Steps to Premier Designers

The shift from contemporary designer to premier designers products can be a huge step for a lot of girls and women. For some, it is easy. For most, it's a huge step which requires a lot of planning and work.

People can get intimidated by premier designers. I know I was one of them. I was always afraid of walking into those high end brand stores, because I felt that I didn't belong. I felt those stores would only cater to the ultra rich or elite. But you know what? There is no way they can tell. They are just regular people working a job, trying to sell products. They were not trained to scan everyone's minds to see if they are billionaires or not. If you know what you want, you walk in like a champ and go for it.

People may think premier designers are only geared for the super elites, and only for them. That's what they want us to think. It's almost like university programs. They raise the standards so they can filter out those who do not reach the minimum requirement, and keep those who have higher grades. But this doesn't mean only "smart people" can stay in the program. There are gifted students, and then there are students who work and study 10x the amount of others because they want to be in the program. That's how I see it: you want to get a premier designer item, you achieve it by working 10x as hard. Anybody can have it; it's a matter of the mentality of getting there.

Everyone has their own experiences on how they get to premier designers. Everyone will offer different advice on how to get there. My advice and opinion is just one of many. But there may be a common theme. These steps are just guidelines; not necessary to follow exactly step by step.

1) Savings
This is a general way of saying "watch how much you spend." Start from the very beginning of when you start working. For example, summer jobs as a student. Don't blow all your earnings on a purse that summer, or don't blow your first paycheque on a designer item. It's nice to feel that you're the first person within your peers to own a premier designer bag. But if that continues to occur each summer, you will regret it in the long run. Besides, impressing people can only go on for so long. Eventually, people will get tired of it, think you're a snob, and distance themselves. Why should you impress other people? It's a waste of time and effort.

So start saving early. Use whatever opportunity you have to put it aside for your future.

2) Pay your bills and budget accordingly
This is quite obvious. Do not let a premier designer bag obsession take control of your life, including your everyday living and bills. Pay your bills first: mortgage, rent, insurance, car, hydro, cable, cell phone, property taxes, groceries. Once you've done all that, whatever you have left, put it aside. It is much harder when you have a home to pay for, because all your earnings (if not most) will go to bills. When you're a student with no mortgage, pay off your student loans first (if you have any). Focus on the important bills first. Bags will always be there, so there is no rush to get them. You rush, and you will regret it.

I once knew of a dumb dumb who did not know how to budget at all. Spent all "his" money (it was actually his mom's money) on expensive designer goods to impress people and girls. It got to the point that people didn't care anymore because he wasn't an honest person. And then he couldn't pay the basic bills. So not only did he bankrupt himself, but he bankrupt his family. Don't be like this dummy. Be smart, and prioritize your life accordingly.

3) Split savings
These days, there are banks that offer various chequing, saving, emergency fund and investment accounts. It's good to have it all and split them accordingly. These will be your main accounts. Then you can have a separate "splurge" account where on a weekly, bi-weekly or monthly basis, you put aside whatever amount you feel is comfortable in that account. For example, you put aside $300 a month, or $150 bi-weekly, or $75 a week. In 7 months time, you will have $2,100 saved up. You can either decide to get the item you really want, or continue to put in more. The more, the merrier.

4) Assess your financial situation

If a bag costs $2,000, will you be able to pay it off right away, or will it take you a month to do it? The best thing to do is to always pay it off as soon as you can. Give yourself a time limit. Depending on how much an item is worth, I give myself a 2 week limit to pay it all off. But most of the time when the bill comes, I pay it off right away so I don't have to worry about it. It helps to keep a good credit score by paying things on time.

Those are the main ones when it comes to the financial part. The best time to start saving and get a head start is when you're a student. 

5) Research your item

Nowadays with the internet just a fingertip away, it is easy to research. If you are interested in an item, I would suggest doing some in-depth research online first before dropping your hard earned cash on the table. Depending on the premier designer, some companies like Chanel do not put up their prices on their website, whereas Prada, Louis Vuitton and Gucci have prices listed online. Designers such as Chanel figures if you can afford their items, then there is no need to put up the prices, because you can afford them regardless. It drives me nuts because it's such a snobbish thing to do.

When that happens, there are two options. You either call up the local boutique to inquire about a product and price (and they will give it to you right away) or you search up online to find a price. The most accurate is calling the boutique right away. That way, you have the baseline price. If you decide to go the used bag route, then it will give you an idea of what price a used item SHOULDN'T exceed. For example, when I was really interested in the Chanel WOC, I called up the local boutique to ask about price. It's less intimidating as you're not face to face with any sales associates, but because there are so many variations of WOCs, prices can vary so I would have to be detailed on the item description and serial number.

What kind of item are you interested in? Large tote? Medium shoulder bag? Small clutch? There are a variety of styles and sizes, so focus on what style and size you want. 

Depending where you live, sometimes the items are readily available, and then there are times you have to be put on a waiting list. Chanel and Hermes are known for putting people on wait lists. Chanel for their infamous double flap bags (whether it's the medium or jumbo) and wallet on chain (WOC), and Hermes for their Birkin and Kelly. Here in Canada, I've noticed products are usually available in Chanel so you don't have to be put on a wait list, unlike in the States where a lot of people wait for months to years for a product.

Once you have the price baseline, you can start researching online. One of the most helpful websites for designer handbags is The Purse Forum. It has all the contemporary and premier designers, with sub-forums and informative posts. There are prices from all over the world, pictures, you name it. The best place to do your research. 

Another one would be Youtube and Google. Depending on the item you are looking for, there are people out there who do bag or product reviews, and are willing to share with the rest of the world whether it's worth buying or not. There are fashion blogs that review designer products as well. 

There are also consignment shops, either international or local that have used bags for lower prices:

-Fashionphile (based in California)

-Jodiday's closet (based in Toronto)

-Love that Bag (based in Montreal)

-Yoogi's Closet (based in Seattle) 

To name a few. 

Be careful of sellers on Ebay, or Kijiji as the chances of getting a fake or replica handbag is high. You don't want to spend your hard earned cash on a fake bag. Nor do you want to spend any money on a fake bag, as the quality will not be the same as the real thing. It was also found that those who sell fake bags have ties to terrorism, human trafficking rings, and drug trafficking. So please, if the price is too good to be true, it is most likely a fake. Best thing to do is to save up and buy the real thing from a boutique. 

6) Trying it on

After you have spent all your time researching this product, now it's time to go in and try it on yourself. This itself can be intimidating for some people, as you may encounter non-friendly sales associates in the boutiques, or just being in the presence of a designer boutique is already scary enough. But don't be. Remember, you aren't necessarily buying the product right away. This is why it's called shopping, because you look around and see whether you like the product or not. If you don't, then you don't buy it. 

Once you've stepped inside, you may have a SA approach you to ask if you need any help. From my personal experience, Gucci and Prada had SAs that came up to me and asked if I needed help, whereas with Chanel and Louis Vuitton, you would have to approach them to get help. I guess it all depends on location and depends how busy it is inside the stores. Either way, if a SA does not approach you first, you can always approach them. 

This is when you ask them about the product you're interested in. The SA would bring out the product(s) for you to look at, so take this time to really check out the details. Try it on. Look in the mirror. This will be the moment of whether it suits you or not. Ask questions. By all means, try out various products. If it helps, bring in your best friend or husband for emotional support, and for advice as well. Spend as much time looking over the product. 

7) Dress code

This is a debatable topic, because people have different experiences. Those on the Purse Forum noticed that if one was to dress up very professionally, they did not get treated well. Versus those who showed up in casual clothing. I'm not saying you should go in a bathing suit with flip flops on, but I don't think it's really necessary to go in looking like a lawyer either. 

When I think about my dress code, I really didn't dress up glamourously in all my shopping trips. It was either a casual summer dress, or a sweater with jeans. There was one time my mom and I decided to walk into Chanel, and we were both dressed up that day. But no one approached us. To some people working there, if they see people too dressed up, they know people are trying too hard to look "rich". And that's what shoppers experienced too on the Purse Forum.

The second time I went into Chanel to pick up a felt protector for the WOC, I showed up in my hospital scrubs. I got greeted right away actually. The lady asked if I needed any help, and I had told her my SA said it was ok for me to come in and pick up a felt protector, and if she needed to see my receipt, I had it as well. She never asked for it, but instead went into the back and got the protector for me. She came out and also helped me put the protector on the WOC.

So from my own experience, dressing casually but neat is sufficient. 

8) Final decision

So you've seen the product, touched it, tried it on, got all the advice, looked at all the details. Now it's the decision of whether you want it now or later. Or never. If you have to second guess yourself, then perhaps this is not the right product for you. If you have decided that this is the right one, and you have already assessed and met all the steps above, then go for it. 

Purchasing a premier designer product is always an exciting experience. It's one that you won't forget. When you have determined you are ready to buy, it becomes an exciting adventure. Treasure the moment, and definitely celebrate it with someone you love and care about as well.

9) Purchasing
This is the fun part (and of course the sad moment when you give your cash away). Most premier designer shops will have a waiting area where you can sit and relax, sip on some water or champagne while you wait for your item to be wrapped. It's the exciting moment when they step out with your bag.

10) Saying thank you
I have no idea how much commission SAs get when they sell a product, but depending how the SA is, I usually give them a thank you card along with a gift card of some sort. Especially when they go above and beyond to help me. Doing this will not get you on the VIP list; it's not about getting higher on the list. It's the small token of appreciation that can brighten up their day.

These are just some of my advice and experiences when it comes to shopping for designer goods. You can still apply this with contemporary designers, and with anything else. Thanks for reading.