Philosophy of Love

Trends in designer handbags

The idea of wanting what everyone else has goes way back before the "Jones's".

When researching the trends of designer handbags, I began with the history of the handbag in general. The first handbags date back to the early 1400's with Egyptians. Hieroglyphics show people with pouches carried around the waist. The more elaborate the pouch, the richer the man. This is still true today. A pricey bag known by a well known designer usually means a wealthier person. In Gladwells' "Law of the Few", a tiny percentage of people start a new trend i.e.: a new trendy handbag and the masses catch onto it. Thus a new epidemic has occurred.

In trends, are you a follower, or a leader? Do you set the pace for new fashion? The "Law of the Few" states that there are three types of individuals who we owe for the success of a new trend: the connecters, the maven, and the salesman.

Connectors of trends with handbags are first the designers who put out a new bag and give it to "the few" to start the trend. One great example of this is the start of Hermes Birkin bag. It was designed with 1960's star Jane Birkin in mind. She was given the prototype and the rest is history. The bag today has a two year waiting line and starts at six thousand dollars. That's more than my car is worth! I feel that the reason this is a highly coveted bag is due to the fact that a glamorous movie star carried the bag and we as human beings want to feel, even for a moment, like a star.

The Maven is the second in the types of trend setters. The maven would be the one who will buy this product. The maven is the one who will wait two years for an overpriced bag just to be the first. A lot of people want to be the first on their street to own the newest, but in reality most of us have to wait till the price comes down or there is a knock off. My son is one of these people who like to be the first. I am reminded of him being the first to have the newest cell phone or the newest mp3 player when in high school. He is a definite maven.

Lastly is the salesman. They are the advertisers who create ways to convince us that we must have that new bag. We believe we must have the lamest designer and the latest style. These salesmen are also the trendsetters, the wealthy, and the successful, which show us the newest. They don't have to speak a word, they just wear the product and we as the common folk want to be them. We buy that expensive new style, forgetting the electric bill, and we believe that we will in turn be like them. We too will have a glamorous life.

Designer handbags have a contagious or "sticky" factor because of the appeal to our need to be a part of the material world. I believe that is the tipping point in the trend. In the 1950's ,what