The new line of Chanel accessories emblazoned with the 'Coco Chanel, rue Cambon, Paris' motif repeated into a pattern that covers the entire bag, bangle and swimsuit strikes me as odd given the current state of the economy. Conventional wisdom dictates that in tough economic times, logos and brash attention-grabbing details disappear and luxury becomes more discreet. For instance, in a recent interview with Imran Amed of Business of Fashion blog , Net-A-Porter founder Nathalie Massenet discussed the introduction of the discreet packaging option (as opposed to the online retailer's distinctive black and white packaging which has since become a status symbol in its own right). While the option was introduced for reasons unrelated to the current economic climate, she acknowledge's that the timing could not have been better.
In fairness to Chanel, perhaps this motif was approved and sent to production before the harsh reality of what is likely to be a deep and far-reaching recession set in. Still, while I'm hardly one to critique someone's soft spot for the finer things in life, I still think that when surrounded by fear, uncertainty and general misery, displaying one's wealth may not be the best way to go about things. What do you think?
Sincerely,
The Luxe Chronicles
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