Less flash, same cash for luxury

Auckland socialite Gilda Kirkpatrick models designer label fashions. Photo / Herald on Sunday

Gilda Kirkpatrick is a walking advertisement for Gucci, Louis Vuitton and other high end brands.

But you'd have to look fairly closely to know what label the Auckland socialite and advertising company director was wearing.

That was because the top fashion houses were changing the way they showed off their products, preferring more "discreet luxury".

The large "G" on Gucci bags had been replaced with more subtle designs in a move for "anti-bling" fashion.

Francois-Henri Pinault, chairman and chief executive of PPR, owners of Gucci and Yves Saint Laurent, recently announced the change.

"Our groups are moving towards fewer logos, more discreet luxury. It's about adapting our ranges very rapidly to this new perception of luxury, a luxury which is more subtle, more sophisticated."

Kirkpatrick was comfortable with the new look.

"At the moment, yes, I absolutely enjoy the less branded kind of look, but you can always keep the other products."

Kirkpatrick said the less obvious logos didn't stop people in the know recognising the product.

"It's the little details that they use. It's always recognisable but perhaps more in a discreet way."

Her attitude fitted into a study by University of California business professor Joseph Nunes.

"A significant segment of the population does not want to be branded, preferring to be understated and is willing to pay a premium to have 'quiet' goods without a brand mark," he said.

Auckland stylist Anna Kate Paterson said the backlash against labels could be down to fake copies of luxury goods.

Paterson said people who bought the real thing were disgruntled to see people with a copy that they would have bought for a fraction of the price.