Do you hate brand logos smattered across your apparel and accessories? Who can blame a self-commanded Fabulista for not aspiring to appear as a billboard for Guess. And who can wear anything Tommy who’s not a die-hard American patriot (with our current societal ambiguity on the term)?
But I, Designerella, ask you to ponder the high designers’ signatures. If you place no value in steep prices, labels that remind of high quality manufacturing, or the status that comes with recognizing a designer; having the refined sense of taste for the well-made, the precisely-designed—then forget this argument. Buy yourself a genuine leather satchel of sizable girth with fine-enough details. Perhaps one standard purse will suit you year-round, to match all outfits, for all occasions. (And please search & think hard—and open your wallet wide—for such a bag!)
Dior is an example of handbags with a subtle, elegant logo and other bags that are bold, instantly recognizable and boast slight branding.
But my argument is hidden in the message to the opposition. A sightly signature print from a design label you covet—a company you admire—a bag with a long pricetag is quite attractive to many. If you love it, go for it.
And if you still can’t bring yourself to give props to J. Lo, don’t. Even if you love a designer brand, but want to go for something subtle (Ella can’t take a jaunt around the city — even poor-college-student-campus — without spotting a signature Coach or Louis Vuitton every 5 yards [many many of them fakes!]), houses like Coach offer stunning assortments in both varieties, and so many more designers stray away from logos, altogether. (And a good mix is Burberry Novacheck!)
In your decision process, be true to yourself. Be uniquely you, and make the right choice.
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October 8th, 2005 at 5:19 pm
I totally think the branding has gotten out of hand. I coined a term for it on my blog “b.randy”, meaning we are randy for brands. But just because something is a brand, doesn’t mean you have to advertise it with a tacky monogram.
I really think only a well established company with a strong following like Vuitton, Dior, or Coach can pull off a monogram. The other ones just leave me ashamed to carry around. Do you really want to brag to people that you’re carrying BCGirls, XOXO, or *shudder* a Dooney and Burke?
October 8th, 2005 at 6:38 pm
B-randy!
Here is my list of No-Go Logos:
I find Guess bags to be tacky, although I like them alright, I wouldn’t carry one. They’re really nice in some ways, but then the details shout, “TREND.” Rough lines, and that G! Ugh.
And with Dooney & Bourke, their bags don’t seem to be of quality design. I can like some bags (I liked the softness of the Ostrich line), but haven’t found a bag I would actually buy after some thought. They’re just not — right. Their “Zip Top” bags’ pockets don’t seem like they could hold a lip gloss, not even one tissue! Hah! They’re too expensive for what they are. PRINTED Quilting? That’s laughable. Really, I chuckle.
And then there’s J. Lo … she’s a blatant copycat of Dior AND Fendi!
October 8th, 2005 at 8:49 pm
Oh my, that J.Lo bag made me J.Choke! What is up with celebrity designers trying to use their name to sell bags, yet they aren’t smart enough to get their people to design original bags (Hello Nicky Hilton!)?
Some Dooney bags are okay, but for me they will never live down that stupid duck they had for so many years. And their multicolor monogram (i.e. LV wannabe) bag is hideous. I feel bad for every twelve year old in the mall I see carrying it.
October 11th, 2005 at 4:41 pm
J.No!
I haven’t actually seen Nicky Hilton bags. Link me up, I like to “learn” even when it’s such a thing as Hilton accessories. To me, I just am glad when the girls try to make their own careers. Although, I wish I could be HANDED a design line, so I really should hate it, shouldn’t I? Maybe I like it in that I look up to it? That’s not putting it right, but I would take that opportunity, so I can’t knock it. ON THE OTHER HAND, I would work my butt off to make quality bags and a brand.
I only recently discovered Dooney, after Lindsay Lohan. I’m new to all this, really (but I’m young). What was the duck like? They have a little duck “charm” on some of their bags, now.
And I don’t understand young girls carrying designer/more expensive (for them) bags. Why would their parents allow them to own even a $150 bag? I mean kids are not responsible AND they move on with the trends.
I was at the mall once when I saw what appeared, at the time, to be a genuine COACH Signature Demi being carried by a 5-year old. Maybe there are some good fakes, I dunno!
October 11th, 2005 at 9:34 pm
I do see a lot of girls carrying small D & B and Coaches. I sincerely hope they aren’t fakes, because then their parents are teaching them that counterfeit goods are okay.
If you catch your local Coach Outlet at the right time, you get a great small bag for $60 or less. The wristlets (which are adorable!) will go for $30 or less. So at those prices, why not let your kid carry it around? It’s cheaper than a Sony PSP or an Ipod, and parents have no problem letting their kid carry those around if it keep thems quiet on car trips. And getting a broken bag fixed or cleaned is much cheaper than fixing a broken PSP.
The Nicky Hilton Vuitton ripoff was skillfully pointed out by the Bag Lady:
Here’s a link to an ebay auction of one of the ugly old school D & B Duck bags:
I’m quite young as well (23 years old) but I remember going to Mexico as a child and seeing entire stores full of these ugly duck knockoff bags. In general, I hate accessories that feature livestock, and I think a bag like this triggered that disgust.
October 11th, 2005 at 9:56 pm
Wow, that Dooney is purely vomitous! What is that little thing useful for? That’s no design!
Nicky Hilton is a cheap-o. The handle is too much. Those bags are tacky.
(Oh, why did I ask?)
October 13th, 2005 at 4:17 pm
I agree with you completely, investing in the monogrammed madness that are some of these bags is something that should be carefully thought over. After doing some serious thinking myself, I have decided to foresake LV and Coach bags simply for that fact that I feel like a walking advertisement. I feel like bags are like and extension of a woman’s personality; if you have a sophisticated little handbag with clean lines, well made and clearly a designer handbag, it says “hi, I have fabulous taste but I’m not a corporate whore”. On the other hand is the insane monogrammed bags with the bells and whistles (not to mention other ludicrous metal things hanging off of it) that walks into a room before you do. Not really the thing I personally am going for, but that’s just me.
October 14th, 2005 at 2:53 pm
Certain Louis Vuitton and Coach bags, or all? There are so many nice Coach leather, suede, and even fun/funky wool bags.
What are examples of those … ‘ho’ bags?
October 19th, 2005 at 2:46 am
I like the Classic Coach bags, but some times I wonder if they are going logo overboard! and I hate the LV logo bags, how lame (even the Marakami ones, but they were an improvement) The D&B and Xoxo knockoffs were a crack up.
D&B is improving, but they have a lot of “old lady” looking bags. I wish they would work on more classic designs, because it seems like the bags are well made. Just ugly. (Although they seem to have a cute Kelly Like bag (that “all weather leather” is lame though.