Deluxe: How Luxury Lost Its Luster

I found DELUXE: HOW LUXURY LOST ITS LUSTER by Dana Thomas from a suggestion that someone made on the purse forum. The thread had to do with brand name bags and the noticeable decline in quality, yet prices are on the rise. This book is FASCINATING! Thomas has access to all the major players in fashion and provides details on how some of the most iconic brands got their start. Names like Louis Vuitton, Chanel, Versace etc., and how they have evolved into today. Many of these brands started out very small with lots of attention paid to detail and quality. Only the most richest people of society could afford some of these brands until there was a marketing explosion during the 80s and 90s in which most of these brands were bought out by corporations. Anyway, that's when the decline started happening and some of these brand names actually have stuff produced and made in China, but assembled in Italy or France so that they can still carry the "made in Italy or France" label. It's really interesting how Thomas traces these brand names from their respective family owned businesses to when they were bought out by corporations. She also discusses the issues of buying fake bags and counterfeit goods. Many think that buying a knock-off version of an expensive bag is a victimless crime, but it is not. You'll find out why in this book. Also, even though the "crossover" of luxury brands to the masses is a good thing -- meaning more people can afford to own one or two luxury items even if they aren't millionaires -- the downside is that now the quality has gone down, and since there must be a high turn over rate of selling more and more, nothing is made to last, unlike items that were made a decade or so ago. I would definitely recommend this book if you buy brand names like Chanel, Vuitton or the like, or even if you don't because this book will have you rethinking the whole idea of what luxury is.

By exposing the deteriorating quality and mass marketing of many so-called luxury goods, Dana Thomas has driven home a truth--if EVERYBODY has it, no matter how much it costs it's no longer a luxury item. Today, the malls are jammed with women of every economic strata proudly brandishing (mostly fake and a few real) LV bags. They are logo soldiers in LVMH CEO Bernard Arnault's LV army. Though it's usually easy to spot the fakes (as of this writing on fake LV's, the LV' is not upside down on the reverse) the bags are so ubiquitous that it hardly matters anymore. Hermes is one of the few large companies that still gets it right. Smaller leather goods makers and perfumers such as Valextra and Lorenzo Villoresi continue to carry the torch. One complaint is that many of these smaller companies were not mentioned in the book. Superb quality and true luxury will always be there if you know where to look. For some, luxury still means exclusivity; as Thomas points out, wealthy cognescenti will continue to quietly raise the bar by seeking out rare items of exquisite quality, leaving the "mass affluents" behind in logo purgatory. Of course, the hoi polloi will be giddily buying "luxury" bags that the upper crusties wouldn't be caught dead with. There is some justice in all this. With all her vast wealth and power, Delphine Arnault cannot carry an exquisite, handmade Hermes bag,(at least not in public.) Poor thing! She's stuck with her daddy's lackluster, "McLuxury" brands. UPDATE: Although he has denied it, it is clear that Bernard Arnault is lining up his ducks for an eventual takeover of Hermes. So far, the family has been able to block him from taking a majority stake. I hope that this never happens. I bought my first Hermes bag in 1983. I still carry and love it. Thanks to M. Claude of Hermes in New York, It is as beautiful now as the day that I bought it. I can't bear to think of Hermes in Arnaut's grip. E company should remain in family hands. I deduct one star for the numerous typos: this is UNFORGIVABLE in a book about the decline of quality.

Full Disclosure: I write about fashion, entertainment and celebrities for a living and have known Dana Thomas for a decade or more. I knew she was working on a book about luxury (yawn) and for the past three years, she was always exhausted, trotting off to China, Milan, Grasse or Lake Como, sometimes popping into my hood in Hollywood, constantly doing research for the book. But frankly, I'm not a big designer brand buyer and would sooner plunk $400 on a Pottery Barn couch than a pair of Jimmy Choo shoes. So I never imagined how engrossed i would be by this book. In fact, I was shocked. Dana makes this elitist world come alive by putting luxury in a historical context (Caesar wore only silk togas and the Senate was POed at the expense!) and taking the reader with her on a personal journey behind the scenes and around the world, to find out the sad truth about the decline of the luxury goods industry. It's utterly fascinating and engrossing. And it's funny! Dana has a wicked snse of humor and pulls no punches in describing the decadent denizens of the "Deluxe" world. Even if you know nothing about fashion, couldn't tell a Gucci bag from a Prada purse, and don't own a single designer knockoff product, this book will fascinate, educate and entertain. Plus any book that can make me put down the last Harry Potter - in the middle! - has to be some kind of good read.

I thought this book was a very eye opening read about the luxury industry that explores all aspects from it's origin, the counterfeit industry and the corruption. A must read for anyone who has an interest in the industry!

at corporate I would get a little slap on the wrist for writing this review since I work for one the brands heavily mentioned in this wonderful book. I entered the world of luxury goods last year for an Italian brand that even it's "epicenter" store is elusive without the name of the store on Rodeo Drive. What Dana Thomas has written about the luxury brands is eye opening and condemning. From the factories in China, Santee Alley in the Downtown Los Angeles and the country side of France, you get the insiders view on how indeed luxury lost its luster. Once considered lavish and extravagant, we now see what luxury brands have done to diminish the quality and service of these high end stores and at great cost. No one walks into Gucci and buys a $2000 handbag expecting it to be made by an under paid teenager in China only to have the tag changed once it is in the companies possession to "made in Italy" for adding a handle. Small couture brands exist that retain a sense of dignity by continuing the art of exclusivity, style and hand made products that are still created and made where the tag states they're from. Even Hermes, a brand that continues to grow steadily, has retained its heritage and luxe by hand making made to order handbags and saddles. Aside from the investigative interviews and reports on luxury's current state, you also get history lessons on the birth of luxury from Alexander the Great's wardrobe, how Chanel No 5 came to be and the creation of the "Birkin" bag for Jane Birkin by Hermes. Witty, insightful and damning, you can't help but feel drawn into this book hoping that it never ends. But all good things come to an end and what I was left with was a sense of doubt and a bit of anger. As I stand in floor full of runway dresses, shoes and bags I wonder how much are these really worth? When a client complains in the future about her bag falling apart in a few days and asks, "What are your bags made in China?" in the back of my mind I will think yes it indeed could have been made in China.

This book was full of enjoyable pieces of information, like the history of various 'luxury houses' and the behind-the-scenes craziness of Oscar night dressing! However, what disappointed me is that the author did not detangle two different motivations behind people's pursuit of luxury. 1) Quality. The middle/upper middle class person might be buying the luxury item not just because they are pursuing a 'dream' but simply because they believe a brand name conveys quality and durability. Now its a problem when 'mass marketing' simply implies that quality and durability have gone to the dogs. But as long as the quality is still good....nothing wrong with it! One of the essential features of a developed society is that EVERYONE should have access to good quality items. Its well known that today, most $20 wines are better than what aristocrats in the 16th century drank, and that is well and good. Similiarly, there is absolutely nothing wrong if today's typical woman wears a shoe, carries a bag, wears a dress, that could only be afforded by the elites 100 years ago. What deeply bothered me is the contempt the author seemed to display for the 'hoi polloi' who did not know their place, and thus 'pawed' over goods that should have remained in the realm of a privileged few. 2) Counterfeits. Now this is interesting.....and a woman who is knowingly buying a 'fake' purely for the sake of a logo is a very different story than the one who is buying something that she truly believes has quality and durability. The counterfeit-purchaser is looking purely for social status, and is essentially 'cheating' to do so, and it would certainly be fascinating to learn more about the mentality that drives that. Why would anyone knowingly purchase a bag that is made of inferior materials, shoddily constructed, and bears fake LV logos? After all, she might have gotten the 'real' thing at a reputable vintage store at a reasonably affordable price. I would have loved to read some well-researched insights into the 'rewards' of buying counterfeit, and how they might vary in different cultures (Europe, USA, Asia). Overall, a book that started out with promise, offered some good insights, but ultimately disappointed!

"Deluxe" is full of interesting anecdotes about different sectors of the luxury industry. Even for someone who has no background or previous interest in the fashion industry, this book will be a real eye opener. It is a must-read for anyone who has considered purchasing an LV branded sachel--either in the flagship store or on Canal St. Some of the different areas covered are: the growth of Louis Vuitton as a luxury brand, the takeover and transformation into the LVMH mega corp, the changing nature of "luxury", the branding game, and the importance of the Japanese consumer. The big picture is the comodification (and loss of "magic) of luxury, and this journey takes place chapter by chapter. Depending on your level of exposure to the subject, it is either like witnessing a train wreck in slow motion or watching a Hitchcock film, being held in eager suspense. There is also a good balance of haute couture froth and solid business info; this is not like reading the latest issue of Vogue (and that is a complement). I only witheld the last star because I would like to see a second edition of this fantastic book covering the latest issues in regards to the luxury machine: the global recession, environmental issues, emerging consumer markets in BRICs nations, and the collapse of the Arnault/ LVMH strategy itself. In a few years "Deluxe" might read as dated. Even so, it will serve as a portrait of a certain time and frame of mind.

. I bought this book because I wanted to understand the luxury fashion business from an economic standpoint. It more than served that purpose. Ms. Thomas, who was raised on Philadelphia's Main Line and now lives in Paris, brings an Upper Class perspective to what might otherwise be a vulgar brawl. Her comments are not only insightful, they are funny. But she also has done her homework, visiting the top executives of major luxury goods manufacturers in their factories, digging into the manufacturing details to find out which products are well made and which are not, and describing the shortcuts manufacturers take to improve their margins. At the same time, she describes the marketing steps they take to increase their sales and maintain the illusion of exclusivity. If, like I, you wondered about the legions of young Japanese girls being led by the nose through shops where they are overcharged by several hundred percent for the likes of Louis Vuitton bags, she'll tell you how this is accomplished. Convinced that China represents lucrative new diggings for the industry, and after doing aditional research, I went out and bought shares of stock in three of the companies she admires -- Hermes [HESAY], Richemont [CFRUY] and Prada [PRDSY]. Doing some research on the internet, I discovered that Ms. Thomas is in the process of setting up her own website. She offers to notify her fans once it is set up, an offer that I gladly accepted.

Interesting for learning more about the story of most popular luxury brands!

Really interesting. All the reviews online say that this book will put you off the idea of buying designer products. It delves deep into the secrets of the business practices of famous designer brands. It cured me anyway. Well written and informative, it pulls back the curtain on the shady deals, low quality products and advertising tricks of some of the most famous and expensive brands in the world

This book allows you to understand the business of fashion from a different point of view. Incredibly well written with a well rounded knowledge of the industry's leading giants.

Me ha encantado la visión y el enfoque de la autora sobre el mundo de la moda. Con muy buenos datos e información, te lleva de la mano de las marcas del lujo y te abre un poco lo ojos: no es todo oro lo que reluce. Aunque he de decir que el libro ahora ya está un poco desactualizado

What I got from this book is ....there is no luxury. Luxury brands are a waste of money. Best to save that money and live debt free. Glad I was never duped by the luxury brand lie!