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

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#886
averagejoe said:
Prada posted a decline in profits a few days ago, and this is their response:

http://www.refinery29.com/2015/06/89210/prada-lower-priced-handbags



I guess this means that new Prada pieces will cost around the same as Alexander Wang and Philip Lim. Finally "Made in China" with "Made in China" prices (prices are still high, but Coach charges a pretty penny for some of their Made in China bags, too).

My guess is that their strategy is to have bags at several different price points with a larger selection of entry-level-priced handbags. I'm not sure how successful this will be given that this strategy can hurt the desirability of the brand in the long run.
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It is also quite sad about the US designers Coach, Dooney... used to have beautiful Made in USA bags that just scream America to you. Now all the same Made in China copy cat pieces. So sad. Legacy Coach and All Weather Leather Dooney bags are just so classic.

I own a Made in Italy Prada and love it. But sadly it will be my only Prada purchase given how high the price points are going for Made in China...
 
#887
MsHermesAU said:
I don't think people want cheaper products... they want quality products, and that's what Prada has been struggling with for years now. I would be happy if Prada dramatically increased their prices, so long as they offered amazing quality like Hermes. Many other luxury brands have been increasing their prices, and continue to grow. Prada really has been the exception to the rule.
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I totally agree! I would pay more for Prada if the quality was superb and the designs were unique while being classic (Prada has a few but they rely too heavily on one design, their Saffiano Lux/Galleria tote which looks like it could be from any brand. There is nothing truly iconic about that style).

poopsie said:
I'm thinking that the value on the older, well made bags may go up.
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I would hope so, but I don't think that will happen. Usually if the name goes down, then all of its associated products will go down with it.

JustAgUrL said:
Whoever is making these hair brained decisions just seems like they are clueless to me.

I don't want CHEAPER Prada, I want Prada made in Italy, and some NEW
UPDATED Styles.
I don't think I am alone in that either.
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I agree! I don't want cheaper Prada; I want more expensive Prada that can live up to its name.

I don't know if Prada has been following too closely to Mulberry which unsuccessfully upscaled and lost revenue. Its new move to sell lower-priced bags has saved the company and increased profits. What is different is that Mulberry does not have the same brand status as Prada, the latter of which is much more recognized. Prada doesn't need to lower prices. It needs to make better products.

For years, every Prada bag looks the same. Either a tote, hobo, or briefcase/laptop bag. While brands like Chanel and Dior have been able to revisit their classics season after season with exciting new versions of their Classic Flap and Lady Dior, Prada's best-sellers look essentially unchanged, except for being offered in new seasonal colours.
 
#888
applecidered said:
It is also quite sad about the US designers Coach, Dooney... used to have beautiful Made in USA bags that just scream America to you. Now all the same Made in China copy cat pieces. So sad. Legacy Coach and All Weather Leather Dooney bags are just so classic.

I own a Made in Italy Prada and love it. But sadly it will be my only Prada purchase given how high the price points are going for Made in China...
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I guess brands like Coach and Dooney have tried to follow Michael Kors in making fast cash, by copying other designers. Keeping production in China maximizes profits, but it can prevent the brand from occupying a new, more upscale niche.
 
#890
I spoke with one of my Prada associates this evening about the discount line and she was all for it. :huh:
She said she gets men in there all the time looking for a gift for around $1k and there really isn't anything. Even for $2k the choices are limited according to her. All I could think of is where are these men and why don't I know any? :wave:
 
#891
poopsie said:
I spoke with one of my Prada associates this evening about the discount line and she was all for it. :huh:
She said she gets men in there all the time looking for a gift for around $1k and there really isn't anything. Even for $2k the choices are limited according to her. All I could think of is where are these men and why don't I know any? :wave:
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Lol, me neither
 
#892
poopsie said:
I spoke with one of my Prada associates this evening about the discount line and she was all for it. :huh:
She said she gets men in there all the time looking for a gift for around $1k and there really isn't anything. Even for $2k the choices are limited according to her. All I could think of is where are these men and why don't I know any? :wave:
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I got the last one. :winkiss:
 
#893
poopsie said:
I spoke with one of my Prada associates this evening about the discount line and she was all for it. :huh:
She said she gets men in there all the time looking for a gift for around $1k and there really isn't anything. Even for $2k the choices are limited according to her.
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While that's sweet of some guys, I don't know if going to a boutique to spend a certain amount of money on whatever the money can buy will end up with a great gift for someone.

I was at Chanel before Valentine's Day and I saw two guys come in with exact descriptions and even photos on their phone of the item. Now their purchases made great gifts, because they were things that their girlfriends wanted exactly.
 
#895
luxurydoll said:
I registered here just to respond to these ridiculous unjustified and petty accusation that are made against the Prada brand by people with unreasonable expectations who think that just because they spend $2000 for a bag it should last them a life time regardless of how and how much you (ab)use it. I have worked at Prada before, and carry numerous Prada products and I can tell you that there has never been a bag in a Prada boutique with a made in china tag. Also, most of these handbags are hand-made and hand-stitched therefore they are NOT going to be perfect and it is foolish for you to expect perfection. Lastly, Prada has always been innovative with their designs, and clearly people who claim that Prada doesn't change dont really know the brand, they just assume that just because Saffiano is their signature bag its all they have. Yes, they bring out different colors in the same style and it would be silly for them not to capitalize on the popularity of the bag (from a business stand point). Dig deeper and do some research and educate yourselves (may I suggest style.com or Prada.com) and you'll see that there are tons of other different bags that are offered in Prada boutiques, each different from one another, made out of different leathers (deer, calf, lamb, goat), nylon, canvas and exotic skins. Visit a Prada boutique for Pete's sake. Every brand has their signature styles, that is what makes the brand iconic and memorable. Chanel has the flap bag, Louis has Speedy, Celine is known for luggage tote and Hermes for Birkin, so why is it wrong for Prada to have that one signature bag that the public adores? It doesn't make them any less innovative if they want to bring the bag in different colors every season.
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+1
I love Prada
 
#896
Agreed on the spending more $ must = last forever. Yeah... no. People I know with luxury cars and who spend six figures on vehicles should not expect a perfect machine with no wear and tear or maintenance with daily use. That's not realistic no matter the price you pay. Same goes with handbags. Too many threads everywhere here about small wear on corners or handles, maybe just stop worrying so much and enjoy your bag.
 
#897
luxurydoll said:
I registered here just to respond to these ridiculous unjustified and petty accusation that are made against the Prada brand by people with unreasonable expectations who think that just because they spend $2000 for a bag it should last them a life time regardless of how and how much you (ab)use it. I have worked at Prada before, and carry numerous Prada products and I can tell you that there has never been a bag in a Prada boutique with a made in china tag. Also, most of these handbags are hand-made and hand-stitched therefore they are NOT going to be perfect and it is foolish for you to expect perfection. Lastly, Prada has always been innovative with their designs, and clearly people who claim that Prada doesn't change dont really know the brand, they just assume that just because Saffiano is their signature bag its all they have. Yes, they bring out different colors in the same style and it would be silly for them not to capitalize on the popularity of the bag (from a business stand point). Dig deeper and do some research and educate yourselves (may I suggest style.com or Prada.com) and you'll see that there are tons of other different bags that are offered in Prada boutiques, each different from one another, made out of different leathers (deer, calf, lamb, goat), nylon, canvas and exotic skins. Visit a Prada boutique for Pete's sake. Every brand has their signature styles, that is what makes the brand iconic and memorable. Chanel has the flap bag, Louis has Speedy, Celine is known for luggage tote and Hermes for Birkin, so why is it wrong for Prada to have that one signature bag that the public adores? It doesn't make them any less innovative if they want to bring the bag in different colors every season.
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:roflmfao::roflmfao::roflmfao::roflmfao::roflmfao:

Hmmm.....obviously 20+ years of experience in Prada isn't enough. Sheesh....seriously??????
 
#898
luxurydoll said:
I registered here just to respond to these ridiculous unjustified and petty accusation that are made against the Prada brand by people with unreasonable expectations who think that just because they spend $2000 for a bag it should last them a life time regardless of how and how much you (ab)use it. I have worked at Prada before, and carry numerous Prada products and I can tell you that there has never been a bag in a Prada boutique with a made in china tag. Also, most of these handbags are hand-made and hand-stitched therefore they are NOT going to be perfect and it is foolish for you to expect perfection. Lastly, Prada has always been innovative with their designs, and clearly people who claim that Prada doesn't change dont really know the brand, they just assume that just because Saffiano is their signature bag its all they have. Yes, they bring out different colors in the same style and it would be silly for them not to capitalize on the popularity of the bag (from a business stand point). Dig deeper and do some research and educate yourselves (may I suggest style.com or Prada.com) and you'll see that there are tons of other different bags that are offered in Prada boutiques, each different from one another, made out of different leathers (deer, calf, lamb, goat), nylon, canvas and exotic skins. Visit a Prada boutique for Pete's sake. Every brand has their signature styles, that is what makes the brand iconic and memorable. Chanel has the flap bag, Louis has Speedy, Celine is known for luggage tote and Hermes for Birkin, so why is it wrong for Prada to have that one signature bag that the public adores? It doesn't make them any less innovative if they want to bring the bag in different colors every season.
Click to expand...


Prada's quality and QA at the moment is nothing short of APPALLING!!!!

I've seen sloppy stitching, labels sewn in upside down, split leather on handles, overstretched leather (especially on those dastardly saffy totes), holes in lining seams, cracked joins and many other faults on brand new bags, just out of the box. Truth is that many of the saffiano superfakes are actually better made that Prada's own original product.

If you have actually spent any significant amount of time working in a Prada boutique you will have seen the same things, because most buyers are fussy enough to want to check out their bags in minute detail before handing over their $$$. A week or two in the store as your vacation employment just doesn't count.
 
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