Does Luxury Maketh the Brand? #LuxuryUnedited

(upbeat music) - Yes! - We're back! - We're back! - Oh, I'm excited to talk to you about that. - Yeah, I'm quite excited to talk to you. - I'm excited to talk to you about that. - Yeah, I'm excited to talk to you about that. - I'm quite excited to talk to you about that. - And does pricing make us the brand? - Absolutely not. Luxury makes the brand. Actually, not luxury. Quality makes the brand. - Quality, yeah. - And individuality makes the brand. You don't buy into just because someone else is buying it or everyone else is buying it. This topic, I'm scared. You're gonna have to rein me in about how passionate I may get about this. - But shall I tell you something funny, Misha? Which I'm sure a lot of you will be shocked about. I don't own a single Chanel or Hermes. - Yeah. - It's a choice. - Okay, that's a choice I may. - Yeah, that's it. - And I tell you why. - But you have a lot of exceptional quality brands. - Yeah, I'm not one of them. - I'm not one of them. - It's not something that I'm like, I just felt it was a decision I made quite early on because it's the copycat syndrome you didn't want. - It's copycat syndrome. I didn't feel like a lot of like my group of friends all had the same bags. It was something that I turned away from actually. - But that's you, right? You have style, you have individuality and you don't need to hold it. I, on the other hand, have. - You buy them. - I was buying them when I was in Elsea. Honestly, I was a teenager when I was buying Chanel and Hermes and that's just who I've been. I mean, I remember when I first met my husband. - Yeah. - Like 30 years ago. At one point when I said to me, he said, "You own any other clothes apart from Chanel?" (laughing) - I was like, "That was no, no, no, no, no, no, no." - But that was just my life. - It was just my life style. Also, I think the younger you are, where in Chanel, the more fun it is, right? You bring out now to wear Chanel all the time, just makes you look old. - Sure, but what put me off, I have to say, was that people thought it made them, like they thought they got a lot of, I know, but that confidence, it's like prestige, but not in a healthy way. - It's a steady sense, but we're not in health there, but what I wanna talk about, is the absolute ridiculous price increases. And I mean, if I think it's ridiculous, and I've been a customer forever, and I've stopped buying, then you know what? It's really is ridiculous. - Yeah, it is ridiculous. - I'm looking for other brands that are more fun, of course, I will still buy, because I believe in Hermes, right? I love their clothes. - Yeah, I love their quality. It's different. - And they see quite subtle in silent, like the loripianas and all of that. - Not for bags, necessarily. - And I love my life is something separate, but I'm very good, but I, for instance, would prefer something like the robe, which I think is so- - Yeah, I love our exaggerated elegance. However, let's talk about Chanel. I wanna talk about Chanel. I'm gonna get in trouble, I really don't care. - And LV that went home, in price twice, I think it was March and April of one year. - And don't forget the quote that was removed from their CEO, which we will definitely talk about. - Yeah. - But right now, can I just tell you, and apparently it's just been announced that Chanel will have another price increase in September. You were talking a bag that used to cost 2,500 pounds, 10 years ago. - Yeah. - Is now 11,000 pounds. And for quality that is so, - In quality. - In quality has changed. - Oh, it's so interior. It feels like plastic now. - I mean, I'm fortunate for a while, but I want to touch it. And it's like touching plastic. - Why are the people still buying, do you think? - Look. - And why did the brand is people, - Shall I tell you what? - Shall I tell you what? - Okay. - Chanel logo, LV logo. - Who's it for? - It's not for the really, I mean, yes, of course, some of the fashion is that. But the people that buy the logo clothes, are what we call cloud chasers. - Cloud chasers. - Cloud chasers, logo chasers. They feel validation. I'm gonna wear a BLV jacket, or I'm gonna wear a big, you know, I mean, Chanel jeans with CC all over them. - Why do we do that? - I also love discovering, like, I could come in, this is still like luxury brands that are not those big brands. And people should really be giving them a chance. And there is a place for everyone. - Yeah. - But my big issue is the price increases and the quality decreased, like you mentioned. - Yeah. - I mean, even when you have this, that guy that pulls all the bags apart. - All the bags apart. - Yeah, of course, I think Tanner, something, something Tanner, and he removes all the bags. And then he tells you, this is leather worth like $10 or something. And you just pay 1000. All I'm saying is that nowadays, luxury is not just because you've paid 10,000 pounds for a bag. Actually, so many other people are buying, right? Because that's, be honest. And how many LV bags did you see? I'm not saying it in a directive way. If you want it, - Those are all means. - Go ahead then. But don't come to clients that have been clients forever, decide that you are going to raise the price of a jacket in Chanel, for instance. That you used to pay four, five thousand pounds for. That is now 14, 15, 16, 17, the one I put down. - But where is 30,000? - Where are you going? - To hear from the brands that, where will we end up? - Where's the justification? - Where will we end up with these prices? - I tell you where we're ending up. I think right now, and this you can go on record for, they're blaming COVID, it's not COVID, cost of not going up that much. It is pure greed. They're trying to make their money because I actually truly believe that luxury brands are on their way down. - So some have shown a decrease, but brands like Amaz, they've actually been increasing. - I want to keep Amaz and they're completely separate categories. - Look, it's still a luxury brand. - It's not a talk about it. - I understand that, but they are a luxury that have not really changed, right? Their quality is impeccable. Their pricing has not increased like Chanel pricing or LB price. - So do you think the other brands have got greedy trying to get to the-- - Of course. - And then what have Chanel done? - Okay. - They've tried to justify that price increase on their whatever classic bag was, by the way, I wouldn't ever buy one of those. - So speaking from a brand perspective, it's not just inflation, so with certain conflicts in the world, the price of oil, the cost of living has gone up. - The cost of living. - So they're wanting to pay their staff, their craftsmanship, the shipping, all the fuel prices have all gone up. So that's just a big question. - I understand, shipping has definitely gone up. - Yes, but not as all levels, yes. - All levels. - And the salaries, standards of living has become much harder. - It's become much harder, but the people are not, but the problem is, they're not paying the people more. They're making bigger profits. Do you understand? - Yeah, I used to understand that, but people are-- - Do you know that? - Yes, there are more people below the poverty line today than there were pre-covid. - Yeah, but they're not necessarily working for the luxury price. - Yeah, I know. - I get that. - I get that. - That's, yes. But there's also other things. So now we just have, I mean, we have some amazing Instagram account. - Yeah. - And that exposed certain things. Now we just found out a certain company was paying somebody two dollars, or two and a half dollars, or you know, whatever for a $900, or for a $9,000 sweatshirt kind of thing, to get these things. I'm not gonna name the brand and now we just found somebody that they're paying. Some younger people, a $1.50 to collect flowers. I think we need to name those people. - We need that are then setting that. - I know what's-- - Exactly, I know who. - I'm not gonna name them, but go on diet product. They'll explain everything to you. - It's a fantastic account. Thank you. But what we're talking about is this luxury, right? What is luxury to you? It's not that you go to a restaurant and one out of every two women have a Chanel bag on the table. - But they're crazy enough to pay these ridiculous prices. - So what is it doing? - So what's driving people? It's driving a theft and it's driving b-fakes. - Of course it's driving to street. - The faking street is driving. - Faking to street is driving. - But not just in bags, in watches. - In everything. I mean, it's become incredible. - You know, we were talking to some people who remain nameless. - Yes. - Especially in the bigger cities in New York. There's like private clubs where they're selling their real ones and buying fakes because they'd rather buy fake. But that concept, if you can afford to buy a real one, why aren't you buying a real one? Or do they feel them being made fun of? - So I think there's two camps. - Yeah. - And that's right. So you've got the first camp that thinks, you know what? I just want to add more. And I don't want to necessarily think. I don't necessarily want to pay for the real thing. - Yeah. - And you want to be ripped off anymore. - I don't want to be ripped off anymore. - However, can I just say, in no circumstance, under any circumstance should anybody buy fake or wear fake? Because it's-- - Oh, you kidding. - It's like stealing your own. - Yeah, who are you kidding? You're also only just kidding yourself, right? And who's you? Don't. need that validation to, you don't need a validation from a brand to be wearing a bag or to be wearing a watch or to be wearing a Cartier piece of jewelry. But, you know, make your face look more. But, mixture of what trouble me about the fakes is at least there's, it's like the Wild West, at least with the brands, there's accountability. Right? With these fakes, there's no accountability for us to understand the welfare of those manufacturing it and the craftmen and the factories. So that's my problem also with fakes. Yeah, no, of course. I mean, there's a lot of problems about that. You just shouldn't be fine. The other thing I want to touch on, right? So I'm in a level, right? Of course, there's much higher than me and there's lower than me. But I'm in. I have a lot of friends that are also very. I have friends far wealthier than I am. And they're at this moment saying, "I'm fed up." "I'm fed up of being ripped off." And this is what it's amounting to. Oh, right. Remember our very first conversation about the love of luxury. Yes. I remember it's very. They change the rules in Divine All after our podcast, you know? Yeah, they stop the queueing. But so you're treated irreverently. You know, I feel it makes the consumer feel slightly. Like they think we're stupid. That we're paying more money for the same product. Such an inflated rate of poor equality. Poor equality, inflated rate and really bad service. I mean, honestly, don't you start it. I want to actually have a whole episode on the subject. Because you go into a store and if they don't necessarily recognise you or they don't think that you look well, they now start to look down on you. But that's where. I'm in life. If you get well-trained, I don't know even what they call them now, shop assistants. There's a special word. They have to be well-trained. Because if they're well-trained, they don't have that attitude as well. But I find that they're not well-trained anymore. No, and also, you know, they. I mean, I was. So I had an experience very recently, huh? So I went into a store with a friend of mine. We sort of parted ways to have a look around and then I did something and then I came back. And I got here. The sales assistant talking to her and I was thinking, "So I walked up and I said to her, "With all due respect, this is a client. This is a customer." She said, "Yes, but, you know, we don't have this. This is a. Not a wishlist because the wishlist was hermais and this was not an armist. This is another thing that now one of the sudden they think their bags are the next best thing." And, you know, this is a wishlist. And then you talk with more manners. And with more respect, this is still a client. And my friend is very polite and very. Yeah, yeah. But now all you get you walking in these shop assistants, they think like, "Okay, we're doing you a favour." You're not doing me a favour. I'm actually paying your salary. But actually, but sort of in the middle of pricing and service, what is actually wrong with being iced? Be like. No, I said consumer, what is wrong with serving a consumer with respect that saved up a year, two years, whatever club together to buy a special gift to themselves to feel great? That surely is more special than someone that can buy all the time. No, this would be a lifelong treasure for them. But, you know, you don't see that anymore. Anyway, but I. Sorry, we digress. We digress as always. But I want to get back to pricing. So, it's not sustainable in the long run. I mean, I don't know. I mean, I don't know how much. Although somebody once said to me, "Well, you know, the price of Chanel's gone up and if you can't afford it, then you shouldn't buy it." Well, that's very rude. I'm sorry. I can afford it. I just don't want to be that dumb. I need five minutes with that person. You know, you really wouldn't want five minutes. I wouldn't actually cost you a five minutes. So, you know how. Over across a lot of things, whether it be policy, politics, whether it be. Whatever. And having said that. Yeah, hold on, but can I just come back? Yeah. Having said that, there are these people that say, "Oh my God, you can't afford to buy." And then they will not put their bag on the floor or they will not like. Not even wear a bracelet next to the watch. Or they'll split the bill. Or they'll split the bill and not pay for everyone's luck. It's. It's. First of all, if you're going to buy something and it's expensive, it's like whether you have cutlery or beautiful homework or whatever. Use it. Use it. Use it. Use it. Because we don't know how long we each have. And what's the point of saving everything for best? Yeah, I mean, I see both sides of that. Because especially if you only have that one treasured piece, you take it out when you're not going to take it to the supermarket. But I know what you mean. Absolutely. You should think. You should. If it is your one treasured piece. Unless it's like my name, I think. You need price per wear. You need to enjoy that. I can't just enjoy it. When they go out, they dress up, they feel special. Some people are so kind. Okay, that's okay. Of course, it's more than okay. The thing is, it's fine to do whatever you want. But if you have paid a lot of money for a piece. Yeah. I think you should enjoy it. Yeah. And on any level, on every level. And it's nothing. I did a shoot recently, right? Yeah. And they gave me a watch. They said, "Could you. " So we were talking about this watch. They wouldn't let me touch it without a glove. Of course, I seriously. I was like, "With all due respect." I think this will run your wrist. Yeah. In my bracelets. Our watch more than the watch. So. And then they wouldn't let me put it on the wrist. It's just the point of having the shoot. So I'm like, "Okay, I said, "You do know what I represent. I represent living in Jol. " And I turn around in the camera. And I said to them, "Where it? Use it. Scratch it." And that was it. I don't care. Enjoy it. You know, you're paying all this much, but. Again, we digress. But I was just thinking about, you know, again, going back to the brands and losing respect and the trust barometer. Like, how I almost have lost trust in terms of. with these brands. Like, I feel like they're making. Oh, fun of us with the prices. And you think they're laughing at us. They're thinking, "How much further can we go before everything stops?" I see more transparency. Transparency. Now, well, that's never been there. That's not. I don't think we're gonna do that. But I would like to. If you're going to. If you're going to find a new bought-and-el-v piece. I've never bought an LV piece. Never? No, I've bought a little card thing. So, for my husband. As you know, the CEO recently came out and said, "But every household owns LV." Hasn't LV in their house? Yeah, globally. And remember what I put? Yes, I remember what I put. I put it in there. It was taken down. Yes. I put not only is this an arrogant thing to say, but this CEO does not know who their consumer is. If he thinks. Every household has that. He's so detached from reality. I know. Well, I'm telling you, every household might have it, but they might not necessarily be original. I mean, we do know that LV reigns in fake, right? Oh, yeah. That's one of the biggest things. One of the biggest things. So, you have all these brands, but I wouldn't tell you, right? So, from all the big brands, it's not just now the Chanel's and the D-Ours as well. Again, I keep our Maze out of it because they have never raised their prices like that. So, who are you going to buy, though? Who am I going to buy? Actually, I buy. I buy. Now, I buy. Every day where I buy LV, I think it's really good value. Do I say LV? I buy LV. I buy Celine, although it's a bit on the high side sometimes, but I love it. Um, Bhatega? I like Bhatega. I'm waiting to see some more pieces. I actually love new Gucci. I'm obsessed with new Gucci as well. Interesting. Yeah, but, um, um, but also I didn't like that price jump. Used to get a, you know, all of a sudden, you know, you're. But it's still better. I tell you what I have a problem. Go on then. Tell us. Prada, new mu as well. Yeah, the D-Ours. I mean, you love the order. It's something, mid-level, which I used to buy all the time. Yeah, yeah. All of a sudden, a new T-shirt is 800 pounds. I love you, but my T-shirt gets, you know, thrown in the wash out and this. But since when do you become 800 pounds by a T-shirt? I really love to understand the logic. Is it like the scarcity value? But it's not the scarcity value. Because I feel like we see those brands more and more everywhere. Everywhere. So I just don't understand the logic. So it's not exclusive anymore. As far as I'm concerned, these are not exclusive anymore. Honestly, we went to dinner yesterday, right? We went to LPM last night. Well, I wasn't invited to do it. You weren't invited to do it. Sorry, but I went to dinner yesterday. And we looked around and on every table, there were, if there were bigger tables, there were at least two Chanel bags sitting on the table. What's exclusive about that? It's become like fish and chips. Nothing. Exactly. I wonder how many of those were fake or reseller? What do you think? I mean, the reseller's been re-signed. That's a bit higher. Oh, yeah. It's like, oh my god, but you can't get that bag. Well, actually, you can't get that bag. I don't want it. Yeah, no, I don't want it. But that's my point. Is where are we going with all this? When is it going to be enough? And I don't think it can change until we start to say, you know what? No, this is not for me. Stop. But there are so many other nights. It slides out there. It's like when we said, use your feet. Yes, use your feet. Vote for the vote with your feet. Make them know exactly. When you're leaving, stop it. So we advocating what? Stop spreading your blood out. No, I'm advocating is look if you love it by it. And if you think 11,000 pounds for a plastic Chanel bag is fine, that every other Tom Dickens Harry is wearing. That's also fine. That's up to you. Right? However, if you want true luxury and I still believe I've started buying Armas bags that other people don't buy. Yeah. Once that they don't know or whatever. So if something new comes, I start buying bags that are maybe that I just want to wait. So now if I buy, for instance, I've just bought a. Well, don't tell everyone because they're going to buy it. But I've just bought, like, for instance, I've just bought a small bargain and I'm not going to. I'm taking it straight to an artist and then we'll personalize it from you. So that for that artist will be mine even though I don't want to sacrifice my property. But I've been carrying that for years. So I don't want to sacrifice. Ask me if I buy another Chanel. Absolutely not. What do you think when they talk about regional disparities and pricing? Oh, but we know. We see that, right? Yeah. It's so much more expensive. Say here, right? Isn't it? I think they're so much more expensive. The European brands are much more expensive in America. And now maybe they're trying to balance it out here? I think they're trying to. They've been trying to do that because pricing has always been an issue across all brands. Not just luxury. Yes. But when you go to. I mean, London, forget it now because you can't get the. You can't get the VAT. Do you think that's the right sort of thing? So London needs to change that. But I have a lot of pros that just told me land. They go to the land and it can be up to. The cheaper. Yes. £400 to £800 cheaper. And you know what? For euros. I know a lot of people that are doing that because at the end of the day, some. You just don't want to feel like you are being laughed at, that you are being ripped off, that you are just. But it has to balance out. It has to balance out. Because what are you going to do? You're going to start paying £1500 for a white T-shirt with a small love heart on it? I wish it was. You know? No. No. I can't justify those prices. It's not that. It just doesn't make. It doesn't make sense. So does pricing make up the brand? Me, sure. Absolutely not. Absolutely not. And please, and logo doesn't make the brand either. Please. I also agree. Well, stop. Pricing doesn't make up the brand. And we also. Can I just say something? The brand doesn't make you. I don't. Well, this is the brand. Point is. I have made you. Chanel bag. I have no. And there's bag. Well, I'm not saying I wouldn't want to know. There's bag. But right now. No, it's because I don't feel. I don't feel. I've also had access to a lot of brands. I mean, you've been. You've been. I know I haven't had access to. I haven't had access to. But. But. I just feel like. I want to see how the market goes. Because I don't feel like as customers were valued. We're expected to follow this price increase. Without even having a discussion. Even with some of the top consumers. Absolutely. Absolutely. But then. You have new money. You had the crypto money. Then, of course, you had the question. You just have a lot of new money. And they just feel that maybe. You see, if you. And this is going to probably come off really bad. And you can swap me. But if you haven't grown up a certain way. And you get a lot of money very quickly. You talk about new variation. Yes, darling. Then your validation comes from that. Comes from. I'm wearing X. I'm wearing this. I'm showing this. But the richest people I know. And I know some incredibly wealthy people. You couldn't tell. I mean, they're wearing. They're both bargains. But you couldn't know. They're not buying that. But this notice. You would be able to. You would not be able to. Like, the earners that. I sort of grew up with. Yes. People would wear even with jeans and an MSS act or whatever. But I don't think now. To me, it's gone beyond. Even. As a prestige, beautiful bag that you treasure, that you enjoy. But. But Liz. It's just a bloody bag. It's just a bag. It's just a bag. It's just a bag. It's a bag. Do you know how many people say to me? Oh my god. Why. You know, have you got this? Have you done the. It's just a bag. It's on the floor. It's on the table. It's a bag. Throne stuffing. You know, something. And. If something happens to it. And if I can, or if I'm too lazy, then that's on me, right? It is on you. So. It's. We would like to hear your comments on this. Yes, I think this is a very. We want to see comments on this. We want to hear what you think. And. We do have some comments as we end this episode in our top five that's coming up. We do. We do. I know. We do. I'm scared of others! See you in the top five. Don't get angry. I'm just telling you.