Why do people love/buy Chanel, LV, Gucci, expensive bags?

[jade]

Other than that I can afford them, this is how I see it. I'd rather spend more money to buy fewer quality pieces which won't fall apart after 2 seasons. I look after my bags well (but not hugely fussy) so they look good for their age. And if I ever get tired of any, I can still get some money back for reselling them. The cheap ones don't have any residue value at all. You are pretty much throwing them away afterwards.

I do not look at bags as investments, resale value is not on the table at all.

Today I am using a Kate Spade bag I got 5 or more years ago. It has no signs of wear other than small scratches (it is stiff leather). I think I spent $150 on it. I got my value out of it. A more expensive bag would have not had more value. If I were to get rid of it, someone else could get plenty of use.

I also haven’t had problems with bags falling apart - after a minimum bar of price.

I think there is also a distinction between luxury fashion and luxury craftsmanship. Unfortunately a lot of premium priced bags do not offer much more than fashion.

While there is a difference in luxury craftsmanship, there is a point of diminishing returns. You can get a bag that lasts for far less than Hermès or Chanel.

 

[chicinthecity777]

I do not look at bags as investments, resale value is not on the table at all.

Today I am using a Kate Spade bag I got 5 or more years ago. It has no signs of wear other than small scratches (it is stiff leather). I think I spent $150 on it. I got my value out of it. A more expensive bag would have not had more value. If I were to get rid of it, someone else could get plenty of use.

I also haven’t had problems with bags falling apart - after a minimum bar of price.

I think there is also a distinction between luxury fashion and luxury craftsmanship. Unfortunately a lot of premium priced bags do not offer much more than fashion.

While there is a difference in luxury craftsmanship, there is a point of diminishing returns. You can get a bag that lasts for far less than Hermès or Chanel.

Recognising the resell value of bags is hardly "treating bags as investments". I invest in funds and real estate and have done plenty. Bag wise I only my classic Hermes at this point. My bags are not investments but when I sold some of them in the past for different reasons like colour or size or lifestyle change, I have not lost money on any of Hermes bags. You spend a lot more to start with though. Other designer bags I sold in the past (because I switched to Hermes) have recoupd between 50-80% or broke even. Now I have a lean collection with Hermes bags and every time I use one, it gives me so much joy because the craftsmanship is still the best on the market! I have LV and Gucci for raining days. I am very happy with my system and will continue to buy Hermes bags.

 

[chicinthecity777]

I do not look at bags as investments, resale value is not on the table at all.

Today I am using a Kate Spade bag I got 5 or more years ago. It has no signs of wear other than small scratches (it is stiff leather). I think I spent $150 on it. I got my value out of it. A more expensive bag would have not had more value. If I were to get rid of it, someone else could get plenty of use.

I also haven’t had problems with bags falling apart - after a minimum bar of price.

I think there is also a distinction between luxury fashion and luxury craftsmanship. Unfortunately a lot of premium priced bags do not offer much more than fashion.

While there is a difference in luxury craftsmanship, there is a point of diminishing returns. You can get a bag that lasts for far less than Hermès or Chanel.

You are lucky your bags haven't "fall apart". Just read forums on some "designers" and you will see people reporting all sorts of quality issues. And some brand don't repair them unlike Hermes. "Falling apart" is a figure of speech, nobody believes a bag will really fall apart quickly even with a no brand bag.

 

[jade]

You are lucky your bags haven't "fall apart". Just read forums on some "designers" and you will see people reporting all sorts of quality issues. And some brand don't repair them unlike Hermes. "Falling apart" is a figure of speech, nobody believes a bag will really fall apart quickly even with a no brand bag.

Price and a brand’s likelihood to repair are not neatly aligned. I have a Kate Spade bag that needed repair. They did it, but it took a while. Kate Spade quality has been hit or miss for me. But the ones that are well made are very durable.

I had a Michael Kors one - they weren’t organized about it. I found the quality has gone downhill so I don’t think I’ll partake in a new one.

Lots of the “premium” brands - particularly the ones that come from trendy fashion heritage, do not tend have great repairs and repair history.

The brands, no matter the price, that started as leather craftsmen seen to do a lot better with quality and repair.

If you use your bag so that the cost per wear is in the single digits, you have reached ROI. That’s the marker for me. A bag you don’t use, no matter how much you can sell it for later, is a waste of money.

 

[happy27]

Some of my reasons may be specific to where I'm from, ie down under.

I began appreciating quality items way before my colleagues/friends did, almost like art. it's just that most items turned out to be designer items.

I loveeeee the smell of premium leather (not the only reason to buy them of course lol)

I'm not big on jewels watches etc and dress very casual (as most do in Australia) due to our sunny warm weather. An expensive bag is a nice way to spice up any outfit.

I work in a corporate environment, it's "within my element" to carry designer bags and wear nice shoes, nothing out of ordinary.

I dislike wastage? Even if I sell a designer bag at a loss, at least the bag is rehomed and loved again and not contributing to landfill whereas a cheaper bag will be, mostly because it's already broken/ripped.

In my country after sale service and repair for less expensive bags is pretty much non-existent and the exchange/refund policy of most stores is very limiting. Eg I can get my lv items easily repaired exchanged or refunded with no questions asked. Contra my mother once bought a furla wallet, the zipper broke after one use and the store can only provide credit note instead of refund, that's just unacceptable imo. (I have no idea how they can get away with that and if it had been a more expensive item I would've spent more time complaining!)

There's lesser choices of nice leather bags and contemporary designers usually have a higher markup and usually take a while to go on sale (which I'm just too impatient to wait and even if I did my preferred color/style would be gone by sale). Eg it no longer make sense to get a coach for $1000s aud when you can get a couple hundreds and get lv, with the latter having so much better resell value. (Coach is declining popularity here)

The preloved market is small and usually with a high premium due to our high labour/storefront cost in Sydney, so I'd rather visit the store and get them brand new with warranty.

 

[happy27]

Wow didn't realise my post is that long, oops

 

[elation]

I’m starting to think that buying a premier designer bag is largely due to the emotional journey it comes with.

In the beginning, it starts with being able to save up for the price of the bag - whether that means selling other bags or the time it takes to accumulate the money - either way there is a sacrifice of time to save/research or goods sold that goes into the purchase. This might increase the personal value of the bag.

Also, the idea of spending such an amount on a bag, where in the past we all must have thought it a bit over-the-top, that causes us to value the bag more as well. There becomes a larger emotional as well as financial commitment. Where it might have begun as a mere curiousity, the journey causes it to become a significant emotional investment.

This accumulates to the day we obtain it, and there’s a great feeling of fulfillment after waiting or saving for a while. The cost alone makes us pause and turn the bag over and over and over again in our minds, so all the consideration that goes into it adds to the emotional investment we make.

And that’s why we end up loving them. The emotional investment is fueled by the cost - the financial investment that will be made. It probably all started with some mild curiousity.

 

[Hermezzy]

What @BarbaraKE said earlier is accurate. With the high luxury brands, the retail cost is around 10-13x the actual cost to make the bag. So yes: a lot of the price pays for other things, such as employee salaries (and at luxury levels, these are first world salaries, not third world), the cost of those exquisitely outfitted boutiques (and several are renovated and/or built every year- these are usually in very expensive zip codes and shopping districts), and all the other associated costs of running a business.

Given that, for me, the most important product characteristic for me is quality. I'm interested in what represents the apex, the top of an industry, the very best...which often is measured in small details and nuance. What goes into the creation of that product? What materials? What assembly techniques? What values and principles does the company espouse? How interested is the company in preserving those values? As a trained musician, the difference between performing perfectly and missing 5-10 notes may be small to the untrained ear, but it is immense to the performer. The standard I have for myself is perfection when I'm on stage. I'm interested in the companies and brands that have a similar standard. What corners do they cut? What sacrifices or compromises are made? How are their craftsmen/women trained? What kind of loyalty exists to the company by their employees? What kind of pride exists within the company for their values and products?

Does the product wear well with time? Does the company stand behind the product with great after-sales service? Does the company value building relationships with clients, or are they just interested in getting me out the door as fast as possible with a bag in hand?

These are the questions that I'm interested in answering when making a decision to purchase something of high cost. I don't care who recognizes the bag I'm carrying on the street. Where I live, no one would seriously ever know. It comes down to this: is what I'm carrying cared about, assembled, and valued with the same degree of detail and attention that I would put into something that I'm passionate about? I'm passionate about carrying things that are sources of passion for the people who made it. There's an emotional linkage that occurs when this happens.

 

[JadaStormy]

We're all going to die at some point and I figure if I can afford it and I like it, I should enjoy a few nice things (within reason).

Also, I still enjoy carrying luxury bags I bought almost 10 years ago. I can't say that for the cheap bags I bought before that. So another vote for the "quality over quantity" Although I admit I have a few LV bags. lol

 

[Sparkletastic]

I’m starting to think that buying a premier designer bag is largely due to the emotional journey it comes with.

In the beginning, it starts with being able to save up for the price of the bag - whether that means selling other bags or the time it takes to accumulate the money - either way there is a sacrifice of time to save/research or goods sold that goes into the purchase. This might increase the personal value of the bag.

Also, the idea of spending such an amount on a bag, where in the past we all must have thought it a bit over-the-top, that causes us to value the bag more as well. There becomes a larger emotional as well as financial commitment. Where it might have begun as a mere curiousity, the journey causes it to become a significant emotional investment.

This accumulates to the day we obtain it, and there’s a great feeling of fulfillment after waiting or saving for a while. The cost alone makes us pause and turn the bag over and over and over again in our minds, so all the consideration that goes into it adds to the emotional investment we make.

And that’s why we end up loving them. The emotional investment is fueled by the cost - the financial investment that will be made. It probably all started with some mild curiousity.

This journey is true for some. But not for many.

Keeping on the financial constraints side, some others go into debt and buy the bags they crave and may have some reverse "high" from the financial hit and discomfort. This may very well bond them to the bags. I dunno.

But, for many others, money to buy the bag is readily available. So, the decision to buy the bags doesn't have a financial implication. It's simply about love for the bag. And, the bag may be an impulse purchase - no research time given.

So, yea, the money can be a part of it for a few people. But, I think across the board it's more about loving the luxe of the bag itself.

 

[immigratty]

for me it's two-fold.
1. design [except for knockoffs] most of the time the design/silhouette/shape of the bag are rare and you cannot find bags that look like them
2. quality - [what knockoffs lack] I can only really speak for Gucci [or Dooney for contemporary] are EXTREMELY well made. so even if I find cute looking bag from 9 west, after about a year of wear strings coming out, holes, wear and tear because it's not as high of quality as a DB or Gucci, whereas I have DB/Gucci bags that I have LITERALLY had for more than a decade and they are still in good to like new condition after regular use and not being babied. You will NOT have a target bag for that long and have it still be in reasonable condition.

 

[jade]

There is a big price difference between Target to Nine West to Cole Haan to Dooney to Coach to Givenchy to Gucci to Hermes.

I wouldn’t say it is apples to apples.

I have 10 year old Coach bags. And even a 10 year old Gap bag that I never seen to get rid of.

I think this conversation started in asking why spend Gucci prices when Dooney suffices.

My bag style hasn’t really changed though as I have gotten older/made more money I have been able to get better ones.

 

[immigratty]

I think this conversation started in asking why spend Gucci prices when Dooney suffices.

oh, that makes sense, and after going back and re-reading the OP talking about the Soho being a very simple shape [there goes my first argument] it's simple, ppl are slaves to name brands, and there's a certain nostalgia in being able to say your bag is an Hermes, Chanel, LV, Gucci, etc. vs Fossil/Nine West, or even Dooney/Coach/MK. Yes it's somewhat about the quality, but you cannot tell me that somehow a basic leather $20,000 Hermes is appreciably higher in quality than a $2,000 Gucci, or a $200 Dooney. Of course Hermes [at least theoretically] is a higher quality bag than Gucci or Dooney, but is it really 10-100x better made or more durable as the price would suggest? is that even possible? Is Gucci 10x higher quality than Dooney commensurate with the price tag? Given both Gucci and Dooney are known for their very high quality leather products, and high quality has been a consistent factor in these brands, especially in the face of many other comparable brands in recent years having seen a decrease in quality of products. So the only logical conclusion is that ppl like to be part of an exclusive club, and allow the words, "this is a(n) Hermes/Chanel/LV/Gucci etc." to roll of their tongues.

The same reason ppl with sufficient financial means choose to drive Rolls Royce/Bentley / Bugatti over Mercedes / BMW / Lexus. The former prices out ppl who fall below a certain economic status. Or ppl who can afford Mercedes / BMW / Lexus do not purchase Hyundai / Honda etc. All of these vehicles will get you from point A to B, all have seat belts, heat, air, options for non-necessities such as power windows/doors, sun roof, leather interior, etc. HOWEVER having a Rolls Royce makes a statement about your financial means, as does an Hermes. It sends a financial message you want the entire world to hear. and ppl talking about per wear or long lasting, I promise you can buy a lifetime supply of Fossil bags [let's say they only last one year each...or even 6 months] and you will NEVER reach the cost of one Hermes...probably not even 1 Gucci, so if ppl are concerned about per wear costs, it would still make more sense to buy a Fossil.

 

[sonicxml]

I cannot afford the really expensive purses but I do have a couple of premium designer bags. The reasons that I choose a premium designer bag over a contemporary/non-designer bags:

- I need something for special occasion. I feel that a premium designer bag is a safer choice here. I'm just not that confident enough to carry a novelty clutch to a fancy dinner.

- The price difference is acceptable for the better quality/craftsman ship. Take my Loewe bag as an example, the leather feel so good that all my other bags and the contemporary designer bags I have tried feel like plastic. I will give Loewe a 8, maybe a 3 for a $200 contemporary bag. I probably won't pay the full $2000 for Loewe but if it goes on sale for $800 then I will definitely choose Loewe.

- I appreciate the original design and would love to pay more for that. This doesn't apply to OP's question about soho disco though. Issey Miyake Bao Bao are just pieces of PVC, there are probably $20 inspired pieces but still I would like to get the $400 original - I know it is not as expensive as Chanel or Gucci but you see the 20x price difference here.

 

[jade]

I cannot afford the really expensive purses but I do have a couple of premium designer bags. The reasons that I choose a premium designer bag over a contemporary/non-designer bags:

- I need something for special occasion. I feel that a premium designer bag is a safer choice here. I'm just not that confident enough to carry a novelty clutch to a fancy dinner.

Hmm, while I always think I should splurge on a special occasion bag, I realize the cost per wear is all wrong. I won’t spent more than about $150 on one of those. Though my collection is full at the moment.

While brands like Kate Spade make a lot of novelty clutches, they also have quieter ones suitable for the occasion.

This year I used the following Coach bag for parties.

http://www.coach.com/coach-foldover-crossbody-clutch-in-snakeskin/57755.html

I have a previous season’s version as well in a black snake with a bit of silver. Looks nice and I don’t have to use it that often to feel like it was worth it.

For a splurge, in my book, getting an every day bag makes the most sense.