Interesting thread. I think I would be very interested in knowing what brands sell items that don't hold up as well.
For me, quality means
- how well something will hold up
- the fabric/finish: does it feel and look great (to someone discerning), of course this includes what the fabric actually is...look and feel CAN be deceiving at times. an amazing cashmere sweater, like a cruciani i have had for about 5 years (thank you grandma for saving me from my abercrombie days...8th grade...lol), cannot be beat, given that the fit is impeccable and the style is timeless
- the fit (how well made it is for the body...at least my type...i am sucker for a great fit, not tight, but beautifully tailored or genuinely flattering..think Antonio Berardi or Martin Grant (although the most experience I've had with Martin Grant is from looking at photographs of his stuff on models)
- the craftsmanship--details, stitches...lining, etc.
- a cut or style that is unmatched...e.g. the simple lanvin flat, which, imho, is exquisite, esp. in camel lizard (not so sure about the bright pink satin
). there is something about that flat, or in a pair of louboutin (high) heels, that you don't see in other shoes.
- and of course the garment as a whole...so all of these factors considered as well as things like originality or a certain something about the style...is it elegant? is there something classic about the item? no matter how trendy something is...imo it can't really succeed without some classic lines.
so....
camel lizard lanvin flats
hermes two time zone watch (incredibly elegant face, and can change the straps whenever from metal to leather to double wrap around leather...)
pierre hardy shoes for the simple models--not for the turquoise suede or futuristic looking ones...
some viktor and rolf items.
some of the more classic (but with a major twist) looking jackets and wraps from rick owens..
beige christian louboutin high heels (100 cm i guess)
and i suppose i am naming products and not necessarily "brands" for a reason: often the quality or investment-worthiness of items is highly variable even for a single brand. of course this depends on the brand.
So as for the brands that really seem to offer incredible quality across the board (as far as i can tell, please correct me if you've found otherwise!), I would suggest/think:
Hermes (lol I like the comment about the little boxes with the ribbons that I think Lena made! It's true, the little orange boxes are so nice themselves.)
Valextra - oh my god, the lines of some of their bags/cases...
..and they just seem So well made!
100% Capri - Is anyone familiar with this guy? He has shops in Capri and St Barths, and his merchandise is of unbelievable quality. Just gorgeous. Every bit of it. The finest linen garments...mmmmm.
And...yeah I think it's much harder to list these brands. I'm sure some cashmere makers would fit in there, some shoe brands (i.e. Santoni maybe?), but I don't know. It's tough. Most high end brands offer some really high quality product--but so many offer lower quality product, either trendier or cheaper or less well made--also.
Haha wow. I just scanned my post and I hope it's not too stream of consciousness-ish...