!!!!!Why Are They So Expensive????

[*JJ*]

Reading through this thread, it seems like basically everyone is downplaying how the brand name factors into the price. That is the main factor in the pricing. The quality and craftsmanship are not actually $1000 better. That is ridiculous. The cost is absolutely NOT justified at any point through materials and craftsmanship for ANY designer bag.

But yes, designer bags are great.

true....nothing justifies $6000 for a birkin. even if the quality is amazing.

 

[masquerade]

It's also fun to have something not everyone you see on the street has..

It's the feeling i can't explain it, it feels good.

yeah, thats the best feeling. there is nothing worse than carrying something eveyrone else has

 

[husbandbeaters]

oh man! your so freaking funny. i actually laughed out loud to this one here. im saving up to get a speedy 30 and you just made me want it that much more. your fabulous babe! and after posting like three topics trying to figure out if the speedy 30 is right for me, and people ranting off topic, you just summed it up right there! thanks!!!!!

oh, and as a side note, you know whats really funny? the leather manufacturer for dooney and bourke was doing coaches leather on the side!! dude man, when peter, the owner, found out, boy was he ever pissed! but to stay on topic, a lot of the hardware and leather is hand tanned/ hand dyed and the hardware hand cut by these little family owned businesses in italy. out of my whole dooney and bourke experience working for them, that was the one thing that blew me away. the tiny amount of skilled artisans that do the work for such a large company. its f***ed up because then you see these cheap *** moms buying them for themselves and for their daughters and they have no fricken appreciation! not to mention most of em are *** ugly rip offs of whats the "it" bag...man, they've ripped off hermes, chloe, LV, so MANY!!!!!!!!!!!

haha thanks, jun3machina! dude and GOOD JOB on saving up money for your speedy. i applaud you. you will not regret it, my friend. but if you do end up not liking it for some really ODD reason (impossible), i will give you a FULL refund! just kidding. trust me, you won't regret it. you'll end up marrying it. like me! lol.

but you know what sucks, though. everyone and their mom and their dog owns one. most of them are all disgusting replicas, i tell you! this girl i know owns a fake and always brags about it to me b/c she got hers for like $20. freaking criminal/terrorist supporter. hers look exactly the same as mine but once you feel it, the leather is stiff up the *** and just gross. and plus, the logos are a bit yellower. i mean, does she expect me to be jealous of her $20 bag or something? hahahahahaha she just cracks me up, you know? lol. gosh, i just can't wait till her "speedy" falls apart. it won't be so speedy then, will it? lol. fakes will fall apart with speed, indeed. 100% guaranteed. um WOW, speed, indeed, guaranteed? brilliant. damn i knew i was a poetic genius. i just knew it.

but anywayssss. dude i need to stop digressing. so basically i was trying to say... who really gives a flying f*ck if everyone and their mom and their dog carries it? if you like it, then that's all that matters. the end.

 

[circoit]

Reading through this thread, it seems like basically everyone is downplaying how the brand name factors into the price. That is the main factor in the pricing. The quality and craftsmanship are not actually $1000 better. That is ridiculous. The cost is absolutely NOT justified at any point through materials and craftsmanship for ANY designer bag.

But yes, designer bags are great.

The difference in costs of production skyrocket when one considers how much more expensive it is to hire skilled italian craftsman to do all the work in comparison to manufacturers who have everything outsources to China. Also, a lot of cost can be incurred when a company is so picky about their leather that either it is very difficult and expensive to obtain or because they waste a lot of material trying the get the cut just right.

The real rip off is not Bottega Veneta or Balenciaga or Gucci since they are putting out some real expense to make sure their bags are nice. The real rip off is Coach bags that are manufactured in China for probably close to nothing - then marked up to $500 by the time it reaches the shelves.

 

[jaffa6]

The designer name is a big part of it, and some of it is hype to a degree, but to set aside the skepticism for a moment, the reason these names mean something to us is because the designer (or design house) actually created something beautiful. Just like a painting by a famous artist. People may imitate it later, but there was an original idea there somewhere. And those artists/designers can place a high value on that, since it's very difficult to make it as a top tier designer.

Another reason the prices may be so high is because of the fast cyclical nature of the fashion industry. Most new collections come out, and some items can sell out quickly at the retail prices, but for the stuff that's left over, the profit won't be as great. You can get the same bags a few months later for 50% or more off retail. That's all built in to the price. They calculate that they'll sell so many for full price, and then so many on sale, and they average it out to estimate their profits against the cost of labour, materials etc.

 

[Constance]

the actual cost of a designer bag is definitely not as much as its selling price. still have to factor-in the marketing costs (millions and millions) and other costs such as maintaining the boutiques, the salaries of the creative team, etc, etc, etc

when a person buys a designer bag, that person also buys the designer's image and brand name (unfortunately, these can't be quantified)

 

[Taitai]

Kind of related to this topic - September Vogue has a really good article on this subject (not just expensive bags, but expensive luxury goods and what people are willing to pay for them).

The article says that the threshold for expensive luxury items continues to go up...and as long as people are willing to pay for these expensive goods, companies will continue to introduce high end items that cost more and more.

And there is a growing number of consumers who want - and are willing to pay - for items that no one else has (or can afford.)

 

[jbelle]

I love my designer bags! They're my babies! However, every now and then my Amex will rear its ugly head and remind me of how outrageous the obsession can be. I do think we pay too much. Consider...

Any shop that sells designer bags will mark the bag up 30-40% over the acquisition cost from the design house. So there's the 'distribution'. Add in hiring, say, Uma Thurman to do your fall ad campaign, and the space in Vogue to put her in - and it's no wonder these bags are so expensive. Nevermind the fact that we buy Vogue, and hence pay money to be advertised to.

As for quality and craftsmanship, I think the cost is justifiable, but only to a certain extent. I like the cute little old Italian craftsman, toiling away in the foothills, as much as the next gal. (Although these days most designers send their bags to be 'hand-made' in China, then sent to Italy so said Italian craftsman can clasp on a padlock to justify the Made In Italy tag).

But as for the alligator Birkin bags that cost as much as cars... buy me a harpoon, some khakis, and a plane ticket to Australia - I'll find an alligator myself, and an hulky Australian craftsman to hand-stich that baby together!

 

[POTC_ROXS]

The quality and status are the reason. Well thats why i fork over all my money to Chanel and LV each year.

 

[Hipkitten]

But as for the alligator Birkin bags that cost as much as cars... buy me a harpoon, some khakis, and a plane ticket to Australia - I'll find an alligator myself, and an hulky Australian craftsman to hand-stich that baby together!

Brilliant!

 

[bagqueen]

But as for the alligator Birkin bags that cost as much as cars... buy me a harpoon, some khakis, and a plane ticket to Australia - I'll find an alligator myself, and an hulky Australian craftsman to hand-stich that baby together! [/QUOTE]

I love this!!!!!!

 

[Olivia M.]

(Although these days most designers send their bags to be 'hand-made' in China, then sent to Italy so said Italian craftsman can clasp on a padlock to justify the Made In Italy tag).

Names (and journalistic sources), please! I'm trying to avoid buying things made in China if I can help it (and many times I can't), and if I'm going to be spending $350+ on a handbag, it had better be made by cute little old Italian craftsmen.

 

[Luna]

I dont think there's anyway to tell

 

[jbelle]

Names (and journalistic sources), please! I'm trying to avoid buying things made in China if I can help it (and many times I can't), and if I'm going to be spending $350+ on a handbag, it had better be made by cute little old Italian craftsmen.

I've heard such gripes over on the style.com forums (some of whom work at fashion magazines) and I think a book called 'Fashion Victim.'

I don't mind stuff being made in Asia - after all, their handmade artwork and embroidery are superb! I just mind being mis-informed.

 

[koukanamiya]

I can't remember when I became interested in name brands but it was rather recent. There's just this indescribable feeling of high when you walk into a luxuy goods store with your own hard earned money and pay for something really nice just for yourself. At the moment I probably have purses from every brand except for Burberry, Coach, Celine, and Bottega Venetta. I'm not interested in Coach and I just never had the time to visit the closest Burberry store for a purse.

I got my very first Hermes purse a few weeks ago. I wasn't able to get a Birkin or a Kelly, but I got the next best thing - a Bolide. I absolutely adore my Bolide. The craftsmanship is astounding. After buying 1 Hermes purse, the rest is history for me. Now nothing seems to compare to Hermes (I don't buy LV anymore). In fact, I'm thinking of selling off 90% of my purses and go completely Hermes from now on. Name brand addiction is definitely an addiction in its own right, an expensive one at that.

 

[cigalechanta]

and you can sell them as vintage as I have.

 

[koukanamiya]

and you can sell them as vintage as I have.

Namebrand goods hold their values pretty well. I'm selling off my LV MC purses right now (granted, I've only had them for 4 months) and I'm surprised at how many people actually want them.

Gonna be selling off my Fendis, Guccis, and Dior next.

 

[Moriah]

true....nothing justifies $6000 for a birkin. even if the quality is amazing.

NOTHING!!!

 

[eostre]

Because any business will charge what they can charge for their goods, anything else would be pretty bad business sense.

 

[kkesh]

.... because designer bags aren't for everybody