Recently I spoke at length about the low- and mid-level handbag markets with journalist Elizabeth Holmes and, as luck would have it, she quoted me in her article on the same subject, entitled "OMG, These Bags Cost a Lot! With New Styles at High Prices, Mall Chains Make a Big Push Into Designer Turf" (The Wall Street Journal, Thursday, May 27, 2010).
Holmes takes a in-depth look at the push from certain mid-priced retailers such as Ann Taylor and Talbots to offer quality leather handbags at a reasonable price in the midst of the recession—and questions whether or not shoppers will take the bait.
She asks, "Will the average shopper shell out for a mall store brand bag that's almost as expensive as a luxury-label bag?"
