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J. fash. bus. Vol. 20, No. 6:111-134, Dec. 2016 ISSN 1229-3350(Print) https://doi.org/10.12940/jfb.2016.20.6.111 ISSN 2288-1867(Online) A Study on the Design Changes and the Acceptance of Identity on Luxury Brand Bags -Focusing on the Fashion Collections of Louis Vuitton, Gucci, and Chanel- Jin­Hee Choi* · Mi­Suk Lee† Dept. of Clothing and Textiles, Chonnam National University* Dept. of Clothing and Textiles, Chonnam National University, Human Ecology Research Institute, Chonnam Nationa University Abstract A luxury brand bag is a medium to symbolize brand identity and plays a role in enhancing brand value. A typical example is a designer signature bag such as Hermes Kelly Bag, Birkin Bag, and Lady Dior Bag. The purpose of this study is to analyze the design changes and acceptance of identity of luxury brand bags and examine the design characteristics that succeed to the value of a luxury brand bag. The subjects of the study focused on Louis Vuitton, Gucci, and Chanel bags. Photos were collected from www.vogue.co. uk. based on the fashion collections from S/S 2007 to S/S 2016. The study methodology was to analyze the kinds, shapes, colors, materials, and the ornament of subject bags based on previous studies. The results of the study were summarized as follows. For the identity and design changes of each brand, Chanel has tried to combine functionality pursued in the past with constantly changing femininity by making bags in fantastic moods using various materials and free shapes. Gucci has constantly used Ornament elements holding the brand identity of classic bags and trend colors to keep tradition. Louis Vuitton holds fast to its functional shape to protect brand identity through design philosophy that started with a travel luggage and attempts to express modern emotion through Ornament changes. This study confirmed that luxury brands have accepted their unique design characteristics holding brand identity to improve their brand value and attempted to change constructive elements in many different ways for modern reinterpretation. Keywords : brand identity, Chanel, Gucci, luxury brand bag, Louis Vuitton. †Corresponding author: Mi-Suk Lee, Tel. +82-62-530-1349 E-mail: [email protected] 111 Journal of Fashion Business Vol.20, No.6 Ⅰ. Introduction stories including a birth. They have been established as the representative item of fashion A luxury brand bag is a medium to symbolize brands. According to the recent research by brand identity and plays a role in enhancing ‘Millward Brown’, a global market research firm, brand value. A typical example is a designer the most valuable brand of luxury brands in signature bag such as Hermes Kelly Bag which 2015 was Louis Vuitton, followed by Hermes, symbolizes Grace Kelly, the Queen of Monaco, Gucci, and Chanel("In 2016, The Luxury You Birkin Bag which was made for Jane Birkin, an Choose", 2016). The most frequently mentioned English actress, and Lady Dior Bag which was luxury brands in Korean on-line have been named after Diana Spencer, the Crown Princess Chanel, followed by Louis Vuitton, Gucci, of Great Britain who used the bag regularly. Hermes, and Burberry. The most frequently These luxury brand bags have been loved by searched brands during recent years has been fashionistas who take much of their sensibility Louis Vuitton, Gucci, and Chanel("In 2016, The as well as the specific upper classes. A Luxury You Choose", 2016). handbag basically plays a practical role in According to Gallup Korea’s survey in 2015, storing things, as well as clearly conveys the Korean people’s most favorite luxury brand in organic unity and total image of a total fashion. off-line was Chanel, followed by Gucci, Louis In this regard, it established itself as a symbol Vuitton, and Prada(“Korean Men Like 'Gucci'”, of expressing original individuality and a social 2015). As shown in the survey, domestic, and status(Jang & Cho, 2008). Stone suggested that overseas consumers’ most preferred luxury bags “a handbag made the person dramatic or were Louis Vuitton, Gucci, and Chanel. The produced a personal image by the contrast to diffusion of a consumption pattern which seeks the whole clothing.” He took the cases of for a more emotional design has contributed to Hermes handbag, also called ‘Kelly bag’ with a establishing design as a key element of product graceful image, which was a favorite bag of competitiveness. It has also surfaced aesthetic Grace Kelly, the queen of Monaco, in 1956, elements such as materials and technique as a Princess Diana’s Ferragamo clutch, and 2.25 more important competitive element rather than Chanel handbag(Kim & Lee, 2011) which was traditional elements such as function and quality the first shoulder bag. He emphasized that a in design elements. As a handbag has a small handbag played an important role in showing technology gap between companies and strong personal identity. Women’s bag, which is an price competition, design is the most strong and important medium of expressing women’s effective differentiation(Park, Lee, & Yoon, 2013). identity, is a means to express a brand image In particular, luxury brands are proud of their most clearly. Silvia Venturini for Fendi says that long history and tradition and make the best since women’s bag greatly acts as an icon to products by the best craftsman. They have symbolize a brand, many fashion brands have succeeded to craftsmanship in the principle of spent a lot of time and money on making a the best materials, moderate design, quality bag(S. Kim, 2016). A bag is directly connected production process, and small production that with the value of fashion brands. In particular, has been long stuck and appropriately mixed various It Bags by luxury brands are the trends with brand identity in design(Jaejin Lee, birthplace of brand history with all kinds of 2008). 112 Jin­Hee Choi · Mi­Suk Lee / A Study on the Design Changes and the Acceptance of Identity on Luxury Brand Bags Previous bag researches have mostly focused products in a dictionary meaning. It is ‘名品 ’ on the history of bags(Kim, 1998), written in Chinese characters, which means constructiveness(Kim & Chung, 2006; Jiyoung ‘excellent things with a long tradition’. It is Kim, 2009; Yang, Kim & Lee, 2007), material ‘luxury brand’ or ‘luxury goods’ in English, which development(Hong, 2002), the differentiation means ‘excellent products or things’. As shown strategy of luxury fashion brands(Jungyeon Kim, in ‘luxury brand’, it is closely associated with a 2003; Park, 2010), and collaboration with art(S. price(Choi & Kim, 2005). In this reason, luxury Kim, 2016). However, few detailed and in-depth goods are often regarded as very expensive researches have been reported on the articles or culture which can be enjoyed by a constructive characteristics and changes of few special classes rather than by many ordinary luxury brand bags which have maintained their people. However, the most common word about brand identity. The purpose of this study is to luxury goods that occurred to people was a high analyze the design changes and acceptance of price, followed by elegance, dream, valuables, identity of luxury brand bags and examine the fame, close difficulty, rarity, lightness, high design characteristics that succeed to the value quality, quality of life, eccentricity, ostentation, of a luxury brand bag. trend, gap, creativity, craftsmanship, and The subjects of the study were limited to originality. Luxury goods have gradually reflected Louis Vuitton, Gucci, and Chanel bags which their conditions such as fame, craftsmanship, were always included in top five brands based tradition, and the value of rarity. Many people on the rank selected as high value luxury brands consider them elegant valuables rather than have for resenting several years and presented for 10 negative recognition of costly goods(Choi, years from S/S 2007 collection to S/S 2016 2007). In other words, the stage of negative collection. The study methodology included a recognition that regards luxury goods as literature review and empirical study. The eccentricity or ostentation has already ended. literature review investigated the definition of It was Bernard Arnault, CEO of LVMN to luxury goods and brand identity based on promote the concept of luxury goods to a very related books and previous studies in Korea and high state. He maintained the elaborate criteria examined the identity of Louis Vuitton, Gucci, of products and grandly led luxury goods to and Chanel bags. The empirical study sampled industry(Jeon Lee, 2006). Luxury goods are a 1,087 photos in the Pret-a-porter Close-Up at token to show what to buy and what a premium www.vogue.co.uk. and analyzed the kinds, product is to people. It can be common shapes, colors, materials, details, and the language accepted between consumers in the ornament of bags. world(D. Kim, 2004). Customers do not only buy clothes or bags themselves. They want to express their images and show their existence to Ⅱ. Theoretical Background others, which is a very important function of luxury goods. For example, Bvlgari jewelry gives 1. Concept of Luxury Goods emotional satisfaction for women buying and using it. Perhaps she can be happy in her life Luxury goods refer to excellent things or by herself seeking for beauty and elegance and 113 Journal of Fashion Business Vol.20, No.6 others admitting and knowing herself. To her, place in top ten luxury brands selected by Bvlgari products is not an accessory but a Interbrand suggested that the value of luxury valuable symbol which reveals her character or brands was history and tradition(Choi & Lee, elegant image(D. Kim, 2004). It is the power of 2010). The history and tradition of luxury brands luxury goods and customers are delighted to are the unique value that they have not lost life buy them in spite of an expensive price because above the times and have constantly attracted of their image and value.

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