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Giorgio Armani. It's never gimmicky or "trendy". It's always got own sophisticated unique style.
Louis Vuitton handbags and luggage. ALWAYS exudes class.
Hermes bags, especially the Birkin bag.
Today's Chanel is extremely gimmicky and tacky-looking. I would definitely NOT associate it with "elite luxury". Chanel in the 80s was more about high class. Think of an 80s Chanel suit with multiple strands of pearl necklaces and a white camelia pinned like a brooch. Nowadays Chanel puts out gimmicky crap like furry ski boots.
Same thing with Dior. Lost its prestige a long time ago (late 1990s).
When I was visiting London some years ago, I was staring at the windows of bespoke suit tailors on Savile Row and dreaming about affording one of those suits some day.
Is there any place similar to that in Manhattan?
There are guys like the venerable Len Logsdail (Leonard Logsdail - Savile Row Bespoke Tailors) and the newcomer Rory Duffy (Rory Duffy Handcraft Tailor) who've had careers at Savile Row shops before starting out on their own here in the US, but they don't come cheap at all. I've heard that Logsdail's bespoke suits start at $8k and Duffy's at $6k. The most bang for your buck for high-level custom tailoring is supposed to be Ercole Tailoring over in Brooklyn (Ercole Bespoke Suiting), but even then you're looking at over $3k a pop. One of my classmates from college who's now a corporate litigator in Manhattan had a couple suits made up from him... the one I saw him in fit really well on his frame, but I don't know about double the price of a Zegna.
For a guy, besides your car making a statement about your social status, I would say expensive watches like Audemars Piguet or Lange & Sohne really send a message, just because they're over $10k and only those who are in the elite crowd would know the value of these brands. They're not run-of-the-mill Rolex, TAG or Panerai watches which are knocked off left & right in China.
When I was visiting London some years ago, I was staring at the windows of bespoke suit tailors on Savile Row and dreaming about affording one of those suits some day.
Is there any place similar to that in Manhattan?
There are bespoke tailors, but no equivalent to Savile Row where they're all right next to each other. Manhattan that has a "district" for every little thing, so it is a bit odd that they don't have one for bespoke suits.
Brands that I like:
Brunello Cucinelli, Etro, Zanotti, Cavalli, Kiton, Brioni, Canali, Balenciaga, Belstaff, Lela Rose, Loro Piana, Herve Leger, Rene Caovilla...my list is endless.
Someone once said "you don't need to be a millionaire to dress and look like a million buck". Spending a fortune on expensive clothes and accessories don't necessarily turn someone into an elegant and classy looking person. There're plenty of rather affordable brands out there that will do the job just as well. Having said that many of the luxury goods are well designed and made, just that not everyone will automatically look good in them. Remember, it is the person who is wearing the clothes and not the other way around. Sometimes, a nice pair of jeans and good quality top will look far better on some.
Someone once said "you don't need to be a millionaire to dress and look like a million buck". Spending a fortune on expensive clothes and accessories don't necessarily turn someone into an elegant and classy looking person. There're plenty of rather affordable brands out there that will do the job just as well. Having said that many of the luxury goods are well designed and made, just that not everyone will automatically look good in them. Remember, it is the person who is wearing the clothes and not the other way around. Sometimes, a nice pair of jeans and good quality top will look far better on some.
Youth and genetics are the strongest factors for determining whether or not anyone will look strikingly beautiful to other people. (Plus attitude.) Luxury brands can't compete with those factors, not even close, but they can certainly try.
"Luxury" to me means indulgence. So an article that is out-of-this world comfortable (cashmere, silk, great tailoring) is going to get points; an article with complex, high-quality construction (LV products, Manolo Blahniks, Jimmy Choo) is also going to get points. Artistry also matters (Alexander McQueen).
(As if I could afford to pick and choose which luxury brands I would prefer to buy... )
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