member (with Wings) Add TT$400 (US$67)
Frontline TT$5,250 (US$875)
Male TT$2,950 (US$492)
Tyrian Purple
Floor Member TT$3,575 (US$596)
Floor Member (Large Headpiece) Add $295 (US$49)
Frontline TT$5,595 (US$933)
Male TT$2,850 (US$475)
Zari
Floor Member TT$3,725 (US$621)
Frontline TT$4,795 (US$799)
Frontline (with Back-pack) TT$5,950 (US$992)
Male TT$2,850 (US$475)
Following on Spice's mas camp opening and publishing of their prices it was no surprise that TRIBE released theirs in the wee hours of this morning. Now, I have to tell you the Backline Babes who want the bigger headpiece and Males got shafted this year!
The cheapest floor costume is Serica (small headpiece) at $3499.00 and ALL the female floor options with the exception of Mystery of Loulan, Zari and Lapis Lazuli come with a small headpiece. Price wise, including the large headpiece those three sections all come in a couple hundred under $4000.00 while if you add the large headpiece option for the other sections you are looking at a BACKLINE costume clocking $100.00, or less, shy of $4000.00; that is $600.00 less than my frontline costume for the past two years. As for the male (with the most underwhelming male costumes in years) you also have the most expensive costumes, Loulan is just $50.00 shy of $3000.00!
Frontline prices however surprised me, this is the year to be frontline because you might as well "upgrade" from babe in that teeny headpiece; Osage Frontline is only $385.00 more than backline! Best bang for your buck frontlines are Mystery of Loulan, Xi Ling Shi, Threads of Morocco, Tyrian Purple and Mulberry as I really thought those would be priced more somehow, especially owing to demand!
So, what are your thoughts on the prices?
39 comments:
Well, seeing as I paid $6,000 for my FL last year, prices seem bloody reasonable!
I haven't seen any FL costing that much, so it looks like you're right. This is a good year to 'upgrade'. But out of pure selfishness, I hope too many people don't because then that means less room for me! ;)
Not bad.. not bad at all.... relatively affordable....
Not too bad really.
Although lets not forget that a couple of the so called "frontlines" are merely larger headpieces and not much else more to it.
The regular costumes are still pricey and the "real frontlines" are quite pricey too.
Relatively though, I don't think that the backline was shafted at all.
Yea, the backlines are expensive, but what I really can't understand is where on earth they came up with those prices for the male costumes!! Like they thought "what is a reasonable price to charge for these pile of **** costumes we have designed for the men?" and then doubled it!
I was actually expecting some of the Frontlines to be way more expensive based on the TOM price sneak peek. I thoroughly appreciate the fact that no FL has crossed $6000 because I haven't seen anything (expense wise) to rival Pheasant.
I must also say kudos to Peter Elias who has once again managed to have one of the cheapest sections in the band. I am sure he could use his name (and fan base) as a rationale for high prices, yet for another consecutive year he has managed to give a beautiful costume at a reasonable price.
Overall the prices are definitely better that I expected :)
Speaking from a backline babe perspective..these prices are ridiculous! I don't see these to be justified AT ALL. The section with the most robbery for me still remains to be Threads of Morocco! I aint payin 3550 for a costume with a headband!!!
First Off I would Like to Echo "ennekaycee" Comment On Peter Elias Male Costume being Cheaper, Yesterday someone said to Me I was paying For The Designers "Name" "Reputation" and "Labour" ...There Is Not One Designer With more Credibility Than Peter Elias In TRIBE. and thus he deserves the right tuh have money thrown at him because he is "Quote on quote" "Peter Elias" and somhow He has The 2nd Most affordable Male Costume.. not to mention Its one of The Best Designs of Male Costume In the Bunch. Kudos Tuh Peter for a good offering. (Im really sorry i cant play in red this Year)
The Prices for 2010 male Costumes ...Hmmm approx $225 higher than last year..Im a Bit disappointed Ill Be paying a Little More For a LOT less in terms of Costume this coming carnival.
I hope the High Standard of Service Remain as that is Really Now my Only Saving grace...
In my humble opinion Frontline get a bargain....Backline getting rob.......Male they come like a theif in the night for your money.
I must say that there maybe a rush for Frontline this year
I'm just happy that I can afford to play in the section that I want with a larger headpiece....those little dinky headpieces are just not cutting it for me...
Does any one have any idea about the new method of online registration?
Me likey!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
To me, Osage and Mystery of Loulan are priced reasonably at least for hot sections. Hobotai needs to wheel and come again with that frontline price and Lapis Lazuli needs to be priced cheaper as a backline. Osage, Mulberry, and Tyrian Purple backline don't even cost as much.
I think that the prices are fair for the frontlines. I expected Habotai to be the most expensive because of the pheasant feathers and Threads of Morocco to be the least expensive frontline.
I really was expecting to pay at least $1100 for a frontline costume.
Geez I think it’s clear what Tribe thinks of its male masqueraders and that’s not very much.
i think the prices are reasonable, gone up a few hundred dollars from last year but thas inflation for you. i'm a backliner (not a big headpiece fan tho) who drinks my weight in OJ/cranberry/coconut water monday and tuesday, and i am fine with this. now, if only i could find a damn flight from london that doh cost the damn earth! seriously, costume, schmostume, that not breaking the bank. the flight might!
I'm quite surprised by the prices, I thought they would be a lot more expensive. I agree, Saucy, that this is the year to upgrade.
wayyyyyyyyyyyyssssss... they aint like my backline behind this year... wth??? i paying damn near 700 US for a friggin backline costume with a big heaadpiece...stttttttttttttuuuuuuuuuuueeeeeeeppppppppssssssssss
Them prices reasonable??? hmmm
Exactly jv, $700 US for a bikini and a "bigger"(really regular size)headpiece . . . hmmmm. Better drink like it's Girls-Gone-Wild Springbreak in Cancun.
I hope the sections have 60 Frontlines like Brazillian Macaw 'cause it'll be a mad dash for frontline costumes this year. The FLs got a deal this time. Fellas, you better drink your asses off like never before to make up for that cost.
Onika how can you have inflation amidst a recession. Demand is certainly not the only thing that controls prices. I doubt any of their raw materials have gone up yet prices are transferred to the pockets of the masqueraders and all we can say is oooh “it’s inflation. I expected that.”
According to my dearest Wiki “ [i]n economics, inflation is a rise in the general level of prices of goods and services in an economy over a period of time.[1] When the price level rises, each unit of currency buys fewer goods and services; consequently, inflation is also an erosion in the purchasing power of money – a loss of real value in the internal medium of exchange and unit of account in the economy.”
As far as I know the value of the US or TT dollar has nothing to do with costume prices. Now I am no economist but these prices may be inflated but I doubt it is because of inflation. We, as consumers, perpetuate this cycle.
Fuh real Empress. But I have realised that basic principles of economics rules do not seem to apply to Trinidad!
My view is the Trinidad is one of the few places where its seems that its ALWAYS a seller's market despite the reality of global market forces!
It is very evident by the overall lack of customer service standards,power and rights in Trinidad. Everyone complains, yet accepted. It's shocking really! I'm amazed everytime I visit.
One would think that their costs should even be less. Which only means that they've probably increased their profit margin.
GO TRIBE!
I dont know. Im not playing with Tribe or Spice, but the prices seem to be a bit ridiculous for BOTH bands. What these people dont realize is that although some of us act like we simply can not live without we carnival, at the end of the day, carnival IS NOT REALLY A NECESSITY. It is a perk, an expensive party on the road. If everyone decided to pay their mortgages, car notes, rent, etc and say damn carnival Monday and Tuesday what will their positions be. The "band Gods" need to come off their thrones and make prices more reasonable. But then too, it have those who HAVE saved over the off peak season OR have given up their mortgage, car note and rent money to play dey mas, so hey I guess I cant hate.
The money there to make.
Could someone clarify something for me, I was hearing some talk that the downpayment for the frontline costume is 3000?
is that for an individual? or really a frontline costume, because based on the prices you would be basically paying for the costume (which might be a good thing incidentally lol)
i can guarantee you that the costs of materials and labour have gone up, along with the costs for food, alcohol and all the service/security staff. i work a committee for an annual charity fete, and to maintain the level of profit (donated to the charity) from year to year, ticket prices have to go up because your costs go up. and every year that donated amount does less and less. when you are sinking a portion of your profits back into your business like most businesses do and i'm sure tribe does, you find that you have to increase profits to stay afloat, because all your suppliers prices are definitely going up. that is trinidad.
I was about to comment on the inflation excuse before I refreshed and saw the response by Empress which is absolutely on point. I think the increase is mostly based on the expected demand for Tribe costumes. If one reviews the index of retail prices between January and July 2009 there was an average increase of .96% for all items and services. Food and non alcoholic beverages remain unchanged but there was a 2% increase in Alcohol and tobacco which I think was more due to an increase in tobacco prices but cant be certain. It would be great if someone can compare costume prices per designer between 2k9 and 2k10 to see what the potential profit increase would be. They are definitely making a killing of of the males...or maybe the males are actually paying for those reasonable FLs. Hope the FLs are grateful and let the 'poor' (literally) guys steal a wine her and there..lol
I'm sorry I didn't get the memo that the recession was over!! Wow
At the end of the day, carnival is a business to these people and we are consumers. So, like everthing else, there are those of us that will pay whatever the price and some of us that will walk away. On a personal note, yes, prices are high for a bikini and bra but this trend has been going on for some time. I mean, we have gone from paying $200-something for a costume to almost $600 and year after year it gets higher...why should we have expected this year to be any different...TRIBE, IP, SPICE, LEGACY....etc...all in it for the money. I love my mas though, so as long as I can afford I will play and be happy..if I can't afford, then I miss out. Such is life.
HOLD UP - In my self-absorption I missed something very important here. WHATS UP WITH THOSE MALE PRICES??
I know carnival is woman ... but we don't want ONLY woman.
That is the height of robbery especially as this is the worst year of male costumes (and female I think as well) EVER!
No Onika dearest to stay afloat you do not INCREASE profit you maintain the same profit margin. These bands are not trying to stay afloat they are trying to increase profits year after year for as far as the masqueraders will allow it. I cannot blame them for they know their clientele oh too well.
For instance a quick Google for diamante lead me to an e-bay add that sells 100 44mm diamante gems for £1.76. That is $18.29TT dollars for 100. That is not even bulk purchasing prices. If you tell me I pay for service and talent I can buy that but materials no way.
As for labor…
As I said before the cosumer perpetuates this "inflation". Expect high prices you going to get high prices.
Tiffany I agree with you 100%... the World Bank IMF nor any first world country ( i.e. US, UK, or Canada) got a memo that they are NO longer in a recession... hell Central Bank FINALLY admitted they in a recession, but like many of you said there will ALWAYS be a supply and demand for those who want to play mas year after year... its all about personal sacrifice.
I love meh mas, I love me cyanival, but I'm sorry nothing will ever justify paying so much money to wear a costume to play mas one day out of the year, not when there are people in this world starving and without a home. It's just a personal choice, thats it!
But I do have to wonder how does Tribe or Island People give back? Does Tribe sponsor any charities??
Those prices are outrageous! what is different about those costumes that legitimizes the prices. 2009 costumes were better and more elaborate!!! I am so disappointed!!!
But it's a simple choice that a few of you seem to be exercising- you think it's too expensive, you could not play mas at all, or play with someone else.
Why waste all this energy talking about inflation and all that? TRIBE in it to make money, and I'm almost sure their profit was low or non-existent this year, since they didn't raise their prices and commodities were at their peak. Alcohol, food etc were all crazy expensive. Plus they introduced a new security team that would have had to be paid for.
And did it occur to anyone that maybe prices are higher because they're hoping to reduce the number of masqueraders? So they're counting on less people paying more. This is my hope anyway...
are Trini people so foolish, to be paying such outrageous amounts for factory made costumes that cost less than £50.
Trini people you don't have to do this, order your costumes online for the factories in China or Inda, look up these factories on the internet and if you dont get the factory that the mas band has ordered their costums from then just send the photos via the net and they will make your costume
www.topcorp.en.alibaba.com is one of the top factories in China
a group of us came from london this year and our costumes was ordered on line from this factory
you can also type in your search bar "Carnival Costume Factories In Inaia or China" and you will get a listing
Kenny,
Do they come with wristbands too?
hi Black Cherry are you talking about the wrist bands the bands give to you? if you are chatting about that no the costume are complete but no wrist bands
but who are checking that on the days, a group of us came down with a trini friend and all 23 of us played with a band and we had no problem
at first we did not go to the drinks or food trailors as we had our own drinks and we had foor waiting for us as we stayed in the woodbrook area
but by 2pm on tuesday we were getting all sorts from the drinks trailor,
Kenny, I was actually being a bit cynical:) My experience with Tribe thusfar on both Monday and Tuesday was tight security and they were looking for wrist bands. From reading the blog I know this wasn't the case with some of the other bands. Just curious....was the 23 made up of mostly male or female or combo? I've heard of costume copying and I would guess it would be much easier for males (usually just boardshorts) than females. For me personally, I plan ahead and would hate to have my experience compromised in any way. So yes, I pay my $$$ and enjoy the experience without wondering whether or not I will be asked to leave the band.....guess I never even considered trying something like that....But good luck to you!
BC, why you taking on Kenny?
Steups!
honestly, for a band like TRIBE which i think is totally branded in tnt carnival like its the next hottest designer label, the prices seem to be aiight...but not 1 id pay personally. some of the fl prices are a wonderful surprise!
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