A designer item might be expensive, but that does not always mean it conveys wealth, according social media users.
The concept is a hot topic topic onTikTok, as fashion lovers fight over what wearing certain luxury brands really means, with some people convinced they show you’re ‘very rich,’ while others are exclusively ‘accessible for the middle-class.’
After content creator Emilie Rose shared a viral video with her 70,000 followers explaining the concept, people were up in arms in the comments section.
This is far from the first time fashion devotees have been furious after their favorite designer was labeled a specific way.
Back in April, a viral infographicrevealed what handbag really says about their owners, breaking down pricey designer bags into categories including ‘filthy rich,’ ‘boss lady’ and ‘elegant rich beauty.’
Now, in the latest viral video exploring luxury brands, Rose described celebrity-beloved labels Louis Vuitton and Dior as ‘not rich.’
Zegna, Tom Ford and Yves Saint Laurent were all branded as ‘rich’ and Loro Piana was named as ‘very rich.’
The video, which received 186,000 likes, is part of an ongoing series where Rose breaks down which brands are ‘new money’ vs ‘old money’ and explains how they’re perceived.
A designer item might be expensive, but that doesn’t mean it conveys wealth according to fashionistas on social media. Pictured:Sarah Jessica Parker on set for Sex and the City
Loro Piano has been a hot topic, especially since a cotton T-shirt like the one above retails for a cool $875 (left).Zegna, an Italian menswear brand that sells cashmere and linen blend sweaters for $2,000, was declared ‘rich’ (right)
One of the most popular brands to discuss was Loro Piana, which one commenter called ‘so expensive that even their sale prices need a payment plan.’ They’re not alone in believing the exclusive brand is also one of the priciest.
The Italian brand, which isit actually owned by LVMH, the parent company of Louis Vuitton, famously sells $875 plan white tees and $1,400 white button-downs.
Influencers often show off quiet luxury hauls on TikTok that max out at thousands of dollars from simply from buying up the pricey basics.
Shoppers will oftenbrag about spending $25,000 or $17,000 while showing off the loafers and handbags.
Other fashion fans in the comments section joked about how many of the brands were far out of their price range, with one person quipping, ‘Walmart = not rich, Target = very rich.’
‘Not rich = accessible to middle-class,’ one perceptive commenter explained, as brands like Louis Vuitton have become more popular in recent years as so-called regular people embrace the wildly popular monogram bags.
Another commenter agreed, ‘I’ve always said LV is poor people or new money rich (but I can’t afford it either way).’
While Louis Vuitton might have been deemed ‘not rich’ in the video, in the past, the design house has been seen as completely unaffordable, especially after it surprised shoppers with its pricey baubles, including $1,000 food charms they were deemed ‘out of touch’ for selling.
Louis Vuitton was declared ‘not rich’ on TikTok, although the design house is known for its high prices (stock photo)
Shoppers were appalled when Louis Vuitton sold ‘ridiculous’ $1,000 food charms and mocked the design house for being out of touch
LV fans were also previously stunned to learn that despite the high price tag, the luxury brand’s pricey monogrammed accessories are not made from real leather and instead are designed with a plastic coated canvas.
Commenters quickly explained what they believed made a brand worthy of someone super wealthy.
One defined the difference as ‘brand famous= not rich. Brand not famous= very rich.’
One person said they believe that whether the brand is ‘Cheap or rich all [are] made in china 10 dollar,’ which has long been a belief some shoppers hold.
Content creators previously called luxury handbags ‘worthless’ after Chinese manufacturers allegedthat they were the real creators of the pricey designer styles.
However, many of the most famous brands explained their products were actually made in Italy or Spain, and not in China like some creators believed.
