Luxury goods are all around us these days. Whether it’s the newest Apple iPhone 12 Pro, a Canada Goose Jacket, or a Louis Vuitton scarf — a brand name will catch everyone’s attention. But how did it get this way? Staff Writer Grace Olsen explores the intersection between fashion and art and endeavours to answer the question: Do we put too much emphasis on name brands?

Two summers ago, I visited New York City alone for the first time. I had just graduated high school and so my parents thought that it was finally time to let me go explore the city on my own. 

Among my destinations was the Metropolitan Museum of Art, better known as the Met. That year, the spring exhibition, and the Met Gala, centered around the theme “camp.”

No one really knew what “camp” meant but everyone loved seeing their favorite designers produce exotic designs for celebrities to wear on the red carpet. Some of these outfits would make it into the exhibit itself for millions to walk by and gawk at. 

Of course, now people know what camp is. But before they did, they had to just call it “art.” Name-brand designer companies had produced some of the strangest pieces anyone had ever seen. Enormous, wearable flamingos, funky color block, and way too much tulle. But people loved it. 

The prestige of these luxury companies is driven by historical significance and, not always, notable designs.

The esteem of a brand comes from a company’s symbolic and functional values. The functional value is derived from the attributes of a brand that other brands cannot offer. Because fashion is an art, functional value is the unique experience the designer encapsulates in a design that impacts the consumer deepest. 

On the other hand, the symbolic value is a merit specified to the brand by the consumer. With great symbolic value, a brand is the epitome of desire. The prestige of a designer line and the acquisition of a designer piece is a symbol of monetary affluence and success. Symbolic value is defined by a name brand’'s zeitgeist, economic and artistic values. 

175 years ago, luxury house brand Loewe was established in Spain. The brand was curated and developed by a group of craftsmen and a singular merchant, Enrique Loewe. Loewe quickly grew to prominence in the region and catered to customers like the late Queen Ena. 

Loewe was not alone in its endeavors to dress the Queen. The clever, covetable designs of the company are among some of the oldest luxury designs of the world. What set Loewe apart, however, was Enrique Loewe’s desire to capture the zeitgeist of his label in the designs of Loewe. As he captured the spirit of the age, the prominent members of society took notice. The brand fit the aesthetic of the time and it was desirable. 

Few brands hold the same level of historical significance as Loewe. Roughly a dozen luxury name brands stick out among the others. They are rooted in tradition and consistently provide classic, unique and out- of- the- box ideas. 

Like Loewe, Louis Vuitton has long led the world of fashion. The brand has also used the same classic design on its products since its beginning. The signature “LV” printed across various leather goods is a status symbol and is an emblem of renowned value. The print can be recogniszed by virtually anyone and costs a fortune. 

However, the symbols established by the brand are easily replicable and for that reason, have begun to deteriorate in prestige. “Dupes” or duplicates of Louis Vuitton and other luxury goods can be found all over the internet. Many of these dupes could easily pass as the authentic brand. The rise in popularity of dupes has proved crushing to the industry as more and more “regular” people begin to acquire the brand’s goods. 

At the end of their sales period,  Louis Vuitton burn or destroy any unsold goods not sold in order to avoid price deflation. Louis Vuitton never marks their items on sale or clearance and prefers demolition to dismantling prices. 

So, does Louis Vuitton still hold the same value it did before? Maybe. The monetary value of their products remains the same, despite the arrival of fairly accurate dupes. On the other hand, the symbolic value is beginning to deteriorate as more and more people begin to tote around LV stamped luggage and bags. 

Most long-lived, designer- name brands are forms of art. The designer collections channel the inner genius of the company’s lead designers and are showcased at some of the finest exhibits around the world. 

“Camp: Notes on Fashion” was a highly quixotic display of fashion as an art back at the Met Gala in 2019. The outfits worn by esteemed guests made their way to the “Camp” exhibit in the Met and stayed for a year. Many of the costumes came from notable designers like Gucci and Chanel. Unlike a typical design from these companies, these costumes were one of a kind. No man on earth would be able to replicate the beauty of the pieces. This is where the symbolic function of a brand skyrockets. 

High- profile features and unique designs have paved the way for designer name- brand success and have made them deserving of the immense value behind the name. Fast fashion name brands on the other hand do not deserve the clout. 

Brands like American Eagle and Banana Republic have long decked the wardrobes of teens and young adults around the globe. These brands are dominant to generic Walmart or Target products but still do not have the same glitz as a designer brand. The hype for these brands is a waste. 

People associate these types of name brands with quality. That simply is untrue. Comparing the materials tag on the inside of generic and non-luxury name brand items, the quality is virtually identical. The products are produced in the same location, with the same materials and same quality of labor. The only difference is the logo in the front or the tag in the back. To make things simple, they are overrated and not worth it.  

So, the next time shopping, consider the following: what value does it hold, is there any historical significance and what will this do that other goods cannot? A brand deserving of its name will answer those questions and go on to create more. Where did the idea for the design come from? How did they do it?