America done fell off, fam. China is now the place to be when it comes to luxury goods and rich people in general. Anyway, in the interest of effective flexing, and promoting a new book, obviously, about how China has started The Bling Dynasty, Erwan Rambourg crafted up a hierarchy of luxuriousness for people to understand where their brand of choice fits into the larger picture of stunting. This diagram covers everything, but fashion and jewelry are amongst the most important inclusions because there's no better way to show off your newfound wealth than draping up and dripping out your body in expensive shit.
An actual, incredible quote in this piece comes courtesy of a billionaire Chinese woman who says, "Louis Vuitton has become too ordinary. Everyone has it. You see it in every restaurant in Beijing. I prefer Chanel or Bottega Veneta now. They are more exclusive." Well, she'll be happy to now have a clear guide on what is actually worth her money. Between exclusivity and prices, the top of the pyramid is occupied by bespoke gear and diamonds mined by the most prestigious brands. Then, there's the watchmakers, fine purveyors of an accessory long associated with luxury. After that, there's the clothing giants trickling down the list, like Hermes, Louis Vuitton, Gucci, Prada, Tod's, Coach and, somehow, Geox? I don't quite understand that last bit, but it's on a chart on the Internet so it must be true. In essence, the more expensive and the more limited, the more luxurious, naturally. Now, to cop those blood diamonds.
