Beauty

We talk about them a lot here, and they certainly get a lot of coverage at a global level. Everyone has a different dream or “I’ll know I’m doing ok when…..” statement. When you can buy your first car, first home, or for some women, own your first designer handbag. The designer handbag is something to aspire to for the fashion conscious, and for the wealthy, is just a fact of life. For me, getting my first Coach bag was a moment I will never forget, a gift to me by my former husband. I was so excited I almost forgot he was in the room. My second and probably more grandiose iconic moment came after the husband and after the Coach bag – when I was able to buy my first bone-handled Gucci bag BY MYSELF. So the designer handbag is not just about a materialistic possession, for some women it represents so much more – an iconic moment in their life when they were empowered to do something beautiful for themselves just because they deserved it. But why are they so expensive? In the case with the designer handbag, they are expensive because yes, you ARE paying for the name, but believe me when I say you get what you pay for.

I realized this the other day when I was driving to the kindergarten pick-up and I noticed that my car suddenly smelled PROFOUNDLY of my travel sized Prada perfume. Nope, no passengers that could have been clouding that scent for me. I groaned and reached for the aforementioned Coach tote and yes, gasped out loud when I noticed the Prada perfume was now nothing but a distant memory. The cute little bottle with the cap missing actually made my heart ache. My second moment of grief came when I realized my bag was probably ruined. Being that I was driving, I had to wait until I got to the school yard to empty the contents and look for the oil spill. I thought I was in the Twilight Zone for a moment when I realized that in fact, there was none. The beautiful leather in my simple yet elegant Coach tote had barely been touched. Oh, my bag definitely smelled MUCH prettier, but the evidence was virtually gone. THIS was a defining moment for me, the value of the high quality of the Coach bag saved me from a near second disaster. The bag pictured here is an Alexander McQueen and is very similar to my Coach bag, but alas, my Coach is off the market being I’ve had it for so long. But you get the idea.

So why are they so expensive and are they worth the money? For me? I have had it confirmed that yes indeed they are. Had this been my ratty Old Navy bag I bought for $20 bucks, it would have been ruined. So point one – yes, you are paying for the name. Designer labels cost more because they ARE luxury products. You want the bag for the Ahhh! Factor. You know what they say, you gotta pay to play. In many designer houses you are paying for talent out of the fashion industry that comes at a high price. Many houses have teams of up to 60 finessing the look of an original collection. All of these teams are headed by what we know as the Fashion Designer, and what the industry calls the Creative Director. For example, this beautiful Zac Posen Antonia patent leather bagwas created by a team led by their unfailing leader/director, Zac Posen. A team of designers, sewers, pattern makers, and fabric workers comes at a high salary. This is reflected in the cost of the bag. Anything that you purchase at Old Navy or from a knock-off bin is simply that, a knock-off. All of this prior work has been eliminated, so the end result, a lower cost product.

But there is so much more than that, which brings me to point two. Fabrics may just well be the most important element in any fashion creation. Look at this Marc Jacobs Carolyn patchwork leather bag .High-end designers will work with nothing but the finest silks, leathers, and cashmeres to create that quintessential bag that earns a coveted spot in what they call a collection. Countless hours are spent by people who immerse their lives in fabric selection to ensure each bag is crafted with the most beautiful fabric available to the fashion house. You will enjoy leather softer than you have ever imagined, and cashmere that you could literally sleep on, all in the comfort of a luxury handbag. A leather bag from Old Navy is going to be done with mass produced leathers or economy leathers. I am not saying they aren’t nice bags, I have my share of them and they are certainly very pretty cost effective alternatives, however, you will not get the same kind of quality you will in a designer leather handbag.

My final point? When you are experiencing the many advantages of quality goods, consider the effort that goes into them. Here is a look at the inside production line of Prada. The stages here are cutting, sewing, lining, and decorating. Each stage involving a team of expert designers and craftsmakers. You don’t see this in an Old Navy warehouse. The simple fact is that quality items cost more money to make. You need equipment and talent that knows how to work with specialized fabric and unique unconventional designs. This is why the couture collections are sold by the piece, and the ready-to-wear are pre-ordered. It simply costs too much to make each unique item at a mass market level. So this cost is passed on to you.

The next question then, is it worth it? I just need to look at my Coach bag to say yes, it is, as this bag clearly has more lives than a standard handbag. The leather looks exactly the same way it did when I got it 7 years ago. And it is a timeless tote that carries exactly what I need and when I need it. I have used it far beyond its original investment, and it is a piece I will cherish until, well, probably until I get my next one.

NOTE: No bags were destroyed in the creation of this post. Please use this story as guidelines only. Do not try this at home.