logo-fashion

Chanel 2.55

A while ago I asked people their thoughts on logo-fashion. I thought it was interesting to hear what people had to say. Thanks for the participants!

What do you think of a logo with a heritage? Does it have more substance to it because of the story of ‘heritage’ behind it? (such as Louis Vuitton or Chanel etc.)

”A logo with a heritage has has more substance because so many people can automatically connect a lifestyle to it--I suppose that's the reason so many new companies strive to resemble Chanel and LV-for example Michael Kors. Check out his bags and logo-reminds you of LV.”

”It gives a more believable image and is more reliable: if we know the story and history behind the logo, it is much easier to relate to it, and we can also use the logo to give ourselves a certain image.”

”Common sense suggests that there is no substance in any logo at all, not depending on the amount of heritage it has.”

”If the heritage is strong then yes. I expect more quality of the products but if the owner the the logo has changed much from the starting point my trust in it fades a little.”

Do you think an accessorie can be seen as a social symbol or a code? And if so, how?

”Of course, certain styles of accecories can definitely be a dress code, for example if your friends or people you want to relate to have a certain style, you can relate to them by dressing in this "code".”

”Yes, Definitely-Hermes Birkin, Rolex watches, bentleys. All identify with wealth. A high-end luxury company is selling more than just a good quality product but a status symbol.”

”Both probably but more to represent you to the world and other people. You can show more of your thoughts trough accessories without saying anything. Though when people just buy what is in still without thinking much else it kills that idea.”

The traditional concept of logo-luxury is starting to seem ‘old’ in the evolvements of fashion and the emerge of New Luxury. (NL consists of other values, such as memories, experience, personal creativity, small details, materials and natural lifestyles) Do you think that logo-luxury can still survive in the current post-crisis fashion?

”For some time, yes, but I do believe the focus of logo-luxury will gradually shift into developing countries and will be replaced by a search for true individuality in the western countries.”

”I'm not sure. In a way "logo-luxury" gives out connotations to "chav". Could logo-luxury be suffering from inflation?”

Can a social status still be expressed through New Luxury?

”Yes, logos do not need to be in-your-face anymore, a certain level of luxury items and/or materials can represent a certain level of social status, for example if you wear genuine leather, well-fitting or tailored clothes, cashmere, silk etc, you can be deemed a perosn of high social status without having logos to go by.”

”Yes it definitely can-The difference between people who shop at Neiman Marcus and Opening Ceremony. Both sell high end products but with completely different concepts. It's like Upper East Side and Soho, NYC.”

”If the NL is well made and designed and kept available to the rich it has all the possibilities being regarded as high class status-symbol. The quality off the materials and handwork gives the product away instantly as a high status-symbol.”

”Yes, possibly. For example the preference for certain materials such as high-quality wool, cashmere and leather expresses a person's social status; she is financially capable of preferring specific materials in her wardrobe. Similarly buying tailor-made clothes expresses one's social status: I can afford this.”

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I have recently done some research on logos and accessories, especially bags. It is a very interesting subject, because of the contrasts a bag can perceive. On one hand, a bag can be a common utility item and on the other, it can be seen as a superior status symbol. The text below is a short recap on the subject.  

Visual signs, such as clothing, accessories and logos can demonstrate one self being an excellent part of a society and worthy of social love, and in a closer observation, to show the desired social status of oneself.  The significance of accessories in fashion has increased throughout the 20th century and flourished in the advancements of the millenium. Most often, bags and the developments in society have travelled hand in hand through time. In many various eras the bag has taken its place as a reflection of social values, women’s position and other social developments in the Western society. The handbag has also repeatedly mirrored women’s ambitions and occupations. Through out its history in the 20th century, the bag has been a heated topic of conversations and and a subject of intense consumer desire, as well as the represantation for various fashions. 

Different societies and their fashions are filled with numerous signs and symbols. Many visual signs are communicated by dress. The discourse of the dress in a social context is connected to identifying, classifying and describing self identities. From the perspective of symbolic interaction theory, individuals aquire identities through social interaction in various social, physical and biological settings. So conceptualized, identities are communicated by dress as it announces social positions of both wearer and observers within a particular interaction situation.

 The constitution and the understanding of self identities are always connected with the surroundings and other people in it. In order to percieve a self image, one needs to reflect on the particular setting and look through the eyes of others. Self identities connect a person to others in society, but also disconnects from it. This indicates the individual and oppositional aspects of an identity. An individual can occupy a number of social positions and hence can have a number of identities that contribute to the total configuration of the self. 

Communicating through appearance can be seen as a primitive humane characteristic. It can help the self, as well as others, to observe, recognize, comprehend and then to appreciate or disapprove one another. Contemporary fashion is a significant and a socially communicative phenomenom with representations and endless definitions. In the context of status bags, the meaning of communication is dependent on the recognisable elements, which can describe historical prestige, economic worth, superior taste and social acknowledgement. One can argue, that it is possible to distinguish a self identity through a logo and with the values it represents. In the case of the status bag, identifying with the luxurious values and the superior social caliber can place the bag’s carrier into a socially higher scene than their natural one, but this can be also a fictional event and only in the mind of the carrier. This can mean that any tangible change in the ”betterment” of their self identity by purchasing a status bag, stays imaginary.

The lavishness of a status bag is connected to the desire it arouses. Social theorist and philosopher Gilles Lipovetsky says, ”Competition for social recognition and the desire to gain advantage over others lies at the heart of extravagance.” This is also often the reason that luxurious status bags have long been the subject of intense consumer desire. Making sense of the influence of the logo and the connection to identity is a combination of ventures in fashion, as well as in social theory and history with many agents and proccesses.