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As we prepare for Mens Fashion Week Month have, here is a look from luxury brand Brett Johnson’s FF24 collection. We will get the lowdown on what Mr. Johnson has in mind for SS 25 at Milan Fashion Week.
Just when you thought the luxury handbag narrative could not get any crazier, it does. Now retail giant Walmart has entered the fray. The Bentonville discounter chain introduced a version of an iconic bag and social media has gone wild over the copy. Birkin handbags are suppose to be the exclusive domain of the rich and famous with buyers sometimes waiting for years to purchase the ultimate accessory. Walmart made getting hands on one, at least a sort of respectable fake, a bit easier with a dupe that looks almost exactly like the famous piece at a price of only $78. Given the recent headlines of heritage brands skimping on handbag craftsmanship, perhaps, maybe the “Wirkin” is worth the investment.
Once again the Franconian Landscape offers a film like setting. This time there is a feeling of being in as Ingmar Bergman movie.
Trends 2025
The Luxury HandBag Bubble could pop as buyers turn away from overpriced labels.
Quiet Luxury continues to make inroads but expect a consumer shift away from big brands.
Hyper Fast Fashion will continue to dominate the headlines and consumer wallets. The app shopping platforms show no signs of slowing down.
An easy one to predict, more brick-and-mortar stores will close.
Experience shopping will evolve, with more customers searching for expertise and personal retail.
Gender free style will slowly fade away as society shifts to a more conservative outlook.
Sustainable fashion, buyers are shopping based their wallets not their conscience.
Will young people go on the conformity road or more individualistic path?
The UNESCO World Heritage Site Bamberg, located in the Franconia region of Bavaria seems is a city that feels straight from an old location. Hilly scenes, Middle Age Architecture, Wooden fronts, narrow streets, it is no wonder the 80.000 inhabitant municipality is one of the prettiest in Germany. Good for a pub crawl, however, the famous Smoked Beer still needs to grow on me.
That orange bag is ubiquitous. The most downloaded app in 2024 was the low priced Chinese shopping platform TEMU. The low priced products have proven a success with buyers in uncertain times. This past October the Shanghai giant recorded 52 million downloads in the US. Offering everything from fast fashion bags to cutlery, Temu has lured customers away from rivals Shein and Amazon with its cut throat pricing and marketing to young customers.
Everything disposable is the “New Black. ” Hyper consumption lives to fight another day.
A luxury Before Tacky podcast episode from the past with the Italian based brand The Outlierman. Andrea talked about the ultimate driving addition for the motor dandy.
At the end of 2024, the Luxury Fashion Industry finds itself in a major predicament of its own making. Consumers have caught onto the game, now brands are bracing for the backlash. Buyers are no longer charmed by the “expensive” handbag and other accessories with sky high price tag.
The recent headlines report shopper fatigue for luxury goods. When a major newspaper reads “Death Spiral of Luxury Fashion” there is a big problem. In lock corporate step, houses evolved in Overpriced Zaras, neglecting quality for quantity, big fast profit over long term customer loyalty. Speaking to a colleague concerning these issues, he told a story of buyer’s remorse of people complaining about a certain top tier brand’s handbag coming apart at the seams after a few months of carriage.
It will be an interesting 2025 to see if the Luxury Fashion can regain its footing or continue on# a downward spiral. Only time will tell.
Milan mens fashion is not only about style. The guys give at the presentation give good face. It will be a pleasure to cover the menswear event again this winter.
Milan Fashion Week starts January 17th.
2024 is the year where less is more, nothing over the top. This gift guide is about keeping it down to Earth with style. Do not spend a fortune to give something nice this Christmas.
