QUALITY: Why are there so many posts about declining quality?

TPF may earn a commission from merchant affiliate
links, including eBay, Amazon, and others

Are you in the UK, like somethinggoodcanwork? There might be some differences between the US and the UK in this regard. Just about everyone rich in the US is nouveau riche.

I'm in the US; guess you may be right in that regard-though I originally came from another country, so I'm am used to seeing the rich living frugally. Kind of like Warren Buffet in the States?
 
Last edited:
I've been buying luxury for almost 20 years and generally speaking, the quality is still there overall. I personally prefer Dior, Chanel, LV, and Hermes. However, I agree with @remainsilly that many people expect perfection and obsess over every little thing, or create problems when there were none to begin with (I can think of several Chanel posts where people thought something was wrong when nothing was). They don't inspect their bags prior to purchasing or do their research, and now they have buyer's remorse and begin to freak out. I remember one poster who kept returning bags, over and over in a month's period. And I also remember the one another poster referenced about cleaning with paper and water. Other posters want to return their bags because the bags weren't packaged to their satisfaction.

I think you have to have a balanced view of luxury. No brand is perfect but overall you can be satisfied if you have realistic expectations and have done your research.
 
Last edited:
I think there is a certain level of nostalgia that plays into this, though I do think some brands have cut more and more corners over the years. However, it seems to me that some people (as the member above noted) inspect their bags for minute flaws that really aren't flaws. I think there should be a level of good production, if not perfection, at all price points. Paying more should certainly guarantee a better or higher quality of materials but it doesn't always equal the same level of workmanship.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Withlovejoy
I think there is a certain level of nostalgia that plays into this, though I do think some brands have cut more and more corners over the years. However, it seems to me that some people (as the member above noted) inspect their bags for minute flaws that really aren't flaws. I think there should be a level of good production, if not perfection, at all price points. Paying more should certainly guarantee a better or higher quality of materials but it doesn't always equal the same level of workmanship.

Many members have new and old bags of many premier brands so it's not always from memory, it's quite simple to compare when they're side by side. Across the board it's easy to see quality of materials and workmanship has gone down, details are left out and the designs are easier to produce.
 
I have owned many brands over the years and since I am older, I can tell you that no, it's not necessarily "nostalgia" at play here. For example, Coach was first manufactured in the U.S. Beautiful glove tanned leather with understated design and hardware. They were meant to last years and the company once offered a great warranty. You could hit them with a truck and they would have survived. My first "real" handbag was a Coach. About 2001, Coach took a new direction. No problem with that, but at the same, they began outsourcing production to China. Many more styles. Coach has, at various times, reintroduced the classics and they are in no way equal to the original they inspired. I have bags that in the 20 year range that still look great. Their newer counter parts look old after a few years. (Coach or Tapestry has addressed this by going more upscale and using better materials.) My vintage LV bags had thicker canvas, with a nice hand. Those I purchased after 2007 were not the same. The canvas seemed thinner and had a rougher feel. Tignanello was once a great way to purchase decent leather handbags at an affordable price. Soft, supple leather. That was then. Now they are using "vegan" leather for handles and trim. This is just something experienced firsthand. I think, too, that this trend is something that can be seen across many product lines and not just limited to bags.
 
Overall, perhaps these brands don't have to work very hard anymore, too many are more interested in the name of the bag rather than the bag itself.

And it's not just the quality or leather, stitching etc, there is also a clear decline in standards of design and execution. Nearly all the bags we buy now have to be able to be mass produced. We've become conditioned to expecting less to begin with.

Here's a bag from Lancel from the 1950s. Lancel are still a great company but beyond compare. Even H wouldn't be able to cost a bag like this anymore, the mark-ups at retail start at x 7 now.
 

Attachments

  • Maroquinerie-l-esprit-Lancel.jpg
    Maroquinerie-l-esprit-Lancel.jpg
    16 KB · Views: 1,297
Last edited:
I think some folks are just picky. I don’t have nearly as many luxury bags as a lot of people on here, but I have items from several brands. I would have to say that my Chloe Marcie crossbody in nut (in my avatar) is my best quality bag. It has been in medium to heavy rotation for over six years now and it has only gotten better with age. I have had no problems with Balenciaga, Bally, Gucci, Louis Vuitton bags or Prada (wallet). My dh has an LV slg and a Gucci toiletry bag, no problems. Take care of your items. Also, I have a couple of Rebecca Monkoff bags as well as artisan made bags (think Novica) that I rotate as well. If I take my son to the water park, I carry my waterproof Haiku bag. I don’t take my Speedy or Day!
 
Ugh, I usually have to bite my tongue when someone posts a photo that has been magnified to the point where the leather looks like the surface of the moon and says, "Look! There! See that tiny hole? Will that eventually make the bag peel?" Much hair-pulling when people say to return it as it is an obvious defect. Really? I see nothing. Then they circle it and I still see a normal bag. Expectations vs reality are skewed in some of the forums.
 
Ugh, I usually have to bite my tongue when someone posts a photo that has been magnified to the point where the leather looks like the surface of the moon and says, "Look! There! See that tiny hole? Will that eventually make the bag peel?" Much hair-pulling when people say to return it as it is an obvious defect. Really? I see nothing. Then they circle it and I still see a normal bag. Expectations vs reality are skewed in some of the forums.

Ha ha, I'm the same way [emoji23].
 
Ugh, I usually have to bite my tongue when someone posts a photo that has been magnified to the point where the leather looks like the surface of the moon and says, "Look! There! See that tiny hole? Will that eventually make the bag peel?" Much hair-pulling when people say to return it as it is an obvious defect. Really? I see nothing. Then they circle it and I still see a normal bag. Expectations vs reality are skewed in some of the forums.
Lol!! I rarely see the flaws in photos.
 
  • Like
Reactions: KittyKat65
I think some folks are just picky. I don’t have nearly as many luxury bags as a lot of people on here, but I have items from several brands. I would have to say that my Chloe Marcie crossbody in nut (in my avatar) is my best quality bag. It has been in medium to heavy rotation for over six years now and it has only gotten better with age. I have had no problems with Balenciaga, Bally, Gucci, Louis Vuitton bags or Prada (wallet). My dh has an LV slg and a Gucci toiletry bag, no problems. Take care of your items. Also, I have a couple of Rebecca Monkoff bags as well as artisan made bags (think Novica) that I rotate as well. If I take my son to the water park, I carry my waterproof Haiku bag. I don’t take my Speedy or Day!

Hi Peachylv,
I just saw this post regarding the Chloe Marcie and would like to find out more about it. I had a mini Marcie, loved it but sold it quite soon after I bought it as it was too small. Thinking of getting the next size up in Cashmere Grey in the sale. Does it become very slouchy? I saw lots of older ones loosing their shapes online.
Any advice will be appreciated.
 
Top