Have you saved up years to get the Louis Vuitton handbag of your dreams? Bad news: prices have just gone up.
Chanel, Louis Vuitton, Hermès, Gucci… Only super desirable luxury brands whose handbags are real it bags. Being able to afford one is for many an unattainable dream. And it becomes a little more every year, since the price of handbags from these labels never stops increasing. After Chanel in November 2021, it’s Louis Vuitton’s turn to announce a price increase of some of his articles. In force since February 16, it mainly concerns accessories, leather goods and perfume according to information from the Reuters agency.
An increase that can be explained…
According to the explanations given by Louis Vuitton to the press agency Reutersthe rise in the price of handbags is due, in particular, to booming production and transport costs.
Asked about this, Sophie Pirescommunications director for the leather goods brand made in France Camille Fournet confirm:Commodity prices are indeed rising. And they are not the only ones! For example, the expenses for our communication tools are also increasing, especially since the price of paper has exploded… And it’s the same for the delivery of raw and finished products, which has a higher cost than before the coronavirus“. Sophie Pires also notes a longer supply and transport time than before the crisis. However, are the brands obliged to pass on these price increases to their customers?
… partly
If these reasons are in question, they are not the only ones. Moreover, some industry observers note that since the start of the coronavirus pandemic, brands have all continued to upgrade their products. “Coming out of each lockdown, after months spent at home, consumers showed a desire to spend their money on luxury fashion and accessories. Brands are taking advantage of this buying power to make their merchandise even more expensive and exclusive.“, Explain Reuters. A way, too, to make their products even more desirable because they are reserved only for an elite who can afford them or have them offered to them. Others note that this habit was already current – at Hermès, for example, at the beginning of each year, the prices of leather goods experience a significant increase.
“In luxury, the last link in the chain is the end customer. If there is a rise at the beginning of the chain, there may be repercussions for the consumer. But it is a choice made by each brand. After all, we have just come out of a crisis, both health and economic, which has acted as an awareness of both our lifestyles and our consumption. So, at Camille Fournet, we have decided to keep our prices at the same level as before the coronavirus pandemic.” It must also be said that this French label, founded in 1945, now occupies a niche market segment and defines itself as a tailor-made fine leather goods house with a very specific clientele. , for their part, may also see these price increases as sources of potential growth for 2022. At least that is what the Reuters agency suggests. who absolutely want to buy a designer bag will have every interest in going for a ride on the second-hand platforms.At Monogram or Vestiaire Collective, they could well find a vintage it bag at a reduced price.