So I'm reading an article in the March 2008 issue of Reason magazine entitled "Vuitton Values: The Delicate Balancing Act of Luxury for the Masses," and it states that "...the Japanese buy half of all luxury goods and that 40 percent of Japanese people own at least one Louis Vuitton product." I've noticed this phenomenon whenever I go to that altar of capitalism, the shopping mall. The Japanese shoppers are easily the best dressed customers and always have the most fashionable accessories. Why are the Japanese so dedicated to luxury items?
http://www.reason.com/news/show/124394.html
Originally posted by der schwarze RitterIs this Louis Vuitton character from Texas? He sounds like one them there Frenchie snotty clothes designers.. (smiles)
So I'm reading an article in the March 2008 issue of Reason magazine entitled "Vuitton Values: The Delicate Balancing Act of Luxury for the Masses," and it states that "...the Japanese buy half of all luxury goods and that 40 percent of Japanese people own at least one Louis Vuitton product." I've noticed this phenomenon whenever I go to that alt ...[text shortened]... the Japanese so dedicated to luxury items?
http://www.reason.com/news/show/124394.html
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Originally posted by der schwarze RitterI don't know much about Japanese fashion, but I hesitate to say that carrying one of those fugly-a$$ half plastic bags with the "LV" smattered all over the side constitutes being "well dressed." I think it's more of a way for upper middle class suburban "tweens" -- and their equally vacuous moms (or, as I like to call them, "twoms" ) -- to wear the pocket book on the sleave.
So I'm reading an article in the March 2008 issue of Reason magazine entitled "Vuitton Values: The Delicate Balancing Act of Luxury for the Masses," and it states that "...the Japanese buy half of all luxury goods and that 40 percent of Japanese people own at least one Louis Vuitton product." I've noticed this phenomenon whenever I go to that alt ...[text shortened]... the Japanese so dedicated to luxury items?
http://www.reason.com/news/show/124394.html
thanks for the excuse to rant. 🙂
and thanks for the link too 😀
Now that I've read the article, I have to say that it's very good. I still don't know what to say about the Japanese, but it's darned good article. And I say this as someone who is not usually a big fan of "Reason" (Reason the journal, not reason the cognative faculty. The cognative faculty's great).
Originally posted by der schwarze Ritterthey're not, they just recognize quality when they see it. One of the reasons I don't shop at Walmart, everything there is crap. I'de rather pay a little more, and have it last twice as long.
So I'm reading an article in the March 2008 issue of Reason magazine entitled "Vuitton Values: The Delicate Balancing Act of Luxury for the Masses," and it states that "...the Japanese buy half of all luxury goods and that 40 percent of Japanese people own at least one Louis Vuitton product." I've noticed this phenomenon whenever I go to that alt ...[text shortened]... the Japanese so dedicated to luxury items?
http://www.reason.com/news/show/124394.html
Originally posted by duecerI recognize quality to but I can't always afford it, so I believe the psychologists or sociologists would have a field day explaining the purchasing habits of the Japanese. Also, I wouldn't be so hard on Wal-Mart, because if the U.S. economy gets as bad as the Democrats claim it is, who knows, someday you might find yourself shopping there.
they're not, they just recognize quality when they see it. One of the reasons I don't shop at Walmart, everything there is crap. I'de rather pay a little more, and have it last twice as long.
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Originally posted by der schwarze Ritter...or working there...
I recognize quality to but I can't always afford it, so I believe the psychologists or sociologists would have a field day explaining the purchasing habits of the Japanese. Also, I wouldn't be so hard on Wal-Mart, because if the U.S. economy gets as bad as the Democrats claim it is, who knows, someday you might find yourself shopping there.
But I don't buy the "they recognize quality" line. The article was clear on on this. The quality has gone way down hill since "high fashion" has become democratized, but people are willing to pay 13x cost because it allows them to identify with a certain lifestyle (usually affluent lifestyle). If this article's right (and I think it is) a psychologist would have a field day explaining these sorts of purchasing habits in ANYbody.
I mean have you seen these bags? Its cheaply manufactured leather (often not even leather at all). The only thing that sells them is the "LV" written all over them. I recognize quality too, but that ain't it!
I used to work in shoe repair (and small leather goods repair) which is why I think I know so much about ladies handbags and what not -- well that and the fact that I'm a drag queen by the name of El Divino. And I admit that some of this expensive stuff is expensive because it's very well made, but most of the hand bags that these rich (and, sadly, not so rich) ladies are carrying around these days are not high quality. The only thing that sells them is the name.
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Originally posted by der schwarze Ritterthey are anti union, and I live in the northeast, I don't ever have to, nor would I ever, shop there;we have plenty of alternatives
I recognize quality to but I can't always afford it, so I believe the psychologists or sociologists would have a field day explaining the purchasing habits of the Japanese. Also, I wouldn't be so hard on Wal-Mart, because if the U.S. economy gets as bad as the Democrats claim it is, who knows, someday you might find yourself shopping there.
Originally posted by der schwarze RitterInteresting. I spent 8 years living in rural/provincial Japan and I must say, aside from a tiny minority of ostentatiously wealthy, Japanese people live out their lives in quiet and badly dressed desperation - always a mere month or two of hard luck away from disaster, much like 70% of the people in the rest of the developed world. Take a walk around a supermarket in a city suburb on a Sunday afternoon and then we can talk about well dressed and badly dressed. The tiny, tiny proportion of Japanese (95% of whom do not have a passport and will never travel abroad, except perhaps to Guam) who make it as far as a mall in continental U.S. are probably not a meaningful enough sample to build any theory upon. Nor a telling anecdote, for that matter.
I've noticed this phenomenon whenever I go to that altar of capitalism, the shopping mall. The Japanese shoppers are easily the best dressed customers and always have the most fashionable accessories. Why are the Japanese so dedicated to luxury items?
Originally posted by FMFDSR has never left the USA..just read some of this posts over the last few months!
Interesting. I spent 8 years living in rural/provincial Japan and I must say, aside from a tiny minority of ostentatiously wealthy, Japanese people live out their lives in quiet and badly dressed desperation - always a mere month or two of hard luck away from disaster, much like 70% of the people in the rest of the developed world. Take a walk around a supermark ...[text shortened]... ot a meaningful enough sample to build any theory upon. Nor a telling anecdote, for that matter.
Originally posted by FMFWell then, you should come to Dallas, Texas, and visit the North Park Mall on the weekend -- it would really frost your balls.
Interesting. I spent 8 years living in rural/provincial Japan and I must say, aside from a tiny minority of ostentatiously wealthy, Japanese people live out their lives in quiet and badly dressed desperation - always a mere month or two of hard luck away from disaster, much like 70% of the people in the rest of the developed world. Take a walk around a supermark ...[text shortened]... ot a meaningful enough sample to build any theory upon. Nor a telling anecdote, for that matter.
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Originally posted by der schwarze RitterNo. Sorry. I know only too well how you bristle with parochialism. But if we want to talk about the Japanese with some modicum of insight, I think living there for a few years trumps a visit to Dallas' North Park Mall. Or maybe I'm wrong. Make your point. Make a real point. Make any point. How can you run out of things to say so quickly on a thread you yourself started?
Well then, you should come to Dallas, Texas, and visit the North Park Mall on the weekend -- it would really frost your balls.