The notion that labels are overrated Options

[DoubleJ]

True or False?

Thoughts?

[redpeony]

I can't stand people who flash labels. Be understated but confident, dress well, find things that fit you well. I think that warrants much more respect than someone who looks to labels for identity.

There are labels which are known for excellence in certain goods (e.g. Ferragamo for shoes, Hermes for scarves, Burberry for trenches) and those, in my opinion, are worth the money. It's pretty obvious, though, that a lot of brands are now lacking in the quality that they used to have because they've already established a name for themselves and use that as their selling point. Case in point: Rock & Republic. I have several pairs of jeans from about 3-4 years ago and they are all still fine. I know many people who have gotten jeans in recent years that have already had them rip. I also know that a lot of contemporary designers actually have crap quality clothing but it still has a high price tag because of the brand behind it. I've purchased pieces from Rebecca Beeson, James Perse etc. who claim to be the "low maintenance high fashion" in staples like t-shirts but to be honest, the quality is comparable to Gap, or even Forever 21 (gasp). I've worn a F21 shirt more times than a Rebecca Beeson t and the latter has formed a hole upon the second wearing. Even some of the classics are cheaping it out nowadays and producing items in China instead of Europe... or worse, manufacturing 99% of the product in Asia and then shipping it over to Italy for the final touch, earning it a "made in Italy" label. Things that were initially created for a niche market are now mass produced for the North American/Asian consumer but the pricing still remains.

So... after that extremely long rant... I think my answer to your question is a big "it depends".