What's so special with Guess bags?

[ElenaAlex]

Hello everyone.
I'm currently in Bucharest, I'm staying in 5* hotel and I made a tour around the luxury boutiques. Because of all that I see many obviously wealthy women wearing Guess bags - both in boutiques and hotels. Can you explain me what is so special about those bags? For me they look cheap and made out of cheap plastic, even cheaper with the big Guess logo. And the prices, at least in my country, are damn high - there are much better options at the same price point.

I've never had a Guess bag because they look cheap but I have quite a few inexpensive bags, cheaper and better looking than Guess bags.

Thanks

 

[papertiger]

I've never bought anything Guess either. They used to make jeans, and had a very sexy marketing campaign about 30-40 years ago starring some very beautiful models.

I guess (sorry) it's about the legacy of that advertisement campaign.

Can't think of another reason, although perhaps, even though they're expensive, they're not quite as expensive as premium designers and they have a quite obvious logo.

Someone else who actually owns one can chip-in.

 

[ElenaAlex]

Thank you for your answer. I find their clothes ok, as far as there is no logo printed on (I don't like such prints in any brand) but I just don't understand why their bags are so popular when there is better value for the money on the market. I definitely don't suggest that every wealthy person should buy only designer bags. Maybe it is advertising or maybe they are good quality bags.

 

[Amazona]

Guess is a starter brand for teenagers and women in early 20s when it comes to bags. They tried the whole Guess Couture with real leather bags thing a few yrs ago but the bags were too espensive/boring for teens and Guess is too much of a teenager brand that grown women didn't really go for it either. Guess still does some leather bags if I remember correctly, but all you really see is the fake leather bags and SLG.
They used to be worth the price when you could get a wallet for 40€ and a bag for less than 100€. The prices nowadays are a bit bonkers, even though the fake leather they do is very good quality.

I started with Guess 16 yrs ago and things kinda escalated from there on. I still have my 1st Guess bag, a gold&white hobo and it's still in great shape. I still carry it a few times a year.

 

[ElenaAlex]

Thank you. Probably that is the answer, although all women were well over 30, some over 40. I will not be surprised to see such bags worn by a woman in her 20s but for women over 30 and even over 40, I was definitely very surprised. And so many of them...

 

[ElenaAlex]

I went today in Guess store just to have a look and I was actually quite surprised - they have some good bags, well made and looking quite modern and elegant. Not like the bags I saw few days ago. I would definitely buy one if they were made of leather.

 

[inkfade]

I bought a Guess bag a couple of years ago (along with a couple of basic wallets) when I was still getting into designer stuff and at the time was in my early 20s. I didn't wear it much and eventually tossed it, I think, but I still have the wallets even though I no longer use them. Will sell them on Poshmark eventually. I found I preferred real leather for my bags, but still visit the Guess website occasionally just to check their stuff out. Think I bought a little backpack maybe a year ago, but it was impulse and I've never even worn it. I know most of their designs are blatant rip offs of other, more high end designs, but they do sometimes have some simple, okay looking stuff. Majority of it though is a little too... cheaply gaudy?... for me.

Edit: I will say, I do not vehemently hate Guess like I have seen some others on this site. Not everybody can afford a bag that costs almost half a year's worth of rent (and should not be shamed or called tacky because they choose to buy from brands like Guess), so I think Guess is a good brand to break into if one is interested in exploring "designer" bags.

 

[fractalica]

My mom (60s) loves Guess bag and has always had at least one in her rotation. There are definitely some "cheap", loud looking styles but if you dig in you can find some very nice bags for a good price. I've personally never found one I liked enough to buy, but I have used some of my mom's and they're nice bags. They also used to be quite sturdy, at least until a few years ago, not sure how quality is now. I definitely don't think of Guess as a brand for "classy" looking bags but there are some fun styles and at a good price point.

 

[helloworldlove]

I love Guess bags. I recently bought one and had it delivered yesterday. It's a beautiful bag. I have several Guess bags and it's one of my favourite brands. It's decently priced with non-boring designs. Everyone doesn't need to buy £5,000 bags and it's about the way that you style the bag. I often see people who wear expensive designer bags (Chanel, Louis etc) with the most basic and drab clothes - I hate the look of an expensive designer bag with Primark clothing, yet many people dress like this.

Also, culturally, for some people - buying expensive brands is seen as tacky, whereas buying more moderately prices bags is seen as making sure the bag is not wearing you. I don't covet expensive designer bags, and prepare to spend my money on my health, fitness and beauty - things that are actually part of my body.

In short, I looove Guess bags, and at the moment I'm looking for a matching wallet for my latest Guess bag.

 

[Swanky]

To each their own!

 

[carmichael2359]

I agree with those who say that it's all about personal choice. No, not everybody needs to carry a $5,000 purse. I don't know where it is that Guess? bags are so expensive, but I live in the Great Lakes region of the United States, I've had a couple Guess? bags and I'm carrying one now. None of them were more than $100 USD at any retail place, and are far less at closeout stores like TJ Maxx, Marshall's, and Ross. While I have sympathy for those who love genuine leather (I'm a fan myself) there is a solid movement in the world today to go vegan. Fortunately, coated canvas and vegan leather are quite durable and even good looking! I don't understand why people get all excited about paying thousands for a Louis Vuitton coated canvas but turn up their noses at Guess? and Nine West, to name a couple of examples who do it well. If I can't afford to spend an outrageous amount of money on a handbag, then I'm going to take that money and make the world a better place with it. That is MY personal preference.