Great post, lalame! I'm in the New York Metro Area and sometimes carry Longchamp. Exactly who cares what bag you are carrying? More to the point, do you care about what they think? I wonder how many of us, formerly bitten by the luxury bug, still feel the need to acquire clearly recognizable luxury items. I agree with you about quality, and do pay attention to that when buying. A good example, though, of the Emperor Having No Clothes is Chanel's roughly $5,000 seasonal bags. These seasonal bags, the ones with cloth rather than leather lining, may be fun to have for a few years, but have abysmal resale value. Need I even mention how much Chanel's quality has slipped over the past 30 years?Hmm I wouldn't say I'm over luxury items because if I need to buy a purse or jewelry or something I will usually look to a luxury designer first. But I am kinda over luxury as a subject of consumption frenzy and entertainment. Social media has done its work on me over the last few years training me to shop for $5,000 handbags the same way I'd buy new cosmetics to try. That hype urgency and excitement is no longer there. Also, honestly, as my income grows the less I feel luxury has any meaning and so I often question whether the premier price point of a logo is worth it anymore (quality is a different matter though). The aspirational component is no longer there since they are so common now and really what type of aspiration is it to own a luxury item? Baristas these days carry Vuitton and millionaires carry Longchamp! Personal style and comfort is more important.
I don't mind spending the "big bucks" for a bag when I know that the quality is there and it's one that works with both my personal style and my lifestyle. I've done a major curation of my bag collection over the past year, and probably will do another edit in the next twelve months. What's made the cut is an assortment of both "high" and low" that works for me.
MillStream