Does a Collection / Brand Need to Look Good as a Whole for you to Select One Bag?

[papertiger]

Hmmmm, I think it's a little bit of both for me.

I do look at a collection overall, watch the runway shows, look at how things are put together by the brand. That does influence how I feel about a bag or about how a bag looks in the way the collection is portrayed.

But there are some bags that I just love so much that I can set aside the collection or some bags that I think are on a "higher level"? Probably something very classic and timeless like the Chanel CF or the Hermes quota bags.

So I guess it depends haha.

I was looking at Gucci SS22 RTW and thinking, maybe they've run out of ideas and popped over to Top-Shop to take notes The AW21 had me spending thousands on RTW and bags, so much more sophisticated of late, so if this is a change of direction (again) it's another case of me having to wear blinkers. Now the bags are better, the shoes @Christofle and RTW is mostly really .

 

[papertiger]

I get that, especially if you want to create a well thought out capsule wardrobe. Mine ends up looking like an all you can eat buffet mixed with a pile of clothes at the return counter of a department store.

A lot of people would kill to eat at your mixed-cuisine buffet (sartorially speaking) though

 

[Thenewestgirl]

I could not relate more. I can feel that way if I like a certain bag but don’t care for the brands currect overall aesthetics, ”feel”, or even my ”prejudices” related to a brand (you could call it DNA), or whatever. But absolutely, how the overall collection looks can really have an impact on how I feel about a bag. Just like you describe it, it feels like I can’t trust their judgement, haha.

 

[leechiyong]

I get that, especially if you want to create a well thought out capsule wardrobe. Mine ends up looking like an all you can eat buffet mixed with a pile of clothes at the return counter of a department store.

My wardrobe resembles this. All of which I refuse to edit because "but that's a really nice piece!" Then I go put on a t-shirt I was given by a vendor from some conference while it languishes in the closet some more because I don't want to deal with dry cleaning.

I think another factor is execution. In the vein of a brand trying to be too much to too many, how well it's done matters. So many houses have expanded beyond their initial realm where it just feels like a money grab or capitalizing on a trend and it can be off-putting. I can take one look at the puffy Mulberry bags and know this isn't the plush, thick leather I love from them, whereas I look at Bulgari and their constant attempt to grow their bag market and fall in love with the intricacy chains and use of semi-precious gemstones in their hardware. I'll keep buying that up as long as I can (even though they're really a bit formal to wear with my five year old free t-shirt).

 

[Christofle]

My wardrobe resembles this. All of which I refuse to edit because "but that's a really nice piece!" Then I go put on a t-shirt I was given by a vendor from some conference while it languishes in the closet some more because I don't want to deal with dry cleaning.

I think another factor is execution. In the vein of a brand trying to be too much to too many, how well it's done matters. So many houses have expanded beyond their initial realm where it just feels like a money grab or capitalizing on a trend and it can be off-putting. I can take one look at the puffy Mulberry bags and know this isn't the plush, thick leather I love from them, whereas I look at Bulgari and their constant attempt to grow their bag market and fall in love with the intricacy chains and use of semi-precious gemstones in their hardware. I'll keep buying that up as long as I can (even though they're really a bit formal to wear with my five year old free t-shirt).

What turns me off with Bulgari is that they make your internet tab blink constantly with “act fast low quantity”. If you produce a lovely product and believe in it you shouldn’t try to coerce your customers. Their bags are amazing so I guess for me marketing pressure tactics might affect me more than the actual product.

Such as LV who assigns you a number to be served as though you are inside a bakery.

 

[papertiger]

What turns me off with Bulgari is that they make your internet tab blink constantly with “act fast low quantity”. If you produce a lovely product and believe in it you shouldn’t try to coerce your customers. Their bags are amazing so I guess for me marketing pressure tactics might affect me more than the actual product.

Such as LV who assigns you a number to be served as though you are inside a bakery.

Reminds me of Cold War Eastern Block

Well, everything is reminding me of the Cold War ATM, but that's a different thread, different forum, same kettle of fish

 

[papertiger]

I could not relate more. I can feel that way if I like a certain bag but don’t care for the brands currect overall aesthetics, ”feel”, or even my ”prejudices” related to a brand (you could call it DNA), or whatever. But absolutely, how the overall collection looks can really have an impact on how I feel about a bag. Just like you describe it, it feels like I can’t trust their judgement, haha.

I'm glad I'm not alone

 

[leechiyong]

What turns me off with Bulgari is that they make your internet tab blink constantly with “act fast low quantity”. If you produce a lovely product and believe in it you shouldn’t try to coerce your customers. Their bags are amazing so I guess for me marketing pressure tactics might affect me more than the actual product.

Such as LV who assigns you a number to be served as though you are inside a bakery.

Agree on the marketing; the constant reminders of scarcity and social media and influencer bombardment is overbearing to say the least. I doubt I’d buy from them if I didn’t have a boutique near me or if the SAs I encountered were too high pressure. My experiences in my store have been much more indicative of luxury service than the online presence suggests.

 

[Christofle]

Agree on the marketing; the constant reminders of scarcity and social media and influencer bombardment is overbearing to say the least. I doubt I’d buy from them if I didn’t have a boutique near me or if the SAs I encountered were too high pressure. My experiences in my store have been much more indicative of luxury service than the online presence suggests.

Same for me, in-store service has always been impeccable. Friendly, courteous and open to showing you anything and everything without feeling rushed.

US, Canada, Germany and Italy, doesn’t matter where! Bulgari is on point!

 

[Christofle]

Reminds me of Cold War Eastern Block

Well, everything is reminding me of the Cold War ATM, but that's a different thread, different forum, same kettle of fish

Pursewall; peer beyond the iron curtain for all your fashion needs. *in an alternate universe*

 

[papertiger]

Pursewall; peer beyond the iron curtain for all your fashion needs. *in an alternate universe*

NFT Iron Curtain behind a pay-wall in the *metaverse*

 

[Christofle]

NFT Iron Curtain behind a pay-wall in the *metaverse*

Oh god. Jimmy Choo NFT flashback

 

[Liberté]

In isolation this wouldn't be enough for me, I have ordered items from independent ateliers a few times and in that case it doesn't matter what the other products they produced look like or if they have a "brand image".

But I echo some of the others that if i am buying from a brand, the other aspects of the brand do matter, including the rest of the range. I would not buy LV now, just as an example, because of the recent business practices and because the range as a whole is unappealing to me. It makes the classic bags less appealing too.

 

[Sparkletastic]

I have some of this feeling but I think it goes back to what someone said about how brands (should) present a clear and cohesive image. If they’ve done their job right, they repel some customers as much as they attract others.

Sometimes I refuse to buy an item because I don’t “trust” the brand. I may know it to represent an ethos that isn’t me. So, if I see one bag that I like, I wonder why and am skeptical as to whether the like can be sustained past an impulse OR if my eye is off and I’ll end up wearing the item and looking like what I didn’t like before.

But, then more simply, the entire site or store can just be taxing to my sartorial psyche. I like some cult gaia bags. But their clothes look like Zara rejects (to me. no offense intended.) so I just want to hurry off the site and be done with it.

And, I’ve expressed my recent struggle with my (ex)beloved Chanel. I don’t know what the heck they’re doing with some new releases like their new trash bag tote. So, now they feel like an older brand trying and failing to stay relevant. So my classic flaps look a tinge dated in that context. Like glory years gone by. The line up is just too confused and communicates indecision vs fashion. Bags I don’t like are casting a pall upon all of them. So, I’m struggling with my relationship with the brand and it’s individual items.

 

[papertiger]

I have some of this feeling but I think it goes back to what someone said about how brands (should) present a clear and cohesive image. If they’ve done their job right, they repel some customers as much as they attract others.

Sometimes I refuse to buy an item because I don’t “trust” the brand. I may know it to represent an ethos that isn’t me. So, if I see one bag that I like, I wonder why and am skeptical as to whether the like can be sustained past an impulse OR if my eye is off and I’ll end up wearing the item and looking like what I didn’t like before.

But, then more simply, the entire site or store can just be taxing to my sartorial psyche. I like some cult gaia bags. But their clothes look like Zara rejects (to me. no offense intended.) so I just want to hurry off the site and be done with it.

And, I’ve expressed my recent struggle with my (ex)beloved Chanel. I don’t know what the heck they’re doing with some new releases like their new trash bag tote. So, now they feel like an older brand trying and failing to stay relevant. So my classic flaps look a tinge dated in that context. Like glory years gone by. The line up is just too confused and communicates indecision vs fashion. Bags I don’t like are casting a pall upon all of them. So, I’m struggling with my relationship with the brand and it’s individual items.

I don't know why all customers are not teated equally. Why is the taste of their existing customers (any megabrand) not deemed good enough? Why do they have to entice (and pressure) younger and younger consumers (who IMO should be having fun with pre-loved, high-street, streetwear and markets creating their own looks)

I don't think the CF look dated at all, with Chanel it's all in the stying. After all you could also say Chanel needs to look no further than its archives. Every leather House has been copying the Chanel Tassel (camera) bag for years, they could just reissue that.