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Why is LV so Expensive?
It’s no secret that when it comes to luxury, Louis Vuitton is at the top of the game. In order to own a piece of LV you’ll have to part with a large amount of money, in this blog, we’ll be uncovering why Louis Vuitton bags are so expensive.
The iconic overlapping LV logo is world-renowned and associated with status and wealth. Louis Vuitton handbags can be seen everywhere from magazines to social media timelines, but the purchase of one can make quite the investment.
So why is LV so expensive? The real reason that Louis Vuitton is so expensive is that as a brand it has been able to achieve and maintain standards of excellence in every area from quality to brand perception. It has established itself as the height of quality and luxury, giving any person who possesses its pieces an air of class and elegance. The image and reputation that LV has built have proven to be invaluable and it manages to reinvent itself over and over again with each new season. It’s truly one of the most innovative brands out there and isn’t going anywhere anytime soon.
If you want the best of the best, it could cost you thousands but you can be certain you’re getting your money’s worth.
Why do Louis Vuitton bags cost so much?
Many factors influence the pricing of an LV bag; high production standards, quality materials, durability, and resale value are all key elements that make the brand what it is. These standards have been maintained throughout the years, and its audience has come to expect nothing less.
But it’s about more than just top-quality products; prestige and status come along with the brand and Louis Vuitton has worked hard to maintain this image. Their stores are beautiful and well maintained, the packaging is luxe, and the customer service goes above and beyond. People strive to be able to afford a little piece of luxury – Louis Vuitton understands this and charges a premium to maintain its exclusive image.
The Reasons That Louis Vuitton Bags Cost So Much
Craftsmanship and Labour
The craftsmanship and labor that go into creating a single Louis Vuitton piece are extremely intensive. Before a craftsperson can begin working at LV they must undergo 18 to 24 months of training. The title of Louis Vuitton Craftsperson is a prestigious one and only the best are selected, making it highly competitive.
All merchandise is produced in designated countries; Italy, France, Spain, and the US in particular. LV is particular about this and refuses to outsource its process to cheaper third-party sources.
A single piece goes through several degrees of inspection before being deemed ready to hit the sales floor. In an age where technological advances are around every corner, Louis Vuitton focuses less on technology and relies on the expertise of its craftspeople. This traditional method ensures that attention to detail is maintained and allows the brand to preserve the standard that has come to be expected of them.
Quality Materials and Fabrics
Another reason why Louis Vuitton charges a hefty price tag is because of the quality of the materials used in their pieces. Originally founded in the 1800s as a luggage company, Louis Vuitton based his brand on using the finest and most durable materials. Travel was becoming more accessible to society during that time, so the demand for luggage was increasing. Louis Vuitton capitalized on this by creating beautiful yet durable pieces that were able to withstand daily wear and tear. Fast forward to today, those founding principles still apply to the brand’s modern pieces.
Animal leathers and skins are mostly used in LV handbags and are of the highest quality and durability. Even in their canvas bags, leather is used for the interior trim and smaller details. Golden brass is used for the hardware; it’s shiny, heavily weighted, and can be cleaned easily.
To take a more in-depth look at the materials used to create LV bags check out this previous blog post: What are Louis Vuitton Bags Made Of?
Louis Vuitton’s Marketing
The marketing strategy of LV is pretty non-traditional – you won’t see any billboards or tv commercials advertising Louis Vuitton products.
Instead, Celebrities make for perfect walking advertisements and have a trickle-down effect on the rest of society. Word-of-mouth spreads quickly when celebrities are photographed wearing LV, and it gives the brand an air of exclusivity and class. For example, Dutch supermodel Romee Strijid often shows off her LV PR samples on her Youtube channel, where she has an audience of 1.8M followers. This type of exposure is organic, far-reaching, and priceless for the brand.
Louis Vuitton also targets economies worldwide and dominates the luxury market globally. Wherever there is a demand for luxury goods, they make sure to capitalize in that zone. LV narrowed in on a key demographic when it opened the first foreign luxury store in China in 1992. It was a smart move because the Chinese population is one of the highest consumers of luxury brands in the world. Strategies like these have helped to solidify the brand as a world-class leader in luxury.
Louis Vuitton’s High Desirability
The quality and sheer beauty of a Louis Vuitton handbag are unmatched. The brand is synonymous with luxury and has always been associated with elite society. From the stitching to the print, to the alignment of each rivet, the quality is impeccable.
Louis Vuitton continues to be the trailblazer for new fashion trends each year. The brand and image are so desirable that knock-offs are constantly surfacing from many high street brands as well as counterfeits on the black market.
Luxury Status Signifier
Louis Vuitton has always been associated with the wealthy class. The iconic logo is easily recognized because it’s been the same since its creation in the late 18th century. Even then it was donned by French royalty, whereas today the majority of its demographic is the rich and famous. Purchasing an LV handbag is nothing short of investment and represents status and accomplishment on behalf of the owner.
Exclusivity
Louis Vuitton keeps a tight handle on the availability of its products and maintains its high demand by having limited style quantities. The brand understands that the more scarce a product is, the more its value increases. Products that are readily attainable at all times lose their appeal.
Once a sales goal for a style has been reached, Louis Vuitton will stop production of that style. It’s not uncommon to see the “out of stock” sign on the website, or “call for availability”. This scarcity creates a sense of urgency in the consumer because pieces often sell out quickly causing the customer to have to hunt down a style they want. It’s rumored that Louis Vuitton will even withhold extra units once the sales goal is reached, whereas other brands would usually discount extra units of unwanted merchandise.
Additionally, Louis Vuitton products are only sold in LV stores and on the official website.
24s.com is an exception to this; they are part of the LVMH luxury group and are authorized sellers of Louis Vuitton – however, the LV styles that are on 24s would not be available in the official store/website simultaneously.
Are Louis Vuitton bags handmade?
In an age when most products are mass-produced, Louis Vuitton elevates itself by having all of its products hand-made.
From sewing to hammering to hand painting, the attention to detail is evident and there is absolutely no bulk manufacturing when it comes to this brand. A single piece can undergo up to 300 stages of inspection before reaching its final state. Every piece is unique and slightly different but the same level of intricacy applies to each item – a scarcity in today’s fast fashion industry.
Find out where Louis Vuitton bags are made in this blog here.
Do Louis Vuitton bags hold their value?
A proven factor of Louis Vuitton’s value is the resale market as well as the annual retail price increases. It’s getting more and more expensive to purchase a brand new LV handbag, some styles have increased as much as 10% over the past year. This adds value to the preloved market, where pieces can also go up in value depending on their popularity.
For example, the multicolor monogram print was created in the 2002 Takashi Murakami collection and has resurfaced in popularity recently. The collection was in collaboration with the creative director Marc Jacobs, and the nano bags, in particular, have become highly coveted. Pieces are currently selling for exorbitant prices on the preloved market.
Are Louis Vuitton bags good quality?
Louis Vuitton’s reputation for high-quality craftsmanship can be seen through the materials and durability of each piece. The bags are meant to be used often without showing signs of wear and tear. This is further exemplified through vintage pieces, which can be years old and still look brand new.
Louis Vuitton is known for using vachetta leather for the handles and trim of their canvas bags. This leather is meant to darken over time, giving a honey-colored hue to each piece. This process is called patina and occurs in vegetable-tanned leather which is an extremely high quality, durable leather. This form of vegetable tanning produces the sturdiest kind of leather that will last and withstand extreme wear. When taken care of, a Louis Vuitton piece will last for years and can be passed down through generations.
Where to buy cheap Louis Vuitton bags
Louis Vuitton is one of the only brands in the world that has never held sales or discounted products. Due to this, there are so many preloved bags available where you can find like-new pieces at reduced prices. Shopping for pre-loved Louis Vuitton is a good way to find discontinued or limited edition styles.
Sites like eBay and Vestiaire Collective are popular because they offer authentication services and buyer protection – which is extremely important due to the counterfeit market.
It’s always a good idea to have a preloved item authenticated by an experienced professional for your peace of mind. Check out our list of recommended luxury authentication services here.