One more cost that hasn't been discussed above (although I agree with what Panache said)... Where it's made.

When you have Nike making shoes in China, their costs are much lower than a competing company making shoes in the US. Same goes for jackets made in Scotland vs. Pakistan or China. Cost of living has to factor into it.

If the workers are paid $15 / hour and it takes 3 hours to make a jacket (pulling numbers out of thin air), the COST for LABOR is going to be $45... add into that material cost (more expensive materials used in making higher end jackets), overhead (rent, marketing, electric, employees, health care, etc).

If you have a company in China or Pakistan paying $5 / hour (that may be high), the labor cost is 1/3. If the material is cheaper, that factors into it as well.

Is there a reason things cost that much money? You bet... it's the "intangibles" that you DON'T see that add to the costs. If you're going to support a culutre by showing pride in it's national dress, wouldn't you want to support them in other ways which they actually BENEFIT from?