Rewoven

Get that bag

Use case - and what we expect from products. Buying a product comes with expectations and when this product is expensive, these expectations might exceed what the product can actually deliver.

Below you can see a “brand new Birkin” that’s already shedding edge paint after just a few wears. Is this normal or a sign of low quality ? In the context of Hermes most will argue that it’s normal. Comments on this photo recommend the owner to get used to it.

If consumers complain about similar signs of wear in the context of Polene, the recommendation is to return the item and that it is a sign of low quality.

Which one is it now ? A normal sign of wear or an unacceptable indicator that a brand is suffering from declining quality. Could it be both ? Are Hermes customers less discerning or are Polene customers’ expectations not rooted in reality ?

We as consumers have certainly been wrapped into a comfy marketing blanket that allows everyone to make judgment calls without having any educational (academically, professionally, or autodidactically) background on the subject matter.

The Carl Friedrik briefcase that I have used, without babying it, has shown the same signs of wear as the Hermes and Polene bags pictured above. So it may just be a sign that edgepainting is quite vulnerable to friction and impacts, and has nothing to do with the actual quality of the product itself. In this sense, edgepainting is similar to the tire-wear on a new car, it will inevitably be the first point to show wear and require replacement/maintenance.

Another popular example is Rimowa suitcases which have attracted a different set of customers since the company joined the LVMH portfolio. It used to be a right of passage for a Rimowa owner to collect dings, dents, and scratches. However, in the first few years after the brand’s relaunch, the internet was oversaturated with videos from first-time buyers complaining about their suitcases getting dinged, dented, and scratched after just one flight. Some said that they expected a $1000 to be more durable - which is a fair point until you consider what the item is exposed to and how it is being handled. Similar to the Hermes - Polene example, two sets of customers had nearly opposing expectations and tolerance levels for what constitutes acceptable wear and tear.

You can look for these differences in customer expectations across every category. A non-fashion example is Google restaurant reviews in cities with high levels of tourism. It’s a surefire sign that a place is mediocre when you pick a place that has +1000 reviews and a rating higher than 4,3. There are exceptions to the rule, but tourists have just as much of a reference to judge local food quality as a first-time handbag buyer opting for something as mass-produced as Polene. The opinions are valid in both cases, but they lack the context to be considered a trustworthy representation of quality.

- Fabricateurialist -

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