Interesting thread! I was just thinking of this today...maybe I would like to check out LV, see what I think of it compared to Coach. I think I have gotten stuck in a Coach rut, what I mean is, I am only looking at Coach bags. And to think I only used to buy department store handbags! Oh, I also have a Baggallini bag that I like and I will keep looking at that brand in the future--as it is totally different than Coach--maybe more like LeSportsac but without the printed designs. Anyhow, back on topic, I think being part of the Coach forum can sway me to only look at Coach. I am certainly interested in other high quality bags; I have thought of checking out Dooney & Burke and Burberry.
Coach vs. Louis Vuitton
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all I can say is there is beauty in both
I have the Mini Lin Speedy 30 and although its material is fabric, it is still an awesome LV speedy! I miss my Damier Speedy though.
Anyway, to the OP! =)
Good Luck in finding your first LV! There are a few LV bags that are almost of the same price range as the Coach Leather bags. Don't be fooled by its "LV" name.
(Coach's prices are beginning to be a little non-affordable for my wallet. tsk! tsk! tsk!)
I too am glad to see this issue discussed. I've ALSO recently decided that an LV is in my future. It will be a one time ??? "treat" to myself. I'm getting ready to start my "fund" soon. I'll buy it for myself for my 35th birthday, which is 3 years off...if I can last that long. My worries about carrying LV in the area where I live is that it will be regarded as a fake and nothing more. There is NO Louis Vuitton in my area and although most of the Coach bags that I have and carry are leather so no one knows they are Coach, if I go with an LV I don't care if people know what kind of bag I'm carrying but don't want them to think I'd condone a fake!!! I shamefullly admit to carrying a replica in the past before I knew any better but now and forever I wouldn't be caught DEAD carrying a fake bag EVER AGAIN!!! I'll be going with the monogram (standard) and love the style and look of the Neverfull. I don't know what size!
I do think that LV holds it's value better than Coach, however I think the reasons that OP have listed also come into play! Look at collectors that have old vintage LV trunks and such that are OLD...beyond what we consider old or vintage for a Coach bag.
I think the appeal with Coach is it's affordability to most that could and would NEVER be able to afford an LV. I like to carry Coach personally because it's a designer bag that I can afford to COLLECT! I love both their signature and leather pieces and am thrilled to be able to buy a bag a month along with accessories here and there! If I work alot of overtime for just one week a month I can go and guilt free buy myself a new Coach bag. (*Lucky to have an outlet near by!!!)
Let me know what you decide. I'll be starting my fund soon like I mentioned and I may be waiting until my 35th but if I get there $$$$$ wise sooner I'll be joining the masses of owners of LV, but I'll ALWAYS be a Coach gal!!!
I do think that LV holds it's value better than Coach, however I think the reasons that OP have listed also come into play! Look at collectors that have old vintage LV trunks and such that are OLD...beyond what we consider old or vintage for a Coach bag.
I think the appeal with Coach is it's affordability to most that could and would NEVER be able to afford an LV. I like to carry Coach personally because it's a designer bag that I can afford to COLLECT! I love both their signature and leather pieces and am thrilled to be able to buy a bag a month along with accessories here and there! If I work alot of overtime for just one week a month I can go and guilt free buy myself a new Coach bag. (*Lucky to have an outlet near by!!!)
Let me know what you decide. I'll be starting my fund soon like I mentioned and I may be waiting until my 35th but if I get there $$$$$ wise sooner I'll be joining the masses of owners of LV, but I'll ALWAYS be a Coach gal!!!
Coach "affordable luxury" is for me! I like variety and for one LV(or other brand), I can buy several Coach bags for different occasions and outfits. Thanks to Coach being affordable for everyday people.
I do love Coach but other designers as well... I am a cheater (lol)
I just got the LV speedy 30, had the 25 and it was too small... cute though. I hate to admit it here but I want a speedy 30 in every color/design now. If you are wanting a speedy 30, I say GO GET IT you will not be sorry... as long as you are fine with handheld bags. I love mine and its my favorite LV style. I also got the MC White speedy and want the Black one as well. I know I want too much...lol!!!
I just got the LV speedy 30, had the 25 and it was too small... cute though. I hate to admit it here but I want a speedy 30 in every color/design now. If you are wanting a speedy 30, I say GO GET IT you will not be sorry... as long as you are fine with handheld bags. I love mine and its my favorite LV style. I also got the MC White speedy and want the Black one as well. I know I want too much...lol!!!
If I ever consider getting an LV, it will probably be limited to the Epi material, as that is the only material I like (reminds me of Coach's Lido Line).
I am a devout Coachie, but have always wanted to have "just one" LV bag, and held out until I found THE one that I just had to have. When the Watercolor Speedy came out last year and I saw it, I decided that it was the one I must have and I bought the Watercolor Speedy 35 and I absolutely ADORE it! I bought the brown color. It's truly a gorgeous bag!
That's my one LV. I'm happy and content with it.
Now, I'm still on the search for a berry Sabrina!
That's my one LV. I'm happy and content with it.
Now, I'm still on the search for a berry Sabrina!
I agree mostly with what Northstar said, and I would say this is a pretty good description of how I feel...I like variety!!
Like Xokarmaxo, I "had to have" the watercolor, and I bought it. I was never much of a LV fan. And I have to admit I was very underwhelmed with it (especially given the cost, which IMO LV is way overpriced). I know...hard to believe someone doesn't care for the watercolor speedy that much??? Well, that's me!!!
The coated canvas is a bit thin IMO, there's no organization in the bag, and I have to use a shaper. I just don't think it can compare with my nice leather Coach bags at all. But then that's really comparing apples and oranges, and I admit that. Still, I have YET to carry that watercolor speedy!! 
I personally like Coach for the value, and I like that I can spend $300 at an outlet and get one of their $1200 retail bags. Both companies are overpriced, and I admit that the resale value of Coach DOES bother me if I pay retail. However, I've been able to sell all my Coach bags and get all my money back or make a profit on Ebay. Of course I have not tried to sell those bags I paid full retail for or probably even PCE price. I was more of a bargain shopper (or rather waited) a few years ago than I am now. I have purchased more Coach than I should on retail, so I know this will come back to bite me in the butt one day! I can afford to buy both brands, but of course I would have fewer LVs if I stuck to buying more LV than Coach, and we all know I LOVE my collection!! I cannot exist on one or two bags...I find that very boring, but still I don't buy just for the heck of it. I buy exactly what I like, and I don't really care what others think! 
I'm mostly into Coach at the moment...but...
As Northstar says, I'm an equal opportunity buyer and looking for a little variety with my collection...
My current obsession actually happens to be several LV bags! I never thought I would say that!! Last weekend I was looking at LV and NM, and I decided I would love to have the metallic Mahina:
http://www.eluxury.com/estore/browse/product_detail.jsp?id=11870335
And one of the Whisper GM bags, which I saw and LOOOVED in person (link below)!
http://louisvuitton.com/web/flash/i...AUPU?buy=1&langue=en_US&direct1=home_entry_us
And something from the Sprouse collection, probably this one:
http://louisvuitton.com/web/flash/i...AUPU?buy=1&langue=en_US&direct1=home_entry_us
I like unique and "in your face" bags...although again, while I love the overall look of the speedy, I'm just not that impressed with them IRL (especially for the price). I also like the Vernis and miroir bags, and the bright colors of the Vernis always catch's DH's attention.
This is a change for me because I have never liked LV that much, but I have an open mind. What I have to get over is that while I can afford to purchase these bags if I limited other purchases, I just cannot rationalize ANY bag being $3-4k or over!!! That's just not me. I personally don't think ANY bag is worth that cost!! So it remains to be seen whether I purchase one of these or not, but I'm certain I will be buying a speedy from the Sprouse collection. I seem to be ok now for bags that cost under $2k. Of course, as I say that, probably in a year or two, I can rationalize the $3-4k bags...since my tastes (and thus price) seem to be escalating!!
Bottom line: You should buy what YOU like and what YOU can rationalize is a good and affordable value to YOU!! This answer varies for every person, and there is NO right or wrong answer!!
Like Xokarmaxo, I "had to have" the watercolor, and I bought it. I was never much of a LV fan. And I have to admit I was very underwhelmed with it (especially given the cost, which IMO LV is way overpriced). I know...hard to believe someone doesn't care for the watercolor speedy that much??? Well, that's me!!!
The coated canvas is a bit thin IMO, there's no organization in the bag, and I have to use a shaper. I just don't think it can compare with my nice leather Coach bags at all. But then that's really comparing apples and oranges, and I admit that. Still, I have YET to carry that watercolor speedy!! I personally like Coach for the value, and I like that I can spend $300 at an outlet and get one of their $1200 retail bags. Both companies are overpriced, and I admit that the resale value of Coach DOES bother me if I pay retail. However, I've been able to sell all my Coach bags and get all my money back or make a profit on Ebay. Of course I have not tried to sell those bags I paid full retail for or probably even PCE price. I was more of a bargain shopper (or rather waited) a few years ago than I am now. I have purchased more Coach than I should on retail, so I know this will come back to bite me in the butt one day! I can afford to buy both brands, but of course I would have fewer LVs if I stuck to buying more LV than Coach, and we all know I LOVE my collection!! I cannot exist on one or two bags...I find that very boring, but still I don't buy just for the heck of it. I buy exactly what I like, and I don't really care what others think! I'm mostly into Coach at the moment...but...As Northstar says, I'm an equal opportunity buyer and looking for a little variety with my collection...
My current obsession actually happens to be several LV bags! I never thought I would say that!! Last weekend I was looking at LV and NM, and I decided I would love to have the metallic Mahina:
http://www.eluxury.com/estore/browse/product_detail.jsp?id=11870335
And one of the Whisper GM bags, which I saw and LOOOVED in person (link below)!
http://louisvuitton.com/web/flash/i...AUPU?buy=1&langue=en_US&direct1=home_entry_us
And something from the Sprouse collection, probably this one:
http://louisvuitton.com/web/flash/i...AUPU?buy=1&langue=en_US&direct1=home_entry_us
I like unique and "in your face" bags...although again, while I love the overall look of the speedy, I'm just not that impressed with them IRL (especially for the price). I also like the Vernis and miroir bags, and the bright colors of the Vernis always catch's DH's attention.
This is a change for me because I have never liked LV that much, but I have an open mind. What I have to get over is that while I can afford to purchase these bags if I limited other purchases, I just cannot rationalize ANY bag being $3-4k or over!!! That's just not me. I personally don't think ANY bag is worth that cost!! So it remains to be seen whether I purchase one of these or not, but I'm certain I will be buying a speedy from the Sprouse collection. I seem to be ok now for bags that cost under $2k. Of course, as I say that, probably in a year or two, I can rationalize the $3-4k bags...since my tastes (and thus price) seem to be escalating!!
Bottom line: You should buy what YOU like and what YOU can rationalize is a good and affordable value to YOU!! This answer varies for every person, and there is NO right or wrong answer!!
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baglady, I am literally crying that you don't carry the watercolor.....that is one of my favorites and I didn't get to jump in on that action when they were out (don't like buying bags on ebay very often) :cry:
You can get your LV much sooner than 3 years from now with the way you say you work overtime once a month if you want a new bag. Just do that for however many weeks you'd need to add up to the bag you want and go for it!
To me LV is 110% worth the money. I own 4 LV bags plus a few accessories and I don't regret a single LV item I've purchased. I just purchased my fourth LV bag last week (Damier Neverfull MM) and plan on purchasing another item next week.
I own several Coach bags as well but in all honesty there are times when I do regret purchasing some of the, esp when I come on here and see that others have paid a fraction of the price at an outlet for the same bag that I paid FP at a boutique just a few weeks before. With LV I never have to worry about feeling like this and for me that makes it worth the investment. There are other reasons why I prefer LV though as well. For example my second LV bag was Mono Canvas and it's the most carried bag I own and it still looks perfect. I also love LV's attention to detail, which lately I've found Coach is missing.
I still purchase Coach bags as well but because I'm not near an outlet sometimes I feel bad for paying FP. For that reason I've decided to only buy Coach bags during PCE.
But it's really up to you and if YOU feel a LV bag is worth the investment and if YOU really love it. Because if you're not really feelin it then you shouldn't get it
Great discussion! This is a tough question because I am a hardcore addict of both Coach and LV. I was first a Coach addict because the designs appeal to me very much. Coach is also so much more affordable too. In the span of a year, I have gotten just about 7 coach bags and counting. I just ordered one of the new Spring bags online (Tatternal Graffiti!) Coach always keeps coming up with bags that just pop to me so I continue to buy.
I've always like LV, but could never afford them until now. I only just became an LV addict and now I have three speedys in the span of two months. Yes I did splurge and yes, it was because of the holidays. So currently, I am an addict of both brands and loving it. Surprisingly, the new bags from both companies are similar. Both brands have new graffiti bags coming out. While I adore the LV rose collection and have a speedy from that collection, I don't like the LV graffiti line so much. In contrast, I like the new Coach graffiti collection and can't wait to get my hands on my new handbag! I think handbags, purses, and other pieces from both collections should be treated as investments as they usually last (in my case) a very long time. I consider all of my Coach and LV bags as investments. In any case, I'm an addict and I love them both immensely.
I've always like LV, but could never afford them until now. I only just became an LV addict and now I have three speedys in the span of two months. Yes I did splurge and yes, it was because of the holidays. So currently, I am an addict of both brands and loving it. Surprisingly, the new bags from both companies are similar. Both brands have new graffiti bags coming out. While I adore the LV rose collection and have a speedy from that collection, I don't like the LV graffiti line so much. In contrast, I like the new Coach graffiti collection and can't wait to get my hands on my new handbag! I think handbags, purses, and other pieces from both collections should be treated as investments as they usually last (in my case) a very long time. I consider all of my Coach and LV bags as investments. In any case, I'm an addict and I love them both immensely.