If you've been watching TV at any time during this holiday shopping season I'm sure you've seen some of Cartier's stunning 30-second ads for their world-famous jewelry.
I'm not sure why Cartier is reaching out to the mass audience like this. something you don't see Tiffany's or Harry Winston doing. But their ads are intriguing and infinitely watchable.
There's a terrific three-minute version of these ads on YouTube, which I hope you'll find time to watch. It involves a magnificent big cat's journey all around the world in search of his beloved lost mistress, with Cartier jewels scattered along the way. The last moments when he finds her is just so very touching. And the gorgeous cat, by the way, is not a leopard as I first thought, but a spotted panther - Cartier's signature logo.
Surely one of the most expensive ads ever made, I'm sure it's deserving of major advertising awards including AAF and CLIO. In any case, here's a link to L'Odyssee de Cartier and you can decide for yourself. I promise it won't be a waste of your time. The music itself draws you in, and the photography and special effects are spectacular!
And so, after all the preparations and hard work, all the shopping, menu planning, cocktail parties, office parties, charity fund raisers, and travel plans to see our families, Christmas is finally here, just a few days away - exhausted though we might be.
For most of us this is all a labor of love for our families and friends, right? But around here it's just - well - labor.
As always, thank you so much for reading and Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays to all!
See you in the New Year!
Andrew
Sunday, December 21, 2014
Thursday, December 18, 2014
Birkin Handbags: Gifts for the Rich!
In the November post about Ethiad Airways luxury $48,000 suite for an overnight flight, Stacy left a hysterical comment about running across a used Birkin Bag for the exact same price! Here's part of her comment:
"...I was having a conversation with my boss this week and I told her about how I'd seen a used 2013 Birkin bag for sale for $48,000. Her response is that no one with a conscience should ever pay that much for a bag. Then I remembered your post and realized it was the same price as the flight. Even though I agreed with my boss that no one NEEDS a handbag that costs as much as a luxury vehicle, the truth is, no one NEEDS a luxury vehicle either....there's simply no way to justify a $50,000 handbag except to say...it's really really really GORGEOUS...and it'll last a lot longer and get more miles than that flight :-)"
While I agree with you and your boss Stacy, and the questionable need for a purse that expensive, it's a real bargain in my opinion since Birkin's can run as high as $150,000. In fact, there's a one-of-a-kind Birkin being offered on the internet right now for $450,000!
In addition, there's a defensible place for these extravagant handbags in the world of the super rich. To explain it fully, I'm going to slide into sheer fantasy for a few moments and hope it makes sense in tying it altogether:
To begin this scenario, lets focus on an imaginary Miss Betty Bankstocks sitting in the back seat of her vintage $2 million dollar chauffeur-driven Rolls Royce on her way to the airport. Wearing a simple $85,000 couture travel dress, she glances at her diamond-encrusted $1.2 million dollar Patek Philippe wristwatch to see is she's on time.
At the airport the staff aboard Ethiad Airways escorts Miss Bankstocks to her $48,000 suite, complete with private bathroom and shower, where she hopes to get a good night's sleep before her girlfriend's three-day birthday celebration begins the next day.
Before arrival the next morning she takes a quick shower and jumps into a new $125,000 haute couture cocktail dress. Feeling well rested and refreshed, she takes a limousine from the airport and a private water taxi out to her girlfriend's $225 million dollar luxury yacht sitting in the Bay of Monaco, with the Monte Carlo skyline shimmering in the background. The staff aboard the yacht hoists up her antique $75,000 Louis Vuitton wardrobe trunk and takes it to her room.
Right on time she glides into the main salon where late-morning cocktails (Bloody Mary's and Mimosas) are just getting underway. Amidst all the chatter and greetings the Maitre'd makes a hand gesture as to where she can park her $150,000 Birkin bag on a side table, in full view of all.
And that's precisely the moment when an expensive bag like that shows off it's true value. What else could Miss Bankstocks have possibly sat down there that would reflect her true status in this world? A cheap off-the-shelf $5,000 purse from Bergdorf Goodman or Neiman Marcus?
I don't think so, not in that crowd!
Anyhow, thanks for reading tonight and indulging in the fantasy. The super rich do things in their own odd way with cost being the least consideration over style, elegance and presentation. And thanks again Stacy for bringing up such a fun topic.
Before going, here's a link to what Birkin Bags are all about.
Good night,
Andrew
"...I was having a conversation with my boss this week and I told her about how I'd seen a used 2013 Birkin bag for sale for $48,000. Her response is that no one with a conscience should ever pay that much for a bag. Then I remembered your post and realized it was the same price as the flight. Even though I agreed with my boss that no one NEEDS a handbag that costs as much as a luxury vehicle, the truth is, no one NEEDS a luxury vehicle either....there's simply no way to justify a $50,000 handbag except to say...it's really really really GORGEOUS...and it'll last a lot longer and get more miles than that flight :-)"
While I agree with you and your boss Stacy, and the questionable need for a purse that expensive, it's a real bargain in my opinion since Birkin's can run as high as $150,000. In fact, there's a one-of-a-kind Birkin being offered on the internet right now for $450,000!
In addition, there's a defensible place for these extravagant handbags in the world of the super rich. To explain it fully, I'm going to slide into sheer fantasy for a few moments and hope it makes sense in tying it altogether:
To begin this scenario, lets focus on an imaginary Miss Betty Bankstocks sitting in the back seat of her vintage $2 million dollar chauffeur-driven Rolls Royce on her way to the airport. Wearing a simple $85,000 couture travel dress, she glances at her diamond-encrusted $1.2 million dollar Patek Philippe wristwatch to see is she's on time.
At the airport the staff aboard Ethiad Airways escorts Miss Bankstocks to her $48,000 suite, complete with private bathroom and shower, where she hopes to get a good night's sleep before her girlfriend's three-day birthday celebration begins the next day.
Before arrival the next morning she takes a quick shower and jumps into a new $125,000 haute couture cocktail dress. Feeling well rested and refreshed, she takes a limousine from the airport and a private water taxi out to her girlfriend's $225 million dollar luxury yacht sitting in the Bay of Monaco, with the Monte Carlo skyline shimmering in the background. The staff aboard the yacht hoists up her antique $75,000 Louis Vuitton wardrobe trunk and takes it to her room.
Right on time she glides into the main salon where late-morning cocktails (Bloody Mary's and Mimosas) are just getting underway. Amidst all the chatter and greetings the Maitre'd makes a hand gesture as to where she can park her $150,000 Birkin bag on a side table, in full view of all.
And that's precisely the moment when an expensive bag like that shows off it's true value. What else could Miss Bankstocks have possibly sat down there that would reflect her true status in this world? A cheap off-the-shelf $5,000 purse from Bergdorf Goodman or Neiman Marcus?
I don't think so, not in that crowd!
Anyhow, thanks for reading tonight and indulging in the fantasy. The super rich do things in their own odd way with cost being the least consideration over style, elegance and presentation. And thanks again Stacy for bringing up such a fun topic.
Before going, here's a link to what Birkin Bags are all about.
Good night,
Andrew
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