I think any woman who has ever worn a designer bag in public realizes that she does get treated differently than a woman who is not carrying a designer bag. I am not saying that she is treated differently by her friends or family, however there is different treatment in retail and business. Men show off their watches and shoes, women purses. I once heard a retail clerk tell me that you can tell whether someone can afford your product by looking at the watch, handbag and shoes. Test it for yourself. Walk into Neiman Marcus or Fendi wearing any old Nine West purse, then try it again with a
Gucci or a Fendi or the latest Dior. It is a different experience. Also often on the blog people speak of the reactions other people have to their bags. i.e. "I walked into this store and two girls came up to me and admired my new _________ handbag and asked if they could touch it!" When a blogger posts pictures of their new bag they like the praise and appreciation they get from the other bloggers. When someone asks which bag to buy, they are partially trying to figure out which bag is the "coolest" and the most desirable in a social context. Bags are part of women's social communication. I have heard people say that the Birkin, the top bag that you can buy, is actually pretty plain looking, yet it is the biggest status bag you can buy. Is it because it is designed so much better than other bags? Is it because it is so beautiful that it is really worth $5,000+? No, it is because it is a status symbol. It says to everyone, "I've made it". Take, for example Louis V. and
Coach. These bags are often covered with Logos. Do consumers think these logos are beautiful and add to the design? LV bags are often made of canvas, which is not considered a luxury material. People purchase these bags at these prices 80% because they scream, "I can afford a LV bag!" and 20% because they find them "so beautiful" that they are worth the price tag.
Even the most die hard purselover who claims that their purchases are 100% for art alone would admit to owning handbags that have been seen on the arms of celebrities within the past few years. Did we as a collective decide that the Fendi Spy Bag was the most amazing bag of 2005? Or, did all the celebrities wear the bag and then we thought, wow, that is the most amazing bag of 2005. Many times people speak of not liking a bag at first, and then growing to like it. I think this is the social consciousness taking effect. Other people like it, it gets buzz, celebrities wear it, and then the price tag becomes reasonable. Take for instance, the fact that the harder to find a bag is the more desirable it is. How can you say that is not a socially motivated purchase?
I agree that most often people will not buy something purely because it is popular, however popularity comes into play more often than people are aware. The major fashion houses are completely aware that all they need to do is put their bags on the right celebrity arms, and have the right add campaigns and the right buzz and then sales will skyrocket. We, as consumers, play right into their hands most of the time.
Take for example distressed leather bags, bags that look like they have been worn, like the Dior Gaucho. The leather looks like it has been washed in a washing machine, carries a distinctive smell, and the white color especially looks like it has been worn for years. Is this workmanship? Fine crafting? Yet the Dior stores cannot keep in on the shelf. Why? Is it because everyone loves it? Everyone, all of humanity it seems, agrees this is the greatest thing? Not likely. It is because it has been branded as the IT bag of Spring 2006.
Most people are unaware of how effected they are by culture, myself including. We are also used to spending at least $1000 for a handbag, so today's $1000 was yesterday's $100. Little do we know that the reason the bag business is so strong is because the manufacturers and designers know what a huge mark up they can place on the bags that we will waitlist for. It does not take $2075 worth of materials and energy to make one Fendi Spy Bag. Don't argue that it is because it is handmade, either. Everything was once handmade, everything. And it was made well. Somehow our world has separated into two spheres, the things that are made on a conveyor belt, and the things that are not. The thinks that are not are now like diamonds on this earth. Leather, cow hide, is now a precious material because it is finer than pleather, plastic.
Contact me via the forum if you want to talk more. I hope this helps your research.
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