This popped into my head about four or five years ago, and then about two years ago I found this video. It illustrates my opinion beautifully. ...But I'm still going to rant a bit:

The word designer appears in front of a lot of things, clothes, electronics, furniture, and everything else you can buy. I find it annoying. It doesn't actually mean anything. Everything you buy was designed by someone. Your Television, your socks, everything. And yet if it says Designer in front of it, they charge a bout twice as much. Let me tell you this. Knockoffs are just as good, look the same, and cost much less. Don't buy something that costs too much because some yuppy's name is on it. Buy the less expensive ones.

If you really like a specific designer, or designers, that's fine. Buy their stuff, but don't buy things because they are Designer whatever. It's just... stupid.

Designer = Brand names
So I'm just going to expand past where you left off, and into brand names in general.

Most things that are designer don't actually say "designer" they just are labeled with a brand name that everyone knows, and charge a lot more for the product.
Like Gucci or Coach.
On one hand, yes, several thousand for a bag is ridiculous.
But, Coach bags are very good quality (I don't know as much about gucci, it wasn't as popular at my high school...yes, I went to a high school with a bunch of snotty rich kids), as well as being very stylish.

Most sensible people know that when buying a brand name product, they are paying a premium for the "label." The thing about labels though is that's how people learn to trust a product.
For example, when I want mac and cheese, I get the blue box of "the cheesiest" macaroni and cheese by Kraft. I know it's a quality product, and I like it already. I don't know if I like random store brand's mac and cheese.

It's the same with shopping. If I want a good pair of jeans, I'm going to go to a brand that I trust that's more expensive even if the jeans from some random no-name designer at Target is cheaper by like $10-20. I know the jeans at Delia's fit me great, AND don't fall apart at the seems a couple years after buying them. So instead of spending less money, and chances are getting a less satisfactory product, I spend more money the first time and get some nice jeans that I know are a good product.

Making poor quality products reflects poorly on a brand name, because...lets say "laundry detergent".
Laundry detergent A leaves a slimy feeling on your clothes no matter what you do.
So you buy Laundry Detergent B. Which doesn't make your clothes smell good like you like.
So you go to Laundry Detergent C...and find it has all the requirements for laundry detergent you like. So you keep buying products by that brand name, hoping to find other products by them that meet your good standards, because of the brand name and the detergent you've previously bought.
Does that make sense?

That said, a truly smart and powerful consumer is an informed consumer. If you are planning an expensive purchase, like as with "designer" clothes, you should do research on the product first, especially if you've never bought something by that company or name before and weight the pros and cons. For example a con might be it's very expensive....but the plus is now you will have very fashionable jeans, that fit you great.

I mean, you're kindof arguing against yourself with your last statement.
Most people only buy brand name or designer products because they want to or like them. I mean why would I buy a Coach bag if I hated Coach or thought their products were poorly made? I mean, I could be wrong and the products are crap...But I know friends who would recommend a Coach bag more highly to me over something like a no name bag at some store.
I know that friends' and other people who have purchased this bag before love it, so, I'm pretty sure that if I buy this bag too, I will be happy with it.

People who blindly buy whatever label is in front of their faces are people who don't know how to manage money or aren't careful with it. But not all people who buy designer are buying blindly. A lot of people buy things because they've heard good things about this brand or that brand, if the product ends up being terrible, they have the power of word of mouth, to tell everyone they got a shitty bag. People are more likely to complain about a product, then comment how much they like one, and word of mouth is very powerful with brand names, because it's one name, for a whole line of products, and if you hear bad about one product by a brand, you might be more wary about buying anything else by them.

Edit: By the way, do you have the video? I'd like to see it.

I agree and disagree with the "knock offs are just as good" statement. I would never buy a brand I did not trust if it was something like a camera, art supplies, computers, cars, and other major purchases. Although, I think it's hard to find a car that was just put together by a random person in their garage. XD I buy Ford brand because I know they make good cars that won't break down on me. I avoid Doges because I've had two Intrepids and two Caravans break down on me and they were less than 5 years old. My old Ford Taurus however was over 10 years old and still ran awesome before someone decided to ram into it and destroyed it.

As for "designer" as far as clothing and associates go, most of the time the designer products are ugly as heck. I dislike Coach for that reason. I have yet to find a Coach product that I find to be cute; same goes for more "designer" labels. Personally I love the name brand Levis though. Their jeans fit me right and don't cling to my butt like "women's" jeans do. I never buy them full price though and always shop at thrift stores or just wait for a really good sale.

I buy whatever works for me. I don't see the point in spending $100 for a pair of pants that I am just going to wear out in a month or so. Same goes for most articles of clothing since I go through clothes pretty quickly. My take on the whole thing is that if someone wants to spend a few hundred on an ugly ass bag then that's their business. I'm just not one to spend money on something that I can get off label and cheaper.

As far as cars go, ford is not the equivalent of a "name brand" or "Designer" brand. Mercedes is. Jaguar is. Ford is the equivalent of buying the less expensive brand, since as cars go Fords don't cost that much. You actually just proved my point. Many of the more expensive (not German) brands break all the damn time. Fords are fairly durable, and cost thousands less.

And no most people don't buy the designer brand because they like it personally. Most people buy it, because it is the designer brand. The hot label. Nike makes crappy shoes that die in less than a year in most cases. My shoes, which are of a brand no one has ever heard of, have lasted three years. However people buy Nike, because it's "cool" to, and of course because they paid millions of dollars to sellout basketball stars in order to have their crap shoes endorsed by them.

You need to understand simple behavioral psychology, and marketing to really understand this, but frankly most "Designer" labels don't produce terribly good products. They're about equal to any other brand. Sometimes they're worse, because they spend billions on advertising. I own language learning software which is equivalent to Roseta Stone, but cost me 560$ less because they don't have a massive advertising budget. If you think that the name brand is better, because it is the name brand that's naive.

No, they probably buy Nike because they trust Nike, and Nike also makes "trendy" shoes.

Given the choice, between a shoe brand that you KNOW will be a good shoe, and a brand you've never seen before...which will you pick, even if the Nike or "name brand" shoe is $10 more expensive?
A shoe that might break apart in a couple days to weeks that you've never heard of, or a brand you know a lot about?

Marketing is all about trust, and you've got to trust the product that you're buying or you'll find a different product to fill your needs and wants.

There is nothing wrong with having things "designer" most of the time its random nonsense that people don't need anyway, if they're buying a coach bag because they need a bag, and are on a very tight budget, they're an idiot. If they're buying coach because they have the income to support it and they like and/or trust coach, why the hell not?

Designer products you buy, yes, for the name, but if you have the money, why not?
What else are you going to spend all your extra hard earned money on?
Unicorns and plastic surgery?

I agree with Mystic, it's their money to spend on whatever they want. But informed consumers fair better.
I don't buy anything from brands I don't know. I might write them down and look them up later, but generally I still to the products I know and love.
I only own one "designer" anything (if we're going by your more limited view), and it's an Ed Hardy dress I got for my birthday 2 years ago at $80- off because the store associate was sweet on me and the manager was his brother or something. xD;;

But in general, all brand name products are the same, you shell out a little extra for the label. But with that is a responsibility the company has to protect that label, and the hope they continue producing quality products.

Marketing is all about manipulation the term "selling ice cubes to an Eskimo" exists for a reason. XD I used to work in sales and some of that "training" carried over when I worked retail. Once a company knows it's audience, it can manipulate them and advertise in a way that will make the audience want to buy the produce. Which in the case with designer items, yes, they do manipulate their audiences into thinking their product is "cool" or "the product" to have. Top 40 music is an excellent example of marketing crap and people eating it up. Anyway, back on topic.

I was more using Ford as an example of a "brand" that I trust. It is a brand name, although I do not consider it a "designer" brand of car. The terms "brand name" and "designer" means two different things. Nike is not that bad unless you really overuse the shoes. Mine actually lasted years compared to my cheaper shoes. They were on sale so that's the only reason I ended up with them. Then again, that was back in the 90's. when things were not made a cheaply. Now a days it just seems like products in general are more cheaply made but that is a whole other topic.

Also with the label, if you buy "designer" in a department store, you are also paying for shelf advertisement, which is actually having the shelf space for the product and the use of the product name. That is why, let's say, Walmart brand items are going to be a lot less expensive than a "designer" or a bigger name brand item. Gotta love how many hidden charges are attached to an item if it is not directly produced by the store that is selling it.

Except, you don't shell out "a little extra" You tend to pay at least three times more. And once again, you failed to actually listen to what I said, or make an actual argument. Name brand stuff is not better. Marketing isn't about trust. It's about tricks. I would know since I've actually got experience there, and from what you've said, you don't. Do you know why a lot of fast food places have the colors yellow and orange in their restaurant? Those colors have a slight psychological effect that causes hunger.

People don't buy a name brand because they trust it. For that to apply they'd have to have been buying it for a long time, and had a good experience with it. Most kids who want Nike shoes, Italian sports cars, and Jeanco jeans have never bought any of those things obviously. They know nothing about the products except that they want them. I chose these things as examples because they all actually suck, but people want them anyway. And they only want them because they're Name brand Designer status symbols.

I do however find your informed capitalist attitude refreshing. Many people are trying to say that consumerism is evil, and frankly that's not true. I'm just trying to inform people with this thread. The Designer brand isn't always better.

As far as shoes go.

Nike, Vans, Adidas, all tend to fall apart really fast.

Sketchers I know for a fact are good, but so are a lot of brands you have never heard of.

Converse falls somewhere in the middle, they aren't really crummy, and they don't cost a giant ton of money. they're... honest i guess with their pricing. lol.

I'm not saying the name brand is always bad. I'm saying it's not always the best. Wigwam makes a much better sock, than Haines. Trust me... I kill socks like tissues if they're not Wigwam.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y3DZc98tf2o

I listened to what you said, I just don't agree, so I am trying to expand upon my points.

Marketing is about making the consumer trust you.
If they don't trust you, they won't buy whatever you're trying to sell them. If you repeatedly throw garbage at someone, then they will walk away and find someone else to sell them what they want.
Name brand products that I buy, I think are better than other name brand products or other products on the market. Why would I buy a product I don't think is good?

I buy name brands because I trust them. My mother used Tide when she washed my clothes, so now when I go to the store, I'm easily a billion times more likely to buy Tide over any other laundry detergent.
Same with the mac and cheese, and my sneakers (airwalks, baby, $10 at payless for 4 months of cute shoes before they break or wear down completely...cept in winter, they only last a month or two in that.)
Even if I'm being tricked, it's because they are "tricking" me into trusting them with my money...therefor I think it is all about trust.

I also disagree, trusting a product does not mean they have bought it over and over for a long time.
It could be as short a relationship as seeing a commercial, going to the store, picking up the advertised product, finding out it sucks, and never buying it again because...well, I don't trust that product anymore because it sucked!

"Most 'kids'" today who are oh, I want this car, or want that car, are not wanting it because it's a status symbol necessarily, chances are they have just been reading magazines that advertise those products, or their favorite TV character has that kind of car. They see the product, and are instantly flooded with the good feelings associated with that. So what is so wrong with them wanting to pursue that dream of a fancy Italian car?

I guess though I'm looking at the glass as half full, rather than half empty.



On the topic of "designer vs name brand"
Not all name brands are "designer" but it's the same concept, marking up to pay for the "namesake" of the product.
I was simply adding in name brands to expand the discussion a little more (like I said previously), because I don't spend my spare money on clothes, and I wanted to try and discuss this, and use examples.

Detergent isn't a good example. Off brands are rarer there than name brands.

Italian sports cars break if you drive them a little. They are crap. German cars are awesome. And in most cases they are less expensive. VW costs about the average for a car, but they don't die for over a decade in most cases.

You can't trust something you've never tried before. You are trying it out. If you try it, and like it, then you might trust it. Arguing that people trust things because of a commercial proves my point. They are trusting something they don't know because it's a name brand, or a "designer" brand.

The thing is, everything is designed by someone, and this fact renders the term mute. Designer eyeglass frames are no better than regular ones. the same is true of bags, clothes, shoes, etc. If you think that I'm wrong, you have only ever bought the designer ones, and are trying to validate your wasting money on a label.

Designers like Gucci, Burberry, Yves Saint Laurent ect create the styles which then is copied by the highstreet and mass produced. The production and cost of making designer brand clothes and high street clothes are probably the same- made in a factory in China. But items from the expensive fashion houses are more desirable as they are status symbols. Just like cars, a VW is great, I love my polo but I would trade it for an lamborghini any day. Why? Because it would be frickin' awesome to swan about in an lamborghini! It's powerful engine would be pretty much wasted on the ordinary mundane driving but it would still be super cool to own one.
I have a pair of Gucci glasses and they were uber expensive and I guess I could have brought a cheaper pair but I, like many others, enjoy having an ostentatious streak. There is no logic to it. The way I could sum it up for you is with this quote-

"Being well-dressed gives a feeling of inward tranquility which psychoanalysis is powerless to bestow." — Sebastian Horsley

A Lambo is too expensive to drive. The insurance has got to be INSANE. xD

I despite designer gear myself. Maybe the really glitzy stuff is worth the rediculous price tag, but I doubt it somehow. The stuff that gets sold to the ordinary people (not celebrities) is no better than a good quality brand, you are just paying an extra zero on the price tag for the name. and often stuff is utter crap with a logo slapped on it that suddenly entitles people to charge 200% more for it...

I was dating a guy when Calvin Klein stuff first got big in the UK. He was desperate to buy this t shirt (because he had esteen issues and thought people would think more of him if he had expensive clothes, but meh) This was just a plain white t shirt with the cK logo in black on the front and it was £20. This was some time in the 90s. This shirt was the biggest piece of tatt you ever saw, I refused to let him buy it, it was the kind of quality that you'd get off a market stall for £2. I put my hand inside it and you could see the colour of my skin through it it was so thin, the hem was puckered up on the sleeves, it really was a piece of junk.

People who blindly buy designer goods just because they are designer goods are crazy, particularly if they buy them simply because they have a big logo on them to make sure that other people can see they're wearing designer gear :roll:

I was looking at an article about Vicktoria Beckham's line of goods, wow that stuff is ugly. Monstrous prices for ugly stuff just because it has a footballer's wife's name on it!? The world has gone mad +_+

Originally Posted by jellysundae

I was looking at an article about Vicktoria Beckham's line of goods, wow that stuff is ugly. Monstrous prices for ugly stuff just because it has a footballer's wife's name on it!? The world has gone mad +_+

Don't forget she was Posh Spice of the Spice Girls. So maybe she knows what "posh" is? :XD I have no clue.

But I agree, I've seen her stuff. Monstrously overpriced *x*

Expensive sports cars break easily, and you have to import the parts when they do. they spend more time in the shop than on the road. They also tend to burn through gas like it's just breathing. I think they are a stupid thing to have as a status symbol.

PWEEP I don't think being a Spice Girl of all people would give you any reason to sell uber-expensive clothes :lol: I'm a Brit don't forget, I know a lot more about Posh and Becks than most people on here, she's just a pretentious WAG and the people who buy her stuff need their heads testing.

I can understand lusting after an item that you think is totally gorgeous and would just love to have even if it does cost 2 months wages.
But this?


It's so plain, it looks like something a kid might build from bits of cardboard!

O_O

Maybe I have just inadvertently stumbled upon who her designers are...

I know. In the clothing world, most of what "Designers" produce looks like what's already popular. And in some cases it's just downright ugly. I think some of them just go "Hm... this looks like crap, but I wonder how many thousands I'll sell, just because it has my name on it?"

Yeah it's like they're almost taking the piss, isn't it? Just how ugly an item can I put up for sale and have people still buy it...

My girlfriend love this designer called vera bradley. He stuff is all full of brightly colored paisley stuff, and random neon squigly lines and dots. It looks like the lining of a hippie's coat from the early sixties. But it's her favorite. XD blech.

Haha. That at least sounds like it's a style though, not just a name slapped on a piece of crap so you can charge 4 figures for it xD

My sister is obsessed with Radley handbags, but those are goos quality and I like a lot of them myself, but I'm so anti label that I'd feel self-conscious having something like that. I prefer to go the handmade route myself.

Originally Posted by sarofset

Detergent isn't a good example. Off brands are rarer there than name brands.

Italian sports cars break if you drive them a little. They are crap. German cars are awesome. And in most cases they are less expensive. VW costs about the average for a car, but they don't die for over a decade in most cases.

You can't trust something you've never tried before. You are trying it out. If you try it, and like it, then you might trust it. Arguing that people trust things because of a commercial proves my point. They are trusting something they don't know because it's a name brand, or a "designer" brand.

The thing is, everything is designed by someone, and this fact renders the term mute. Designer eyeglass frames are no better than regular ones. the same is true of bags, clothes, shoes, etc. If you think that I'm wrong, you have only ever bought the designer ones, and are trying to validate your wasting money on a label.

Detergent is a great example.
Just at my local Target I can find many different brands...and if I want a natural alternative, I can go across town to the organic store.
Some brands you can find in my local Target.
All, Gain, Oxi-clean, Tide & Tide Greenworks, Baby Magic, Arm&Hammer and Dreft and whatever Target's store brand, is.
Then you have to pick between liquid and powder, more expensive but more convenient "in wash dispensers" and if it's for delicate laundry, whites, colors, cold water, "sensitive skin" and ALL the different smells they have...or even unscented!
Plus all the brands I could get at the organic store if I wanted.
They're not that hard to find.

You're generalizing a lot. Aside from VW, what "German" cars are amazing?
Also, which Italian cars suck, and why? They all do? Even the little no-name companies?

The whole point of advertising is to make you trust a certain product and spend you're money on it.
If someone is trusting something they don't know simply because it's a designer or name brand, that's stupid...It's like going to a car lot knowing nothing about cars, and saying "Give me the most expensive!" That isn't about trust, that's just being lazy. You should know about the products you buy, especially anything expensive you buy. If you don't, you should learn. But if someone has the money for those products, and it's not a big deal. Why not? They like them? They have the money? They know they're just getting a name brand something, but it could be argued if it's a "name brand" and it's been around a long time, they could be doing something very very right.

Yeah, but I trust this brand to provide me quality. I don't know this other brand, so I'm not going to buy it.
I don't own any designer clothes.
My most expensive possession is my 360, or the $500 in my bank account for the holidays that I have nothing I want to spend it on. I don't spend a lot of money, and I usually buy the cheap stuff, but I buy the cheap stuff I've bought before, or the cheap stuff that I've heard good things about. The shoes I'm wearing right now, were $30 at Payless because I needed no-mark waterproof sneakers.
I like payless, most of their shoes are crap, but they're cheap and I beat up shoes anyway, expensive or not because I wear one pair of shoes nonstop almost for months.
My pjs? Free. got them from the bf.
My underwear, it's sexy underwear, because I fell asleep in 'em, so they were like $5. My tshirt was $14, but I got it at a theme park, so that's so be expected, I just really wanted a shark on my boob. And well, shit. It's no better than any product I could get for the same price. But...I liked it. I liked it and I like SeaWorld. I don't care if Shamu killed a trainer. The trainer probably pissed him off, poor whale. But I am going to be damned if I'm going to be criticized for what I choose to spend my money on.
I like this, and I like that. And if I have the money I get what I like. Even if it's a more expensive brand. I'm not going to spend my money on something I don't like or won't wear, simply because it's cheaper.

Have you ever heard, "You get what you pay for"? Now, I feel like quality products are rarer and rarer these days. So finding a really good product above all the rest is hard. so if I really like something, I'm going to stick to it, because I don't want to waste my money to find a product that may or may not exist.
It doesn't seem economical.

You've been making a lot of very accusatory and inflammatory statements towards me every time I disagree with you. Can you try pointing fingers less? It's kindof rude and a little hurtful to argue instead of debate. I'm not attacking you, am I? And if I am, I fiercely apologize. I'm trying not to say anything that maybe insult and/or hurt you feelings, but I also would like to present my point, and feel it has some valid claim.
Either way, I am once again done.

I agree with all of the above. Aka, what Monstahh has said. :lol:

I've been watching this debate since the get-go, so 'scuse me if I may appear as a little biased whilst suddenly thrusting myself into this debate. :ninja:

I feel like the OP is taking little into account save for this sense that Marketing is the devil and we're all too dumb to notice it by not buying German cars, or by not generalizing all Italian cars as bad and ignoring all that Italy produces in terms of automobiles. :lol: A bit absurd, isn't it?

Everything operates on a case-by-case basis in the consumerist world, whether you choose to realize that or not. Someone who owns a Gucci bag and who promptly wears the thing to shreds in a couple of weeks will certainly have a different experience than someone who buys the same exact bag in the same exact time frame and has it almost perfectly intact years later.

Whether pertaining to the conditions of mass-production or hand-made, every product, regardless of whether it's identical or not in appearance, is a separate entity unto itself. Consumerism prompts us to be good consumers and premeditate over purchases and assure ourselves of the quality of what we're purchasing before we do so, and that's all fine and dandy. Clearly Lady A's experience with her bag in my example may impinge on someone else's decision of whether or not they buy the same bag. Nevertheless, Lady B's experience may reinforce someone's thoughts on purchasing it.

Case-by-case. Can't always claim that a certain brand is corrupt or not. Black and white really doesn't apply to the merchandising frontier.

Knock-offs are not made as well as many designer brands. Higher-end designer brands of clothes can last a lifetime, and although some non-name brands can too, they're not always made to.

The way to do things is to buy name-brand and designer clothes... at thrift stores (or off of eBay). Then you pay a fraction of the cost, while getting the quality of a designer item. You just have to be careful they're the real deal and not a scam.

I mentioned in another thread that I plan to buy some Christian Louboutin shoes one day. I fully expect the shoes to last me the rest of my life. (I'm not getting anything seasonal or that's a fad, but something classic and timeless.)

@una- I bought a pair of Prada sunglasses a few years ago. Within two weeks of buying, I leaned my head down while they were on top of my head and they fell right onto the ground, getting two small scratches right in front of my right eye. I was so upset. I wore those glasses every day for about three years though, and will likely wear them again in the future.