Labels Worth Your $.

[rivegaucheface]

Can we revive this thread? I think it's an interesting counterpoint to the overpriced thread.

I'm curious what contemporary & luxury (if any) brands people think are worth the money based on materials, construction, textile development, etc.

 

[honnetement]

Really intrigued by this discussion. It’s rare to find a brand that justifies its price with true quality and craftsmanship.

 

[tourbillions]

Can we revive this thread? I think it's an interesting counterpoint to the overpriced thread.

I'm curious what contemporary & luxury (if any) brands people think are worth the money based on materials, construction, textile development, etc.

issey miyake plisse is always on my mind when it comes to worth it in terms the mentioned criteria.

 

[rivegaucheface]

I've never gotten close to Brunello Cucinelli but I wonder if his materials are good enough to warrant the price.

 

[tourbillions]

I've never gotten close to Brunello Cucinelli but I wonder if his materials are good enough to warrant the price.

i dont think any of the overly expensive brands like loro, cucinelli, zegna ever warrants the price. design wise and material wise. I doubt even using the best leather, fabric, wool will warrant the prices they are asking.

 

[justpassingthrough]

I’ll chime in completely left field & unrelated to fashion to say I have spent more money than I’m willing to admit on fragrances; there’s something so sacred & personal to me when it comes to scents.

 

[Deleted member 171787]

I actually think Auralee makes some high quality clothes with great fabrics (especially their shirting!), though not always for justifiable prices. Their cuts are hit or miss, but it is worth checking out! Mr.Porter did an interesting podcast on their own button production a few years ago

 

[GoldenPetals]

The correct answer is "none". The question really comes down to "Which label is LEAST ripoff?"

 

[FashionPower]

The correct answer is "none". The question really comes down to "Which label is LEAST ripoff?"

That's the point indeed.
Any high fashion brand is based upon the idea of exclusivity and the exclusive world of beauty, success and relevancy you can access only if you buy that specific item (bag, shoe, coat, perfume, skincare, sunglasses) that is marked up from 10x to 50x.
Just my two cents on brands that are ALMOST worth your money and general discussion to provide info for further discussion:
- Reay to wear: Brunello Cucinelli (great welfare for artisians and craftsman with real made in italy antics)
- Bags: Bottega Veneta (intrecciato craftsmanship), Bvlgari (great raw material quality and hardware)
- Sunglasses: unfortunately none, it's one of the business units that have the greatest delta between production costs and selling price (unless you're going for polarized lens or prescription). Really no big difference in a mass produced CHANEL sunglasses from Luxottica and something from Shein...it's just plastic and acetate at the end of the day.
- Jewelry: the delta is lower for fully gold items due to the great raw material cost. A love Cartier bracelet in medium size is made of 36 grams of 18k gold, that's roughly 2000 Eur of raw material. Bracelet is sold at 8500 Eur, so roughly 5x...quite a stark difference compared to a timeless classic from CHANEL sold at 11000 Eur out of 200 Eur of production costs (50x!!!).

Anything else is just a scam.

 

[yslforever]

That's the point indeed.
Any high fashion brand is based upon the idea of exclusivity and the exclusive world of beauty, success and relevancy you can access only if you buy that specific item (bag, shoe, coat, perfume, skincare, sunglasses) that is marked up from 10x to 50x.
Just my two cents on brands that are ALMOST worth your money and general discussion to provide info for further discussion:
- Reay to wear: Brunello Cucinelli (great welfare for artisians and craftsman with real made in italy antics)
- Bags: Bottega Veneta (intrecciato craftsmanship), Bvlgari (great raw material quality and hardware)
- Sunglasses: unfortunately none, it's one of the business units that have the greatest delta between production costs and selling price (unless you're going for polarized lens or prescription). Really no big difference in a mass produced CHANEL sunglasses from Luxottica and something from Shein...it's just plastic and acetate at the end of the day.
- Jewelry: the delta is lower for fully gold items due to the great raw material cost. A love Cartier bracelet in medium size is made of 36 grams of 18k gold, that's roughly 2000 Eur of raw material. Bracelet is sold at 8500 Eur, so roughly 5x...quite a stark difference compared to a timeless classic from CHANEL sold at 11000 Eur out of 200 Eur of production costs (50x!!!).

Anything else is just a scam.

I kinda disagree with Cucinelli, what's the point of craftmanship if you end up looking like your grandpa at Gstaad, or worse Megève ? Better go to Visvim then.

For menswear: I would nominate Husbands Paris, Issey Miyake as mentionned above, Auralee
For mens and women shoes; Manolo Blahnik of course, especially if, like me, you only buy them on sales.
Perfumes: definitely Serge Lutens, Frédéric Malle sometimes, not Kurkdjian.
For men jeans: Momotaro jeans are worth every cent, including the exclusive line (cashmere or silk mixed with cotton); I have not found the construction with waistband curtains on jeans anywhere else, so the belt area does not rub on the skin and that's a life changer, you don't want to go to other jeans after.
Branded jewelry: I find the disconnection between raw materials and prices in branded jewelry off-putting, especially anything with diamonds pavés. Those are worth $100 but sold $ 6,000 more.
High-jewelry: never buy first-hand.
Watches: simple Rolex Oyster Perpetual in steel are still worthy of the money: they will cost less than a Chanel jacket (!!!) and will last 50 years without maintenance and no need to baby them. Just choose the right size. I would stay away from gold - too weak metal, always dirty - and specialty watches - those overpriced diving or chronographe watches that nobody actually use to dive or horse/car-racing, so you end up looking like a tool.

For womenswear I have absolutely no idea, because there are many more factors in womens spending patterns than in mens' ones.

 

[visvim2001]

I've never gotten close to Brunello Cucinelli but I wonder if his materials are good enough to warrant the price.

It’s obviously staggeringly bad value for money, but more justifiable than anything from say, LVMH. Specifically, their cashmere silk jumpers. I’m convinced they are the best. Mine doesn’t pill. The hand feel is amazing. If you have a spare grand lying around, get one, wear it, care for it, and you’ll love it.

 

[donyan]

I'm not exactly sure which brands are worth their price but I'd say Hermes is still the one I would happily spend on as it seems a real investment, and every piece looks exquisitely made. The brands I actually buy from are Christian Wijnants, Dries ( although prices seem to go up too), Lutz Huelle and Margiela 6. Generally I buy far less than before, I always feel like I should wait for things to lower in price but by the time they do I often have lost interest. Lutz is rarely on sale but the prices are still acceptable, although for how long no-one knows. I used to buy Rick Owens too but those prices have skyrocketed. Still buy Sacai, the prices are high but it's beautifully made, like most Japanese brands.

 

[tourbillions]

Hermes rtw is up there for something worth your $. Dont like their bag games etc etc but many of their rtw materials are delicious for a fraction of the price of other brands in the same level.

 

[Lola701]

I have kind of evolved into the question because I guess there are a lot of men in the forum and it goes very rational…
I would not speak for all the women or men who thinks like me but I think there’s an irrational part of things that somehow always make it worth.

Ok, if someone asks me the best place for a coat, I would say MaxMara (Runway, Collection and Sportsmax).
Is someone asks me between Goyard or Vuitton what is better, I would say Goyard for Luggage and Vuitton for bags.
In terms of shoes, Francesco Russo is always worth it.

But then, I feel like we have too much choices and options. And it is in terms of aesthetic, price point or actual pieces.

I have kept this habit from my fashion days of buying things on sales, except when I’m falling in love with a piece or when it’s a young designer (as they are generally at a decent price point).

When it comes to a lot of big brands, I don’t think the retail price point is worth it. However, the pieces are worthy.

Is it worthy to spend 10K on a 2.55 or classic Chanel bag at rue Cambon? No.
Is it worthy to buy a Chanel bag you like and that fits your lifestyle (and that includes fabric choice)? Yes.

I think Pierre Hardy bags are worth it.
For cashmere, I can go for entry-level French brand called Tricot, to Pellat Finet or Guest in Residence for more high end.

Hermes is great quality but is it great design?
But I have to admit that the bags that I have in box leather that I own for more than a decade are still impeccable.

For some things, brands like COS, Sandro and others are great.

When it comes to basics I often ask myself « is it worth it? ». That’s why I have never jumped on the « The Row bandwagon ».

 

[Creative]

Whatever makes you feel happy/good. Luxury is absurd so there’s no point on trying to rationalize it.

There is no piece worth (in real value) the actual money you pay, so just enjoy, even if it’s the silliest Balenciaga piece.

 

[susseinmcswanny]

True. Whatever won't make you wanna ky$ (at least 50%) after you buy it is worth it ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

 

[yslforever]

Whatever makes you feel happy/good. Luxury is absurd so there’s no point on trying to rationalize it.

There is no piece worth (in real value) the actual money you pay, so just enjoy, even if it’s the silliest Balenciaga piece.

I don't think we are talking about "luxury" here, are we ? I personally don't find luxury in fashion anymore, it's more about space, moments, privileges, locations, experience etc.
I thought the thread is about garments and accessories brands and how their quality match their pricetag or not.
We have all had bad experiences with shoes, clothes or bags falling apart in a couple of days, even though we were feeling happy/good the moment we brought them from the store. And we all hate being disappointed.
This thread is more about the brands that will disappoint you the less when you want to feel as happy as the 1st time you bought the pieces.

 

[Creative]

I don't think we are talking about "luxury" here, are we ? I personally don't find luxury in fashion anymore, it's more about space, moments, privileges, locations, experience etc.
I thought the thread is about garments and accessories brands and how their quality match their pricetag or not.
We have all had bad experiences with shoes, clothes or bags falling apart in a couple of days, even though we were feeling happy/good the moment we brought them from the store. And we all hate being disappointed.
This thread is more about the brands that will disappoint you the less when you want to feel as happy as the 1st time you bought the pieces.

Hmm, it depends. If you buy Hermès or Chanel HC you might be purchasing luxury. For some people Guess is luxury… I think it’s subjective.

Regarding the quality, I’d say it’s almost everything the same. They all produce in the same places. They might add better finishings or more details depending on the costs they want to assume, but the “biggest” brands all produce in the same places (almost).

You might be unlucky with some products (there are some detectives from time to time in all the brands), which doesn’t mean the rest of the products are that bad…

You might get a first drop of a product with an issue, but once they get the alert, they fix it in the ones to come and cancel the ones aleady in stock, so if you were the first one getting the item, you will say the products of that brand are sh!t, but maybe my shoes were perfect and super comfortable…

For designer sneakers, for instance, they are all way worse designed than Adidas or Nike, so yeah, nothing is worth the money.

For knitwear there are amazing brands doing cashmere for 300€ and Dior is selling the same cashmere for 4000€. So it’s not worth the money either.

The same for everything.. Nothing costs as much as what you pay. It’s all marketing. But as long as you are happy, it’s worth it imo.

You get a Rimowa and it gets full of scratches the minute you put it on the street… Its heavy… but it’s cute. It’s worth the money? No. Does it make people happy? I guess in a way. So Id say it’s worth it. Idk.

 

[Creative]

If you are actually talking about brands that offer decent quality for the price paid, none of the ones we discuss about in this forum are worthy then. But that gap is what I’d call design at the end of the day (these days I’d just call it marketing though).

 

[Lola701]

If you are actually talking about brands that offer decent quality for the price paid, none of the ones we discuss about in this forum are worthy then. But that gap is what I’d call design at the end of the day (these days I’d just call it marketing though).

AMI is good though.
It’s not the most creative brand but I think the product is honest. Well made decently priced. And I’m talking about the serious stuff, not the merch.


And I would N21 because it’s actually good. It’s not extraordinary but it’s honest.