We're in the dog days of summer here in the City of Angels. It was 97 degrees in my hometown today! It's August, so it's to be expected. During most years, these days begin in late May and go well into October. The hottest days reach 110...or more! Since Memorial Day weekend, we've not had as many of those upper-limit temps this year, so I'm grateful for that. But boy when they do happen...no wonder no major events happen during the summer (except for the World Cup and Summer Olympics...and only one of them happens every other year...and neither is happening this year)...
So I'm creating my own tiny little event. Of course, it'll do with what I love most...luxury fashion. By no means am I any kind of expert, but what I do have is a lot of research and personal experience. Since it's been about 10 years since I've been consuming luxury goods, it's about time I shortened my shopping experiences into these 2 lists (and yes, I'm a little biased toward Los Angeles and certain designers--remember, this is about my experiences ;) )
BEST LUXURY SHOPPING SERVICE, AS DECIDED BY THE DRAMA QUEEN:
- Christian Louboutin, West Hollywood
- Balenciaga, West Hollywood
- Christian Louboutin, Horatio Street
- Christian Louboutin, Madrid
- Balenciaga, South Coast Plaza
- Christian Louboutin, South Coast Plaza
- Natalie Schuterman, Stockholm
- Shoe Salon at Saks Fifth Avenue, New York
- Chanel, Beverly Hills Saks Fifth Avenue
- Hermes, Wall Street
WORST LUXURY SHOPPING EXPERIENCE, AS DECIDED BY THE DRAMA QUEEN:
- Christian Louboutin, Dallas*
- Christian Louboutin, Madison Avenue**
- Hermes, Las Vegas Bellagio
- Madison, Beverly Hills
*The experiences were so bad here I had to explain my reason for ranking this #1 on the worst list. I've never actually visited the store. I was nearly stuck with buying a pair from them a couple of years ago. I had pre-ordered a pair but called a week later to cancel my order. I had the good sense to randomly check my credit card balance online to find I'd been charged by Dallas for the canceled order. I nearly argued with the sales associate to get her to void the transaction. Fast forward 2 years later, to June 2013. My shoes were ordered through a salesperson at another Christian Louboutin store, unbeknownst to me. They charged me full price for a pair that had a very visible stain on them! Long story short, they insisted on doing nothing wrong, and my credit card company didn't bother fighting them on it, so I'm stuck with a $1200 credit at Christian Louboutin. I guess it's not all bad; my next pair will be free or nearly paid-for, and the credit for the sale will go to a worthy sales associate at Robertson, South Coast, or Horatio. I will never shop at Dallas again, and I recommend no one ever to do so. By the way, I'm not the only customer who's had this experience with them. I know of one tpfer who specifically instructed her Dallas sales associate to NOT send her the display pair (she wears a size 35, which is frequently used as the display shoe), but the sales associate sent her the display pair. This was a strass pair--over $4000!
**I missed out on a lunch with a really good-looking guy while being stuck in this store one summer. I was supposed to make a quick purchase, then head downtown to meet him, but the service was too slow (I was scheduled to fly home the next day, so I had no other time). The sales associates were ignoring all but 2 customers and fought with each other in front of me.
Feel free to comment on your personal lists! I'd love to read them.
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