The term luxury is thrown around quite a bit. Open any fashion glossy or business magazine and you can spot ‘luxury’ literally hundreds of times. And not to take away the importance of the word, but it’s been used so much that it’s very watered down. What does luxury even mean anymore? Is it tangible or intangible? For the sake of my industry and this particular article, we relate luxury to fashion in terms of tangible, lust worthy products. Over the past few years especially, luxury has changed in the world of fashion. But it still means something different to different people.
Many consumers believe luxury is all about a price tag. The higher the price, then the product must be more luxurious. However, that is not necessarily the case. We have seen several examples of expensive handbags that cost over $2,000 are not well made and have shoddy craftsmanship. Consumers from all generations are increasingly starting examine to see if a product is well made or if it’s cheap. Not all shoppers are fooled by a high price tag. They know that just because it’s expensive, doesn’t mean it’s necessarily worth it. Because we live in the digital age, people can buy nearly anything they want from the comfort of their own home. This equals the playing field for many so-called luxury brands. It used to be that the shopper had to go to the brands boutique to buy the product, now they can simply view it with the click of a mouse. The Internet in some ways is a great equalizer. Products in every price range are available to purchase online. You no longer have to worry about looking as if you fit in when you go to a store or boutique to buy something.
I believe luxury is a well crafted product that will last for many years to come. I also believe that not all luxury products need to be priced astronomical amounts. There is a term I do approve of called ‘moderate luxury.’ What is moderate luxury? Moderate luxury are products that are very high quality, but don’t cost an arm and a leg. It’s not budget luxury by any means; rather it’s fairly priced products that are luxurious. One of the best brands that does moderate luxury is PLIA Designs. PLIA Designs creates a range of luxury designer handbags and carryalls. Their handbags are absolutely amazing and there is great craftsmanship that backs them up. What’s best about a PLIA Designs handbag is that they are well priced below the $1,000 mark. Also, not everyone is carrying them because they are constantly sold out. It’s an exclusive range, but moderately priced for a luxury design firm. When I carry one of my PLIA Designs handbags, I’m often stopped and asked its origins. I love pointing them to their website. These are luxury handbags that are beautifully created and will be a part of my wardrobe for a very long time. I can get behind moderate luxury if its products look like this.
