If I have to hear one more war story about cat fights at Target over the Missoni line, I may scream. Forgive me, but I simply can not understand the appeal of pushing and shoving to buy cheaply-made licensed merchandise that has an expensive label. And it IS cheaply made. Believe me, for $79.99 the pouf may be cute, but it ain’t well-made. It CAN’T be. As in life, you get what you pay for.
Okay, it’s novel. And I understand and support the notion of affordable luxury. Or do I…?
I would just assume go to a second hand shop and pony up for the real deal once loved. Better even, find a great looking tray or blanket that is artisnal with no label. OR yet another option, a relatively inexpensive good looking one with no label and some semblance of quality. Okay, I am just about plum out of options but here’s one last: buy something inexpensive and recover it in something special. Make it your own. It’s about compromise.
But quality is not something I believe in compromising, ever… and to buy cheap Missoni for Missoni’s sake, this confounds me. And the fighting in the stores? Absurd.
The real question is, what is it these days with everyone wanting and needing their belongings to have cachet and wealth-associated labels? Our economy is in the latrine, unemployment is still skyrocketing and we are at Target fighting over Missoni blankets that are 100 percent polyester. Hmmmm.
This brings me to another point. I have been reading alot of comments on blogs lately about the mad-mad love of Hermes products. Classic, french, iconic, luxury, super, duper-duper expensive. What does it say when you display Hermes anything in the home? Can it be likened to wearing it on your arm? Does the logo in an of itself make you happy? Or does what it represents? I want to know. Help me understand the obsession…
1. Elle Decor 2. Pinterest 3. Pinterest 4. Pinterest- House & Home 5. Flor 6. Liz Caan Interiors
I can’t stress this enough…. You are right on the money sister. I too cannot understand the obsession with the brands name. Buy well.. Buy once… And buy for the right reason.
I cannot help you understand, because I just do not get it myself. I have never been one to skimp on quality, and believe me: I have splurged on more than a few things in my home. In my opinion decorating with the brand labels is very pretentious.
As for Missoni? You hit the nail on the head. The country is falling apart and people are fighting over polyster throws at Target.
Great post today Katie.
I completely agree with the Target line. It is absurd and I have not been able to comprehend all the hullabaloo surround its launch.
Per Hermes: it’s a brand that stands the test of time. My mother acquired a few pieces (scarves, throws, dinnerware) long ago that she eventually passed down to me. I love them, I hope to pass them down to my children one day. However, a just a few years ago- Hermes was regarded as very stuff and fuddy duddy. My friends would come over and laugh at my orange ?!?
What I notice now is a totally different audience lauded Hermes. The younger Gen Y’s. Last winter, my husband and I went to a Christmas party thrown by his (much younger) co-workers’ apartment in a very hip area, albeit in-expensive. I walked in to see a GIANT Hermes throw, (probably) on an IKEA sofa. I can also attest to finding spaghettios in the cupboard…… but an Hermes throw on the sofa??
So there you have it. I cannot figure out the new craze myself. As far as it being pretentious? Maybe.
Yes, that’s a great great point. It’s the younger set. They are OBSESSED with luxury labels. I see young girls wearing things I myself at 42 yrs don’t even own—it’s very curious.
Thank you for posting this. A lot of the other blogs I read GUSH over luxury brands. Don’t get me wrong, as a Brit I love a good quality luxury brand item here and there. The quality factor goes out the window with the younger crowd, and the name takes hold. I liken it to Carrie Bradshaw and her Manolos. No poppin’ way was she able to afford a closet full of $900 shoes on the salary of a writer!
I’m going go out on a limb here and wonder if this type of spending behaviour has something to do with your country being in the shitter!
– Much love from across the pond,
Michelle
Hermes is craftsmanship. Period. I would rather buy a well-crafted throw that lasts me decades than a poly-blend disaster from target. For many it has nothing to do with the status or name at all, but buying quality. The hermes brand is iconic.
As for the mad dash to Target for fake Missoni? Says a lot about our culture. We would prefer the appearance status and luxury than the real thing.
Great post, I look forward to reading your other readers’ comments.
rushing to get the kids off this morning but i had to drop a note before i forgot.. GO KATIE! love your take on the missoni crap. i think hermes has done a great job rebranding to stay relevant in a piss poor economy, and if we’re talking about it.. something is working for them. :) :)
I agree with Jen – for people who have loved Hermes forever (like me) for its unwavering dedication to quality in both manufacturing and design, it represents the epitome of timeless craft and relentless attention to detail. Have you ever noticed the display hardware in the store – every single tiny item is obsessively considered and I appreciate that. So for me it is has always been this but Michelle is right – the younger set is name brand obsessed. Sex and the City is a perfect example. I actually love finding and writing about quality products and companies that aren’t necessarily on the map – the discovery is the fun!! I am actually disheartened by the ubiquity of Hermes – I still appreciate the brand but it lessens the appeal for me, although they are clearly doing something right – have you seen their numbers? Always up, up, up!!
Re Target: I agree with you about the quality factor. Nevertheless, I did go to Target, albeit late, because of the curiosity factor: I wanted to see how the Missonis could translate their iconic patterns into something affordable. By the time I got there, not much was left. I bought three of the framed wall tiles. I’m not sure if I’ll use them, let alone keep them. But in the same way we designers advocate throwing in such iconic patterns as flame stitch or animal prints to pepper an interior, perhaps the same could be said of Missoni patterns. Ditto In fashion: think of Prince of Wales plaid, houndstooth and pinstripes.
This is one of my favorite books: http://hypebeast.com/2011/03/koto-bolofo-la-maison-hermes-book/ and really helps me articulate my love for the Hermes brand. I hope that helps you understand MY obsession. :)
You’re absolutely right about buying second hand or sale quality items rather than full-priced poor quality items. As a member of the younger generation I, and most of my friends, are on a very tight budget. I try to buy all of my clothes and home decor on sale or from second hand stores because you can get much better quality for the same price. I’m all about reupholstering, repainting, and altering! I’ll never understand my friends who pay the same amount of money for a full-priced, cheaply made knockoff!
I completely agree that you get what you pay for. Many women will admire a designer handbag that I have, and then in the same breath say they would never pay that much for one. However, they have 20 cheaply made handbags in their closet that fall apart after a season or two, when combined in cost equal or surmount what I paid for one or two of mine that will last me a lifetime. I’d rather have a few classic pieces when it comes to my wardrobe or home than a dozen cheaply made “me too” items that have no value or personal style.
Oh dear, I wonder if my comment on the Hermes a few days ago had anything to do with your post today? :/ I got all excited because I adore the Hermes brand. I recently watched a program on TV that highlighted their craftsmanship, history, and commitment to quality. Believe it or not, I am in QC for a larger home-furnishing brand. Quality and attention to detail is my life, which is why I can appreciate what Hermes does. A lot of the luxury brands are moving shops to Asia now, and as far as I understand.. Hermes still fully resides in Europe. You get what you pay for.
Generating hype, putting out a limited inventory, and selling out = a marketing departments dream! The buzz surrounding Missoni’s brand right now is killer! Between this and Rachel Zoe’s endorsements, Missoni has totally staying relevant. Kudos to them for doing so!
Boil it down, the Target line is severely inferior quality. BUT it got us talking!
I sheepishly have to admit I was in the throngs of people making the mad dash for the Missoni section at Target. It was Black Friday status. I have to say I don’t know why I did it, do I need it? No. The fashion blogs were abuzz for weeks. I felt like I HAD TO GET a Missoni notebook and underwear.
I’m a gen y (millennial) and yes, Carrie Bradshaw is my generation’s idol. When you spell it out, of course it’s embarrassing. Embarrassingly true. Deep down, we know that the quality is junk. There is something to be said about the praise and accolades my generation seeks: directly connected to the praise and accolade a luxury item garners. Great post, I feel like I just talked had an aha moment with my psychiatrist! :D
AWESOME take on the Missoni collection for Target. So many bloggers are BLOWING UP about this stuff, taking photos en masse of their missoni hauls. For what purpose? You’ve got to look like some kind of idiot to wheel around missoni luggage, with your missoni sweater and socks (and underpanties). For all that money, buy one REAL item. Your closet can only handle so much flamestitch…
^^^^ hahaha What Jackie says above.
I do not understand the desire to display the Hermes boxes. To me, that shouts “look how rich I am!”. Plus, do these people realize these are BOXES? And should be put in the recycling? This is just a form of hoarding, but its ok, b/c these boxes held expensive things. Thats just weird to me.
Can’t even dignify the Missoni target trash collection with a response so I will jump right to Hermes..
LOVE LOVE LOVE anything Hermes in the home or clothing/jewelry. It’s so fab, iconic, timeless, and gorg. You can’t go wrong, wear it 25 years from now and it will still shine. I do not get the boxes and children’s bedding. Using boxes, you are trying too hard. Children’s bedding?? You’re asking for a luxurious disaster. (speaking from someone who still might need a pee pad after a night out on the town with the queens) katie you go girl! Tell it like it is!
Okay, these comments are the reason I write this blog. Boy do I love reading these
The Missoni thing is a case of very good luck and good marketing, yes.
But the goods, just like the Calypso line, are really el-cheapo. I certainly would pass it, but I don’t judge those would are curious. I just want to understand the psychology.
I agree Hermes brand is synonomous with quality, but the price-quality relationship is a bit skewed.
No way in hell I would pay 2500 for a blanket and toss it on a couch much less a kids bed. And I see 13 year olds wearing the iconic wide enamel bracelet my own mother acquired for the first time at age 50. How do we continue to raise the bar and stay afloat?
In this climate, with the world we NOW live in, we may all be served to hold back a bit. Buying a label is easy. Being creative is NOT.
So insightful!I l love reading the comments as much as the post!!
What a great post!! I am in total agreement with you..
All valid points. I wish I understood the allure. I appreciate the skill and craftsmanship that goes into each Hermes product, but you are right: how much are you really willing to pay for quality? At the end of the day, can I find the same bit of warmth or happiness from a lesser expensive product. A pottery barn throw. A bracelet from anthropologie? Why are we so materialistic and overzealous consumers? It continues to get worse with each generation. Thank you for writing this Katie, it was good to take a moment and reflect on the important things.
I agree with you on all fronts, the Target Missoni business was crazy. I have always been a big proponent of buying the good stuff, even if it means buying less. You won’t find me buying from ikea or crate and barrel. That doesn’t make me wealthy, but I buy smart. I pick up well made antiques that have lasted me decades. Sure I’ll accent with a vase or frame from homegoods, but the core of the home is well-made and I’ll never have to purchase another sofa for the rest of my days. It’s been recovered and stuffed just a few times, but the frame is still as good as new. You just can’t find that at a discount store. This is why I say, I don’t have a problem with Hermes in the home. I know it will last forever. For me, it’s not about buying and displaying a name, it’s about buying something that I know I will only have to buy once. I love my home, it is my sanctuary and that means everything in it gets a lot of mileage. When I buy, I expect it to last. Hermes is a brand that is so well-made, it’s hard to consider the alternatives.
Hi Katie,
I’m sure you heard this was buzzing at the water cooler today. Great post, looks like you got a lot of wonderful feedback!
- Connie
Whew. Took me a while to read all of these comments. What a great debate. Insightful blog today… It’s really great
I agree with your comments on the cheaply made Missoni. Pity. They are spreading themselves too thin. I always think of what happened to Pierre Cardin lines, which were watered down versions of his designs. I remember way back when Victoria’s Secret was an exclusive lingerie shop based in San Francisco ( I had to request a catalog through the mail, there was no email or internet then, that is why I say “way back”) and the quality and workmanship was superb. Now, since Wexler bought it, it has become a cheap, tacky version of the original. Hermes is a great line, but if purchased by Louis Vuitton, it may change also. I have a lot of their scarves, but never thought to display their boxes under a table! That, I think, is the designers error. A designer of note needs to take into account what type of message they are sending. I thought a designer’s ability to create an interior had more to do with color, composition, balance and usefulness of items, rather than stating “I buy Hermes and here is the proof”!
To follow up on Linda’s comment:
” A designer of note needs to take into account what type of message they are sending. I thought a designer’s ability to create an interior had more to do with color, composition, balance and usefulness of items, rather than stating “I buy Hermes and here is the proof”!”
I believe this is where the younger generations get it confused. I have 4 girls, all under the age of 25. Without Mom and Dad, there’s no way they would be able to afford their fashion taste on their current salaries. However, in their workplaces and social circles: they have to have $500 Tory Burch riding boots, and that is more important than to have perhaps a $200 pair of equal or (even better) quality without the label. For them, they buy for the label. They want their friends to recognize the name, much more than the quality. This is why I think the Missoni junk flew off the shelves.
How do we correct this behavior? It is rampant amongst the kids out there and definitely translates to home decor.
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