Just how much luxury is too much? When is a brand over-exposed? This thought has been on my mind over the last two years as I travelled around the country. Before the economy tanked in October, it seemed like everyone was obsessed with luxury. The whole concept of luxury used to be reserved for the rich. If something was luxurious, it was enjoyed by a small group of people who could afford this luxury. There has clearly been a shift in thinking. Now there are "Luxe" and "Luxury" terms used in most mall store promotions. Is this degrading to luxury? Is this the evolution of the human existence? Does luxury become available to more and more as a society matures? Or is the opposite true? Can the current economic disaster that unravels day by day be seen as a direct result of this luxury obsession?
The mega brands of the world have made a conscious decision to lower the average price point of their products over the last 4 years. There is now a wider range in price of products offered at Louis Vuitton and Gucci than ever before. The idea is to capture more of the masses that are (or were) flocking to the stores. These brands are also offering more ultra-luxe pieces with higher prices in the collections - but also broadening the base to compete with much more pedestrian brands. The ultra expensive accessories work as P.R. for the little normal wallet for instance. Much the same way couture promotes ready-to-wear and fragrance.
I spent some time in Nice, France this past summer. France is home to LVMH and Louis Vuitton in particular. I was surprised to see this curb marker with graffiti of the LV logo. One could argue that this type of penetration builds a level of street cred and promotes the brand. One could also say that the logo is too exposed and now as ordinary as any other corporate logo. I'm not sure which is true or truer. What I do know is you would never see Hermes in graffiti like this and the last time I checked - they are still the most coveted, luxurious brand in the world.