Ah – you know the answer? Yes, luxury cars it is. Perfect. But there is also another answer – that makes me so interested in them – they have a handbag line each that is as exclusive as their cars. It’s very interesting to understand the strategic intent behind car makers diversifying into accessories, especially those that entice women.
I think it all stems from the financial independence more and more women enjoy these days. Sales of Hermes bags, one of the most coveted across the globe, have been on a steady rise. Hence, automobile manufacturers could as well tap into this market, backed by their strong brand presence, establish a strong relationship and have a steady revenue, no matter how small in comparison to the cars themselves. This way, they have a customer base that could be further tapped into for automobile sales. Makes plenty of business sense.
Now, let’s look at the bags they have launched in the market. Bugatti is the latest kid on the block. These are the only images I could find as it is a very recent launch.
I like the large bowler bag. There is one in blue as well. From what I can see, it appears to be crocodile leather.
With Bentley, luxury is literally personified through its bags. The exquisiteness just shines through in the very first look and also in the fact that there would be only 160 bags of this limited edition collection worldwide. There are plans though to expand it in the coming years. Bentley goes the extra mile in making a connection with the buyer by inscribing a plaque on the bag with its unique limited edition number. What’s more, if you also happen to own one of its automobile masterpieces, the plaque can be personalized to reflect the car identity as well. How much more can a customer be pampered?! As of now, there are only two unique styles: The Barnato and The Continental, and my choice is the latter, which also happens to be the one priced lesser at USD 5,500 compared to the other at USD 7,000.
Porsche handbags were the first to be released this year. The model is called the Twin Bag as the hardware helps the length of the handles to be altered in two ways. This is also a structured bag with defined lines, like we saw above. I understand the horizontal metal bar is needed to help with the handle length adjustment but I am not sure I like the look – feels like the handles have been “arrested”! Though it is available in a palette of sober colors (except the red one), my favourite is this shade called Formica. This costs around USD 1,700. Of course, more exotic leathers would send the price up exponentially. It is interesting to note that both Porsche and Bugatti come from the house of Volkswagen.
Whether the bags really help with car sales, time alone will tell. They are here for a specific purpose, maybe not as competitors to the core handbag manufacturers like Louis Vuitton or Hermes. Also, while they may scream exclusivity, they are not really ground breaking in terms of the overall design, are they? What do you think of this curious combination of automobiles and handbags?
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