Great to see you VL
Thanks to you too for the info, I'm beginning to wonder how anyone guessed Nitz from my input LOL
Real luxury items left...
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Great to see you VL
Thanks to you too for the info, I'm beginning to wonder how anyone guessed Nitz from my input LOL
I so enjoy your posts. This one's no exception--great points.
I was thinking "luxury" even can change for same person/same industry/different day.
Sometimes, I'd trade a bespoke handbag for sleep & homegrown food. Or a custom cashmere shawl for 1 hour's uninterrupted conversation.
Then again, some days I'd choose the handbag or shawl instead.
My "luxuries" change with mood & need--or, maybe because I'm a difficult person.
Good post! Would trade Miss Pickle for a quiet train at the very moment. [emoji1]
Thanks for sharing all those infos, Papertiger. I enjoyed very much looking at all the brands you mentioned and they do amazing bags and other nice things.
Do own something from the brands you mentioned?
Almost all.
Exceptions, asprey 'only' silver and ltd ed books., I don't have any Launer or Patey yet (i do Christys for hats including a felt fur Devon (padded) bowler for riding). BF has Ettinger.
Causse Paris for gloves are also great, as are Semoneta (Italy) and very reasonable (check spelling on Google, I'm on my phone).
Europe has so many unsung, but wonderful specialist makers of this and that, I think they still find the whole on-line presence thing too daunting, such a shame.
and this is where it becomes subjective.
Even the market term is a bit subjective.
There are Luxury Brands that are MORE affordable than others, yet, they are still considered Luxury Brands.
What I find affordable, somebody else may find ostentatiously expensive.
and vis versa. what I may find expensive, somebody else may find affordable.
This is even true of people in the same income level. That is where it becomes very subjective.
There are a LOT of $500 Kors and even $800 Coach bags, I would certainly NOT count them as being even CLOSE to luxury brands though. heck, they can stick a $2,500 Price tag on a Coach bag, and I will still never consider any Coach a Luxury bag.
So, Price still is not going to make Coach a luxury bag maker.
They could make a few one of a kind bags, handmade, and I will still NEVER
consider Coach as a Luxury brand on a side note, some people will, again, that is subjective
I don't see these as Luxury brands as they don't have the HISTORY or Origins along with the craftsmanship to be considered Luxury brand.
Or, look at men's shoe companies in Britain.
In England 2 very old shoe makers Tricker's and John Lobb. Though, BOTH are considered very high end Luxury, one is priced in the $500- $1000 Price range.
and the other is priced in the $1,500 and UP Price Range.
Both are Luxury brands. Yet, their Price Points are vastly different.
They are even considered equals in the market.
That is what I meant when I said, that price does not necessarily mean Luxury.
as for The Luxury Market.
Sotheby's has a good article on what Luxury means.
http://www.sothebys.com/en/news-vid.../2014/04/understanding-the-luxury-market.html
Luxury does not necessarily mean old.
The market is inundated with brands that fight for your attention, curiosity and ultimately your wallet. In the last seven years, we have observed the rhetoric of brand messages to center on authenticity and heritage, both rightfully associated with luxury products and both blown out of proportion after the crisis of 2007-2008. The post-crisis luxury clientele rationalized excessive purchases by seeking out brands that have indeed been authentic and have distinct heritage and, as a consequence, long traditions in craftsmanship and commitment to innovation.
http://www.sothebys.com/en/news-vid.../2014/04/understanding-the-luxury-market.html
The luxury market does not favor the rich but rather the smart shopper.
With an unlimited supply of funds to spend on luxury objects and accessories, one can always make good choices. Unfortunately, the opposite is also true. Luxury does not necessarily mean expensive. Pricing luxury products is a very complicated process that takes into account costs similar to those other businesses are assuming. Additionally, it takes into account a highly intensive production process that is usually greatly specialized, rare (in terms of raw materials, specialized labor, proper facilities in specific locations, and intellectual property), and very much dependent on artistic output. If one buys the most expensive object the store has to offer without questioning why this is the most expensive one, one risks buying into hype.
I believe the book stated Hermes, and Chanel coming in second, as the only "true" luxury brands due to craftsmanship, scarcity, and appreciation over time. For myself, I like to see what the designers listed here as Premier have that's different from the usual offering. They all have some mass-produced canvas or leather bag, but the seasonal specials (runway or otherwise) can be really cool and check all the "true luxury" boxes. If it's a unique design or skin used for a bag, and the store claims that it is special or limited edition, I always ask them to verify by checking how many were made, and how many are left. Details done by hand also add to the luxury aspect.
I think we can all agree that the idea of luxury is subjective, and anything that goes past the bare minimum of functionality is a luxury to varying degrees, but in the spirit of how the book described it, that is how I evaluate goods in that upper echelon for myself.
I think we can all agree that the idea of luxury is subjective, and anything that goes past the bare minimum of functionality is a luxury to varying degrees, but in the spirit of how the book described it, that is how I evaluate goods in that upper echelon for myself.
That was a fantastic book!!!
VERY eye opening.
If I were to list what I view as Luxury, Perfume.. Joy By Jean Patou
Perfume. and by the way, I only buy the VINTAGE Joy Perfume.
Joy perfume today, has been through so many hands, that it is no longer even the same perfume.
It no longer has the same ingredients. it has lost what ONCE made it so special.
Chanel No. 5 is another perfume I buy, but again, Vintage.
as recently, they had to change their formula to adhere to EU Consumer Rules on Safety.
This is going on in the perfume industry RIGHT NOW.
All Perfumeries will have to change their formulas due to this new rule.
Soon, TRUE Luxury Perfumes will be a thing of the past.
Ohhhhh Italy, I was in Sorrento last summer, and I saw so many
shoe and handbag makers.
I wish I would have written down the names of these Boutiques.
Many had workshops in the back, to make handmade Special orders. Shops that have been around since the the late 1800's handed down in the family.
Shockingly, their price points were far less than the bigger names,
yet, all were handmade in these shops.
and this is where it becomes subjective.
Even the market term is a bit subjective.
There are Luxury Brands that are MORE affordable than others, yet, they are still considered Luxury Brands.
What I find affordable, somebody else may find ostentatiously expensive.
and vis versa. what I may find expensive, somebody else may find affordable.
This is even true of people in the same income level. That is where it becomes very subjective.
There are a LOT of $500 Kors and even $800 Coach bags, I would certainly NOT count them as being even CLOSE to luxury brands though. heck, they can stick a $2,500 Price tag on a Coach bag, and I will still never consider any Coach a Luxury bag.
So, Price still is not going to make Coach a luxury bag maker.
They could make a few one of a kind bags, handmade, and I will still NEVER
consider Coach as a Luxury brand… on a side note, some people will, again, that is subjective…
I don't see these as Luxury brands as they don't have the HISTORY or Origins along with the craftsmanship to be considered Luxury brand.
Or, look at men's shoe companies in Britain.
In England 2 very old shoe makers Tricker's and John Lobb. Though, BOTH are considered very high end Luxury, one is priced in the $500- $1000 Price range.
and the other is priced in the $1,500 and UP Price Range.
Both are Luxury brands. Yet, their Price Points are vastly different.
They are even considered equals in the market.
That is what I meant when I said, that price does not necessarily mean Luxury.
as for The Luxury Market.
Sotheby's has a good article on what Luxury means.
http://www.sothebys.com/en/news-vid.../2014/04/understanding-the-luxury-market.html
Luxury does not necessarily mean “old.”
The market is inundated with brands that fight for your attention, curiosity and ultimately your wallet. In the last seven years, we have observed the rhetoric of brand messages to center on “authenticity” and “heritage,” both rightfully associated with luxury products and both blown out of proportion after the crisis of 2007-2008. The post-crisis luxury clientele rationalized excessive purchases by seeking out brands that have indeed been authentic and have distinct heritage and, as a consequence, long traditions in craftsmanship and commitment to innovation.
http://www.sothebys.com/en/news-vid.../2014/04/understanding-the-luxury-market.html
The luxury market does not favor the rich but rather the smart shopper.
With an unlimited supply of funds to spend on luxury objects and accessories, one can always make good choices. Unfortunately, the opposite is also true. Luxury does not necessarily mean expensive. Pricing luxury products is a very complicated process that takes into account costs similar to those other businesses are assuming. Additionally, it takes into account a highly intensive production process that is usually greatly specialized, rare (in terms of raw materials, specialized labor, proper facilities in specific locations, and intellectual property), and very much dependent on artistic output. If one buys the most expensive object the store has to offer without questioning why this is the most expensive one, one risks buying into “hype.”
This is one of the best explanations and evaluations of the idea of luxury that I have read here. I also read Dana Thomas' book along with some of her follow-up articles. Very insightful.
I think it is very easy for people to equate a luxury brand with price or how difficult it is to get, which I think allows these companies to trade on a history that they no longer honor in most cases (with certain exceptions, of course). Most brands no longer manufacture by hand or in a particular artisan location with the highest quality materials. They simply remind us of their history while they no longer honor it in their manufacture or process.
I have a few bags I know were handmade in Italy. I have spoken many times to the man who crafted them for me. They weren't exorbitantly expensive but, for me, they are a true luxury. They were created to my tastes and specifications and, to this day, I can't find any leather bags that rival this quality.
Luxury means different things to different people, and I love the article's notation about 'luxury favoring the smart shopper.' So true.
Thanks.
I fear you would regret losing Miss Pickle later, when train is less chaotic. Cling to the good & beautiful stuff--makes tough situations more endurable.
Thank you!
and I have to say, what you said is also VERY true.
I think it is very easy for people to equate a luxury brand with price or how difficult it is to get, which I think allows these companies to trade on a history that they no longer honor in most cases (with certain exceptions, of course). Most brands no longer manufacture by hand or in a particular artisan location with the highest quality materials. They simply remind us of their history while they no longer honor it in their manufacture or process.
Prada is a prime example, trading on their history as an Italian Brand, yet manufacturing their items in CHINA.
Due to this, I have a hard time viewing Prada as a luxury brand anymore.
In the last 10 years, Luxury Handbag prices have exploded.
It has actually become obscene how much they are charging for mass produced
crap, that is falling apart in less than a year.
I would not mind the price increases, if they actually put MORE effort
into better quality controls and after sales service.
But, that is just not the case, in fact, it is the opposite. They are increasing the
prices, and offering less and less.
They are no longer pricing for quality, they are pricing at what they think the market with bare. And sadly, by paying $3,000 for a bag that will not last and is not the best quality, we are proving that they can get away with this.
Thanks.
I fear you would regret losing Miss Pickle later, when train is less chaotic. Cling to the good & beautiful stuff--makes tough situations more endurable.
Hehe. You're right. I clung to Miss Pickle and left chaotic train with her.
I like the Launer bags. as far as I know the Queen has some of them. They have so cheerful colours. Wish I could see you riding with the bowler. This must be an awesome sight.
At least I found one German brand, that makes luxurious handbags. http://www.comtesse.de/en/home
Those made from horsehair are very special I think.
