The Loewe Flamenco
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Price be dam*ed! I caved. The marquetry is so well disguised - ironic given that Loewe marquetry pieces are so exquisite - and surplus or not, they're such great color combos.
In an ideal world the El Corte Ingles Castellana would have had it because Global Blue is offering an additional 20% bonus on the vat refund amount at that location only. But a vat refund is good enough
In an ideal world the El Corte Ingles Castellana would have had it because Global Blue is offering an additional 20% bonus on the vat refund amount at that location only. But a vat refund is good enough
20% extra?! Wow. I’ll be picking up a bag there mid July. How long is the promotion running? (PS - that bag is gorgeous! Congratulations. Yeah the artistry, the colors…one of the most beautiful things I’ve seen from Loewe ever. 💕)
Until July 15th! There's a registration that's required (I did it by scanning a QR code at the Serrano store, but you can google the link online I'm pretty sure) and it'll give you a QR code for them to scan at the VAT processing desk. Only receipts from the Castellana store will get the bonus, max 140 euros additional VAT refund
Price be dam*ed! I caved. The marquetry is so well disguised - ironic given that Loewe marquetry pieces are so exquisite - and surplus or not, they're such great color combos.
View attachment 6018529
In an ideal world the El Corte Ingles Castellana would have had it because Global Blue is offering an additional 20% bonus on the vat refund amount at that location only. But a vat refund is good enough
Congratulations! This really is a stunning and creative design. The up close photo helps to illustrate how well it mimics rock strata, super cool. The vat refund amount is pretty sweet too.
Hello everyone, just wondering if anyone has had issues with color transfer on the lighter color bags? I'm debating between a black or warm desert flamenco. I like the warm desert color but I kind of want a hassle free bag I can abuse and not have to worry about dirt/stains/etc.
I hope it isn't shocking to say that there is a markup on bags. It's just how much of a mark up, especially given the pandemic/post-pandemic price increases that are way more than inflation and (at the time) supply chain issues. Could also be design houses version of "keeping up with the Jones" - if someone else increase prices, so should we to keep market share, staying in the "luxury" tier(s). How much markup is what I find interesting. Design, labor, materials, supply chain, marketing, online/in boutique overhead costs, utilities, insurance...there are lots of factors of course that goes into the eventual price of a product. How much of that is pure profit?
Marquetry is a technique that can be learned as we've seen with the fake Loewe x Ghibli bags that's hit the resale market. The bag and marquetry template, once designed and set, can then be replicated by those who physically put the bags together. The questions I'd have for Loewe are who are they hiring (in house? third party supplier?) to make these bags, how much of each bag actually goes to the wages of those who are physically assembling the bag, what is their QA process, etc.
I really enjoy Loewe, and for me, that includes reviewing their practices, where they may be headed, and the changes in between. Loewe is owned by LVMH, and many LVMH-owned design houses have increased their prices year over year. Is quality keeping pace in terms of materials, design, fabrication, quality control?
With the recent news about Dior (also owned by LVMH) and one of their Italy units undergoing administration due to substandard labor practices, it behooves me as a consumer to be interested and curious. I'm sure many also thought that Dior would have control over their suppliers, but this investigation showed that they did not. We've also come to learn that there is a Dior bag fabricated for as low as 53 Euro (about $57 USD) but sold in boutique for 2.600 EUR (about $2,789 USD). How much then is the cost of shipping, marketing, in boutique overhead vs profit for that bag? We all know there's a mark up, but this is pretty darn substantial.
That's not to say Dior is Loewe, but they both are under LVMH and presumably have some similar directives and goals set for the design houses. This can be an incorrect idea on my part, but they are businesses for LVMH.
At the end of the day, one will make the self determination if an item is worth the price that is being set. There's nothing wrong with that either way. For me, I just like knowing a bit more of the spread on what makes up pricing (not that they'll ever share haha!) My desire for a brand I support is for them in turn to ethically treat those who physically produce the bags (working conditions, wages, benefits), to favor quality over quantity, and to chart a path for sustainable growth rather than shareholder dividends. That is part of feeling luxurious to me.
I am right there with you and 100% agree with what you're saying. In my personal life, I tend to support sustainable/ethically produced clothing brands over fast fashion; I've learned it is possible to shop where your values align even if you end up paying a premium. I know the luxury fashion industry could be a stark contrast to that but I do believe consumers of any brand deserve to have transparency with regards to supply chain, etc. The Dior news was extremely alarming; since Loewe bags are all made in Spain I am hoping they are still made with leather artisans as has been the heritage of the brand. I actually tried looking into this further after the Dior news but could not find much about it; what's on the website is pretty vague so if anyone has more info on this I'd appreciate it!I hope it isn't shocking to say that there is a markup on bags. It's just how much of a mark up, especially given the pandemic/post-pandemic price increases that are way more than inflation and (at the time) supply chain issues. Could also be design houses version of "keeping up with the Jones" - if someone else increase prices, so should we to keep market share, staying in the "luxury" tier(s). How much markup is what I find interesting. Design, labor, materials, supply chain, marketing, online/in boutique overhead costs, utilities, insurance...there are lots of factors of course that goes into the eventual price of a product. How much of that is pure profit?
Marquetry is a technique that can be learned as we've seen with the fake Loewe x Ghibli bags that's hit the resale market. The bag and marquetry template, once designed and set, can then be replicated by those who physically put the bags together. The questions I'd have for Loewe are who are they hiring (in house? third party supplier?) to make these bags, how much of each bag actually goes to the wages of those who are physically assembling the bag, what is their QA process, etc.
I really enjoy Loewe, and for me, that includes reviewing their practices, where they may be headed, and the changes in between. Loewe is owned by LVMH, and many LVMH-owned design houses have increased their prices year over year. Is quality keeping pace in terms of materials, design, fabrication, quality control?
With the recent news about Dior (also owned by LVMH) and one of their Italy units undergoing administration due to substandard labor practices, it behooves me as a consumer to be interested and curious. I'm sure many also thought that Dior would have control over their suppliers, but this investigation showed that they did not. We've also come to learn that there is a Dior bag fabricated for as low as 53 Euro (about $57 USD) but sold in boutique for 2.600 EUR (about $2,789 USD). How much then is the cost of shipping, marketing, in boutique overhead vs profit for that bag? We all know there's a mark up, but this is pretty darn substantial.
That's not to say Dior is Loewe, but they both are under LVMH and presumably have some similar directives and goals set for the design houses. This can be an incorrect idea on my part, but they are businesses for LVMH.
At the end of the day, one will make the self determination if an item is worth the price that is being set. There's nothing wrong with that either way. For me, I just like knowing a bit more of the spread on what makes up pricing (not that they'll ever share haha!) My desire for a brand I support is for them in turn to ethically treat those who physically produce the bags (working conditions, wages, benefits), to favor quality over quantity, and to chart a path for sustainable growth rather than shareholder dividends. That is part of feeling luxurious to me.
Hasn't it been a open secret that "made in Italy" is such a muddled standard that it isn't really a definition at all? Sure it started as Italian artisans, then slowly shifted minor construction to third party countries, then major construction, then almost got to the point where as long as the "Made in Italy" label was applied in Italy by an Italian, that was enough perfume to represent to the consumer that this was 100% Italian. I feel like Prada and Gucci were both admittedly guilty of this in the 00s so it's been going on a long time. There have definitely been more recent articles questioning what is Made in Italy if these subvendors brought their Chinese workers from China to Italy if only to physically say they're made in the country in question. It was a controversy that again sprung up at the start of Covid too since the Chinese workers couldn't return to China and had almost no support system in Italy as non citizens. The Dior news isn't especially shocking, but it's especially interesting that they'd publish the third party manufacturing price, feels very much like a govt backed PR hit job.
This is gorgeous!!! I want one, even though I rarely carry the Flamenco that I already have 🤔😬Price be dam*ed! I caved. The marquetry is so well disguised - ironic given that Loewe marquetry pieces are so exquisite - and surplus or not, they're such great color combos.
View attachment 6018529
In an ideal world the El Corte Ingles Castellana would have had it because Global Blue is offering an additional 20% bonus on the vat refund amount at that location only. But a vat refund is good enough
See if you can order one from a store and try it out! It’s stunning in person how it seems to be a uniform piece of leather, or because of standard flamencos you expect a single piece of leather.
Popped into Loewe and Celine for a browse and tried on the flamenco purse. I didn’t think I would like it but the leather is unbelievably soft and I really like the chain, think it adds a bit to the regular plain flamenco. 
Not sure if I love the shape for cross body though? Torn between this and a new Celine…
Not sure if I love the shape for cross body though? Torn between this and a new Celine…