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Correct me if I’m wrong, but I am fully convinced that if Gucci put their logo on a used toothbrush and listed it as Vintage-Bristled Brush with Spit Marbling, someone in the world would buy it in a heartbeat.
Brand names hold a shocking amount of influence in contemporary fashion, even down to the most mundane pieces. Buy a jacket from Costco, then tell people it’s Target. Buy a jacket from Target, then tell people it’s an Aritzia dupe. Everyone wants the appearance that their closet is nicer than it is — but why is nicer synonymous with more expensive? It’s because of designer brand influence.
I am well aware that, as college students, the world of designer products is entirely beyond our tax brackets. Many of us are left fumbling with empty wallets after the holiday season alone, so indulging in designer products is a whole different type of luxury most of us cannot afford. Regardless, we cannot escape the idolization of owning designer.
Even if you have never desired a Prada bag or Louboutin pumps personally, we are taught to want such luxury from an extremely young age. I bet you can name at least five designer brands based on their logos despite not owning a single thing.
We are taught to know, to remember, to recognize these brands because they are portrayed as nice, as glamorous, as irrefutable proof that you have financially succeeded. After all, if you own Versace, it means you can afford Versace.
Designer brands are held to such a high pedestal that nobody bats an eye when they produce a product that is batshit crazy.
For example, Lelo, a sex toy company, sells a G-spot vibrator made from 24-karat gold. A golden vibrator. For $15,000.
Or if that isn’t enough to convince you, Tiffany & Co. recently released a sterling silver ball of yarn — not functional — in their Everyday Objects line. This sells for $10,500.
The production of these ridiculous items begs an important question: Who is actually buying any of this?
Niche designer products appeal to those who want novelty and can afford the cost. The issue with this, however, is that every item does not need a designer version. I can almost guarantee that there is no difference in product performance between a regular vibrator and a solid gold one. Not to mention that even the wealthiest person in the world probably hasn’t desired a golden vibrator — at least, not until the product was made.
This production of unnecessary designer products — unnecessary meaning that the nonluxury version works perfectly fine, like regular vibrators and yarn made of yarn — encourages mindless consumerism.
People buy things they don’t need all the time out of boredom, therapy or need for a distraction. The difference between everyday mindless purchases and splurging on designer items, though, is thousands upon thousands of dollars. This constant fixation on luxury — especially toward trivial items — is detrimental to conscious spending.
Your money is your money, and you entirely control where it is spent. If you want and can afford luxury items, then by all means, buy what brings you happiness. But I urge you to consider next time: If the item wasn’t luxury, would you still want it? Do you like keychains on your purses, even if it wasn’t Coach? Would you pick high heels over flats, even if the heels weren’t Balenciaga?
America has this inherent need to prove self-worth with money. The more you can buy and the more that you own, the more value you have as a person. As much as I’d love to say that this cycle will stop and that our worth will no longer be determined by our wallets, the production of these ridiculous luxury products is proof that there is still a market for unnecessary spending — proof that money just might buy happiness at the slim price of $20K.
Reach Emma Souza at letters@collegian.com or on Twitter @_emmasouza.
