Money Can Buy You Everything, Except Maybe a Birkin Bag
Apr 11, 2024
auto_awesome
Join Atlantic staff writer Amanda Mull as she discusses the lawsuit against Hermès regarding Birkin bag purchases. Dive into the evolving luxury market, the allure of exclusive items, and the emotional significance of owning pricey handbags.
Luxury brands like Hermes emphasize authenticity and exclusivity, while modern corporatization has shifted towards mass production and global marketing.
Balancing scarcity and mass appeal, luxury brands maintain desirability with limited editions and collaborations, projecting exclusivity in a broad market.
Deep dives
Evolution of Luxury Brands and Production Methods
Luxury brands like Hermes and Louis Vuitton have origins tied to providing bespoke and rare items for the wealthy, emphasizing craftsmanship and exclusivity. The entry of Bernard Arnault in the 1980s marked a shift towards corporatization and mass production in the luxury industry, leading to a focus on global marketing and increased production capabilities.
Scarcity and Aspiration in Luxury Goods
Luxury brands navigate the balance between creating desirability through scarcity and ensuring their products remain aspirational while reaching a broad market. Limited editions and collaborations with celebrities contribute to projecting scarcity and exclusivity, even if the regular products are more widely available.
Integrity in Luxury Production and Consumer Market Realities
Hermes stands out for maintaining traditional handcrafting methods and genuine scarcity, reflecting in higher prices and limited availability. The respect for Hermes lies in its commitment to quality craftsmanship with fair labor practices, contrasting the consumer market's shift away from such authentic production methods.
Is having a Birkin bag ... a right? Earlier this year, two California residents filed a class-action lawsuit against the French luxury design company Hermès. Their grievance was that although they could afford a coveted Birkin bag made by the company, they could not buy one.
We talk to Atlantic staff writer Amanda Mull about the lawsuit and the current state of the luxury market. What do we actually want from luxury these days? Is there even such a thing anymore as a rare luxury good? And what handbag is Amanda carrying?
Get more from your favorite Atlantic voices when you subscribe. You’ll enjoy unlimited access to Pulitzer-winning journalism, from clear-eyed analysis and insight on breaking news to fascinating explorations of our world. Subscribe today at TheAtlantic.com/podsub.