The Diva Review:
I was very excited to read this. I had read a review and it sounded fascinating. As someone who lives in a city where status is king, I was very interested to understand where this was heading. And yes, I'll admit it, I've spent crazy money on shoes and bags in my time. The book was good. It was interesting. But it wasn't gripping. At least not to me. A lot of people felt differently, and I think this is one of those situations where the book is very, very good, but I wasn't blown away. So....to be fair, I do recommend it.
Maybe I'm more of a sophisticated consumer than most, but I didn't find the "dirt" on the luxury brands shocking. The fact that most of the luxury brands are beholden to their Boards of Directors and their shareholders is not necessarily news. Of course they're trying to cut costs and maximize profits. That's what businesses do – even those trading on a tradition of exclusivity and quality. It's certainly disappointing to discover that a $2500 handbag probably has an intrinsic worth of about $25.00. And it is horrifying to know that children working in sweatshops are producing knock-offs that are almost indistinguishable from the "real" ones.
One of the things that I really liked about the book is that without belaboring the point, Thomas lets us reach the conclusion that these days many of the most sought after luxury items are about perceived status, not quality. And because of the ubiquity of copies, the status really is a perceived one. Pretty much anyone can lay their hands on a decent looking Gucci. So, is it worth the money? Only you can decide.
Thomas is a good writer and the book is very well researched. I would encourage anyone interested in understand the cult of luxury to read it.
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