Is Coach Like McDonald’s? Also, Socialite Style

Hello-Hello everyone, what a scrumptious day here at the Prepatorium, despite an early trip to the HOP (House of Pain, aka the dentist) the day still sparkles. Is it bright and beautiful where you are? We ardently hope so, it is good for the soul.

We start with a little something we have been meaning to share for a few days, a look at one of “The Big Money” columns as run by Reuters last week: “Coach is Now Traveling Coach.”

“… fashionistas who prefer Hermès and Louis Vuitton dismiss Coach as gateway luxury. A competitor called it the “McDonald’s of luxury” and one fashion blogger asked during Boom 2.0 whether it is “the scheming social climber of the handbag world.”

Ouch!

Courtesy Photo

The story by Jill Priluck is focused more on the new Poppy line from Coach, most recently discussed in this forum here (with lots of pics!) and here (very brief) last month. More from the story:

“”Even the occasional luxury buyer shuns the brand: “I don’t want to carry the same bag as a 15-year-old,” said a 37-year-old mother from New Jersey.””

However, while Ms. Priluck’s story allows some to bash the retailer, she does not.

“And yet by all measures, Coach operates with exceptional savvy in the fast-changing, embattled fashion industry.”

Below, a collage featuring pieces from the new line not accompanying the article.

The story is a fascinating look at where the brand has been, and where it’s going. We highly recommend it.

Has anyone bought things from the new line? Looked at it in stores? Love it? Hate it? Unsure? Do tell, we are all dying to hear!

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Other morsels and meanderings today include a reminder about the wonderful work being done by the incredibly-generous Prep-E Girl on behalf of our four-legged friends.

Miss Erin has started a new blog, Puppy Love by Erin, with a ‘higher purpose’ than most blogs, including this one. Erin is raising money so she can sponsor a puppy in the Puppies Behind Bars program, a $3000 undertaking.

And how is she doing this? Because Miss E is one talented prep, she is making and selling handcrafted dog collars in all sorts of fabulous fabrics and materials. Below, a shot of the stylish Jake modeling one of the collars in an outstanding madras, very chic.

Erin is requesting a $20 donation for each collar, very reasonable IOHO.  We want to do what we can to help out, and this is our first step, simply sharing information about Erin’s efforts with our friends here in the Preppy blogosphere.  Our next step will be more tangible, but that will be just ‘tween us and Miss Erin. 🙂

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We share another bit of linkage now that we keep meaning to post, a wonderful story the folks over at the Refinery 29 Blog did in June.

From Babe to Brill: The Evolution of Socialite Style

The story by Kelly Hoffman really needs to be seen because of the superb graphic layout detailing styles decade by decade.

“Socialite, social, society—the words may change, but New York has always had its crowd of well-heeled women who never fail to bring the wow factor to a good party. But today’s toniest group of Tribute wearers weren’t the first pretty young things to light up a room (and cause a scandal or deux).”

Babe Paley, Nan Kempner, Carolyn Bessette Kennedy, Tinsley Mortimer and Lauren Santo Domingo are a few of the women featured. As you can surmise, the story is another fun read we suggest one might want to find time for!

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Finally, we sign off with a darling photo we were emailed by the inimitable Jen at When Pigs Fly:

Cotton Candy Flip Flops at PreppyPrincess.com

We’re very impressed by the lovely pedicure seen on those toes, our Cotton Candy flips are honored to be used merely to accent that elegance and beauty! (Heh-heh.) At any rate, Jen managed to find time to take the picture while in the midst of a horse show this weekend, talk about multi-tasking! (You can read more about the show here.)

We mentioned a fun feature to Jen that we are starting at the Princess shoppe, and she jumped on it, getting that image of the twinkletoes seen above to us despite her extremely busy weekend! Simply put, Pictures from a Preppy Planet (that is our goofy working title for our endeavor) asks our charming customers to send us a picture(s) showcasing their Princess merchandise in action.

We have our top IT Folks on this (exactly, The Consort) project, creating a special page for the pictures on the shoppe’s website. Because we are sensitive to the need for anonymity, we realize not all customers can show the products in use with a person. But photos like the one above are ideal, just perfect!

Best of all, anyone submitting a picture that we can use receives a 10% discount code to use at the Princess for a month, it seems only proper to say “Thank You” to those sharing their fun!

Until next time, happy day!

The Louis Vuitton Bag with 8 Handles (That You Can’t Buy)

ello-Hello and welcome to another wild week here at The Prepatorium.

It has been so frenzied we were forced to call in The Princess Consort, disturbing his plans for the ‘weekend.’ And didn’t he do a marvelous job on Preppy Khaki, not to mention his find of the “Kill a Prep” shirt for sale!

Regular readers know The Princess is not a fan of the majority of Louis Vuitton’s offerings; something to do with a bad case of LogoPhobia that seems to ramp up when she’s in close contact with some of their goods. That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t see all of the new things we do, allowing you to make your own informed purchasing decisions. For example the Murakami Monogramouflage Speedy 35 Bag Limited Edition. (Actually the first bag does not qualify as a ‘new,’ topic; P is a little slow on the trigger!)

Most of you won’t be surprised to read it is not a handbag you will see draped over our wrist. (Or clutched in our hands either.) The fact it is the “Latest Creative Genius of Takashi Murakami and Marc Jacobs for Louis Vuitton” was not something we were aware of, but if one managed to take their AntiLogoPhobiac Attack meds, and overlook the mottled logos amid the mottled camouflage theme and simply look at its lines, they are classic. BTW, TP thought the Monogramouflage denim line was set to disappear the 13th, as in yesterday, but we still see it online, so if it’s something you desire, we recommend moving rather rapidly to make the acquisition.

This brings us to the very unusual maneuvering by these same good folks regarding their celebration honoring the 30th Anniversary of Louis Vuitton’s presence in Japan. To mark that occasion the company is opening a ‘pop-up’, or temporary store in Tokyo from September 4th through December of this year.

That’s not what is unusual, it seems everyone is adding the “Limited Edition Store” (our term) model to their marketing portfolio in addition to the proliferation of Limited Edition apparel, shoes, jewelry, accessories, vehicles, you-name-its, etc. What is interesting, at least here at PreppyPrincess intergalactic HQ, is the Collection of six bags can only be purchased at the special temporary store in Tokyo. One is shown above. We share two more just below, described as “party bags with oversized leather handles.”

We think that ranks fairly high on the ‘limited buying options’ meter. No internet orders, no orders by telephone, that’s it. You buy the bag at the pop-up store located inside Comme des Garçons, in Tokyo.

In return, customers will receive a certificate inside a special card holder in Louis Vuitton’s traditional natural leather, embossed with the Louis Vuitton at Comme des Garçons signature. Only several months later will their bag be delivered to their chosen Louis Vuitton store.

That’s from the snooze news release. So it would seem these are limited indeed, if not in number (which we’re quite sure they are), but in point of purchase locations.

So you can buy posters of Japanese girls carrying LV bags.

Or you can buy a book, Louis Vuitton Japan: The Building Of Luxury for a very small investment.

But you can’t buy these:

Or this.

Unless you (or one of the household or office staff) physically buy it in Tokyo. So if you need to make travel arrangements, a reminder on the dates for the temp-o-store: September 4th through December. Should you find the opportunities for purchasing the bags not to your liking, the best The Princess can suggest is contacting Louis Vuitton Grand-Pooh-Bah Marc Jacobs.

For an extraordinary behind-the-scenes look at LV in France, Bag Snob is the place to be. Tina has outdone herself on this one, with photographs of the studio, the home and so much more. Click here to be transported to the fabulous post, Heritage and Tradition: The Legacy of Louis Vuitton.

Something that you *can* do and fairly easily: toddle on over to NBC’s site if you are a fan of the television show Heroes, because you don’t have to wait until Fall for new episodes of the megahit. NBC started streaming webisodes this morning on their site, just to tide you over! (Our thanks to BuzzSugar for this tip.)