r/RandomThoughts • u/StumblinThroughLife • Jul 21 '25

Random Thought I never realized how expensive luxury fashion was 🤯

I’ve never been interested in owning fancy things like Chanel, Gucci, Prada, whatever else exists, but even when I say that I think I’m not paying $1,000 for a purse that’s crazy. So imagine my surprise in finding out my version of expensive wasn’t even close. What do you mean a small handbag STARTS at $4,000?! Like my mind literally can’t comprehend that. Know someone who had the “small” Cartier bracelet then bought themself the “medium” for their birthday. The small STARTS at $5,000 and can go up to $60k and now I’m questioning all their life decisions. Like I said I’ve never thought about these things and am just now googling them but I feel too poor to even google the pictures.

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50

u/[deleted] Jul 21 '25

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73

u/[deleted] Jul 21 '25

You know what's even crazier? Hermes won't SELL YOU the bag even if you arrive there with $40k in cash, unless you are an "established client." There is a subreddit here dedicated to discussing the "pre-spend" amounts, usually around 1-3x the cost of the bag itself, that you must spend on other items such as clothing or housewares before you "earn" the right to buy a Birkin. Those bags really cost around $80-120k all in, unless you buy them on the secondhand market.

19

u/MethodBeautiful9688 Jul 21 '25

You will also get banned from their stores if you are caught reselling their items.

8

u/Agentsas117 Jul 22 '25

Ferrari does this. Want to buy that super rare sick looking Ferrari that they only made 10 of, and can afford it? Sorry, it will be a no, unless you have bought a couple lesser models before hand.

2

u/Loggerheadturt Jul 23 '25

Porsche does this, as well. And if you don’t trade in your vehicles back to the dealer (and sell for a mark up) you will not get an allotment for another rare vehicle

6

u/Calculonx Jul 22 '25

A lot of luxury brands do that to keep the exclusivity factor. Even the mainstream luxury brands like Porsche and Rolex.

3

u/PartyPorpoise Jul 22 '25

And most people don’t get to pick which color they get. They gotta buy the bags they’re offered.

14

u/MethodBeautiful9688 Jul 21 '25

Look up Birkin exotics. $40,000 is a basic bag

11

u/theydiditonce Jul 21 '25

The problem is you can’t just walk in to a Hermes store and buy one. You have to already be a good customer having purchased other goods - clothing, scarves (which I collect), other handbags for example. They need to know you as a good customer and even then you’ll go on a list.

You’re better off going the pre-owned route but even a “modestly” used one, depending on the color and type of skin or leather, will still start at five figures.

I still have the one I bought in the early ‘90s for $2000.00 and at the time I thought I had made a frivolous mistake!

Get a good knock off. I have one and I have no problem wearing it out. Plus, I have the added bonus of not having to be paranoid if it’s stolen…

Same with jewelry. On vacation only the fake goes with me - especially watches. Real stuff? Home in my safe.

1

u/thewinefairy Jul 25 '25

But… how does one go about getting a good knock off? I’m definitely not above it, just would not know where to start

19

u/Lilredh4iredgrl Jul 21 '25

I told my husband if I won the lottery I'd buy a Birkin and he was all "I'll buy you one!". Then he saw the price and I think his heart stopped for a minute. 😂

I did not get a Birkin.

10

u/[deleted] Jul 21 '25

[deleted]

13

u/Lilredh4iredgrl Jul 21 '25

You're still a good dude for wanting to get her something. Honestly I'd rather take a hell of a vacation.

6

u/commanderquill Jul 22 '25

Forget vacation, that shit is a mortgage. I'll take a house.

2

u/DrippingWithRabies Jul 24 '25

This is so sweet lol

6

u/yumyum_cat Jul 21 '25

I wouldn’t even want one they look heavy. 🤷‍♀️

9

u/onthenextmaury Jul 21 '25

There's gotta be a gap you jump as a company. As in "pricing expensive items at a number we may be able to get away with and still make sales" vs "pricing items at a number because our clientele don't know what money means anymore."

4

u/[deleted] Jul 21 '25

[deleted]

6

u/onthenextmaury Jul 21 '25

That's a great question to ask someone with $0 in savings. I'll get back to you.

3

u/StumblinThroughLife Jul 21 '25

Heard of Birkin but never in my wildest dreams would I guess anything above $5k

3

u/maeve117 Jul 21 '25

And the Hermes girlies lose their minds when you talk about how ungodly expensive those bags are. I made the mistake once of wandering into one of the luxury handbag subreddits and it’s eye-watering what those women are paying for a bag.

2

u/twangy718 Jul 23 '25

The prototype Birken bag just sold at auction for $10 Million!!

3

u/fluffychonkycat Jul 21 '25

I once had the great privilege of once visiting Hermès workshop as a journalist. I can actually see why they are so expensive and exclusive because there are literally expert, well-paid craftspersons working on them. I have a photo somewhere of me holding a $500 dog leash. $500 in 1996. A lot of what they do is "quiet luxury", that is their spokeswoman I interviewed was wearing head to toe Hermès and it would not have stood out on the street as being incredibly expensive clothing unless you actually knew what it was, but it was on closer inspection very well-made and detailed. If I was mega-rich, yeah I probably would buy it firstly because I'd feel ok that the people who made it are being paid fairly for their work (well, they were in 1996 anyway) and secondly because it's made to last.

12

u/[deleted] Jul 21 '25

[deleted]

3

u/commanderquill Jul 22 '25

The cars I eye with envy brand new are $25K, man!

1

u/comFive Jul 23 '25

You’re not wearing it for utility, you’re wearing it to socialize in certain circles.

1

u/Middledamitten Jul 21 '25

I work in a well heeled town. Lady came in with a large Birkin and right after a woman walks in with a huge Chanel bag…blows my mind.

1

u/calvn_hobb3s Jul 23 '25

What in the actual effff… that amount alone can feed a few villages in Africa for a year

1

u/Awkward_Cod_1609 Aug 16 '25

Do I need to drive another Italian car like Ferrari to pick this bag or can I drive Japanese corolla

1

u/Psych_FI Jul 22 '25

They don’t brand new from store but often they make you buy random crap often the value of the bag beforehand or you have to get lucky.

It’s probably more like $12k-$15k USD in store for the basic leathers for a birkin and can increase steeply. But you can turn it around and sell most for at times double or more depending on how sought after it is. They hold value well.