branding together
Posted by Sara Zucker on November 13, 2009 09:40 AM
New York City is buzzing about the opening of its first Costco Warehouse Shopping Club on East 116th Street. It may seem insignificant, but haven't we been waiting for a Harlem Target for over a year?
What makes the news even more exciting is that this shop-portunity has enabled access to Chanel and Louis Vuitton handbags in what seems like an attempt to appeal to a luxury market.
The new location currently has Chanel Classic Flap handbags available for $1,999, though the salesperson (StyleList felt it most important to note that the salesperson was a man), was unsure of which sizes were available but that the Louis Vuitton Speedy bags sold for $589 each.
Chanel purses regularly sell from $1,795 to $2,495 and the Speedy ranges from $665 to $3,000. So, what else is in stock? Burberry's mini satchel for $1,019.99, Tod's medium shopper handbag for $549.99 and a Ferragamo Marissa handbag for $629.99. Many corporations are delving into branding ventures that will broaden their audience. Costco is doing the opposite in reaching a smaller, wealthier market.
Getting access to such deals makes the $50 membership fee to Costco seem like a steal, but it still makes me wonder whether or not expensive purses are of interest to the many unemployed in America at this time.