World's Most Desirable Luxury Brands

CHANEL accessories

photo courtesy of eFashionHouse.com

Nicola Ruiz, Forbes

Ask a friend what he would buy if he had a bigger bank account and he might rattle off a list that includes a limited-edition sports car, a round-the-world trip or a million-dollar beachfront home.

Goods by Gucci, however, top the lists of luxury brand lovers. That's according to an online survey conducted late last year by The Nielsen Company, a market research firm. It asked 25,000 consumers in 48 countries which luxury brand they would buy if money were no object. Besides Gucci, respondents chose Chanel, Calvin Klein, Louis Vuitton and Christian Dior (other-otc: CHDRF - news - people ).

It's easy to see why Gucci reigns. Worldwide sales, though recently tapered, have jumped since Mark Lee became president of the company in 2004, then CEO the following year. In 2007, sales increased 11%; that's on top of a 17% increase in 2006 and a rise of 18.4% in 2005. Gucci is a part of the Gucci Group, which has a number of fashion brands in its portfolio, including Yves Saint Laurent and Sergio Rossi. PPR, a French holding company publicly traded on the Euronext exchange in Paris, owns the Gucci Group.

"Gucci manages to offer high fashion and very commercial items," says Michael Macko, fashion director at Saks Fifth Avenue (nyse: SKS - news - people ). "That red and green stripe is some of the most iconic luxury branding ever created, and people want a piece of it."

Behind The Brands
Born as a leather goods company, Gucci is now most well known for its logo-ed handbags. When the company opened a new 46,000-square-foot store, the largest of its 233 worldwide, on the ground level of the Trump Tower on Manhattan's Fifth Avenue last month, they also launched a "Gucci Loves New York" handbag collection which sold out within two days of opening. Proceeds from the bags went to Playground Partners Central Park Improvement Program.

Chanel and Calvin Klein tied for second. The privately held Chanel, famous for the little black dress, tweed suit and quilted handbag, was founded by Coco Chanel in 1909 and is currently helmed by Karl Lagerfeld. It stays relevant thanks to a slew of consistently classic yet stylish products. The label's current must-haves include a quilted leather envelope clutch and a sleeveless embroidered cashmere dress with pink trim; its current pitch woman is Keira Knightley.

Calvin Klein's global retail sales surged to $4.5 billion in 2006--that's an increase of 50% since Phillips Van Heusen acquired the company in 2003. It manages such reach thanks to its three labels: Calvin Klein Collection (designer apparel and accessories), ck Calvin Klein, (bridge apparel and accessories) and Calvin Klein (better apparel and accessories). Top looks for spring include slim trousers cut on the bias for men and a high-waisted white skirt suit for women.

Shopper Stats
When looking at who actually buys designer brands today, the United Arab Emirates and Hong Kong come out on top. Almost one-third of survey respondents living in these areas claimed to buy the brand with the iconic interlocking-G logo. Only 7% of North American shoppers polled buy Gucci products.

While designer goods are certainly desirable in emerging markets, North America was the least interested in luxury brands, with 35% of respondents claiming they would not be tempted to buy even if money was not an issue. When quality comes into play, 34% of respondents in Eastern Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Latin America believe designer goods have the highest quality vs. non-designer; that figure falls to 20% for both Europe and North America.

What would you buy if money were no object? Weigh in. Add your thoughts in the Reader Comments section below.

"In emerging markets such as Latin America and the Asian Pacific, designer brands are probably more of a proclamation," says David Boyd, vice president of Nielsen Global Research, "a way to set themselves apart or feel that they've arrived as part of the new economy."

Regional differences also emerge over counterfeit goods peddled at market stalls globally. Over a quarter of North Americans questioned believe that fakes are just as good as the real thing, but in Asia, where most of the fakes are produced, consumers hold them in low regard, with only 8% putting them on par with the genuine article.

"People in Asia can pick out a fake bag like no one I've seen," says Boyd, "But in the U.S., people are less aware and less concerned, because in the U.S. luxury brands are considered more mainstream."

GUCCI designer handbag black tote bag monogram motif 200047 designer purse.

No. 1: Gucci
Guccio Gucci founded the House of Gucci as a saddlery shop in Florence in 1906. A century later, the company's horse bit and stirrup motif is an enduring symbol of luxury. He started out selling leather bags to horsemen in the 1920s and progressed to luxury luggage as his clients graduated from equine transportation to horseless carriages. Today, with Frida Giannini at the creative helm, handbags with the interlocking double-G logo are among the company's biggest money makers.

CHANEL designer handbag cream quilted lamb designer handbag

No. 2: Chanel (tied)
Chanel is one of today's best-known fashion brands, and has been practically since it was founded by Coco (Gabrielle) Chanel in 1909. Coco Chanel established herself as the 20th century's single most important arbiter of fashion by offering women no-nonsense, elegant, relaxed and functional clothes. Today, the tweed Chanel suit with a nipped-at-the-waist cardigan jacket remains one of the most popular--and most copied--fashion staples. In 1983, Karl Lagerfeld reinvigorated the brand with a dose of sexiness. He's been designing the collection ever since.

No. 3: Calvin Klein (tied)
In 1968, Calvin Klein and an investor started the company as Calvin Klein Limited with a small line of men and women's coats. In the '70s, Klein won two Coty Awards for his minimalist styles, and by the middle of the decade he had created a designer-jeans craze by putting his name on each pair's back pocket. Advertisements featured a 15-year-old Brooke Shields who famously said, "Nothing comes between me and my Calvins." In 2003 Phillips Van Heusen acquired the brand, and today there are three tiers within the collection ranging from high-end pieces to moderately priced casualwear.

No. 4: Louis Vuitton
The French luxury fashion and leather goods brand, now a main division of the French holding company LVMH, was founded in 1854 as a luggage retailer. The company is now known for its monogrammed leather handbags and employs designer Marc Jacobs as its creative director. Keeping up with the demand for exclusive luxury, the company is collaborating with a series of artists for limited-edition handbag collections.

Lady Dior Pink Leather Tote Bag

No. 5: Christian Dior
The designer founded the company in 1945 and quickly became famous for the "New Look," a fitted jacket with a nipped-in waist and full calf-length skirt. After the rationing of fabric during the World War II, Dior's lavish use of material was bold and shocking. Since 1996, chief designer John Galliano has been at the creative helm of the French fashion house, owned by the LVMH luxury goods group.

Versace Unisex Croc Leather Clutch Bag

No. 6: Versace
Gianni Versace founded the Milan-based company in 1978. After his 1997 death, his sister Donatella Versace, formerly vice president, stepped in as creative director and his older brother Santo Versace became CEO. Today, despite talks of going public, the company is still entirely owned by the Versace family. While the collection is known for its flashy, embellished style, this spring the looks that came down the runway put more emphasis on cut and volume than shimmer and bling.

No. 7: Giorgio Armani
Giorgio Armani, 74, is the sole shareholder, president and chief executive of the designer brand. The fashion and luxury goods group manufactures, distributes and sells everything from apparel to cosmetics to home interiors under a range of seven brand names, but it is best known for its menswear.

No. 8: Ralph Lauren
After a stint as a Brooks Brothers tie salesman, Ralph Lauren, 69, started his powerhouse brand 42 years ago with a collection of ties. Today there are over 35 boutiques in the United States. The company offers three collections: Polo is the fast-fashion-fix line for the young metropolitan male; Black Label is a more upscale, edgier version of city dressing; and Purple Label is the ultimate deluxe line. The designer has a personal fortune of $4.2 billion.

Prada Monogram signature shoulder hobo handbag BR3350

No. 9: Prada
Milan-based Prada was founded as a leather goods company in 1913 by Mario Prada. His granddaughter Miuccia inherited the company in 1978 and grew the business into a fashion apparel company. Her claim to fame was the signature Prada nylon handbag, which helped turn the family company into a billion-dollar business.

The YSL Downtown Bag

No. 10: Yves Saint Laurent
Founded in 1961, Yves Saint Laurent was the first fashion house to launch women's ready-to-wear. He opened Rive Gauche boutiques for women in 1966 and added men's ready-to-wear in 1974, which helped make designer luxury labels more accessible to the wider public. The Gucci Group acquired Yves Saint Laurent in 1999.

Designer Handbags Reach Record High Average $2,000 Fall 2005

Shopping in Beverly Hills last week I strolled Wilshire Boulevard popping in and out of fancy stores sizing up all the new designer handbags. There are a number of new looks for Fall 2005, and prices have a new look, too. Did you know designer handbags have become the staple in most wardrobes? It doesn't take a genius to buy a pair of jeans and a T-shirt, but to purchase the correct designer handbag to pull it all together has become quite an art.

In conversations with many handbag salespeople, it was obvious the upcoming season will offer a variety of wild colors, exotic leathers, and metallic finished leathers. They will appear in shoulder styles, clutches, slings and large totes. Most designer bags remain consistent in size and function. The variations from season to season come to color, hardware, texture and price.
Prices are a difficult topic for handbag lovers to discuss, it became the purpose of the Beverly Hills shopping trip. Which designers will rise to the top? Which handbags will have the highest price tags? These thoughts offered astonishing observations wondering through the high-end boutiques and department stores.

Doing a bit of mental gymnastics with a few designer handbag price tags, it became obvious a calculator was needed! Prices are competing with Los Angeles mortgage payments! One designer bag, constructed of scratch resistant, pebble grain calf leather, had a hefty $3500.00 price tag. Durability to last a life time is a major characteristic of a quality handbag, but let's get real here, women change handbags as often as they change their nail polish. Paying hefty prices for a designer handbag a few times each month is fashionable, but not healthy or wise.
Not mentioning any names, a lengthy conversation with a handbag specialist in a very well-known department store shed light on the day's mission. We strolled the designer handbag department with calculator in hand. Punching in numbers of our favorite high-end designer, we came up with a hefty five-figure total for 10 handbags. Then, with jaws dropped open, the average price was uncovered! As expected, little was left to shock and surprise. Based on a sampling of the designer handbag prices, the price for a brand new, high-end designer handbag this season averages an all-time high of $2000.00 USD.

Oh my! What a price we pay to pull it all together with that pair of denim jeans and T-shirt! We have become the hunters in search of the best designer handbag we can find. And, when we know it will coordinate with a pair of jeans and a T-shirt, then we know we've selected the best bag. We want to look good, and we want to feel good, too. It would be nice to know we can purchase a bag from a new designer and still make a mortgage payment this same month.
Here's a solution. For those of us who know style and don't want to compromise quality, find a designer handbag expert to coach and guide your investments. Lacking modesty, I'll volunteer recommendations on a variety of designer handbags available at a fraction of what you'd expect to pay in a retail store.

You can actually purchase several handbags for the average cost of one designer handbag if you shop wisely. If you are a true designer handbag addict, and you purchase a new handbag whenever you get the urge, then you need a reliable source. Shop carefully at sites specializing in designer handbags, and you'll find your favorite designers at as much as 50% less than the average cost on Rodeo Drive!

Copyright © September, 2005 http://eFashionHouse.com

Check out all the authentic, new designer handbags today at http://www.eFashionHouse.com. You can purchase all three, a Marc Jacobs, a Fendi and a Prada bag for about $1000.00. Yes, three new, authentic, designer handbags for about half the price of one in a retail store. Shop eFashionHouse.com for your next designer handbag, two designer handbags, three designer handbags or more! You?ll be very glad you did, and so will your favorite jeans and T-shirt.

Designer Handbags Authentic or Counterfeit? Designer Purses Should ALWAYS Have Money Back Guarantee

Don’t waste your hard earned money on a fake counterfeit designer handbag or purse! That hefty investment you make $200-$800 in a fake designer handbag or purse can end up being worthless. If you are going to buy a new purse, invest in something of value, not cheap imitations. ALWAYS insist on a money back guarantee!

Why in the world would anyone want to buy a fake designer handbag or poor quality? I just can’t comprehend spending good money purchasing a fake designer purse. It doesn't even begin to make sense to me, even if the purse looks like the real thing. When you know it’s not authentic - why bother?

Above all else, be aware that buying a counterfeit item is illegal, period.

Counterfeit designer merchandise has a sub-culture all its own. I’m not sure if people enjoy the fact they are getting something resembling the real thing at lower cost, or if they just don’t understand the quality, durability and value of authentic designer handbags in the first place.
I find humor in it now, but pre-internet, the counterfeit handbag purchasing process seemed mysterious and intriguing. It felt as though you were somehow privileged to know how to buy these uncommon goods. Pre-internet, the only way to locate a fake bag was through word of mouth. Wholesalers of counterfeit bags still make sales by appointment only. There are signs throughout the store reminding you “ALL SALES FINAL.”

It involved a sort of cloak and dagger approach when walking into wholesale stores, asking to talk to the manager and introducing yourself as a friend of a friend. Introductions were all made through word of mouth referrals. There’s no advertising at all. Unlike online purchases, where everyone boldly claims their goods are authentic.

The counterfeit shopping experience is intriguing. You can almost feel the illicit connection made with the handbag underground. All you want is a new purse, a designer copycat, something that looks like the real thing without the hefty price tag. The irony in all of this is the reality of the experience. They are NOT inexpensive.

In reality, you pay a lot of money for junk. Maybe the leather is good, and maybe it is not. How would you know? Have you seen the real thing to compare? If you did, you certainly wouldn’t be investing in a fake after handling the real thing! Solid metal hardware, rich sumptuous leather and finely crafted details trump the plastic & vinyl attachments, poorly stitched linings and knock-off logo's cheaply glued to counterfeit designer purses and handbags.

We know the best designer handbags and leather goods are made in Italy and France. No need to drop names here, we all know the top sellers. Fakes might be made in Italy or France, and they may not. You never know. Most of the people you are dealing with are hustling you to make a big profit on something of little worth and definitely of no real value.

The evolution of designer handbags has made its mark world wide. Every woman with fashion sense wants to carry a new, hot, high-end designer handbag, and the price is not cheap. On an average, the retail boutique price for a new designer purse starts at about $1000. That’s a hefty price to pay to feel good when you leave the house. I know some women who carry bags costing more than their cars! The Hermes handbag collection of some of my clients' totals more than the initial cost of my first home!

The Internet has opened a flood gate of ecommerce sites for handbags. There are more than enough websites selling purses these days. And, the best stores sell authentic designer merchandise, not fakes. The difficulty comes in trying to determine the real from the fake and make the distinction clear.

Here are a few tips for identifying a website selling fake counterfeit designer handbags and purses:

A new store comes online just in time for holiday shopping.
The new website’s contact information is missing or obscure.
The new website’s registration information (Whois.com) is “private.”
You can’t locate the owners.
The same style or design of a bag is available in many colors.
The website sells only three or four designer brands.
The handbags look like items you’ve seen on many other websites,
Prices are too good to be true less than half of retail.
There are page after page of similar items.

There’s one page of authentic-looking bags, but the rest of the website contains the same bag in every color under the sun!I’ve seen websites come and go over the past ten years online. First, the sites selling fakes offered Gucci, Fendi and Prada. Then, there were the ones selling strictly Louis Vuitton and Chanel. The Hermes Birkin and Kelly bag are still prolific in the counterfeit world, but they are not as commonly seen online as the other Designers.

The most commonly counterfeited handbags today are: BALENCIAGA, TODS, CELINE, and CHLOE. Plus, the old-time favorites are still hotter than ever in the counterfeit market: GUCCI, LOUIS VUITTON, HERMES, FENDI and PRADA. I recently saw even LAMBERTSON TRUEX smooth calf leather fake bags, too.

With all the choices out there, how can you tell if you are buying a genuine product? Well, in reality you just don’t know unless you really know the product well. I am a purse expert, but sometimes I've been fooled, too. Most of the time, I know what I’m doing, and I buy the right thing.

Three rules I use to make a handbag purchases online:
Ask before you buy.
Talk with the owner of the site ONLY!
Obtain a full money-back guarantee for authenticity.

I asked a wholesaler if his bags were guaranteed authentic, and I was told, “Yes, they are gauranteed to be 100% made in Italy.” Another wholesaler told me, “Our bags are the best quality.” Yes, but are they authentic designer goods? I’ve also heard, “The man who made this bag worked for the Design House for over 20 years. Of course, it’s authentic!” Wrong. If you don’t get a straight answer, pass on the purchase.

Please don't blindly believe everything you see and especially not what you are told. I arranged a meeting with a wholesaler at a well-known annual conference. The bags I pre-ordered were authentic items, yet when the order arrived, they were obviously not exactly like those styles shown at the pre-order sale. Be careful. Buy from a website or seller who has been online for a very long time. Over the past ten years selling online, I can honestly say that the best lessons I’ve learned were from customers who did their homework. Talk to people, share your insights, and please ... let’s all stamp out fakes online!

About the Author.
Anna Miller is the President of i-GlobalMall.com, Inc. She has been buying and selling Designer Handbags and purses of all price ranges online for over ten years. She’s been around the handbag block, and she’s heard and seen it all! Anna operates an ecommerce site at http://www.efashionhouse.com/designerhandbag.html Guaranteed authentic or your money back Designer Handbags and Accessories.

http://www.efashionhouse.com/%20Designer_Handbags.html should not be confused with any other website selling purses. This site is the home of five stores: BrandsBoutique, ValueBags, ItalysOutlet, DesignersLA and LuxuryVintage. The prices found at eFashionHouse.com are the best online for authentic designer purses and accessories. EfashionHouse.com keeps their operating overhead low so they can pass the savings onto their customers.