Chanel’s Rise & STALL: Defects, Difficulties & Deflection (formerly the 19 tote saga thread)

[ntntgo]

Knowing that Chanel owners’ wealth reaches $90 billion thanks to a $5-billion dividend last year while all of us who have contributed to that windfall are getting subpar, cost-cutting quality makes me sick to my stomach. It’s not even a love-hate relationship, it’s more like being in an abusive relationship knowingly but chose to stay on. However we are not helpless victims. Our choices and how we spent our money will speak volume from now on. If we can’t then we should be asking ‘has it gotten to be a form of addiction’? An addiction that is vulgar and self-destructive, considering the anguish, frustrations or anxiety our purchases have brought us.

I have chosen to move on. I have learnt to appreciate other finer things in life that do not have to come with a big price-tag. Thank you Chanel for making me realise that.

Well said. All anyone has to do is go back and look at my old posts in the Louboutin thread. It was never, at least for me, about the get, it was about the hunt.
Shopping, as I’m sure several people in the thread will agree that it is a form of addiction. There’s a reason that there is a medical term called compulsive buying disorder. The meetings are called shopper’s anonymous. Companies like Chanel encourage that addictive behavior. It’s really no different than an addiction to anything that you think makes you feel good when in reality, it’s highly destructive.
I knew as a long time client of Chanel that their quality had progressively gotten worse as their prices rose but, the amount of money the Wertheimers took out of the company this year shows how badly we’ve all been duped.
Please let’s not forget that Chanel is owned by VCs who’s portfolio is mostly healthcare & biotech.
Alas, as long as people continue to attempt to buy status or the appearance of wealth when they really have neither, Chanel will continue to raise prices and quality will continue to decline. If anyone thinks that they have even a passing thought toward one word said about the brand on here, I hate to be the bearer of bad news. Any statement saying that TPF or any other platform has received any kind of warning letter or blah blah blah about threads like this, it’s just not true.
Carry on

 

[TraceySH]

Knowing that Chanel owners’ wealth reaches $90 billion thanks to a $5-billion dividend last year while all of us who have contributed to that windfall are getting subpar, cost-cutting quality makes me sick to my stomach. It’s not even a love-hate relationship, it’s more like being in an abusive relationship knowingly but chose to stay on. However we are not helpless victims. Our choices and how we spent our money will speak volume from now on. If we can’t then we should be asking ‘has it gotten to be a form of addiction’? An addiction that is vulgar and self-destructive, considering the anguish, frustrations or anxiety our purchases have brought us.

I have chosen to move on. I have learnt to appreciate other finer things in life that do not have to come with a big price-tag. Thank you Chanel for making me realise that.

So, the interesting part about what you stated is that indeed companies hire black belt psychologists and neurologists to trick the brain into feeling a sense of reward at the SAME TIME as damaging their pocketbook. The goal is to hit that reward center of the brain (this is a chemical release) where the brain doesn't realize the action subsequently is a harmful one, not a rewarding one. Casinos are the greatest at this. I had a private practice for years in a casino town, and I learned so much from my patients who WERE the neurologists behind all those schematics.

Chanel is genius in how it amps up the frenzy prior to each season's release, letting everyone take their best guesses at what colors will ACTUALLY look like, what dimensions or prices will be, and if quality of one this season might be better than last season. Women (mostly) are subjugated (yet again) into begging and desperation, wondering if their obsessiveness will turn into that reward of snagging an item unseen, placing them ahead of their peers. They will be...."special". (Until the next thing comes along and Fashionphile is rife with the previous season's "it" item). I have stated in another post somewhere around here that what they are doing is the opposite of empowering women who have experience oppression from the beginning of time. That patriarchy, so to speak, is alive and well in retail.

The retail relationship isn't symbiotic any longer. Way back when, a good was an exchange, money for something useful, where both parties "profited" in some way, and felt good about the transaction. Sometimes I think things have become so imbalanced that consumers dig their heels in (double down) on their behaviors just to prove they are still in "control".

 

[ntntgo]

So, the interesting part about what you stated is that indeed companies hire black belt psychologists and neurologists to trick the brain into feeling a sense of reward at the SAME TIME as damaging their pocketbook. The goal is to hit that reward center of the brain (this is a chemical release) where the brain doesn't realize the action subsequently is a harmful one, not a rewarding one. Casinos are the greatest at this. I had a private practice for years in a casino town, and I learned so much from my patients who WERE the neurologists behind all those schematics.

Chanel is genius in how it amps up the frenzy prior to each season's release, letting everyone take their best guesses at what colors will ACTUALLY look like, what dimensions or prices will be, and if quality of one this season might be better than last season. Women (mostly) are subjugated (yet again) into begging and desperation, wondering if their obsessiveness will turn into that reward of snagging an item unseen, placing them ahead of their peers. They will be...."special". (Until the next thing comes along and Fashionphile is rife with the previous season's "it" item). I have stated in another post somewhere around here that what they are doing is the opposite of empowering women who have experience oppression from the beginning of time. That patriarchy, so to speak, is alive and well in retail.

The retail relationship isn't symbiotic any longer. Way back when, a good was an exchange, money for something useful, where both parties "profited" in some way, and felt good about the transaction. Sometimes I think things have become so imbalanced that consumers dig their heels in (double down) on their behaviors just to prove they are still in "control".

Wow! Just WOW! Now knowing that you are in the mental health field and have a medical education, that explains so much.
That post has even me reevaluating how I’ve been further duped into my buying habits. Not just fashion.
Are you accepting new patients? I think you might have an overrun of asks here. Kidding but not really.

 

[TraceySH]

Wow! Just WOW! Now knowing that you are in the mental health field and have a medical education, that explains so much.
That post has even me reevaluating how I’ve been further duped into my buying habits. Not just fashion.
Are you accepting new patients? I think you might have an overrun of asks here. Kidding but not really.

I mean, it's not like I am immune to the same. I've absolutely been caught up in this cycle and have had to use my own training to back myself out of it!

 

[Guccigal16]

best thread ever

 

[waterlily112]

Not sure if anyone follow her Chanel 22 issues but Chanel inspected her bag and said there's nothing they can do about the abnormal wears & tears, and suggested her to embrace the flaws They should've just offer her a refund but nope...

Also looks like she's been following this thread too.

 

[bergafer3]

I bought a duma about 2 weeks back and it smelled like chemicals not leather. I returned it because I like the smell of leather, this happened to me with an LV black Montsouris‘s backpack it smelled of chemicals not leather at all I’m not keeping anything that smells like chemicals. I’m very scent Adverse. My other items from Chanel smell of leather

 

[gail13]

I have been told by one of my SA's that Chanel believes the higher the price, the more we want an item. It has zero to do with quality.

Some took issue with my comments about Chanel or others like them being considered "fast fashion". However, at the rate of these collections releasing, one barely gets the items before the value falls and its onto the next. With some 8 or 9 collections inc Coco Neiege etc, that's a new bag or RTW about every 1.5 months. As Ntntgo says, its about the hunt. We are not used to a Chanel everyday bag, holding up to wear and tear. Isn't that what the 22 and the 19 style bags are supposed to be?

It appears the 19 flap bags are quite sturdy, but what is this kryptonite material?

Is it possible Chanel does not want to provide an everyday bag that will hold up? Wear and tear is the cornerstone of consumerism. If we are all buying bags that are not able to sustain everyday wear, that explains how wear and tear has caused the damage. Most of the people on this forum treat their lambskin and metallic bags very delicately. Thats a collectible that belongs in a museum. And many of us including myself have these. I've got bags that have rarely if ever seen the light of day.

I guess we ask ourselves, do we want a bag we want to use or one we look at in the closet?

 

[TraceySH]

Not sure if anyone follow her Chanel 22 issues but Chanel inspected her bag and said there's nothing they can do about the abnormal wears & tears, and suggested her to embrace the flaws They should've just offer her a refund but nope...

Also looks like she's been following this thread too.

Well not that Chanel doesn’t have a tremendous history of issues and a well documented history of abysmal customer service, but it does appears more pervasive than ever right now. I am to the point that I will not buy because I don’t trust either the product OR the company should something go wrong post purchase.

 

[ntntgo]

I have been told by one of my SA's that Chanel believes the higher the price, the more we want an item. It has zero to do with quality.

Some took issue with my comments about Chanel or others like them being considered "fast fashion". However, at the rate of these collections releasing, one barely gets the items before the value falls and its onto the next. With some 8 or 9 collections inc Coco Neiege etc, that's a new bag or RTW about every 1.5 months. As Ntntgo says, its about the hunt. We are not used to a Chanel everyday bag, holding up to wear and tear. Isn't that what the 22 and the 19 style bags are supposed to be?

It appears the 19 flap bags are quite sturdy, but what is this kryptonite material?

Is it possible Chanel does not want to provide an everyday bag that will hold up? Wear and tear is the cornerstone of consumerism. If we are all buying bags that are not able to sustain everyday wear, that explains how wear and tear has caused the damage. Most of the people on this forum treat their lambskin and metallic bags very delicately. Thats a collectible that belongs in a museum. And many of us including myself have these. I've got bags that have rarely if ever seen the light of day.

I guess we ask ourselves, do we want a bag we want to use or one we look at in the closet?

I’m going to respectfully disagree about the lambskin. But I’m talking the lambskin before they started slapping whatever garbage they’re slapping on top now.
I use my lambskin all the time. If I scratch it, it just takes a little Meltonian 001 and a soft cloth & boom, perfect.
New caviar isn’t even sustainable to use. Especially the micro-caviar. You can pull the nub off with your fingernail and whaaaat???? There’s some white, I don’t even know what, underneath.
It truly pains me to see what’s happened to Chanel (other brands too). I have such a huge collection that I’ll never buy another Chanel again. Yes, it pains me but I’m actually very proud to be a part of this thread as there are some very educated women posting here.
Oh and I think the “fast fashion” debate comes from Chanel lacking the first rule of FF is making runway designs affordable to people. I think the affordable part is what some people are getting stuck on. Other than that, hell yes it’s fast fashion because number 2 is “made cheaply”.

 

[gail13]

The other thing that makes people really want something is when they can't get it. Well, Chanel has created that perfect storm.

Resellers are not the only reason quota's were cut back but it sure sounds good. interestingly enough, Hermes thrives on the reseller philosophy.

Some believe any press is good press because they are talking about you. Well, here we are.

 

[TraceySH]

The other thing that makes people really want something is when they can't get it. Well, Chanel has created that perfect storm.

Resellers are not the only reason quota's were cut back but it sure sounds good. interestingly enough, Hermes thrives on the reseller philosophy.

Some believe any press is good press because they are talking about you. Well, here we are.

And the funny thing is you CAN get it. Any of it. Multitudes of it. A big percentage even discounted! You just have to wait until everyone moves on the “the next thing” and then the old thing floods the marketplace.

 

[zaraha]

I mean, it's not like I am immune to the same. I've absolutely been caught up in this cycle and have had to use my own training to back myself out of it!

@TraceySH if chanel can trick someone like you into this cycle imagine how easy for them to trick the rest of us.

 

[TraceySH]

@TraceySH if chanel can trick someone like you into this cycle imagine how easy for them to trick the rest of us.

Well, I mean I think we also allow it too. There's a part of us that *KNOWS* all of it, but we just override it (denial after all, is a purposeful and useful place to be). There are plenty of days or even whole periods in my life where I just choose to side step logic, or even reality, because I specifically don't feel like dealing with it. I DO think that COVID encouraged more of this, people just out there doing things to relieve themselves of the horrific place we were all in. You only wake up when you want to, kind of. And we can see that here on this thread too. Some will, some won't, and that's ok! It's not like logic is the foundation for any decision when purchasing luxury to begin with. They are already taking advantage of consumer's emotions just existing, and when all of the aforementioned in this thread is taking place, logic REALLY has no place in consumer behavior!

To (obviously) a much lesser extent, I don't think people would get on a plane with the same proportion of accidents happening...like, oh, well there's a 93% chance we won't crash. And a 55% chance the plane will get us there without any injuries. And a 30% chance of, IF the flight crashes or causes injury, if we can prove it's their fault, they will pay our medical bills. But if it's just deemed normal human wear and tear error, we might be out several hundred thousand in medical bills. Or we might die, but, you know. Stats are more in our favor than not, so, this is an AWESOME AIRLINE.

 

[waterlily112]

I bought a duma about 2 weeks back and it smelled like chemicals not leather. I returned it because I like the smell of leather, this happened to me with an LV black Montsouris‘s backpack it smelled of chemicals not leather at all I’m not keeping anything that smells like chemicals. I’m very scent Adverse. My other items from Chanel smell of leather

I had my SA put a duma backpack on hold for me and decided against to purchase it because of the leather too, it smelled and felt funny. I just had the strong gut feeling that it'll give me headache in the near future. My mom has a vintage version and hers is soo squishy with the nice leather smell despite it being nearly 30 year old!