ARE DESIGNER BAGS RELEASING TOO FAST? CHLOE, GUCCI, PRADA VLOG

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S

Suit

O.G.
Jan 9, 2007
27
36
#1
Hello TPF-ers,

I was just watching this vlog posted on YouTube by KarenBritChick, a very fun blogger I recently discovered (shes been at it for years, its just me who hadnt seen any of her blogs or vlogs ;).

I thought this was an interesting question she was posing, and also interesting comments in the comment section.

Basically she poses the question if luxury brands are bringing out more 'IT-bags' then years ago, is this an effect of Instagram, as we crave for the latest bag, are these items becoming more disposable?

Personally I cant remember if this is the case with bags, but I have noticed that its a fact for clothes, so much so that I always try to consider wether an item I purchase has staying power (which to me is a fine balance between something becoming saturated by masses and if I like it enough to not care). Im trying to be minimalistic about how many items of clothes I own, to be more conscious consumer, and pick things that will last me a long time. I also wonder wether luxury items might have lost some quality due to that?

Watch the video and especially read the comments! How do you feel about this?
 
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#4
Aren’t the consumers the ones making them “it” bags? I know they push the agenda via youtube/Instagram “influencers” but i think the phenomenon is more about the buyers getting sucked into the hype..
 
#5
Not sure instagram, bloggers, etc. drive this rapid-fire design.
Do think they try to profit from it.

I think what fuels it, at core, is the slow whittling down of human attention spans. People require visual flash, audio rhythms & crowd attention to focus upon item. Or an idea.
This focus last 6 minutes. Then scanning for new flashy things online.

I blame social media & video games, in general.
They caused consumers to think less, crave quick-fixes more.
Designers wisely are raking in the cash from it all. Can't really blame them.:shrugs:
 
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#6
remainsilly said:
Not sure instagram, bloggers, etc. drive this rapid-fire design.
Do think they try to profit from it.

I think what fuels it, at core, is the slow whittling down of human attention spans. People require visual flash, audio rhythms & crowd attention to focus upon item. Or an idea.
This focus last 6 minutes. Then scanning for new flashy things online.

I blame social media & video games, in general.
They caused consumers to think less, crave quick-fixes more.
Designers wisely are raking in the cash from it all. Can't really blame them.:shrugs:
Click to expand...
True. But to use people’s ideal to be “in”, these companies use the bloggers/influencers by giving them a free or massively discounted bag/ item to pose with or review on youtube.. and when one’s feeds is inundated with a lot of them, one can subconscously be convinced that this is the “in” thing to have... brainwashing i think they are a big component of this.. i mean the term “influencer” has even been coined, unheard of 2 decades ago (i think! Lol)
 
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#7
Fab41 said:
True. But to use people’s ideal to be “in”, these companies use the bloggers/influencers by giving them a free or massively discounted bag/ item to pose with or review on youtube.. and when one’s feeds is inundated with a lot of them, one can subconscously be convinced that this is the “in” thing to have... brainwashing i think they are a big component of this.. i mean the term “influencer” has even been coined, unheard of 2 decades ago (i think! Lol)
Click to expand...
It is the strategy of advertising.
Same game, new tactics.:biggrin:
 
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#8
I only have 1 “it” bag.. the LV pm.. got it 2 yrs ago koz i needed a casual crossbody and i already committed to buy only from the 3 main (bag) fashion houses..and i really think it’s functional and pretty..was i weak? Hehe
 
#9
remainsilly said:
Not sure instagram, bloggers, etc. drive this rapid-fire design.
Do think they try to profit from it.

I think what fuels it, at core, is the slow whittling down of human attention spans. People require visual flash, audio rhythms & crowd attention to focus upon item. Or an idea.
This focus last 6 minutes. Then scanning for new flashy things online.

I blame social media & video games, in general.
They caused consumers to think less, crave quick-fixes more.
Designers wisely are raking in the cash from it all. Can't really blame them.:shrugs:
Click to expand...

I completely agree. Social media both creates and feeds an almost constant state of competition for so many people. And, in order for one to be on top, he/she must have/do the "latest and greatest". In order for one to have/do this, it must exist. Of course, with respect to consumer goods, luxury brands are more than happy to insert themselves (it's good business) to provide such goods to be sought out as the latest and greatest. And so the cycle goes. And goes. And goes.
 
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#12
Miss World said:
I watched this video and I agree. Designers are releasing designs far too quickly. Gucci has a bag released like every week and they’re just crazy designs. It’s all about consumption consumption, it turns me off luxury a bit.
Click to expand...
You are so right about Gucci, a friend of mine was a SA at Gucci until recently and she was showing me pictures of all the items that had come in and I couldn’t believe the amounts of bags ( and clothes!) of different designs with all kinds of patches and hardware and texts all over them, silly texts quite often (I personally don’t like my clothes/bags to speak for me...) and this does attest to the fact that all these design are anything but timeless. Nothing really wrong with that but also at those price tags! At some point I got this feeling of disposability you would get when you go to Zara. My friend also told me how the costumers coming in are more and more people that are literally asking for the thing they saw on Instagram. And yes Gucci has had a great financial year, maybe this is their strategy now, sell more and have more visibility. I do have to say according to my friend Gucci is making more designs but in less quantities, which most me more expensive production wise hence the prices?
 
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#13
With teenagers is even more extreme (I know because I have one). Like, say, the Levis logo t-shirt. You had to have it NOW and it was impossible to find. One week later there are racks of it in UO to which no one gives a second glance. It has always been somewhat like this I guess, but what is extreme is the time span. Things go from desirable to the bargain pile in literally days...
 
#14
The brands can't be investing much in these designs if they're cranking them out so fast. It almost feels like they're just throwing each new design at the wall to see what sticks. If it becomes wildly popular, then yay! If not, then they make one run of the bag and move on. Given that kind of quick cycle, even at the higher price points we're discussing in the other thread, it can't be cost prohibitive for them to run this way.

I have no doubt that some classics will come out of all this, but it may take some time to separate out the classics from the noise of All The Things.
 
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#15
She's right, she's got something but it does turn into a rant too (as she admits). No one forces us to sell the old and buy the new 'it' bag, we have to take responsibility for our own behaviour. There's following fashion and then there's having one's own style. We choose whether or not we're victims of the high turnover. If you wanna talk Chloe, I still carry my Paddy and my Bay. I bet most wouldn't even know those bags anymore.

As for Gucci. The Dionysus came out in canvas/suede, canvas/python, all python and all suede in 2 sizes all at once (AW15). The Marmont came out the same season (the name refers to the hardware). Both bag models have now been out for 3+ years. In different versions, but you can still get the original ones too. Gucci has aways been the same: 'Classic' models that sell in 'classic' colours plus seasonal colours and new models to try to test the market. If it sells Gucci keep it on the shelves. That's the same model as Hermes too except Gucci will rest even there most iconic bags.

Leatherwear houses and fashion houses mostly have 6 seasons per annum: Spring/Summer; Pre-fall, Autumn/Winter, 'Holiday/Christmas'; Cruise/Resort and often Valentine specials. They say it's the pressure of us asking for new things all the time!
 
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