Luxe Love: Luxury Brands Are Worth It

photo by Luke Hoffman  visuals by Lucy Hoffman

At exactly 6:30 p.m., my mom and I sat down on the couch. We immediately became entranced as “Entertainment Tonight” broke down what they deemed to be the Met Gala’s best outfits. I sat in awe as the screen flashed from Nicki Minaj’s Oscar de la Renta gown to Travis Scott’s Alexander Wang suit. Every outfit was unique and distinct, from flowing gowns with 15-foot trails to detailed suits with sparkling sequins, leaving me shocked every time a different celebrity appeared on-screen.

The beauty and craftsmanship of the outfits revealed an interest in me that I didn’t know I had. Through watching the allure of high fashion at its finest, I realized I am obsessed with luxury brands.
Owning something embroidered with the words “Gucci,” “Givenchy” or “Versace” is a dream to me — hopefully, I can someday invest in pieces of my own.

For most people, seeing any three of those words inflicts an instant decision: not worth the price. But not me. Brands like these create a quintessential sense of glamour. Fashion is one of the best ways to express your personality, and luxury pieces have enough variety to express any personality, no matter the wearer. Non-luxury brands don’t deliver the same quality and artistry.

One of the most contentious attributes of high fashion is the price, but those high prices are there for a reason. Most luxury brands are based out of Italy or France. This makes their products imports to the U.S., which isn’t cheap.

They use fine leather and high quality fabrics like jacquard, a woven pattern, to make each of their pieces. One brand in particular, Gucci, is known for their exquisite leatherwork. Other luxury pieces are abundant in silk, which gives a soft, regal feeling.

I’m in love with the flashy designs, like Gucci’s signature print. I think that a lot of high-end campaigns are gaudy for a reason — they know how to catch the eye of the buyer, whether it be good or bad attention. A lot of prints and patterns are based off of designs from their country of origin, like baroque and tartan. Baroque, a European style known for ornate details, appears in many pieces from France and Italy. Tartan print, a Scottish pattern similar to plaid, is also making a comeback. The details and complexity of the patterns are what make them beautiful.

Luxury evening wear is an entirely different story — these pieces are made to demand attention. Most suit jackets and trousers are created uniquely, and some even custom. They’re made as forms of art and personal expression, which is what makes them so eye-catching — and costly. These pieces are more expensive because of their uniqueness. Hours upon hours are spent on designing and physically creating these pieces to make sure they are the best they can be, whereas places like Urban Outfitters produce the copies of the same uniform article of clothing, with the exact same stitching and patterns. They are pieces of art designed by an artist.
The best and most beautiful way of presenting the art of fashion is on a runway. Runway shows introduce and display items, and are pieces of art in and of themselves.

Watching runway shows is more entertaining than binge-watching a few episodes of American Horror S
ory on Netflix. Each show is more than models walking down a runway — they’re like full-blown Broadway productions. For example, Givenchy’s winter show portrayed a story inspired by mysterious film noir. Each piece continued the novel. The models transcend into actors and actresses, conveying a narrative through fashion.
The story conveyed is usually through a campaign, which is a series of media that serves as an introduction to a new season or story. Campaigns are notorious for being bold and adventurous, which is what draws the audience to love the actual clothing. Campaigns are the best way to tell a story without being at a live show. They bring the show and the story to the viewer.

I know that in some scenarios, luxury brands are associated with the idea of “flexing,” or bragging through expensive clothing. Seeing the double-G logo in the hallways of East can spark controversy and comments like, “that’s so stupid.” Someday, though, if I am fortunate enough to purchase luxury items, they will be gestures of my passion and respect for the artist.

Honestly, fashion is meant to be fashion. It’s a form of expression for both the artist and the consumer. And that $2,975 price tag on the golden Versace Dea print jacket? So worth it.