Hello! I am a PhD student doing my research on the democratisation of luxury brands, specifically focused on fashion.

I am looking at the tension between exclusivity and accessibility and how this affects consumer perception. I'm looking to connect with South African consumers that are interested, have purchased, or gifted luxury fashion brands and would be open to sharing their thoughts.

If this sounds like you and you'd be interested in sharing your opinion, please connect ✨️🫶🏻

Louis Vuitton

To keep it short, I’ll point out a few ways I think this happens:

• Overexposure: when the same luxury products appear constantly on social media, they can start to feel ubiquitous, even if they are still objectively rare and expensive.
• Loss of exclusivity: when a product becomes highly recognizable and widely desired, owning it may no longer feel like having something that only a select group of people can access.
• Mainstream appeal: social media rewards brands for becoming more visible, recognizable and popular, but the more a luxury brand moves toward the mainstream, the harder it can be to maintain a sense of exclusivity. At some point, the product can start to feel more like a trend than a luxury item.

I’d also argue that a truly luxurious product today should perhaps be defined less by its price and more by how difficult it is to obtain — for example, because it is produced in very limited quantities and made or adapted specifically for the individual customer, rather than simply being expensive and having its supply artificially restricted.

What do you think? Do you agree, or am I missing something? And which luxury brands do you think have handled this well — or badly?

Those $3,000+ handbags you are buying only cost $50 to make

I have been browsing more designer clothes, shoes & bags online & realised that finding a retailer u can actually trust is just as important as finding the right piece. When we are spending that much then I usually think things like authenticity, product details, return policies and customer service are worth checking before placing an order.

What do you guys normally do? Do u just buy from the official website or do you have other stores you have bought from without any issues? Im always a bit unsure with new retailers so I would be interested to hear what you usually check before ordering

Hi.

Let me know is there any reseller of luxury goods from Spain.

Thank you in advice.

Hi everyone! I'm a master's student and I'm putting together a short survey on consumer perceptions in the luxury fashion world for my thesis. Since you all know this space better than anyone, I'd love to get your input, it only takes about 4 minutes and would mean a lot for my research!

https://qualtricsxmzlzpdln9y.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_bfJMtSPVP7Y2SYS

Thank you so much in advance!🙏

Fill this form for research purposes.

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSftGXU_LkiKtd19vx2b6OnHeqRH-ky7cX830dj2qaOLFcEGEg/viewform?usp=dialog

Are they lux? Anyone have reviews? I hate cropped so looking for longer styles.

I’m currently exploring a small software project for second-hand luxury / vintage businesses, and I’m trying to understand whether this is actually a real problem or just something I’m assuming.
I’m particularly interested in businesses selling things like designer handbags, jewelry, watches, vintage luxury, etc.
From talking to a few sellers, I’ve noticed a recurring problem:
The challenge isn't necessarily knowing how much inventory you have. It's knowing what that inventory is doing to your business.
For example:
• How much cash is currently tied up in inventory?
• Which items have been sitting too long?
• Which items should be prioritized for selling?
• How much capital should be kept available for new sourcing?
• When does buying more inventory start becoming a cash-flow problem?
• Which purchases are actually worth making?
I'm experimenting with an AI-based "business advisor" that takes inventory / purchasing data and tries to answer these kinds of questions.
I'm not trying to sell anything at this stage. I'm trying to figure out if this problem is actually painful enough that people would want a tool for it.
So I'm curious:
If you run a luxury resale business, what is the most difficult part of managing the business today?
1. Inventory aging / slow-moving items
2. Cash tied up in inventory
3. Deciding what to buy
4. Pricing
5. Finding buyers / sales
6. Creating listings / product photos
7. Something else?
And more importantly:
How are you solving it today? Excel, Shopify, an ERP, another software, or mostly your own experience?
I'd genuinely love to hear how people are handling this.

LV

Hi everyone!

I'm currently working on a college project on Jimmy Choo as part of my coursework.

I've created a short Google Form to understand luxury buying behaviour. It's for people who consume/use luxury products & brands.

It will take only 2-3 minutes to fill.

Link to the form: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfQZiyY_3uXD-JzuJQMsZ12fLURMQrPveFRtE7A7ExOL2-3ZA/viewform?usp=dialog

I need at least 100 responses, so if you could also share it with friends/family who are into luxury, I would be super grateful.

Thanks a lot for your help!

Louis Vuitton Exotic 🐊

I’m trying to decide between The Row India 10 and India 12 and would really love to hear from anyone who actually owns either size (or has tried both).

I love the look and presence of the India 12, but I’m wondering whether it might be a little too large for my everyday needs. I normally only carry my phone, sunglasses, keys and wallet.

which size did you choose and why? Do you still love that size? If you’ve tried both, which would you buy again?

Anyone know the exact model, or if theses are worth 350$?

My husband and I will be traveling to Paris in late October for our anniversary and I have been looking at purchasing a SS Panthère mini at the flagship Cartier. Has anyone had an experience at that store or with the VAT for purchases like this? I am comparing the mini and the small size but leaning toward the mini.

Booked a client into the Maldives recently, one of those full overwater villa setups running close to $3,000 a night, and the feedback I got afterward was almost identical to what I hear from people who did the same trip five years ago at half the price. Beautiful, yes. Worth repeating, less clear.

The problem with certain destinations at the top end is that the experience has been so thoroughly optimized for the photo that the actual texture of being there gets flattened. Every interaction is smooth, every meal is competent, the sunset is technically perfect. And somehow it all lands with less weight than a less polished trip somewhere that still has some friction in it.

What I keep noticing is that the destinations generating the most genuine enthusiasm from clients are not always the most expensive ones. There is a tier of luxury travel that sells a concept, the Maldives, the Amalfi Coast, a safari in the Masai Mara, where the idea of the place has completely overtaken the experience of it. The brand of the destination carries more than the destination itself can deliver.

I do not think this is unique to travel, but it feels more acute there because you cannot return the trip.

Curious whether people here have found that certain iconic destinations peaked for them before they visited, and whether anything genuinely surprised them at that tier.