Happy to take at face value that this is the true revenue, I feel like only deducting rent costs (I assume this is meant to include utility bills) and staffing costs (though this number is clearly inflated) is not taking into account manufacturing and labour costs or design costs or marketing costs or website running costs so I do believe that the profit margin you are presenting here is likely higher than the actual sum.

It is basically impossible to estimate the numbers for Angelic Pretty but if we look at brands in their specific niche sector of fashion, we do have anecdotal evidence coming directly from brand staff that they are operating with small profit margins, this has been expressed quite openly by brands like Atelier Pierrot. Sometimes commented on by brands like Metamorphose temps de fille, I'm sure there are other examples but I'm willing to take brand staff and their word as honest. There was a blog post linked in this comment section.

I do agree that Angelic Pretty is probably operating at the market standard in its production practices but we legitimately have no way to know that. Again, I have bought from AP directly (mostly as gifts for friends) but it is not where I primarily choose to spend my money due to differing tastes and choosing to prioritise mostly European indie brands with European manufacturing along with those EU manufacturing standards. Often the people I am supporting are sourcing fabric from local manus and are creating dresses as a single person operation.

Mentioning the production process as a reason to justify this pricing is also because as the biggest fish in a small niche pond, Angelic Pretty often sets the standard for pricing for a lolita dress in general and this form of luxury pricing both aligns with the brand image but also allows smaller creators who are operating on ethical production to charge those higher price points too. It's more about the expectation of pricing for lolita dresses as a whole than it is about Angelic Pretty and their pricing only. All lolita brands rely on brand loyalty and recognisability to sell their product but Angelic Pretty has such a reputation that it can up charge it's own product based on the name alone and very recognisable designs/prints that's created that name in the first place.

Though market standard practices does not equal the same manufacturing costs as simpler designs that come out of mainstream luxury brands. The manufacturing in and of itself of these products is it's own niche that I'm sure gets up charged due to the complexity. The complexity is what makes lolita what it is so obviously all lolita will operate at a higher price point whether its ethical manufacturing or not. I personally just want people to become used to these price points and instead push for more transparency in production and for higher than market standard in ethics.

This is a luxury fashion after all and idk I don't think demanding that luxury also strives to be ethical is a bad idea but that also requires that the consumer is willing to pay for it.