The History of our Pieces, Designers and Brands

Our Company Director's Current Designer Handbag Collection

Thu, 23 Nov 2023 13:18:14 GMT

Our Company Director, Nicola, showcases her personal current designer handbag collection

Goodbye to affordable luxury

Thu, 23 Nov 2023 12:54:28 GMT

Luxury fashion houses are trying their best to prevent their more affordable pieces from being transformed and worn in different ways, and the most recent example of this is Louis Vuitton discontinuing their infamous Toiletry Pouch

Social media has seen a rise in more affordable luxury pieces being transformed and worn in different ways, such as the Louis Vuitton Toiletry Bag being worn as a clutch, or converted into a bag by purchasing an ever-more popular 'transformation kit'. These kits are readily available in places such as Amazon, and they comprise of an inner organiser with eyelets on either end which is slipped inside the bag. A chain is then added, making it possible for the piece to be worn as a shoulder or cross body bag.

Recently Louis Vuitton discontinued their infamous Toiletry Bag, however they now have available the item below, which the call the Pouch Voyage in Damier Graphite and measures 27 x 21 x 6cm. The LV Toiletry Bag measured 25 x 20 x 5.5 cm ... however this newer piece retails for £665!! (price correct as of June 2021)

Celebrating 100 Years of Chanel No. 5

Thu, 15 Jul 2021 14:26:18 GMT

Chanel celebrates 100 years since the launch of the Chanel No.5 Perfume

So let's delve into the history of the scent ...

Photo of Catherine Deneuve in a 1975 Chanel No. 5 campaign Photo Credit: Richard Avedon Foundation

May 5th 1921 marks the launch of the very first Chanel perfume; No.5. The perfume was created through the partnership between Gabrielle Chanel and perfumer Ernest Beaux. The scent was described as a "women’s perfume which smells like a woman."

Couturier Gabrielle Bonheur 'Coco' Chanel was a sensation within French fashion circles by the early 1920's and had an array of admirers, including some of France's most ' amorous' women. Chanel convoluted the roles of lady and mistress, and always had a playful disregard for social etiquette, so it was only right that she created a scent that epitomised her. She wanted to create a fragrance for the 'modern woman'.

Photo Credit: https://i.pinimg.com/originals

Much like her ready-to-wear designs, elements of Chanel's background were also present in the creation of her trademark fragrance. After the death of her mother, Chanel spent her teenage years in a Cistercian convent at Aubazine where cleanliness played a huge role and the smell of soap and sterility loomed in the air; these scents stuck with her for many years. It was therefore imperative that Chanels frangrance should incorporate the essence of freshness , however this was more difficult than it seems. In the 1920's the only way to create fresh fragrances was to use citrus such as orange, lemon and bergamot, which are wonderful on the nasal pallate ... but don't last very long when applied to the skin.

Whilst holidaying during the late summer of 1920 in Cote d'Azur with her lover at the time, Grand Duke Dimtri Pavlovich of Russia, Chanel learned of a perfumer called Ernest Beaux who had worked for the Russian royal family and lived nearby in Grasse (the centre of the perfume industry). Beaux was a creative craftsman, looking to test the boundaries and was intrugued by Chanel's requests. After a number of months he presented Chanel with 10 samples, numbering them from 1 to 5 and 20 to 24. She picked number five, and accordingly gave it the simple name 'no. 5'.

One crucial reason why Chanel was perhaps so drawn to Number 5, was Beaux' excessive use of the ingredient aldehydes, which smells a lot like soap and is often found in detergents, giving them their underlying lemony and 'clean' scent. The nose presented her with a visionary composition, reminiscent of her childhood in the convent by the unprecedented excessive use of aldehydes. 'For this new fragrance, she selected a bottle with a revolutionary design, adorned with a white label and topped with a faceted cabochon.' *

Chanel later said of the fragrance; "It was what I was waiting for. A perfume like nothing else. A woman's perfume, with the scent of a woman."

Photo Credit: https://yesterdaysperfume.typepad.com/yesterdays_perfume/2010/06/chanel-no-5-1921.html

During a lunch with Beaux and friends, Chanel sprayed some of the perfume around the table, and as they sat, ate and chatted, women were stopping to ask what the scent was. This was prior to it being released for sale, and it was at this moment Chanel stated that the perfume was going to be revolutionary; as it was quite literally stopping women in their tracks.

Photo Credit: https://www.thebigbook.co.uk/chanel-no-5/

'Jacques Polge, the Chanel nose since 1978, reinterpreted his predecessor's composition in 1986, to create a more voluptuous version of No.5: the eau de parfum.' *

So which n otes exactly is it that make up this 100 year old perfume? Well, it can be described as the following:

Top notes: aldehydes, bergamot, lemon, neroli

Heart notes: Jasmine, rose, lily of the valley, orris, ylang-ylang

Base notes: Vetiver, sandalwood, cedar, vanilla, amber, civet, musk

*paraphrased from chanel.com

An image of a Chanel No.5 bottle and atomiser from 1958, both from our Directors personal collection

To celebrate 100 years of the fragrance, Chanel have released a limited-editi on collection entitled "Factory 5." These 17 limited edition pieces resemble mundane household items, such as paint cans and tubes, which all encase body care formulas that have been infused with the no.5 fragrance. The reason behind chosing to encase the formulas inside packaging that resenbles a multitude of every day items was to illustrate the versatility of the perfume.

Thomas du Pré de Saint Maur; the brand's Head of Global Creative Resources for Beauty and Fragrance spoke of the reasons behind the packaging designs, and said the following: "By reusing these everyday objects, No.5 has subverted their functions, demonstrating once again that luxury is in the experience we have of things. Dressing these objects with the No.5 identity, they become luxurious, iconic products, while keeping their own designs ... whether it’s a tube of paint, a tea tin or a burette, all are universal, timeless objects that we have dressed in No.5’s visual codes so as to transfigure them."

Upon searching for these limited edition pieces on Chanel's website, you are invited to take part in an iteractive walk through of the items seemingly being made in a factory setting; very appropriate, for it perfectly resembles it's name 'Factory 5'.

Microchips introduced in Louis Vuitton Bags

Thu, 03 Jun 2021 15:49:35 GMT

Louis Vuitton have recently rid of the date codes inside their bags and small leather goods (SLG's) and have replaced them with microchips that are placed in the lining of the item

So what do we know about the microchips so far?

Louis Vuitton began phasing out date codes and introducing microchips in March 2021. Microchips can only be read by a specific app that only Louis Vuitton sales associates (SA's) have access to ... meaning that you cannot read the chip yourself. We also know that you cannot just go into a store and have them read the microchip of any LV piece; which leads us to believe that they are mostly going to be used to check the authenticity of items that are being returned or being sent in for repair.

What information do the microchips store? Well, as they are such a new concept, and LVMH are being extremely secretive about them, there isn't a huge amount of information that we can get hold of just yet.

However, based on what we know so far, the information they will likely keep is:

Date and Place of Manufacture
Date and Place of Purchase
Product Style Code
Who the item was sold to (customer information)
Description of the Item

*not an actual representation of the microchips in LV products; merely an artistic depiction

A common ques tion is whether Louis Vuitton will be able to track the owners of pieces that have a microchip ... and the answer to this is, we do not know! Although, it is highly unlikely due to the legal restrictions, based upon the fact that you have no means of consenting or revoking consent ... unless LV begin to ask you to sign an agreement that you consent to the tracker whilst you make your purchase!

Another point of controversy is the removal of the date codes; many buyers like to know the date and place of creation of their beloved piece, and many LV lovers will purchase pieces where the date code is a date of significance in their life; such as the birth year of their child, their own date of birth, or wedding anniversary; but the ability to obtain this information easily has now been removed.

Why have Louis Vuitton introduced this new feature? Well, the most notable answer is to prevent counterfeiting, by shielding themselves from people trying to return/send for repair counterfeit pieces, but also to prevent the over-buying of new pieces by specific individuals or companies for them to turn up in the resale market for a premium price (for a little more information on this, we discuss it in our Blog Post here ). It is likely that part of the reason behind storing information about who is buying products is so that they can monitor bulk buying (LV already have restrictions on the number of pieces that can be purchased by the same person each month). What LV want to crack down on, aside from counterfeiting, is the people who buy their pieces in large quantities in order to create a higher demand, and then re-sell them for a profit (above the RRP). LV are likely to blacklist individuals who have an alarmingly high purchase rate, and whom they suspect to be engaging in this sort of behaviour.

A point to note is that you won't be able to see the microchips, as they will be placed within the lining of the piece during it's construction. LV SA's will know where to locate them in each item, though, so that they are able to easily scan pieces when required.

Can microchips be counterfeited? Well, yes; a microchip can be placed within the lining of any bag and linked up to an app. However, as Louis Vuitton sales associates are the only ones with access to the app at present, it's almost confirmed that if you find somebody selling a 'Louis Vuitton' piece and showing you themselves scanning the bag using an app, then it is counterfeit. It is possible that the app may be released to customers in the future, and therefore anybody could have access to it; however certainly at present the only people with access are LV SA's.

Will the resale value change? Really - no, and definitely not in the long run. Louis Vuitton and the resale market could potentially see a demand for items that were made prior to the new feature in the short term, however LV is an established brand and customers aren't going to stop buying their products because of a change like this, therefore the value of their pieces is unlikely to alter for this reason.

How do you feel about all new Louis Vuitton pieces being fitted with microchips, and the end of the date codes? Is it a step in the right direction and a necessary move, or are you sad to see the date codes go, and if so, why? What if LV were to keep date codes AND microchips? Is one better than the other? Which is best? Have your say in the comments section below ...

Pictures via louisvuitton.com/eng-gb, mouser.co.uk, autonews.com, escomponents.com & nicolajanecouture.com

The History of the Louis Vuitton Speedy

Thu, 01 Apr 2021 15:31:03 GMT

An insight into the history of the iconic and world famous Louis Vuitton Speedy bag, how it rose to fame in 1965 and the different variations created along it's journey from 1930 to the present day

Louis Vuitton began as a luggage company in 1854 creating luxury trunks for the wealthy. The Speedy, originally named the 'Express', was released in 1930 as the Speedy 30. The number relates to the width of the bag, so the Speedy 30 measures 30cm across the width of the base. The bag was first released in plain canvas, until around a year later when it was then reimagined in Monogram. The Monogram design was developed, ironically, as a means of combatting counterfeitting, by Georges Vuitton in 1896 (son of Louis Vuitton, who replaced his father and took over the company upon his death in 1892). The Speedy was an homage to the travel era and based upon the aesthetics of it's predecesser, the Keepall. The Keepall was first introduced in 1924 and originally crafted from cotton canvas. The bags are of a rounded shape with two tubulor leather handles and a durable exterior. Both the Speedy and the Keepall were created to be roomy on the inside, yet maleable enough to fold down and be packed into a suitcase for travel. Their ductile composition means that they can be unpacked and reshaped with little effort, thus ready for use with haste.

The Speedy rose to fame in 1965 when Audrey Hepburn commissioned the Speedy 25 in monogram canvas. Hepburn requested the smaller piece as she wanted a mini version of the keepall, and a smaller piece than the Speedy 30, that she could easily carry daily.

Subsequently to the piece being commissioned, Louis Vuitton released the Speedy 25 into general sale, and it quickly became one of the most popular sizes. Not only this, it also became the iconic luxury staple that it is today. Hepburn was often seen wearing her Speedy 25, and after the success of Breakfast at Tiffany’s in 1961 she was a sought after actress and a role model for fashionistas; everybody wanted to copy her style, including the infamous Speedy. At the time, air travel was becoming popular amongst the rich and famous, and the elite were often on the go. The Speedy was therefore the perfect hold-all piece for this lifestyle. The Speedy was also available in sizes 30, 35 and 40 at the time.

Louis Vuitton introduced its first leather line in 1985, when Epi Leather was created and became the brand's first permanent collection of Leather bags, giving way to the Speedy Epi, which is now discontinued. An interesting fact about the Epi Leather version is that the bags are about 2cm wider than the classic Speedy. A Speedy 30 Epi will measure 32cm wide, rather than 30cm.

We have seen many variations of the infamous Speedy, as it has grown and developed over time, and each new Creative Director has introduced their own interpretations of the piece. Whilst the iconic shape has remained a constant, the design and size have moved with the times. In 2011, under the Artistic Directorship of Marc Jacobs, the Speedy Bandoulière was created (also referred to as the 'Speedy B'). Featuring a detatchable shoulder strap for cross-body and over-the-shoulder carrying, offering practicality and hands free wear. Also featuring a two-way zipper and available in Monogram, Damier Ebene, Damier Azur and Empreinte leather, the Bandoulière became just as popular as the classic Speedy.

2015, under Nicolas Ghesquières Artistic Directorship for womens collections, saw the introduction of puffier bag chaps (the leather sections that attach the handles to the bag) and stitching above the brass rivets. It was also the year that the internal slip pocket was adorned with a zipper. This was a point of controversy, however, as on the one hand the zipper provides extra security for personal belongings, but on the other, Louis Vuitton lovers and connoisseurs argued that the zipper reminded them of a counterfeit Speedy. 2015 was also the year of the reintroduction of the Nano Speedy, this time featuring a non-detachable shoulder strap, proving that the brand has obtained an understanding of how much their customers appreciate hands-free wear.

In 2017 the Speedy Epi Leather was re-released, however with a couple of changes. The grain of the leather was changed to run diagnally as opposed to horisontally, and more excitingly, it was realeased as a Bandoulière, meaning that it could be carried on the shoulder or as a cross body.

For the SS 2018 collection the Speedy Doctor bag was introduced, which has now been discontinued

The year many argue the Speedy, and the Keepall, were driven into an era of modernity and spectacle, this was the year Virgil Abloh was appointed the role of Creative Director ... 2018! Abloh, with his extensive creations incorporating unique designs, featuring bright colours and even revealing a shearling adourned Speedy B 30, he surely has given the iconic piece a futuristic twist.

Although, arguably even more contentious, Abloh has completely re-imagined the Keepall. With the introduction of the Keepall XS in his technical Pre Spring 2021 collection, Abloh unveiled a much smaller iteration of the iconic bag. The signature silhouette has been transformed into a minature size for daily wear. Measuring 21 x 12 x 9 cm, the XS is much more reminiscent of a Nano Speedy than it is the Keepall. Abloh didn't stop there when reimagining the iconic travel bag, he also unveiled the City Keepall, measuring 27 x 17 x 13 cm, although missing the classic top handles, the size certainly reminds us more of a Speedy B 30 than the Keepall as we once knew it.

Do you have a favourite Limited Edition piece or collaboration? Let us know in the comments section below

Currently the Speedy is offered in multiple designs, including the classic Monogram, Damier Ebene and Damier Azur, the Game On collection, Since 1854, LV x UF, Crafty, My LV World Tour and more ... plus an array of sizes.

The Speedy has been released in many Limited Edition versions, including those by Stephen Sprouse, Takashi Murakami, Richard Prince, Yayoi Kusama and Kansai Yamamoto.

Some seasonal variations include; Damier Cubic, Cerise Monogram, Damier Facette, Fleur De Jais, Graffiti, Jungle Dots, Limited Edition Space, Stephen Sprouse Leopard, Patches, Perforated, Summer Trunks, Mini Lin, Monogram Denim, Monogram Ink and Multi Colore Monogram. Some examples of which can be seen below...

Do you love the ever changing designs of the Speedy ... and the Keepall? Or are there so many that it has removed some of the iconic and classic stature of the pieces? Do you like the new Speedy-sized-Keepalls, or do you think that it has blurred the lines between the two pieces, and that they should have remained completely separate?

Have your say down below in the comments section ... we love to hear your thoughts!

Pictures via nicolajanecouture.com, louisvuitton.com/eng-gb, google.com

Price Increases and Selling above RRP

Thu, 25 Feb 2021 19:19:21 GMT

Why do fashion houses increase their prices so often and by so much, and are consumers tired of it? Plus, are consumers fed up of resellers selling sought after pieces for more than RRP, or are consumers actually to blame?

So it's no secret that fashion houses such as Chanel and Louis Vuitton increase their prices regularly, which understandably they have to in line with inflation in order to remain profitable, however when their prices are being increased multiple times per year, and on average by around 11% each time ... this is no longer just in line with inflation.

As consumers of these high fashion goods, do we just readily accept these price increases, or are we actually getting tired of saving up for our next piece, only to realise that the price has just increased by another £100?

Another point to touch on that goes hand in hand with the price increases is how fashion houses make specific pieces more difficult to get hold of by reducing supply and therefore increasing the market price of the product. A recent example of this is the Louis Vuitton Key Pouch, which peaked in popularity recently and was sold out for a long time. At the time the pre loved market was inundated with these pieces being offered at substantially more than the retail price (the RRP was £145). Louis Vuitton clearly spotted that this was occuring and boosted their supply, but also increased their price to £175. Similarly with the Multi Pochette Accessoires, the bag was priced at £1,350 and was completely sold out ... we could see them selling in the pre loved market for up to £2000! Louis Vuitton obviously watch these trends, understand what is happening and then react by increasing supply, and also the price. The Multi Pochette now retails for £1,500 and is readily available at LV online.

My Cles in 2017 cost me 'just' £125!

If you're patient then pieces become less sought after and begin to appear on the websites of the first line retail outlets again ... so is it actually the consumers fault for falling for the hype, over-buying and raising the demand so that prices get increased? Are consumers to blame because they want to get their hands on the new 'it' bag so badly that they are willing to pay £500 more than retail to own it whilst it's such a hot piece?

Should the focus therefore be placed more on classic, timeless pieces to invest in where the resale value is lower than the RRP, but due to regular price increases and standard inflation rates it means that these pieces can easily be sold on again in the future for a profit.

Take a Vintage Chanel Maxi/Jumbo for instance; the RRP of one of these bags new in 2021 would be £6510; however I purchased my vintage piece in 2016 for £2000, when a new one from the store would have cost me £4380 ... and now a vintage Chanel Maxi the same as mine would sell for around £3,200.

In comparison, a long standing bag crush of mine; the Louis Vuitton Palm Springs Mini Backpack (PSM) was previously retailing for £1,360. At the time of release it was over hyped by influencers and it sold out so rapidly that Louis Vuitton introduced a waiting list for the bag. At the same time the resale market was slowly becoming flooded with brand new PSM's selling for up to £2000! If we compare this to now, where the hype has died down and focus has shifted to other 'it' bags, they are readily available on the LV website again, however now you can pick one up for £1,490 (or £1,520 for the reverse), and the resale market has become stangnant with their sales, unless they are offered for less than retail.

This means that anybody that purchased one of these bags at the RRP with a view to sell for a profit will find that they are now actually going to make a loss ... and this will remain the case for the forseeable future as new 'it' bags are regularly released.

That's not to say that they will never again sell for above retail, though. Recently we saw the Fendi Baguette and the Dior Saddle bag from the late 90's rapidly become popular again after being worn by influencers ... however these bags took around 20 years to see a second spike in popularity, and as soon as the first line retailers get wind of one of their vintage pieces drawing this sort of attention they will react by quickly creating a 'reissue' ... an updated version of the vintage hyped piece ... which rapidly becomes the next 'it' bag and the vintage piece, although still performs well at resale, does not perform as well, or sell for as much as the re-issued piece.

It's all incredibly interesting (albeit often infuriating) to see the trends of pieces fluctuate and watch how customers, first line retailers and resellers react. On one hand it seems very unfair that pieces become over-hyped and prices get increased, meaning that consumers suffer. However, if retailers see the popularity of pieces increasing, they are inevitably going to react in a way that generates more profit for themselves ... they are profit-making companies, after all! This inevitably also has a knock-on affect with the prices we see in the resale market as the two are closely intertwined, and what happens with one, will always affect the other.

Let us know down below in the comments section what your thoughts are about this topic as a whole? Also let us know whether you've fallen for the hype and payed above retail, or whether you wait for the hype to die down before making a purchase, or alternatively if you stick to only buying classic and timeless pieces, rather than seasonal styles?

We love to read your thoughts and ideas ...

Pictures via nicolajanecouture.com, vogue.com, louisvuitton.com/eng-gb and chanel.com/gb

The History of Guy Laroche

Thu, 11 Feb 2021 16:07:57 GMT

An insight into the history of Guy Laroche the eponymous company and
French High Fashion Brand, and the man behind it all; Founder and Director Monsieur Laroche

Guy Laroche was born 16 July 1921 in La Rochelle, and died in 17 February 1989

Originally begininng designing and manufacturing womens headwear, Laroche later moved on to high fashion womenswear and opened up his first workshop at 37 Avenue Franklin Roosevelt, Paris

Laroche founded his couture label in 1957 with the vision of a comfortable, understated elegance for women that is both “refined and discreet”

In 1961 he moved to a townhouse at 29 avenue Montaigne, Paris, opened his boutique there, and introduced his first ready-to-wear collection.

In his first collection, Laroche reintroduced vibrant colors. His clothes also featured plunging neck and back lines with hues of pink, orange, coral, topaz, and turquoise throughout his designs

His creations, including the coat-dress and the shirt-dress, continue to be staple pieces in women’s wardrobes today

Laroche was one of the first designers to create seperates for the American market. Some of his designs included three peice suits. His creations often featured exact matching up of patterns running across seams, pockets and sleeves, showing the quality and attention to detail in his haute couture designs

In 1966, Laroche launced his first women's fragrance, entitled Fidji. In the same year he designed men's ready-to-wear and opened up his boutuque: Guy Laroche Monsieur

Laroche created a number of other womens fragrances, including Drakkar 1972, J'ai Osé 1977, Drakkar Noir 1982, Clandestine 1986, Horizon 1993 and Drakkar Dynamik 1999

In 2005, Hilary Swank won an oscar for Best Actress whilst wearing a Guy Laroche dress, which at the time was designed by Herve Leger Leroux

In 2017 Richard René was appointed the position of Creative Director. René previously worked for brands including Hermès and Jean Paul Gaultier

Another of the creative directors after Laroche's passing was Adam Andrascik; a Pittsburgh-born, London-based designer who graduated from New York’s Fashion Institute of Technology in 2006 and obtained a masters in fashion design in 2010 at London’s Central Saint Martins under the course director Louise Janet Wilson OBE

Andrascik previously freelanced for a number of labels including Gucci, Ralph Lauren, Jonathan Saunders, Proenza Schouler and Richard Nicoll whilst building his signature style that is described as sexy, elegant, sculptural and somber