Immaculate Fashion: Can luxury objects ever be altered?
Why are we afraid of mistreating our luxury items?
Text: Emiliano Villalba
A few weeks ago, I saw a post on X (formerly Twitter) claiming that if Jane Birkin were alive, she’d be one of those people who wouldn’t hang a Sonny Angel on her Birkin.
In response, someone pointed out that, in fact, Jane had inspired the creation of that bag because she needed to carry and hang many things at once, including a keychain much like the ones we see today (if you'd like me to tell the full story, let me know and I'll make a podcast about it).
For a long time, it was believed that hanging, editing (not to say mistreating), or wearing out luxury items was a fashion crime. However, these actions have become increasingly popular on platforms like TikTok and Instagram, showing both younger and older generations with bags overloaded with keychains, charms, and other accessories. The favorites? Fendi, Hermès, and others. This trend is known as Bag Charm.
Join the community and let me know if you'd like me to talk about the Bag Charm trend!
Beyond hanging things you like on your bag, the act of owning, using, and even wearing out these items made me wonder: should luxury objects remain flawless in the eyes of others? And if so, who taught us that luxury items must always stay new, shiny, and pristine?
The answer, as pessimistic as it may seem, is simple and clear: fashion media, mainstream culture, and the fashion system have instilled in us the idea that these objects are like immaculate jewels, meant only to be displayed in elegant wardrobes that resemble museum shelves.
Moreover, these three cultural elements have influenced us to believe that a luxury product loses its value when it becomes unpresentable—or, in other words, when the item is dirty, scratched, damaged, broken, or worn out.
Who determines the value of the garment? Easy: the recent wave of luxury second-hand buying and selling, which is estimated to generate $7 billion globally and, according to Statista, is projected to reach around $15.4 billion by 2028. That’s a lot of money.
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