How To Buy Luxury: A Shopper's Guide

In my discussion with Dana Thomas about her book Deluxe, How Luxury Lost Its Luster, it became clear that one of Dana's problems with the industry (her book is mostly a collection of ancedotes which, despite being entertaining, leave the reader to figure out the greater thesis on their own) is the feeling that standards have dropped. As proof, in her book she uses the example of a pair of Prada trousers that ripped, then ripped again, and yet again, when she put them on.

I bought a pair of thin cotton-poplin cropped trousers at Prada for $500. I put them on, and the gentle passing of my foot ripped the hem out. I put my hand in the pocket, and it tore away from its seam. I squatted down to pick up my two-year-old, and the derriere split open. I hadn't had those pants on ten minutes and they were literally falling apart at the seams. I mentioned this to a former Prada design assistant. "It's the thread," he told me. "It's cheaper and breaks easily."

I must say that this sounds like a remarkable bit of bad luck. I have never had any trouble with my Prada purchases, though a leather jacket I bought for my husband at Gucci began shredding on the shoulder. When we took it back to Gucci, they recommended we take it to the leather workshop they use in Fitzrovia, London. At the workshop they said that the leather was too thin and never should have been used. Gucci still refused to refund the money, possibly because it was a sale item.

But are two examples proof that standards have recently begun dropping across the board? It's hardly a scientific sample. Dana says that other makers are trimming inches off of their sleeves and removing the linings all together, but doesn't name them which seems an odd way to support one of the theses of her book. I would argue that standards have been dropping for years. And as proof I could offer up vintage pieces of my mother's and grandmother's. Cashmere sweaters from the 1960s without a single pill. Coats from the 1930s with all the original buttons still intact. Is it the mass appeal of luxury labels that has led to a decline in standards or a larger, global trend involving all consumer goods? I think the later. But what do I know? I drive a 1966 car, so I am clearly biased. In any case, I do think that within a luxury brand there are items which are more made with more care than the others -- be it intentionally or not (a new producer may be to blame, for instance). There's the commercial collection, made to sell in the bucket loads, and the really expensive flagship pieces that were probably shown on the runway, but there are also experimental pieces that might involve new and unproven techniques. So, if you're not a market editor, how to know which to buy?

If quality is your only concern, here are some of the standards I use. Bear in mind that these things can work as well in picking out items at H&M as they do at Prada. And please contribute your own tests so this guide can grow.

1. The fabric test. Grab the cloth and squeeze it in your hand. When you let it go, is it a wrinkled mess or do the creases fall out? A good fabric won't crease easily. Test the lining as well. A true luxury item will have lining of silk or something that feels similar -- not coarse nylon.

2. The buttonholes. This is a pet peeve of my mother. A buttonhole sewn by hand will have neatly aligned tiny stitches. A mass produced one will have large gaps between each stitch. Working buttonholes on the sleeve are also a sign of a luxury coat or jacket.

3. Generally speaking, men's clothing is made to a much higher standard than women's. But how do you know if your designer suit, that costs nearly as much as one from a Savile Row tailor, is made to the same standards? Men's wear designer Jsen Wintle gave me some pointers. Feel inside the armpit to see if there's a ridge where the canvas was sewn in. No ridge, and it's a glued canvas -- a mark of a mass produced suit.

4. Also, the trousers -- Are they lined? How far down the leg does the lining go? Is their a coin pocket in the front? Do the back pockets button?

5. Turn the garment inside out. If you want to see how much workmanship has gone into something, look on the inside for hand stitches, finished hems and the like. (Learning to sew can teach you a lot about buying clothes.)

6. Handbags -- is the lining of suede or cotton? Suede is generally the mark of a luxury bag. Details like rivets on the bottom to protect it from the floor earn extra marks.

7. Know your makers. Tom Ford and Gucci suits are made by the Zegna factory. Prada produces the shoes for Alaia. The cost of these goods may vary widely according to brand but that doesn't mean the quality is vastly different.

8. Details. Are there many? Are they off the shelf or more unusual?

So what if you find something that you love and it passes none of the above tests? Is it not luxury? Dana would argue that it isn't. I would say that luxury is in the eye of the beholder. If you love it, if you want it, does it really matter if the buttonholes were sewn by hand? The quality of these goods may falter because of the fashion risks a house is taking. Italian craftsmen confronted with a lucite heel might not know the best way to put it on. But that pushing-of-the-envelope is part of what you're paying for when you're buying a luxury item today. If pure durability is what you're after, you're best off staying away from luxury. Afterall, those Manolo Blahnik's weren't made for walking. If you want something that lasts and lasts and lasts, I'd recommend Levis, Doc Martens and a Morris Minor.