Being drawn to the allure of e-commerce can feel like an endless holiday season, especially when you know which influencers to follow. This was my foray into online shopping, alluringly displayed through YouTube.
These early influencers, talented in their capacity to ramble, soon discovered that fostering a shopping addiction in their followers could lead to a fruitful career. As they grew in popularity, so did their collections, filling entire closets, dressers, and more.
In a way, they set the stage for the modern luxury industrial complex, using their influence to draw followers into purchasing upscale items often beyond their needs.
In 2014, over 50 million people spent an astonishing 1.6 billion minutes watching haul videos. With the emergence of platforms like TikTok, this trend transcended the exclusive world of career influencers, pulling in celebrities and children alike. Larger hauls gained more attention, and our shopping habits and the marketing strategies targeting them grew more extravagant.
The luxury industrial complex feeds off this, capitalizing on perceived scarcity and manipulative designs to coax users into impulsive buying.
While this culture of influencers-turned-luxury promoters grew, brands took notice. It became apparent that showcasing their products on social media turned users into eager online luxury shoppers. This realization led to the intertwining of e-commerce and every corner of the internet. The result? By 2016, 76% of Americans had embraced online shopping, compared to 22% in 2000. The world of online shopping continues to expand, with social-media shopping projected to be worth $1.2 trillion by 2025. The luxury industrial complex feeds off this, capitalizing on perceived scarcity and manipulative designs to coax users into impulsive buying.
We hope our purchases, particularly luxury items, will bring some value to our lives if only a fleeting thrill.
Social media platforms are thus riddled with laments about too much stuff, insufficient funds, and unfulfilled desires. We hope our purchases, particularly luxury items, will bring some value to our lives if only a fleeting thrill. Yet, we often view them as a regrettable waste of our resources.
Today, platforms like TikTok are brimming with haul videos that are as audacious as they are self-aware. The hashtag #shoppingaddiction, boasting over 300 million views, is ironically laden with haul videos, including luxury shopping sprees. Often used humorously, the term “shopping addiction” is used genuinely by many self-identified shopping addicts.
The sheer number of #shoppingaddiction videos, and the prevalent theme of overconsumption in these videos, underscore a critical issue in today’s society. Overconsumption is an uncontrolled coping mechanism commonplace in our world, causing devastating effects on our planet. The U.N. attributes the triple planetary crises of climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution, in part, to overconsumption.
We’re nudged to improve ourselves continually, portray a better image, and purchase the correct luxury goods to ascend to a more desirable self.
Social media and shopping are intertwined, shaping our identities. We’re nudged to improve ourselves continually, portray a better image, and purchase the correct luxury goods to ascend to a more desirable self. The rise of the luxury industrial complex amplifies this, encouraging us to buy more than we need and often more than we can use.
This cycle is perpetuated by the integration of shopping and commerce into social media platforms, which, in turn, catalyzes overconsumption. Despite this, Americans are finding themselves with less disposable income. This situation has given rise to cultures such as ‘dupe’ culture and a thriving second-hand luxury market, which underscore the desire to make every dollar count.
As social media platforms continue to promote consumerism, we risk becoming a society increasingly driven by the illusion of luxury.
Unchecked shopping addictions and the increasingly pervasive luxury industrial complex have created a concerning cycle. As social media platforms continue to promote consumerism, we risk becoming a society increasingly driven by the illusion of luxury.
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Adopting the Never Pay Retail approach means believing you can look fabulous without emptying your wallet.
Embrace the Never Pay Retail Mindset:
Experience the thrill of snagging your favorite items at insider prices, sample sales, or resale values. Remember, your shopping experience should be about expressing your unique style, not fixating on the price tag or brand name.
Become a Smart Shopper and a Lifelong Bargain Enthusiast:
Knowing your style will guide you amidst a sea of shopping choices. It will help you determine which items suit your taste and which are better suited for someone else. Without a clear sense of your style, you’ll have a closet full of clothes but nothing to wear. To avoid making purchases based on sales, others’ opinions, or persuasive salespeople, you need confidence in your vision.
Develop Your Style with a Touch of Self-Knowledge: Recognize your innate preferences and embrace your unique style. You won’t suddenly start wearing leopard prints and miniskirts if you’ve always been drawn to tailored suits. With some self-awareness, you’ll learn which stores, websites, styles, and designers cater to your taste.
Discover to make intelligent purchases, befriend salespeople for exclusive deals, revamp your closet on a budget, spot high-quality clothes and accessories at rock-bottom prices, and shop safely at reliable online stores selling premium replica luxury bags
Unleash Your Unique Fashion Identity:
Identifying your style is essential for becoming a lifelong Bargain Babe. Knowing your type helps you navigate endless options and prevents impulsive purchases that don’t align with your taste or budget.
Seek Inspiration and Evolve Your Style:
Let your style evolve by drawing inspiration from various sources. This approach will make your shopping experience enjoyable and help discover hidden gems others overlook. Remember, inspiration can be found anywhere, whether in Ibiza or Idaho.
Find Your Style Icons and Learn from Their Fashion Choices:
Observe women with similar traits or body shapes as yours and analyze their looks for inspiration. Notice how they exude confidence and emulate their best style choices. At the same time, learn from their fashion mistakes to avoid your missteps. Embracing the Never Pay Retail lifestyle will allow you to look fabulous without breaking the bank while expressing your unique fashion personality.
LVMH Luxury takes a hit as protesters demand a fairer share from the elites.
In the land of baguettes and haute couture, it seems the rich are not immune to the demands of the working class. A swarm of French workers, united in their opposition to pension reforms, recently staged a “symbolic and peaceful” protest at the Paris headquarters of luxury conglomerate LVMH (Moët HennessyLOUIS VUITTON). Decked out in union flags and armed with red smoke bombs, they flooded the lavish entrance hall to convey their message: “Take it from the pockets of billionaires.”
LVMH’s billionaire Chairman and Chief Executive, Bernard Arnault. With his company enjoying a post-pandemic boom in luxury demand and a 26% share value increase.
The main target of their ire? None other than LVMH’s billionaire Chairman and Chief Executive, Bernard Arnault. With his company enjoying a post-pandemic boom in luxury demand and a 26% share value increase since the start of the year, the protesters have good reason to question why the rich can’t contribute more to the state pension.The French have been striking and marching against President Emmanuel Macron’s pension policies for over three months. Among the 400 protestors who stormed LVMH headquarters were workers from healthcare, education, and rail sectors. Their collective grievance: the unilateral decision to raise the retirement age from 62 to 64 by 2030 without parliamentary vote.
One of the solutions to finance the pension system is to tax the billionaires.
And what better place to stage their demonstration than LVMH, which just posted a sparkling first-quarter revenue of 21 billion euros, up 17% from last year? Sud-Rail Union’s Fabien Villedieu put it succinctly: “One of the solutions to finance the pension system is a better redistribution of wealth, and the best way to do that is to tax the billionaires.”
A collective of workers, typically associated with grit and hard labor, infiltrating the glitzy world of luxury fashion.
While the protestors’ demands may be serious, the irony is delicious: a collective of workers, typically associated with grit and hard labor, infiltrating the glitzy world of luxury fashion. It’s a stark reminder that, while the rich may be able to afford the finer things in life, they cannot escape the growing pressure to address social inequality.As the protests continue to unfold, one thing is clear: luxury brands like LVMH can no longer afford to turn a blind eye to the pleas of the working class. In an era where “looking good” is increasingly synonymous with “doing good,” it’s time for the luxury industrial complex to step up, pay their fair share, and help create a more equitable society. After all, even the most exquisite handbag can’t buy social harmony.Protest Against Macron and the French Government in France
Luxury Purses, Overexposed, the Overrated, and the Outright Exhausting.
Ah, the modern age! Where we spend a staggering 2.5 hours a day scrolling through social media, allowing our minds to be occupied by the latest trends and fads. For a select few, like yours truly, this digital dalliance is a necessary evil, a work-related hazard. But let’s not mince words, shall we? It’s the perfect opportunity for luxury fashion brands to infiltrate our brains, determined to have us believe we absolutely need that shiny new purse. Take GUCCI, for instance, practically force-feeding us their bamboo top-handle flap bag. How charming.
Now, as a self-proclaimed luxury purse aficionado, I’m not opposed to the occasional handbag being thrust upon me. What does irk me, though, is the sight of that very same luxury purse paraded on every celebrity, influencer, and advertisement in existence. It’s called luxury purse fatigue, and it’s reaching epidemic proportions.
Luxury purse fatigue is the burnout we experience when a particular handbag reaches peak saturation in the media.
What is this Purse Fatigue, you ask? In a world where we’re exhausted by the most mundane of choices, luxury purse fatigue is the burnout we experience when a particular handbag reaches peak saturation in the media. And who’s to blame for this overexposure? The usual suspects: Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, and good ol’ Google.
With most of us unable to acquire every luxury designer bag our hearts desire, social media offers a virtual buffet of vicarious indulgence. Reviews, influencers, and advertisements give us a taste of luxury without the price tag. But in a cutthroat industry where every brand is vying for our attention, it seems overexposure is the key to being noticed. How delightfully counterintuitive.
The result? The mystique of a luxury item dissipates when every Hadid, Jenner, and their extended family flaunts it on the ‘gram. Oh, the joys of luxury purse fatigue!
“But wait,” I hear you cry, “does purse fatigue always lead to saturation?” Fear not, for it is a matter of personal perception. A dash of visibility among the right crowd can be tantalizing. Overdo it, however, and that once-exclusive accessory is now as common as the cold.
Visibility has long been a concern for the luxury market, with the inflated price of exclusivity being a primary selling point.
Visibility has long been a concern for the luxury market, with the inflated price of exclusivity being a primary selling point. But when everyone and their cousin sports the same accessory, that veneer of exclusivity cracks, and purse fatigue ensues.
So, what’s a fashion house to do? While addressing saturation can involve limiting production or implementing quota arrangements, purse fatigue proves a trickier beast. Designers must carefully select the ideal brand representatives, avoiding any perceived dilution of their image. But can we truly expect them not to pursue every sale with relentless vigor? After all, money makes the fashion world go ’round.
The evolving definition of luxury now finds us seeking solace in lesser-known, inconspicuous indie designers. We might still ogle the latest GUCCI or PRADA, but when it comes to spending our hard-earned cash, we’re opting for unique, under-the-radar treasures that truly reflect our individuality.
Add to this the rise of counterfeiters exploiting social media to create replicas before the real deal even hits the shelves, and one must ask: what does this all say about the state of the luxury industry? Are you as fatigued by it as I am?
CHANEL SA’s small Classic Flap bag was always a luxury item, but after three price hikes last year, it is selling for $8,200. That is up from the $5,200 it cost in 2019.
The French fashion house has been raising prices at a faster pace than other luxury brands, analysts say, prompting an outcry from some shoppers and testing their willingness to pay.
CHANEL increased its prices for 2023 again, and we share which bags are affected and by how much. It came as a surprise to absolutely no one, but considering the latest hikes for CHANEL bags, it’s hard not to wonder when and if the price increases will see an end.
CHANEL 2023 Price Increase Explained
CHANEL’s chief financial officer, Philippe Blondiaux, has shared insights into the CHANEL price increases. Last summer, he said the brand could implement a price increase “to account for currency fluctuations and inflation.” Moreover, he hasn’t shied away from speaking on the increase in being a part of the brand.
The twice-a-year increase has become something expected by customers over the past years as common practice. When asked about the increase’s reasoning, Blondiaux shared with WWD that “We usually revise our prices twice a year. That’s what we’ve always done and will continue to do.”
In 2022, CHANEL maintained the double-digit revenue growth it has accustomed to, even with the closure of stores in Russia and China. However, when looking at the numbers, research analysts for Jefferies shared that the sales uplift the brand has seen could be due to the 21-30% increase in pricing on its bags over the past couple of years versus the overall volume in sales.
The CHANEL Classic Flap is increasing in price by 12-17%, depending on size.
The New CHANEL Prices and What is Affected
The increase was steep! Steep enough that the only Classic Flap under $10,000 is the small size, with the Maxi reaching the $11,000 mark now. The Classics were hit with a 16% increase, soaring prices above $10,000 for most. The Coco Handle, CHANEL 19, and the Pearl Crush were all given a 14% increase across the board.
This was a global increase, affecting many markets. Below you can find the new, updated prices of CHANEL Bags for 2023.
Classic Bags
New Price
Old Price
% Increase
Delta
CHANEL Classic Mini Square Flap Bag
$4,700
$4,200
11.9%
$500
CHANEL Classic Mini Rectangular Flap Bag
$4,900
$4,400
11.36%
$500
CHANEL Classic Small Flap Bag
$9,600
$8,200
17%
$1,400
CHANEL Classic Medium Flap Bag
$10,200
$8,800
16%
$1,400
CHANEL Classic Jumbo Flap Bag
$11,000
$9,500
15.8%
$1,500
CHANEL Classic Maxi Flap Bag
$11,500
$10,000
15%
$1,500
CHANEL Classic Flap Mini Top Handle
$5,400
$4,800
12.5%
$600
CHANEL Coco Handle Mini
$5,400
$4,800
$600
12.5%
CHANEL Coco Handle Small
$5,900
$5,000
18%
$900
CHANEL Coco Handle Medium
$5,500
This CHANEL Classic Maxi Flap with an original $3,700 price tag from 2010. This bag now costs $11,700 – over 300% price increase in 13 years.
Reissue Bags
New Price
Old Price
% Increase
Delta
CHANEL Reissue Mini Bag
$4,900
$4,400
11.36%
$500
CHANEL Reissue Regular Bag
$10,200
$8,800
15.91%
$1,400
CHANEL Reissue Large Bag
$11,000
$9,500
15.79%
$1,500
Boy Bags
New Price
Old Price
% Increase
Delta
CHANEL Small Boy Flap Bag
$6,100
$5,400
12.96%
$700
CHANEL Medium Boy Flap Bag
$6,600
$5,900
11.86%
$700
CHANEL Large Boy Flap Bag
$7,000
$6,200
12.90%
$800
Wallet-On-Chain Bags
New Price
Old Price
% Increase
Delta
CHANEL Classic WOC Bag
$3,350
$2,950
13.56%
$400
CHANEL Boy WOC Bag
$3,425
$3,000
14.17%
$425
CHANEL 19/22 Bags
New Price
Old Price
% Increase
Delta
CHANEL 19 Small Bag
$6,400
$5,700
12.28%
$700
CHANEL 19 Large Bag
$6,800
$6,300
7.94%
$500
CHANEL 19 Maxi Bag
$7,500
$6,900
8.70%
$600
CHANEL 22
$5,800
$5,300
9.43%
$500
Impact on the CHANEL Consumer
The price increases are partly due to CHANEL’s desire to become more exclusive. However, the rate at which these bags have increased has turned many off. Customers of the brand have a hard time stomaching paying nearly $1,000 more for the same bag overnight. Additionally, the frequency and the secrecy of the price increases have some turned off as well.
One user on our forum shared that “when Tiffany’s had a price increase, my SA let me know weeks in advance. I feel like CHANEL just wants us to keep spending more. I just can’t help but feel like I’m in an emotionally abusive relationship.”
While other brands also implement increases, CHANEL seems to be in a league of its own with the percentage and consistency of increases. Though the brand has worked for worldwide price equality, the new prices put these bags on par with Hermès pricing and as reported by many, out of reach.
Final Thoughts
While many feel negative about the price increase, plenty will begrudgingly pay more for the bags they have been eying and others won’t even bat an eye. CHANEL understands its core customer well, one they will confidently retain while reaching new luxury customers.
In-store, plenty of bags are still sold before they ever hit the shelves, letting you know that while these increases are a broadly criticized practice by the brand, it isn’t pricing out its core audience from buying CHANEL.
