Designer Items: Are They Worth it?

Are Gucci, Louis Vuitton, Michael Kors and other designer items truly worth the price?

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Tom Caton, Entertainment Editor

Have you ever seen a piece of clothing you really loved, looked at the price tag, put it back and immediately felt the need to leave the shop? It happens to all of us and in recent times the high-end designer clothes has even become more noticeable. We have all heard about high-end luxury designers like Michael Kors, Gucci, Louis Vuitton, and many more. People fork out hundreds or even thousands of dollars just to purchase some of their products. Some of those products range from bags, shoes, belts, fragrances, and so much more. While the products are extravagant, no doubt, but the real question is: are those high-end designer products really worth what their price tag says?

We all might know someone, or maybe even ourselves, who owns a designer accessory. Our mouths instantly drop to the floor once we hear or see the price of a designer item. Then the follow up question is: why would someone spend so much money on one product? From my perspective, when someone buys a designer product, they are really paying for the designer’s name, not the product itself. However, it would be very naïve to think we are paying for the quality of the product and the artistry of the designer. The real reason why designer brands are so expensive is because the brands do not mass-produce. What this means is the brand will only make 100 garments instead of maybe 1,000, and this is what causes both the cost and retail prices to increase. When all is said and done, high fashion prices can be so expensive because that is what shoppers want to pay for it. Consumers will always equate cost to quality.

You often will hear the phrases like “YOLO” or “I just had to have it” when it comes to buying literally any product. Personally, I do not believe that all designer clothes’ quality is worth the price. That might be true for shoes, bags and tailoring. There is the leather, hardware, patterns, cut, artisanship—and here, I find, is where the quality is more conspicuous. Like stated above, high fashion prices are so expensive because that is what customers are willing to pay for it. This is a true fact for fashion as it is for food, gadgets, cars, and the list goes on. Some customers will actually find pleasure in buying clothes that are not available to everyone or simply want to have the same dress and bag as the one they have seen worn by their favorite celebrity they saw on TV, in a magazine, or a movie.

I myself do own designer products from Michael Kors, Fendi, Louis Vuitton, and Jimmy Choo. Yes, I paid a very pretty penny for it, but it did give me joy in buying those products. I just think it all depends on how much you really want that pair of shoes or cologne/perfume and if you are really willing to pay the actual retail price. You also get a little excited when you step out with that designer brand on you. Overall, I think designer clothing are worth it because of the time and artisanship that goes into making them. Yes, designer brands are expensive but, in the end, you will definitely look stylish.