August 22, 2007--$1,200

Over coffee one morning a big fight broke out over pocketbooks. We had by then figured out who would be the Republican and Democrat candidates for president, and before scattering one breakfast regular said she was going over to Prada to check out their new bags. Rona asked if they were on sale. She said no. Rona then said, “You mean you’d buy a Prada bag that’s not on sale?” She said, “I never buy anything on sale.” Noticing everyone’s puzzled look, she continued, “I like to pay full price. I hate sales. First of all, paying full price means you’re getting the latest models, and it also makes me feel good about myself to know I don’t need to look for bargains.” That’s when the fight started. Everyone spoke at once—“I can’t believe you’d let yourself be so manipulated by fashion”; “You’d spend $1,200 on a pocketbook??” [“It’s a ‘bag,’ thank you, not a ‘pocketbook.”] “Don’t you realize that Prada bags are no longer exclusive—everyone has one and there are knockoffs everywhere--and they are made so poorly that the hardware will fall off before the end of the year.” [“And that’s when I’ll buy next year’s bag.”] The next day she showed up with her new Prada. Though everyone noticed, no one acknowledged it or commented. Undeterred she said, “When I told my friend Simon about what you all had to say yesterday, you know Simon who was a senior editor at Women’s Wear Daily, he said, ‘What kind can you get for $1,200?’ He thinks you’re all very funny.” She roared with laughter and excused herself. She had an appointment for a cut at Bergdorf’s. Later that day, we walked down to Chinatown for a dim sum lunch. It was a bright and warm and Canal Street was jammed with young women even though it was a Monday. I asked Rona what she thought they were all doing—most appeared to be from out of town. Rona said they were shopping for watches, perfume, and handbags. “On Canal Street? In Chinatown?” I said. “It makes no sense to me.” “Take a closer look,” Rona said. I did and saw in the tiny stalls that passed for shops hundreds and hundreds of well known perfumes—Chanel, Dior, Givenchy; and designer bags—Guccis, Hermes, and even Pradas. “What’s going on here?” I wondered out loud though of course I knew. These were all knock-offs, counterfeits. And to the untrained eye—mine—they looked like the real thing. Obviously they also did to the thousands of girls and young women who were pushing their way through the crowds to get their hands on versions of this year’s latest models. I imagined that they were in New York on vacation and would take these trophies back with them to Topeka and Waco and Spokane where they would easily pass for authentic. And thereby signify the risen social standing of the proud owners. Having witnessed this so recently I avidly read Michiko Kakutani’s book review of Dana Thomas’ Deluxe: How Luxury Lost Its Luster since I had had an up close look at some of that decline. (NY Times review linked below.) The book is an examination of the intentional morphing of luxury and high status goods from when they were of actual quality and available exclusively in limited numbers to an economic and social elite into the widely marketed items we see today, including on Canal Street, all offering at cut-rate prices the illusion of class to the masses. But even though anyone who wants a Prada can get one in Chinatown, there are still enough fashionista illusion-seekers with money who are eager to race over to Prada in Soho every fall to be the first to plop down $1,200, or much more, for the latest. Then again, remember what I suspect Simon actually meant—There is no way to get what you really need if a pocketbook [or a suit or a car or a boat] is the object of your desire.