It’s no secret that prices of luxury goods have become astronomical. Where once prices of entry-level handbags felt somewhat accessible and easy enough to justify, with each passing year, the luxury goods market becomes more and more out of reach.
Yet, as we continue to share more mid-range bags and contemporary designers, it feels like the criticism is more prevalent than the praise. Contemporary brands and diffusion lines hit their prime in the 2010s, but today, the market is (admittedly) not what it used to be.
Too Many Dupes, Not Enough Originality
As the trend cycle has revved up, it seems that brands are becoming less and less invested in offering timeless, well-crafted styles at affordable prices. The contemporary market has been overrun by dupes designed to strike a chord with a specific target rather than creating a quality design at an affordable price.
However, as the luxury market becomes increasingly inaccessible, there is no better time to make a great contemporary bag, one that will resonate with even the pickiest of luxury shoppers. Yet, some of us have become increasingly difficult to please.
I’d like to see innovation, good quality, and a distinct brand identity. Jacquemus-esque, if you will or PurseBlog go-to, Polène. While Jacquemus’s bags are around $900 on average, with designer bag prices creeping well into the 4-figure mark, his price point feels luxe but within reach, and I love his experimental design aesthetic.
What do you wish to see from contemporary and mid-range designers?
At some point, you get priced-out because of the constant price increase of luxury bags. At first, it’s frustrating because you can’t reasonably treat yourself anymore. For most of us, budgets are not unlimited. Then, you realize that you don’t need luxury bags. You enjoy the ones you have and you start spending your disposable income on other things.
I’m very happy with all of my contemporary/mid-range designer bags. They have good quality, and I can participate in a trend that aligns with my style for a reasonable price. I can also enjoy more color choices. I’m not a neutrals woman, and I find that the contemporary designers have more fun with color.
Original designs with an added touch of quirkiness!
Indie designers are great as well.
My wish is that contemporary designers resist the temptation to plaster their names and logos all over their designs. It’s lazy at Chanel, and Vuitton, and Hermès (though they seem to prefer peppering everything in slanted Hs and chaine d’ancre motifs these days). It’s equally as lazy at contemporary houses.
I also wish that they would return to functionality-forward design. My waning contemporary love affair was driven by the brands’ ardent focus on pushing classic designs from fantasy-life beautiful into real-life functional, with beautiful materials and competent construction that made me awe at their comparatively-modest pricing.
Now, it seems as though everything is designed with focus first on algorithms (must be beautiful, and tiny, enough for social media), next on ‘aspirational’ pricing, and with the briefest of considerations on durability, longevity, and usability.
Beautiful colours, a little quirky, good quality leathers and decent craftsmanship
Apart from Polene, I actualy find most brands (classic or contemporary) rather boring. I’ve gone the midrange bespoke route, with Massaccesi bags. To be able to chose types of leathers, colours, linings, hardware colour etc allows me to “create” exactly what I fancy – just what I want from a contemporary brand😃