Rapha, nice but a bit pricey?

I recall reading an interview with Mottram that asked whether he'd consider a budget line and he said there was no chance as it'd just cheapen the brand and in fact, they were investigating the possibility of releasing a 'premium' line that would be even more expensive, exclusive and infused with the scent of Mt Ventoux etc. So I take it that not only are they making piles of cash on the back of the ponciness, pretentiousness and brand, there are plenty of folk out there (quite a lot in the US, I think) that are prepared to pay double the going priciness for even more lashings of exclusivity and ponce. I don't know if that project turned into the secret range that regular folk can't know about; just those that have spent over £xxxx/year or are on the inside, or whether it's something different that's still to come. Speaking of which, does anyone have any details of that range? What's available, prices, pictures etc.?

Personally, it leaves me conflicted. I see that it's pure marketing, brand bullshit and I hate the selling of a lifestyle by sticking a pink tag onto an otherwise plain piece of clothing, but at the same time, I can't help but be sucked into it. I have lots of their kit and just the other day, for shits and giggles, went through the site adding all the things I want that I could realistically use to my basket (not just clicking everything that caught my eye) and the total came out at just over £3600! If I had the cash, I'd be head to toe, and somedays when the washing cycles sync up I am now, as empty as my bank account may be.

I had an accident the other day when I was in a new pair of Assos bibs and a £150 Gore jacket. Luckily both came through unscathed, but when I got up off the deck, my first thought was for the kit, not the blood running down my leg. It's made me seriously consider the implications of Rapha's free crash repair service when weighing up the costs of kit.

I'm not denying that their branding is spot on from a business point of view, for their demographic maybe, but it just doesn't work on me. To it doesn't have integrity because it's so overblown. In the same way as when the Cadbury's Flake advert comes on... "It's just a messy chocolate bar, now get out the bath and stop frapping over confectionery!".

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Giffen_good