What is luxury fashion? What a loaded question. I began thinking about this after Business of Fashion published a thought-provoking Op-Ed on “premium mediocre” fashion, a term coined by blogger Venkatesh Rao.
Ever since I began my blog, I have teetered across the spectrum when attempting this question The lines of trendy, stylish, and luxury have changed over the years as designers began pulling inspiration from popular culture. Eugene Rabkin’s take in Business of Fashion hit the nail in the head on many major concerns that I have and have helped me formulate my thoughts on this topic. Today, I want to go one step further and make this statement on what I view to be luxury fashion:
Luxury comes from the experience, quality, and story.
Because of the spectacular detail and care that goes into each product, they earn the respect and thus the prestigious status awarded to brands considered as “luxury”. It should not necessarily be associated with a high-price tag, but it should be associated with a sense of uniqueness. Luxury is not typically available to the masses because of the cost associated with quality fabrics and the time it takes to bring a story to life. However, scarcity does not need to be practiced in order to protect brand power or drive desire. My view can be broken down into 3 distinct sections: the value of the goods, the price tag, and scarcity.
First, the very basic foundation of what makes something luxury is its value. When it comes to the fashion industry, it is best to think of value through 2 different streams: the design (its story) and the craftsmanship (the quality). Taking the example of the Hermès Birkin versus the Louis Vuitton Neverfull, it is easy to see a clear difference in the design and in craftsmanship.
Jean-Louis Dumas’ story of how he sat next to Jane Birkin on a flight as they sketched the design of what became the Birkin bag is extremely powerful. Using a very realistic problem of Jane Birkin not being able to find a bag that was stylish and fit all of her needs, Dumas was able to sketch out a design with a powerful story and practical usage. The Birkin bag is expertly crafted with the best leather and great attention to detail on the part of the people making the bags.
On the other hand, not much is known about Louis Vuitton’s design of the Neverfull bag. All we know is that it was created to carry all of the essentials you will need at any time. The Neverfull is also made from a cotton canvas that is then covered with a plastic protective coating called PVC. Arguably, the amount of care that goes into a Neverfull is nowhere close to the amount of care that goes into a Birkin.
When we use this same example and apply it to the price tag of a luxury good, it is easy to see why the Birkin’s price tag is higher than that of the Neverfull. The price tag is justified because the Birkin is worthy of the investment. Over time, the Birkin is still as functional and stylish as the day it first came out. Thus, after having stood the test of time, the value will naturally increase.
This, however, cannot be said for the Neverfull. Though the quality of a Louis Vuitton canvas on a Neverfull bag is a thousand times better than that of a fast fashion brand, it becomes harder to justify the value when compared to another handbag with a more storied origin, better quality, and better craftsmanship. Nowadays, however, the Neverfull can be priced at its current rate because we are willing to pay for something we can use without worrying about quality while still feeling high-class. Therefore, we pivot into the scarcity argument.
Setting aside the materials and accepting that both Hermès and Louis Vuitton are spectacular brands with high quality products, these two bags and brands hold very different standards on scarcity.
People invest in people, rather than in products.
We crave the human element more than anything else because humans inherently desire the personal connection. Lilly Pulitzer’s iconic prints have a heartwarming origin in Lilly opening a juice stand when she suffered from a nervous breakdown. Lilly created the prints to cover up the juice stains on her dress, and thus, Lilly Pulitzer (the brand) was created.
A particular style or look isn’t luxury. We all desire the luxury goods as a demonstration of our (real or otherwise) social status. They are the conduits for projecting the image of the person we hope our peers will see. A business woman may turn to the simple elegance created by Phoebe Philo in order to command the respect of the boardroom. An actress arms herself in a dress by Oscar de la Renta, and a rock and roll singer finds solace in the designs of Versace.
Though others may disagree, to me, luxury fashion is the combination of the story that the design tells; quality fabrics that are durable, rare, or versatile; and craftmanship where one can feel the dedication of the designer. This is why the top luxury fashion brands are branded as luxury brands. Their attention to the detail of these three facets are unparalleled.
However, a brand, while usually indicative of luxury, often times does not always produce luxury goods. A top luxury fashion brand can produce a cotton t-shirt, slap on its logo, and mark up the price 100 times. That isn’t luxury. That is simply business and profit.
We see this too often nowadays in the industry as the lines between what is trendy and what is street style intersects with luxury fashion. It is easy to slap a logo on a cotton t-shirt because it is trendy, it will generate marketing buzz, and it will sell. Nowadays, “luxury fashion” isn’t always about the story, the quality, or the craftsmanship anymore. That is why we find ourselves constantly debating what luxury fashion is.
Thus, as I realized that it isn’t always the brand that makes a clothing item luxury, I began to turn my attention towards other ways I can incorporate luxury fashion into my wardrobe and personal style.
Attainable luxury fashion: what does that mean?
My personal style and the outfits I share with you is what I call “attainable luxury fashion”. In the simplest terms, this means the outfits that mimic the elegance, quality, and timelessness of luxury fashion without the thousand-dollar price tag. The reason why I personally do not call it “affordable” luxury fashion is because too often, “affordable luxury fashion” means fast fashion. This phenomenon of fast fashion knocking off designers for cheap is something that is not only unsustainable, but it is also ethically wrong.
The question then becomes how do you get the same luxurious look and style without the price tag. Personally, I find that this comes from thoughtful investment in particular pieces of clothing that are versatile and classic. What I love to do is identify certain elements of luxury fashion I am drawn to, and begin investing in pieces that will evokes the feeling I have when I look at a particular design from my favorite designers. They do not necessarily have to be the exact same design for me to begin curating a wardrobe that feels very luxurious without the price tag.
What I hope to always do is to help every single woman who reads my blog feel empowered to make those purchasing decisions. When we have each found what our unique style is, it becomes so much easier to begin building a wardrobe we love. It also becomes easier to then stop our bad habits of buying clothes that we might never wear.
Luxury fashion and designer fashion has changed drastically in our society. The lines between streetwear and designer is blurred, all designs will be knocked off, and esteemed fashion houses believe that a $1,000 price tag for a plain white t-shirt is somehow acceptable. Given this, I believe that it is so important that we remember what it is that makes luxury fashion expensive, unique, and so in demand.
I would love to hear your thoughts on what you believe luxury fashion is. Comment below and let me know your thoughts; my Instagram DMs are always open if you want to chat more there!
