I've been thinking about this for a while now. Truthfully - and please, no one take this wrong way! - I believe the Luggage is like the "poor man's" Birkin.
And again, I don't mean this in a mean or derogatory way, cuz lets face it, Celine bags aren't cheap! I only mean it in the sense that the Luggage is becoming a bag of status, much like the Birkin bag is. The Celine seems to be coveted by women who, if they could afford it, would probably buy a Birkin (and judging from many posts and comments within this sub-forum, there are many people who already own a Birkin who have recently discovered Celine!).
I mean, take a look at the Celine Street Style thread - there are tons of pics all across the Internet, taken all over the world of women with their Luggage (and Phantom & Trapeze) bags, and the number is growing almost every week! I don't think the Luggage is as much an "It" bag as it is a bag of status - women who appreciate and can afford finer things and designer bags slightly higher in cost than the mainstream, commonly known designers, a/k/a YSL, Chloe, Balenciaga, Marc Jacobs, etc., but can still not afford (or choose not to invest in) and Hermes bag.
While I don't ever think Celine will ever be on par with Hermes when it comes to quality & craftsmanship, I do believe the line has found its place in the world of designer bags and I do believe that the frequent price increases and the decreased availability of the bags will only heighten the exclusivity of the bags and the belief that if you are lucky enough to own a bag (or two or three), that you're in a slightly higher class of designer bag collectors.
And again, I don't mean this in a mean or derogatory way, cuz lets face it, Celine bags aren't cheap! I only mean it in the sense that the Luggage is becoming a bag of status, much like the Birkin bag is. The Celine seems to be coveted by women who, if they could afford it, would probably buy a Birkin (and judging from many posts and comments within this sub-forum, there are many people who already own a Birkin who have recently discovered Celine!).
I mean, take a look at the Celine Street Style thread - there are tons of pics all across the Internet, taken all over the world of women with their Luggage (and Phantom & Trapeze) bags, and the number is growing almost every week! I don't think the Luggage is as much an "It" bag as it is a bag of status - women who appreciate and can afford finer things and designer bags slightly higher in cost than the mainstream, commonly known designers, a/k/a YSL, Chloe, Balenciaga, Marc Jacobs, etc., but can still not afford (or choose not to invest in) and Hermes bag.
While I don't ever think Celine will ever be on par with Hermes when it comes to quality & craftsmanship, I do believe the line has found its place in the world of designer bags and I do believe that the frequent price increases and the decreased availability of the bags will only heighten the exclusivity of the bags and the belief that if you are lucky enough to own a bag (or two or three), that you're in a slightly higher class of designer bag collectors.