Deluxe: How Luxury Lost its Luster

Book alert!

I’ve been on a trip and have been plowing through this book (published in ’07) – similar to The End of Fashion – this book by Dana Thomas chronicles the ‘decline’ of the fashion industry from the days of personalized to couture to present day mass-produced luxury goods. How this book differs is its focus on the business aspect of Luxury and just how modern markets have changed how these goods reach people.

It really makes you think about what you’re actually purchasing when you buy a brand-name good. Since accessories and fragrances make up a a vastly larger portion of sales than the actual clothes, are we all “buying into the dream”? All the couture shows, RTW shows, Best Dressed Lists – does that really all just boil down to a branding exercise to make you believe wearing a fragrance or using a wallet somehow puts you close to the lifestyle that they sell? Is that even a bad thing?

Blow by Blow

Excited to start this book.

Chanel: Collections and Creations

Nabbed this off Amazon the other day. Gives a lovely history of Chanel, key icons and very pretty pictures.  Lots of tweed.

Purchase