Lamborghini Girl: You are absolutely right. I think that LV can match H when it comes to their most special pieces, especially one-off items from Asnieres and the exotic skins. I just think that once they went super mass-market, the quality spread from high-to-low was widened.
I also agree with everyone here that the timeless appeal of H's logo-free approach really cannot be denigrated. You really see, firstly, the quality of the product, not a logo. I do like some logos (I'm not totally anonymous in my display, admittedly), but I find the stories behind the assembly/craftsmanship and the materials more interesting in pieces that I get now.
Have any of you read the book DELUXE: HOW LUXURY LOST ITS LUSTRE, by Dana Thomas? I found it an engrossing read...I practically read it at one sitting. It is a few years old now and is decidedly anti-LVMH/Bernard Arnault (and pro Chanel and Hermes), but it is still fascinating.
Interestingly, I was speaking to a friend who is an assistant mgr at Loro Piana now and she said that the quality of Chanel (she ran the Chanel boutique in Neiman Marcus for many years at the store closest to me) was not of the same league, fabrics and assembly-wise. Of course, I do not have any way of verifying that, given that I'm a male who prefers to wear men's clothing, but it was an interesting aside.
I have found LV SAs to be beyond friendly (the store mgr and a couple employees at my nearest one are good friends), but the same has been true of the H associates I've met. I'm sad to hear that Chanel is so snotty.
I also agree with everyone here that the timeless appeal of H's logo-free approach really cannot be denigrated. You really see, firstly, the quality of the product, not a logo. I do like some logos (I'm not totally anonymous in my display, admittedly), but I find the stories behind the assembly/craftsmanship and the materials more interesting in pieces that I get now.
Have any of you read the book DELUXE: HOW LUXURY LOST ITS LUSTRE, by Dana Thomas? I found it an engrossing read...I practically read it at one sitting. It is a few years old now and is decidedly anti-LVMH/Bernard Arnault (and pro Chanel and Hermes), but it is still fascinating.
Interestingly, I was speaking to a friend who is an assistant mgr at Loro Piana now and she said that the quality of Chanel (she ran the Chanel boutique in Neiman Marcus for many years at the store closest to me) was not of the same league, fabrics and assembly-wise. Of course, I do not have any way of verifying that, given that I'm a male who prefers to wear men's clothing, but it was an interesting aside.
I have found LV SAs to be beyond friendly (the store mgr and a couple employees at my nearest one are good friends), but the same has been true of the H associates I've met. I'm sad to hear that Chanel is so snotty.
