The landscape of luxe, Part Two: Can you live with it?
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| Dior coat |
But if you have ever stroked a featherweight mohair Dior coat in a consignment store and wondered if it was worth the still-hefty price tag, read on.
I imagine some luxury-goods customers don't fret if the things don't return value, but I've known some mighty wealthy folks who refuse to pay the freight for an item they consider substandard, overpriced or ugly. And why shouldn't they?
Whether you are buying a coat in a couture salon or Christie's Consignment, here are things to consider:
Is the quality really there, or just the label?
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| Anne Klein ca. 1980 |
Quality can slip; brands are sold, orders are filled by offshore jobbers, and the accountants decide the margins aren't high enough, so decree cheaper zippers.
For all talk about "brand equity", a 30-year-old Anne Klein jacket was infinitely better quality than today's.
Do I value this?
A $600 pair of designer pants is thrilling to one woman and an egregious display of mindless consumption to her sister.
Value is a subjective assessment derived from various factors:
Value is a subjective assessment derived from various factors:
Label: Does the brand have any worth to you, as a display of your image, status or taste? Does the brand have meaning to you because of emotional or symbolic connection? Barbara loves her Bulgari bracelet because her mother wore a similar one.
Durability: Can you use and enjoy the purchase for a long time, because it is well-designed and made? Alice has a Pucci dress her mother wore in the '60s and it still looks striking.
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| McQueen iPad case |
Innovation: Is the style so cutting-edge that you derive satisfaction from having something fresh, new and unlikely to be replicated in cheaper versions? An iPad sleeve is not unique but a McQueen skull-buttoned one offers a bit more devil in the detail. Is it worth $250?
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| Cardin coat |
Provenance: A 1960 Cardin wool coat; (price $2,500 from 1st Dibs seller Jennifer Kobrin), is a stellar example of a late master's work.
Beauty: AKA the Purr Factor
Does it sing? Is the piece a high expression of the craft and aesthetic? Is it 'just right'? Jill said she cried the first time she tried on the ruby Beene dress that was a graduation gift from her father.
Does it fit in my life?
I recently saw a 50ish woman in a Prada coat, rundown flats and cheap vinyl bag. We all know that the head-to-toe designer is a bore, and you can mix high and low, but luxury clothing demands a certain respect for the piece.
At the same time, I wouldn't forgo the pleasure of a beautifully-made object by making a knee-jerk judgment that it "must be overpriced". Just because I can't afford it doesn't mean it's overpriced, and the inverse is also true: what I can afford is not always fairly priced either!
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| You'll stand out |
In the end, your attraction to luxury goods comes down to your values and priorities. Some commenters said in the previous post that they want to upgrade and experiment with better quality than before, while others say they will admire, but not own.
The luxury brands hope many will buy, either because they don't have to worry about price, or because they desire it and will sacrifice. I'd only say, be wary about things perceived as trophies. (What exactly do we win?)
Also, some of us have a luxe Achilles' Heel. For some that's accessories, for me, coats. I melt before a swath of cashmere with horn buttons or an immaculately-tailored topper.
Does luxury boost happiness?
I can't get a crisp correlation, maybe because I buy at the highest levels so rarely. A MaxMara coat delighted for nearly a decade, but for the move, I shed bags of Level 3 without a twinge.
I know women who can afford the finest but reject it and others who will exist on toast and tea to save for something special. Most of us inhabit a comfortable mid-ground, with a few "bests" and many basics.
Should you choose a luxury object, even as the rarest indulgence, I hope you are happy and serene with your choice. Clearly, I've been conflicted and intimidated by some of my own purchases. (Never pearls, though.)
Your comments on the first part of the series fascinated me, and I would love to hear more.
Comments
Although I think J Crews quality has always varied, I still have pieces from the early 90s that are better quality than anything they make today and better than many more expensive brands.
When I was younger I bought things I was afraid to wear. I hope I have outgrown that and I shall probably shop more across lines.
In my previous location there were few stores that even carried Level 1 lines and the women who wore those clothes or higher all were able to travel to shop (at least an hour and a half) either shopping on vacations or traveling to NYC or the more upscale suburbs. Here there is a broad selection of Level 1 and I have seen a broader swath of clothing choices, including a few 3's at Christmas parties when I first arrived.
And yet, my everyday bag is Loro Piano and I love and wear their luxuriously light scarves even with my jeans and Level 1 basics.
I have made peace with myself over the idea that I tend to be far happier with a good piece that lasts a long time, even in a basic, than in cheaper pieces that wear out and need replacing more frequently. Granted I could sometimes spend less than I do and get quality (see above purse) but I am happy with my choices.
I like to be nicely dressed, but a Lafayette, Worth, Carmen Marc Valvo, or Eileen Fisher ensemble will do it for me, worn with my Weitzman shoes.
For me, fashion is a form of indolence and money spent only on myself--and I always feel that should be done judiciously.
I'm not brand conscious and don't really shop a lot. Luxury to me these days is the best cashmere sweater I can buy. You've done some great posts about that. A cashmere v-neck long sleeved pullover is all purpose for me and even gets worn in our often foggy cool summer's here by the SF Bay. I'll be satisfied when I own said sweater in every color :-)
Darla
I'm just about to send a Chanel jacket to Ebay, it's too small and doesn't fit my life anymore,I no longer care that " I own a Chanel jacket" big deal.
Susa: "Designer" does not necessarily equal true luxury anymore, but it might. Now that so many celebrities are calling themselves "designers" and sticking their names on clothes, the term is somewhat suspect. But true designer clothes are usually at least Level 2.
I could easily upgrade my closet into van Noten and maybe a bit of Hermes, given the means. (Oh, and furs, I could get into furs.) While fashion is indulgence, buying quality is smart.
Darla: So, would you be willing to tell us whose sweater you're buying?
Tabitha: Oh, that is such a sharp-jawed, sneaky little monster, the "I own a (whatever)".
Susan: This is what marketers want to do, to have us conflate "designer" with quality. It is a deliberate advertising tactic.
Anonymous: This article made me crabby. Men have so many more options. What would it take for these tailors to serve women, too, or for someone to import this model to womens'wear?
I don't buy any dressy clothes, unless it's for something specific, like a wedding.
I live a very casual life, and dress for it. I will splurge on a great handbag, shoes, probably pay more for jeans than most, but I wear them ALL the time.
And thanks to you Duchesse, I've found Brora. I don't have to wear J.Crew (which I no longer like) but I don't have to buy Loro Piano, or Bruno Cuccinelli cashmere sweaters either - I actually like the casual feel and fit of Brora better.
A casual lifestyle does not preclude the temptations of luxury, though, as I found recently when petting a jacket at Hermes that would certainly go with jeans. And would not spend at Level 3 (or even 2 if I can get away with it) for a piece I would wear only a few times.
I bought my first Level 2 bag, a simple black Anya Hindmarch tote, about 4 years ago and haven't looked back since. The beautiful leather and hardware are far beyond anything I could buy from a Level 1 shop. Same with shoes - my first Pradas were simple black Mary Janes with a chunky heel, purchased on sale from Bluefly.com. I wore them every single weekday to work for 3 years. I don't buy for names or status - for me, the pleasure is less in the name and more about the small details that distinguish many designer items from their high-street counterparts, things that only I can usually see, like the perfect stitching on a strap, the solidness and weight of hardware on bags or perfectly glossy leather. And I've found that the prices of Level 1 bags and shoes here in Australia are the same as the prices of their Level 2 equivalents purchased online on sale from the UK or US, so it makes sense to buy them.
Clothes are a different matter though - I like to look for natural fibres, lining and good cuts, but in my experience, unlike bags and shoes, Level 1 clothes are often just as good quality as Level 2 clothes. A wool dress from UK high street retailer Hobbs, purchased for $150 in post-Christmas sales, wears just as well as the originally-$3500 Carolina Herrera purchased on sale from theOutnet last week - and the Herrera was a cotton-poly mix (albeit with a heavy silk lining).
However, I would like to suggest that you not wear any pair of leather shoes, no matter how sturdily-made, for five days in a row (even if not walking in them much.) Leather shoes needs time to rest between wearings and dry from the moisture of your foot. Put them on trees (wooden are best) on their day off. This is not my personal philosophy; it's just good shoe care.
Also you will sometimes find synthetics in Level 2 and 3, as in your Herrera dress and that is not necessarily a bad thing. Synthetics strengthen a fabric like a very fine cotton or silk that would otherwise be fragile or too insubstantial for good drape.
I agree with most commenters that I'd be more inclined to buy luxe shoes and bags, rather than clothes. And coats, definitely. I suppose it's because I feel they'll "last" longer?