Vintage-inspired jeans the rage, with denim-obsessed fashionistas paying as much as six hundred dollars for a stylish fit and hand-stitching.

"Ten years ago premium denim was anything over a hundred dollars a pair, today it starts at anywhere from a hundred fifty to an excess of five hundred a pair and in some cases even a thousand dollars," advises Kenneth Wengrod, a leading apparel industry financier.

Most designers manufacture their lines in Los Angeles, which in turn allows for faster production and is ideal in an industry where styles for men and women are changing constantly. Designers must focus on what the high-end consumer is craving: a unique, stylish, and exclusive product they can get immediately.

Cutting-edge clients keep customers yearning for more no matter what the cost.

"How the pants fit on the body enhances the overall look of the individual which is determined by the placement of the pockets, the rise and the overall cut," advised Wengrod.

"People want to express their individual personality and designer jeans allows them to do just that because their distribution is limited and is sold primarily in specialty boutiques and luxury specialty stores," said Wengrod.

"Using the highest quality of denim is critical in order for the fiber to withstand the extensive washes and the enormous amount of handwork in the finishing process, which entails sanding, creating holes, embroidery and hand stitching," added Wengrod.

"It's the one of the few pieces of clothing in the wardrobe that is so versatile that can be worn either on the red carpet or for schlepping around town," said Wengrod.

Wengrod is president of FTC Commercial Corp. which focuses on financing creative start-up companies who can meet consumers' ever-changing fashion trends.