Should I feel guilty about being Jewish and loving Chanel and Louis Vuitton products despite their connections with the Nazi party?

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Chanel lover26

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Sep 18, 2020
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#1
As I said before, I was raised Orthodox Jewish for the first 18 years of my life in NYC. I practice Reform Judaism, follow a strict kosher diet, and attend Shabbat services every week. I will always live in NYC for the fashion and the Jewish community. Now I left orthodox Judaism to embrace my feminity and wear makeup, dresses, high heels, and jewelry, all things my parents forbid me to do. Now my oldest brother also left Orthodox Judaism to join the Army. Still, my parents did not take kindly to me, leaving Orthodox Judaism to embrace my feminity while my brother went to serve his country.

After I left Orthodox Judaism, my parents didn’t talk to me for about a year, but they have come along. However, they always guilt me for loving and wearing Chanel and Louis Vuitton products. As in my username, I absolutely love all things Chanel. However, I greatly distance myself from Coco Chanel. I hate it when people fawn over her as a feminist icon while ignoring that she was a Nazi Sympathizer. With antisemitism being very high, I have questioned my love for Chanel and Louis Vuitton. However, I know that Chanel and Louis Vuitton are no longer what they were back during WW2. So I am curious what you would all do if you were in my position.
 
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#4
A bottle of Red said:
There are some people who don't use these products or anything made by Germany but others are ok with it.
Do you know if your grandparents were in the camps? If so it might explain why your parents feel the way they do.
Ultimately, I think it's really personal preference.
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My parents are also pretty liberal for orthodox Jewish people. I mean my parents are very active in the Black Lives Matter movement and believe that as Jewish people they have a moral obligation to support civil rights. My parents also let me and my oldest brother both attend a non orthodox school for high school.
 
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#5
Chanel lover26 said:
My parents are also pretty liberal for orthodox Jewish people. I mean my parents are very active in the Black Lives Matter movement and believe that as Jewish people they have a moral obligation to support civil rights. My parents also let me and my oldest brother both attend a non orthodox school for high school.
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Your parents sound like lovely people .
Maybe don't wear the Chanel around your parents so as not to upset them and keep the peace, but wear them in other places/with other people.
This way you can enjoy your goodies but they won't lecture you.
I'm glad you found a lifestyle that works for you, it's not always easy to do.
 
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#6
I used to avoid Chanel in the past too, but really liked a lot of the designs. I wanted to know how much of the stories of her being a Nazi sympathizer were really true and found out that she was a Nazi spy and also tried to steal the company from her Jewish partners by using Aryan laws. But, her plan failed and the company stayed with the Wertheimers and is is now run by the grandsons. The irony/karma of that ultimately helped me decide that I was okay buying Chanel.

I found this article from 2017 that talks about it all:

From Nazis to Churchill: The Stink Behind Chanel No. 5
 
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#7
This is the Purse Forum, and none of us are going to tell you that you should feel guilty for loving, buying, and wearing chanel. Assuming you can afford to do so. There are a lot of posts regarding this topic that might interest you

(main,y about how the Wertheimers decided it was good business to ‘forgive’ chanel and essentially supported her after WWII until she died). She would have been destitute without the Wertheimers. And today, chanel is still a private company owned by the Wertheimers.

https://forum.purseblog.com/threads/what-are-some-of-your-unpopular-chanel-opinions.1026165/page-88

IMO, it sounds like your parents and family may have larger issues with your leaving Orthodox Judaism and embracing your femininity. They may end up caring more about your future, your children, and how they are raised, than whether you buy chanel RTW or accessories. In fact, if you have basically rejected their faith and many things that they value from a religious and cultural perspective; if they now speak to you after a year of silence; and if they basically accept your decisions, but tease you about your fashion choices, arguably you are ahead.

I married in 1991, and I wore chanel and other designer clothing and accessories since before that time (My family has always loved clothing and jewelry). As an adult, I always bought my own luxury items, but I didn’t really wear them in front of my in-laws in the early years. In fact, I have a contemporary designer section of my closet with some items that I still refer to, in my head, as in-law clothing. I preferred not to wear premium brands around them back then because it’s not something they understood or valued. I can still love something and not make it an issue front and center. Now that I am older, it doesn’t matter as much.
 
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#8
880 said:
This is the Purse Forum, and none of us are going to tell you that you should feel guilty for loving, buying, and wearing chanel. Assuming you can afford to do so. There are a lot of posts regarding this topic that might interest you

(main,y about how the Wertheimers decided it was good business to ‘forgive’ chanel and essentially supported her after WWII until she died). She would have been destitute without the Wertheimers. And today, chanel is still a private company owned by the Wertheimers.

https://forum.purseblog.com/threads/what-are-some-of-your-unpopular-chanel-opinions.1026165/page-88

IMO, it sounds like your parents and family may have larger issues with your leaving Orthodox Judaism and embracing your femininity, so only you can figure out what makes you happy as an adult. They may end up caring more about your future, your children, and how they are raised, than whether you buy chanel RTW or accessories, IDK. In fact, if you have basically rejected their faith and many things that they value from a religious and cultural perspective; if they now speak to you after a year of silence; and if they basically accept your decisions, but tease you about your fashion choices, arguably you are ahead.

I married in 1991, and I have worn chanel and other premier designers since before that time (My family has always loved clothing and jewelry). I always bought my own luxury items, and I didn’t really wear them in front of my in laws. in fact, I have a contemporary designer section of my closet with some items that I refer to, in my head, as in-law clothing. I sometimes simply prefer not to wear premium brands around them. I can still love something and not make it an issue front and center.
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Very wise words @880 both about what to wear and the parents.
 
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#10
880 said:
There are a lot of posts regarding this topic that might interest you

(main,y about how the Wertheimers decided it was good business to ‘forgive’ chanel and essentially supported her after WWII until she died). She would have been destitute without the Wertheimers. And today, chanel is still a private company owned by the Wertheimers.

https://forum.purseblog.com/threads/what-are-some-of-your-unpopular-chanel-opinions.1026165/page-88

This is the Purse Forum, and none of us are going to tell you that you should feel guilty for loving, buying, and wearing chanel. Assuming you can afford to do so. IMO, it sounds like your parents and family may have larger issues with your leaving Orthodox Judaism and embracing your femininity, so only you can figure out what makes you happy as an adult. They may end up caring more about your future, your children, and how they are raised, than whether you buy chanel RTW or accessories, IDK.

I married in 1991, and I have worn chanel and other premier designers since that time. I always bought my own luxury items, and I didn’t really wear them in front of my in laws. in fact, I have a contemporary designer section of my closet with some items that I refer to, in my head, as in law clothing. I sometimes simply prefer not to wear premium brands around them. I can still love something and not make it an issue front and center.
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Believe me me and my parents fought nonstop in my high school years where I cursed them relentlessly for not letting me dress like the other girls. However they have come along to my decision to leave the orthodox community to embrace my femininity.
 
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#15
Chanel lover26 said:
While I left Orthodox Judaism they recognize I did not leave Judaism because being Jewish is also an ethic identity and with the constant antisemtic attacks I feel that it only brings me closer to Judaism.
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You didn't leave Judaism (it's in your heart + kosher + Shabbat ...).

As for Chanel and LV, I had the same questions as you for a long time (I'm a European jew, never been orthodox though).
I despise Coco chanel for her history, same for Gaston-Louis Vuitton et Claude-Louis Vuitton who supported Petain, same for Hugo Boss ... But decided to buy the things I like (especially from LV, Chanel is way over my budget).

Your parents probably need time to understand and embrase your choices but they'll come to it, I'm sure.

Wear everything you want / like, maybe not in front of them for the moment (including jewelry), to avoid pushing them :smile:
 
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