Designer Brands You Will Never Buy

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#6,271
anthrosphere said:
Stella McCartney - I admit she has some really cute bags, especially her mini quilted backpack with a chain trim on the flap (pictured below). But I can't justify paying THAT much on PVC/Fake leather. :(

Picture credit: Yoogi's Closet Facebook.
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This was how I felt until I ordered one at a good price with the intention of returning it if it didn't work for me. But to be honest in real life it is pretty amazing and I couldn't bring myself to send it back. A few times I have considered selling it but then I get it out for photos and realise how lovely it is. I did get it at a good price though, I probably wouldn't pay full price but I know plenty of other designer bags priced A LOT higher than these that are coated canvas or PVC.... sure those designers also sell leather bags but some bags are all PVC or coated canvas and selling at much higher price points but theres never any negativity about those.

At the end of the day its the "high end designer" brand name we pay for regardless of materials.
 
#6,274
Jaime said:
This was how I felt until I ordered one at a good price with the intention of returning it if it didn't work for me. But to be honest in real life it is pretty amazing and I couldn't bring myself to send it back. A few times I have considered selling it but then I get it out for photos and realise how lovely it is. I did get it at a good price though, I probably wouldn't pay full price but I know plenty of other designer bags priced A LOT higher than these that are coated canvas or PVC.... sure those designers also sell leather bags but some bags are all PVC or coated canvas and selling at much higher price points but theres never any negativity about those.

At the end of the day its the "high end designer" brand name we pay for regardless of materials.
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Lucky! I love to get a SM for a good price. I've seen lots of preowned ones and they're still almost $1000. Like that backpack for instance, nearly $700 (priced at $645) at Yoogi's Closet and yet it has a yucky stain on the white exterior. No thank you. I'll have to keep looking I guess. I would love to get one of her chain totes with fringes on it, too. I've seen them in-person at Nordstrom and they were so, so pretty.

Enjoy your Stella McCartney bag, Jaime. I bet she's beautiful!!
 
#6,275
I hate saying "never" so..

FOR NOW I don't think I will ever buy..
(Pardon my spelling on some of these brands. I really just don't like them to know how to spell them right!)

Rebecca Minkoff - I feel they have no originality
Michael Kors - same as above
Dooney and Bourke - I am not a fan of the logo/monogram/styles
Cath Kitson - too many fakes around. feels like it will melt..
Mansur Gavriel - too plain for my taste and too expensive
Mulberry - too plain also for me and too expensive for the style.. and heavy too
Jessica Simpson - I can't bear anything with her name haha, sorry..
Ivanka ***** (or is it Ivana?) - same as JS above..
Goyard - too many fakes.. so thin, feels like paper and too darn expensive
Juicy Couture - maybe when I was in highschool but not now, no way..
Alexander Wang - Feels so heavy! And just not pretty enough for me..

.. there.. I am sure there are more but that's what I got for now..
 
#6,276
D&B drives me crazy with their stupid color combinations( why? why do they put together beautiful deep purple or plum or light blue with those aweful brown straps?) , duck logo and white stitching. All their bags look like a school /army /corporate uniform. They use good leather and their bags are sturdy but everything else is a complete disaster. It seems like their designers are colorblind.
 
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#6,277
No to:

Coach - almost everywhere and there's a lot of knockoffs!

MK - to be fair,I owned 3 Hamiltons and I must say they are workhorses! Used to own some but sold them and stop because they are everywhere too!

Chanel and Hermes - too pricey!

Kate Spade and Juicy Couture - I just don't feel like I will own one anytime. Not a fan of the designs.

Guess - where's the quality though?!

I owned different designer brands and I just love them and use them alternately. My favorites: LV, Burberry, Gucci, Prada and my MK Hamiltons (I am using as my baby bags!) [emoji7]
 
#6,278
FunBagz said:
+1. Even high end designer bags made from the highest quality leathers, furs and exotics aren't worth the exorbitant prices we pay...it's all about the label.
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Not just the label. High end designers also usually have better design and / or are the originators in design innovation. And they often have other features (like leather linings, etc. that you can't get in a contemporary bag. Other factors: the premiere brands give wonderful shopping experiences. I don't like shopping so I like to dart in and out of a boutique but some people feel it's worth it to pay for that feeling and even to have a relationship with an SA that dotes on them. Others pay the extra for nice(r) repair policies.

So, no the materials themselves absolutely aren't worth the price differential. And the brand cache is certainly part of the package. But the price differential for luxe handbags is about more than just about the label.
 
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#6,279
Marisaa said:
D&B drives me crazy with their stupid color combinations( why? why do they put together beautiful deep purple or plum or light blue with those aweful brown straps?) , duck logo and white stitching. All their bags look like a school /army /corporate uniform. They use good leather and their bags are sturdy but everything else is a complete disaster. It seems like their designers are colorblind.
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Lol! I agree. DB's leathers are really very nice but they lose me with the duck and the brown leather being slapped on colorful bags. Your example of the army uniform for those bags is perfect.
 
#6,280
Sparkletastic said:
Not just the label. High end designers also usually have better design and / or are the originators in design innovation. And they often have other features (like leather linings, etc. that you can't get in a contemporary bag. Other factors: the premiere brands give wonderful shopping experiences. I don't like shopping so I like to dart in and out of a boutique but some people feel it's worth it to pay for that feeling and even to have a relationship with an SA that dotes on them. Others pay the extra for nice(r) repair policies.

So, no the materials themselves absolutely aren't worth the price differential. And the brand cache is certainly part of the package. But the price differential for luxe handbags is about more than just about the label.
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Agreed 100%. What I meant is that it is the label that brings along the chache. Granted, premium brands are (generally) of far better quality and craftmanship and spend extra on advertising, promotion and packaging, usually have more generous repair policies, etc. over contemporary or lesser brands, but not enough to account for the price differences. Don't get me wrong, pretty much all I own are premium brand handbags, but I don't pretend that those brands don't have much higher profit margins than most contemporary and lesser brands. But they are my little indulgence, so its worth it to me and I accept it.

FWIW, I have a Stella McCartney Falabella and love it! I don't believe a bag needs to be made from leather, fur or exotics to be a premium bag. Quality, style and that "cache" can be found with non-leather/fur/exotic bags as well. Heck, LV is famous for the quality and craftsmanship of their coated canvas bags (granted, most have leather trim). :smile1:
 
#6,281
Sparkletastic said:
Lol! I agree. DB's leathers are really very nice but they lose me with the duck and the brown leather being slapped on colorful bags. Your example of the army uniform for those bags is perfect.
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Well, it is not my idea about uniform -its D&B themselves. Look at their University line or MLB line. They are soooo recognizable I can spot duck bag from any distance. My reaction is similar to Austin Power's in Goldmemeber-Mooole, Moooooooole, Molymolymolymoly! Just I say-duuuuck, duckduckduck, duckyduckyducky..... Can't help it, sorry.
Its a shame, because speaking of craftsmanship dooney does know how to construct a good quality bag.
 
#6,283
Making blanket statements about designers is a tough one for me! I have seen fantastic bags in nearly every designer's line, and even if I dislike 99.9% of a collection, there is always one bag that makes me go, "Hmmm... Now that's nice!"

For me, classic Louis Vuiton is almost certainly a "never". I don't care for the whole coated canvas thing, and I dislike signature fabrics in general. LV is too "look, I'm wearing designer!" for my taste. Besides, no one would believe that my LV is real anyway, I'm just not the type. :p
Now, his epi leather bags are a different story, I like the look of those much better.

Chanel is generally too froufrou for me. I don't like quilted bags, and the insanely high prices irk me. (That said, I'm sure if I delve into Chanel, I will find a model or two that will capture my heart!)

Hermes is out too, not just because of the painfully high prices, but for me, the fact that I have to schmooze a sales person into selling me a product is absurd. Even though I love the look of the Kelly, the mere fact that I have to create rapport to be allowed to buy in a store is so silly that I will never even consider it.
 
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#6,284
FunBagz said:
Agreed 100%. What I meant is that it is the label that brings along the chache. Granted, premium brands are (generally) of far better quality and craftmanship and spend extra on advertising, promotion and packaging, usually have more generous repair policies, etc. over contemporary or lesser brands, but not enough to account for the price differences. Don't get me wrong, pretty much all I own are premium brand handbags, but I don't pretend that those brands don't have much higher profit margins than most contemporary and lesser brands. But they are my little indulgence, so its worth it to me and I accept it.

FWIW, I have a Stella McCartney Falabella and love it! I don't believe a bag needs to be made from leather, fur or exotics to be a premium bag. Quality, style and that "cache" can be found with non-leather/fur/exotic bags as well. Heck, LV is famous for the quality and craftsmanship of their coated canvas bags (granted, most have leather trim). :smile1:
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I think we're definitely on the same page. There are a number of "real" upgrades when moving from contemporary to premium. But the intangible brand power / cache is really making up most of the gap in price.

On your second point about materials, I've been pondering this because I had a strong aversion to non leather bags and felt they were "sub par". That led me to feel the coated canvas bags were a waste of money. And I couldn't fathom why anyone would want something like a cloth Chanel bag. Then I had to ask myself: Well, who said leather is "better"? Tradition? Rarity? Durability? If it's the latter, then a chain mail purse should be better than both a leather and a canvas bag. 😂
For me, I just decided I prefer leather to canvas for the look and feel. I prefer leather to fabric for durability and resale. And I just "can't" on the vegan leather bags. But that's me. If someone else is happier with a bag made of hemp, tweed, canvas or ... great for them! 👍 They may look at my leather bags and think "never"! 😊
 
#6,285
Sparkletastic said:
Lol! I agree. DB's leathers are really very nice but they lose me with the duck and the brown leather being slapped on colorful bags. Your example of the army uniform for those bags is perfect.
Click to expand...

Marisaa said:
Well, it is not my idea about uniform -its D&B themselves. Look at their University line or MLB line. They are soooo recognizable I can spot duck bag from any distance. My reaction is similar to Austin Power's in Goldmemeber-Mooole, Moooooooole, Molymolymolymoly! Just I say-duuuuck, duckduckduck, duckyduckyducky..... Can't help it, sorry.
Its a shame, because speaking of craftsmanship dooney does know how to construct a good quality bag.
Click to expand...

DB is, and always will be my first love, so I GOTS to take up for 'em. There are some DB bags that may conform to your descriptsion Marisaa, however, I would say the majority do not, especially the Alto Line [which is my personal favorite] no ducks [even though I LOVE the ducks], gaudy contrast stitching etc. Just beautiful DB craftsmanship, and I've attached pics to show examples.

DB quality is unparalleled, and I will put it up to any [yes you read that right...ANY....luxury brand]

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