On Everything #52: On Luxury Fashion’s Not Sale Sales

On Everything is a weekly newsletter from Eugene Rabkin, our founder and editor.

Sales are a bane of luxury fashion’s existence because they cut across the idea of luxury that is supposed to come with a certain nonchalance of freewheeling spending. This is why when you go to many luxury stores, such as Hermés, you have to embarrass yourself by digging into the garment for the price tag – the idea is that you should have so much money that you shouldn’t need to look at prices, because if you do, well, darling, you can’t afford it. But, as the prices for luxury fashion have skyrocketed and priced out the 99%, sales have become more and more omnipresent.

The primary task of luxury fashion is to manage the perception of exclusivity while flinging vast amounts of goods. Department stores may trump sales to move the merchandise, but through their direct channels many luxury brands require a stiff upper no-sale lip. Still, they are not averse to opening a back door once in a while.