Prada Bags: Now Made in China for Italian Made Prices."

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#736
poopsie2 said:
IIRC this has been pointed out a few times in this epic thread--LOL. As well as the fact that while a product may be assembled in Italy, it may not be by skilled Italian craftsmen with generations of experience, but by foreign workers imported as a cheap labor pool.
This is by no means exclusive to Prada--------there is a decline in quality pretty much across the board as fashion houses cater to the less than upper crust clientele that flock to their product. This group seems to be more interested in flaunting a brand than in the substance of that brand.
There are many lovely older well made Prada styles and some current ones as well. But they are dismissed by the thundering herd that is only interested in the saffiano totes because they are the bag du jour. If this forum is any indication I can see why Prada is not taking a long haul view with the quality of these totes. Time after time it has been pointed out that there are many other lovely Prada bags that don't seem to have the well documented issues of the saffianos. Yet rather than branch out the popular response seems to be 1) keep returning a bag for repair or replacement. Repeat as needed. 2) buy the same style in different colors even though it is a crapshoot as to the quality you will receive or 3) walk away from Prada entirely without ever looking at other options. This last one actually gives me hope that when the herd eventually thunders on to the next mania Prada will go back to offering a variety of well made bags for the loyal customers who remain.
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Excellent post!
 
#740
Sophistry said:
I think the nationality of a skilled trades person matters very little; generations of Italian knowledge can easily pass to a non Italian. Made in China has a much different connotation than Made in Italy, but the ethnicity of the person making the bag is not what should be questioned, and makes me for one mighty uncomfortable.
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totally agree with this! skills have nothing to do with low wage.
 
#741
Perhaps, but if I am paying the prices that Prada charges, I am not just paying for a bag, I am buying into the entire package of an Italian fashion house. The fact that they (and others) go to the lengths that they do to mislead and obfuscate the origins of their product is very off putting to say the least. And it isn't like Prada offers outstanding customer service to go along with the prices and questionable practices. I have nothing against made in China per se. I own 6 AW Roccos. But Wang never made any bones about it. I wouldn't want to have to start looking for a MIC tag in a Bal though
 
#742
Sophistry said:
I think the nationality of a skilled trades person matters very little; generations of Italian knowledge can easily pass to a non Italian. Made in China has a much different connotation than Made in Italy, but the ethnicity of the person making the bag is not what should be questioned, and makes me for one mighty uncomfortable.
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paparazzi bait said:
totally agree with this! skills have nothing to do with low wage.
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If you read the entire thread (versus the three year old post quoted above), you'd be fully aware that "ethnicity of the person making the bag" has absolutely nothing to do with this discussion. Nothing at all.
 
#744
I think Chinese quality is not as laughable as it used to be. Although, I agree the prices charged for Prada is not right for made in china items. Contemporary brands like Alexander Wang or Tory Burch makes their items in China but they charge a lot less than Prada
 
#745
saintgermain said:
I think Chinese quality is not as laughable as it used to be. Although, I agree the prices charged for Prada is not right for made in china items. Contemporary brands like Alexander Wang or Tory Burch makes their items in China but they charge a lot less than Prada
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That's exactly the point--it's awful when people pay their workers low wages and then still charge a premium for the product. I'm sure Prada didn't move their business to China in order to give the Chinese workers at their factory the kind of wages and working conditions the Italian laborers were receiving.
 
#746
misskris03 said:
That's exactly the point--it's awful when people pay their workers low wages and then still charge a premium for the product. I'm sure Prada didn't move their business to China in order to give the Chinese workers at their factory the kind of wages and working conditions the Italian laborers were receiving.
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what makes it very ironic (for me at any case) is that miuccia prada was (or still is) a member of the italian communist party which doesn't put her above using the worst characteristics of capitalism eg: exploitation of the workers and overpricing of her items which is also exploiting those buying into the prada mystique by the recent lack of quality...
 
#747
pukasonqo said:
what makes it very ironic (for me at any case) is that miuccia prada was (or still is) a member of the italian communist party which doesn't put her above using the worst characteristics of capitalism eg: exploitation of the workers and overpricing of her items which is also exploiting those buying into the prada mystique by the recent lack of quality...
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I had no idea she was from the political (far) left. What hypocrisy. Thanks for sharing that interesting fact.
 
#748
misskris03 said:
I had no idea she was from the political (far) left. What hypocrisy. Thanks for sharing that interesting fact.
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i have no problem w her political views but yes, is hypocritical the way her fashion house is run, unless she can proof she pays top dollar to her factory workers in china and has established a fund for those artisans based in italy that have no jobs...
 
#749
I just bought a Prada bag today at Fashion outlet of Chicago, I assumed that it is made in Italy, so I did not check. After coming home, I checked the bag, the is no made in... tag, and the corners of the bag are torn out. The worst thing is that all sales in that store are final. I'm so upset right now.
 
#750
Jenhochi said:
I just bought a Prada bag today at Fashion outlet of Chicago, I assumed that it is made in Italy, so I did not check. After coming home, I checked the bag, the is no made in... tag, and the corners of the bag are torn out. The worst thing is that all sales in that store are final. I'm so upset right now.
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I've never bought anything from a Prada outlet, but I have heard that there is a good chance of your bag not being made in Italy if it's bought from an outlet. Though there are also some bags made in Italy that are sold in outlets, a good number of them are made in China, Turkey, etc. Not that all bags sold in the actual Prada boutique are made in Italy either - which is why asking the SA to show you the 'Made in' tag before purchasing would be a best practice.


I'm sorry about your experience. Try to just enjoy your bag as long as you like the design (and I am assuming you do if you bought it), and the quality is good (I am hoping it is), given you can no longer return the bag (based on what you said about sales being final).
 
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