NYT Article: Michael Kors's Locked-Up Luxury

rabbit

Interesting article. I'm not sure if I agree with the author's premise or the tone, but food for thought.

One of fashion’s cruelest means of trickery, one of its prevailing intoxicants, is to offer the illusion of wealth when the reality is too distant to inhabit.

10 years ago

Anonymous

Agree - interesting indeed and worth the read. I found it even more interesting to read the comments posted . I don't take a position on the marketing and merchandising on "mid-level luxury" goods as I've been known to both buy them and shake my head at them. I happen to like looking at Michael Kors ads for what they are , and have one MK bag purchased for it's colour , structure and quality. Big, heavy and minimally logoed. I think the author's viewpoint was fairly narrow and captured a very small yet dense segment of the population in a very unique neighbourhood. Again, interesting though and thanks for posting!

10 years ago

smiles33

Active Member

Thanks for posting. I find it a depressing reminder that marketers are so influential. This line in particular drove it all home for me:

The irony, of course, is that the kind of woman the ads depict is not the kind of woman who is going to buy a $300 bag, because she has a closet full of $5,000 ones at home.

I should add that it's not that I have anything against MK or Coach or other "mid-market luxury brands." But what distinguishes these brands from the "no-name" leather goods? I don't think it's artisanship (most are still made in China, right?)?

Personally, I prefer my purses/accessories/clothes to offer a good value, which is more middle of the road balancing quality of workmanship with cost. It's not the cheapest purse I can find but it's also not the ho-hum purse with an obnoxiously large label/logo print on it and even more obnoxious price.

10 years ago

Isabel

Veteran

Ohhh...I cannot wait to come back and read this ! This stuff is fascinating to me. I do want to say that I looked at the Coach bags online yesterday ( I haven't looked for years ) and I could not believe that the majority of the bags were $500 and up . WOW.

10 years ago

MsMary

Veteran

I'm chuckling at the dismissal of the "midpriced line, which typically cost[s] no more than a few hundred dollars." Chump change, man. Chump change.

I think the comments are, for the most part, spot-on. First, the author didn't bother to talk to a single one of the purchasers whose buying choices she critiqued so harshly. Second, everybody makes aspirational purchases, and this is news... why?

As for the bags themselves, my initials used to be MK and I had an MK logo tote and a satchel with a big MK hang tag, and they made me giggle every time I carried them. Now that those are no longer my initials I have retired the tote and removed the hang tag. But that's just me. I ain't mad at anybody who wants to buy logo'd products.

And I LOVED Michael on "Project Runway."

10 years ago

thimblelina

(website)

Veteran

Yeah... I was most struck by the fact that she didn't really sit down with any of these buyers to talk about what personally drives their purchases. Just another example of white ladies talking about not white ladies, rather than to them.

10 years ago

Laura (rhubarbgirl)

(website)

Veteran

What a confusing article. I'm not sure what the observation about women of color buying MK bags is supposed to make us think - first of all, it's New York, so I'm pretty sure the majority of women are 'non-white' in the current parlance, especially if you include Hispanic in that. Secondly, what's the implication, that women of color shouldn't buy items from white designers, or white designers who haven't intentionally aligned themselves with communities of color?

Yes, many people who are middle class with a bit of disposable income like to buy brands that are a bit aspirational. Welcome to the last 50+ years of capitalist commerce and advertising driven brand names. The individual players may change but the game's been the same for a while.

10 years ago

rabbit

Veteran

Like Mary K I tend to scratch my head at the definition of 'mid-market', of course cost of living varies widely, but it doesn't really seem to align that well with middle-class disposable income, at least not this decade.

Also like Laura, I wonder if retail Fashion is ever separate from aspirational lifestyle messages, regardless of your income. If anything I think the higher the price tag the larger a gap between actual cost of labor and materials (even given fair wages) and the perceived status value.

10 years ago

claracluck

Active Member

i love my mid range MK tote and i know someone who owns a helicopter .......so jetset by proxy..........ok

10 years ago

N-Marie

Veteran

This article also struck me as bizarre and rather insulting. Honestly, the mid-range price mentioned in the article is what I would consider to be a "very nice" bag, that I would expect to be of durable quality and good design, and potentially a better investment than a Target bag that will soon look shabby and could undermine a professional appearance (nothing against Target bags- I own several but they are not typically used in a professional setting)
If a bag at the mid-price point fits in your budget (and the author assumes in pretty offensive fashion that it would not for women of color) then this is not necessarily a bad purchase. And implying that non-white women only take their fashion cues from Ebony and Jet is ridiculous as well.
As for visible logos, I think she is letting her personal presence cloud the issue.

10 years ago

Runcarla

Veteran

MK is everywhere these days, and I am wondering if we are reaching a saturation point? This week I tried on MK booties in Marshall's marked down to $48. (They were pretty and comfy, but I was worried that black suede might not hold up well.)

I do like his aesthetic, and like MsMary, I thought he was a gas on project runway!

10 years ago

frannieb

Veteran

A bizarrely insulting and offensive article starting with this quote in paragraph two

have noticed on the subway during rush hour, or in less precious quarters of Brooklyn or the Bronx, or around community colleges and public housing complexes, that women, both young and middle-age, are often carrying Michael Kors handbags

However - I should add my husband didn't think it was horribly offensive - just a ridiculous article that shouldn't have made the paper as it had not point.

So I guess not much to add - except that I have shopped at Hermes stores around the world (scarves only) and things are locked up in those stores always. You get to try things on with the sales associate hovering over you. What does that say about those who shop Hermes.

10 years ago

Echo

Veteran

Yes, well of course. If one cannot afford the multiple $5K bags in one's closet, then one ought to have nothing at all, right? And all the mid-range clothing brands ought to be abolished, too. Either buy at Wally World or from Chanel, Valentino or Dior. Anyone who purchases from Rag & Bone or Theory or Helmut Lang is being duped.

This article is so ridiculous on so many levels that it is difficult to separate the threads. It is classist, racist, elitist. All brand names are trying to sell an image, and that's as true for Gucci as it is for Guess. Perhaps some consumers are responding to the advertising; perhaps some actually like the bag they are buying independent of brand. As for people trying to be what they are not, I find that to be far more true for more high-end brands than Michael Kors. Fake Louis Vuittons abound for a reason.

And this reminds me of a previous article where the author proposed that if one bought discounted luxury goods, then they weren't a luxury at all. It leads me to the conclusion that the authors might be putting on airs more than the customers of any of these brands.

10 years ago

Jaime

(website)

Veteran

What an obnoxious article! That said, I do see a out of proportion number of MK bags even here in Israel so the marketers are obviously on to something.

10 years ago

danysedai

Active Member

I'm a Black woman and I live in Canada, in a city that is predominantly white and I see women of ALL colours carrying MK bags. I like some of his bags, and I like the colours of many of them but that is true for many other designers, including the very expensive ones.

One thing I like about MK, lately I've noticed about myself that I'm attracted to gold or metallic (gold, silver, etc) items and I know that when I want one to head straight to MK

10 years ago

JAileen

Veteran

I just got home from the mall. I had time to kill at Dillards while waiting for my genius appointment at the Apple store. I took a few pictures of Michael Kors's bags and of a Coach bag. I thought this was weird, considering the NYT article. For the record, I don't live in New York. I live in the sticks - in the Intermountain West. None of the Michael Kors bags were locked up. But all of the Coach bags were.

BTW, I love the shade of green in the first picture.

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10 years ago

Makrame

Veteran

I have two Michael Kors bags - because I like them, and because the logo matches my name (DH actually asked me how I managed to get a key chain with my initials).

I have to say that I bought them before I even realized that they were considered "aspirational luxury" brand - I have always assumed that Michael Kors was "just another brand" of leather goods and did not know of a luxury connotation. Both of my bags were around $100. As soon as I purchased them, I started noticing the dismissive comments about the "ubiquitous Michael Kors bags".

I just bought a Kate Spade bag on sale because it was the right color and size - of course, now I am seeing comments on how "Kate Spade is now everywhere, like Michael Kors". Oh well, I still like the bags.

One bag is a leather crossbody with a small logo - very practical, I am carrying it to work today; and the other is a nice nylon tote with leather accents that I use as a carry-on when I - gasp! - fly commercial.

10 years ago

Firecracker (Sharan)

Veteran

This article is hard for me to grasp, or the subtexts are. It seems the author is trying to make a point about the marketing ploy of selling the idea of luxury to middle-class consumers and getting them/us to pay a lot for that idea. It also seems that this article is putting down those of us who buy the goods, presumably because we are duped by this marketing ploy. I am another who has bought a Michael Kors bag--just recently. I don't go for bling on my bags usually, so the shiny hardware on MK bags usually eliminates them for me. But I bought the one below--shine and all--because I liked the idea of a silver bag for night or day, and it reminded me of some Stella McCartney bags I've seen but would never buy because of the price. And the MK charm is removable, which is a plus for me. So, yes, definitely--another aspirational buyer here! And perhaps another buyer who shops for what she wants, regardless of the ludicrous messages in the ads.

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10 years ago

MsMaven

Veteran

Huh? I agree, the article makes little sense to me either. I have 3 MK bags, all under $100 nylon versions. (One was free with accumulated Macy's rewards, and it was locked up when I decided to "buy' it.)

I admit--I'm not a bag person. Actually, I hate them, but putting a lot of stuff in pockets (often non-existent) doesn't work well these days. I like sturdy, lightweight bags with a bit of pisazz that won't look shabby in a few months, for example, the See by Chloe bag I bought for nearly $500 and looked awful within a few months.

I do have a classic Chanel bag, seldom used. I can't tell a real LV from a fake one--and I tend to suspect most I see are fake. I wouldn't dream of drawing sociological conclusions from bags I see women toting around the mall or at lunch. If you judge me by my inexpensive (aspirational or otherwise) MK bag you will be making a mistake.

10 years ago

Alexandra

(website)

Veteran

I think my take on luxury is completely different. If it's selling in a department store, it's mass market, not luxury. Even at Neiman Marcus, still mass market, just higher price point (and more natural fabrics, luscious leather, etc). Luxury is custom-made. But that's just my opinion, of course.

10 years ago

Von

Veteran

I'm a bag person, and just personally, I don't do monogram bags....anyone's monogram or logo bags. Whole Foods is lucky I'm not offended by their logo on my grocery bag I don't do MKs, I don't do CC's, I don't do LV's. I need for my bag not to be a blatant adversisement for any company. I believe if a bag is quality, it speaks for itself without logos, blingy tags or giant locks.

I'm even more offended by the prices that some designers put on their bags (WHY are you locking up your PVC totes??). In my mind, I feel like it implies there is value and self worth to be had in acquiring what has to be kept under lock and key. Which we all know isn't true, but look how many people fall for it.

It's all about the psychology of supply, demand, greed and need. People want what is denied to them even more.

I personally am a stickler for quality, I don't go for the most big name brand bags because of that. I need my bags to last for years and years, have the ability to go on closet hiatus and come back in 5-10 years when the fashion rolls back around. The older I get, the more I'm into supporting small leather makers who actually DO hand make their bags and care about quality, customer satisfaction etc. I like knowing I'm going to have to wait a little bit until they can source the leather again, or the guy who does zippers is on vacation and production is delayed. It keeps me from being a throw-away consumer buying throw-away bags I guess.

10 years ago

Laura (rhubarbgirl)

(website)

Veteran

Von, I'd love to know who you've found in smaller manufacturers/artisans for good bags. I've always been a 'DSW is good enough for me' gal because the big brands in stores didn't seem like they were worth the extra money, and like you I'm not much for logos. But if I could find some well-made bags from artisans I would totally invest in those.

The 'locked-up' thing is a Macy's thing, isn't it? I never see things locked up at Nordstrom, however expensive they are. But other department stores do it frequently, I assume because they're understaffed.

MsMaven (and others), I agree with you. I'm not sure I'd ever read the word aspirational until I started reading fashion magazines. I don't think most women are really that aware of brands, certainly not on the level that most of us on YLF are. They know vaguely of the big players, have seen some commercials or know the celebrities, but in my experience most women buy because it matches their taste or their needs at the time, and it's in their price range, not because of the brand.

10 years ago

CocoLion

(website)

Veteran

Thanks for the link JAileen. I too enjoyed the article.

I believe a lot of theft comes from employees -- they have the most access and opportunity. An overworked, low wage employee can feel entitled and they can all be in on it together. Of course when theft happens the employees may blame customers. Hence the lock and key. Just something to think about.

As for the content of the article itself, I don't buy bags for their brand either. I'm looking more for a style and quality. However I do have one MK bag, it's the Sloan clutch, and it's very well designed and has held up beautifully. I think it retailed for $250 but I got it for much less at TJ Maxx. I think Mr. Kors is a very smart business man. He is willing to supply discounters like TJ with a quantity of his bags. They serve as an entry to the experience. By contrast, I have never seen Marc Jacobs bags at such stores and I don't think he's as successful as Mr. Kors who is more astute to consumer dynamics and the mass market in general.

10 years ago

shiny

Veteran

I don't have any MK bags for these reasons: 1) too heavy 2) sized too large for my petite frame and 3) the colors are just slightly "off" for me - I much prefer the Coach shades. MK seems more for those who are warm toned -- Winters or Autumns, whereas Coach is more for those of us with cool tones. Oh and yeah, I don't like gaudy logos either, but not all MK bags have those. I am not buying for the brand - I'm buying for the shape, size, functionality, quality at that price point.

One thing missing from this article: in NYC you can buy knockoffs everywhere. And MK is one of the number 1 knockoffs that are sold, albeit sometimes it's a clear MK knockoff but with a different designer's logo on it.

Oh wait.. I stand corrected! I forgot I have ONE MK bag, purchased at TJMaxx or maybe it was Marshall's. Snakeskin with silver hardware. I do love this bag, I just wish it wasn't so heavy. I'd tote it around more often if it was lighter!

10 years ago

shiny

Veteran

Also honestly I think the biggest suckers are those spending thousands of dollars on bags that are really no better, quality wise, than at a MK or Coach price point...

And now I will duck...

10 years ago

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