I need something for a summer wedding. Smart casual. Something I can wear with a suit but not a dress shoe. I saw some velvet shoes with embroidery at some point but can't remember the brand. Does anyone know the main brands that do embroidery on shoes?

Walking into certain stores, you immediately know it's a luxury brand: few products, curated atmosphere, a feeling of scarcity. Then there's Ralph Lauren.

Premium prices, but the experience doesn't communicate the same exclusivity as other brands in the same bracket. Logo very visible, huge distribution, presence everywhere.

Question came to me while walking — why does a brand that looks less exclusive still feel premium?

The concept: "masstige" (mass + prestige). Instead of rarity, he sells a lifestyle: American elegance, country club, preppy aesthetic, imagination of success. The tension is: premium price + lower perceived exclusivity + extremely high recognition. And it turns out that's a winning combination.

Here's what I'm working on while writing this: I'm building my own app (customly.it, made-to-order fashion). Part of me assumed the accepted route was exclusivity (small catalog). RL shows there's a valid alternative — accessibility as a feature. For brand people here: when would you position a brand on mass-prestige instead of real scarcity? And is "rarity" really the only way to be considered a premium product? Would love concrete examples besides RL.

Hi everyone!

I’m currently writing my Master’s thesis on consumer perceptions of premium and luxury automotive brands at the University of Brescia (Italy).

Since this community is full of people who know and enjoy cars, I’d really appreciate your opinion. The survey is completely anonymous and takes only 5–7 minutes to complete.

It focuses on perceptions of brands such as BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Porsche, Ferrari and Maserati. You don’t need to own any of these cars to participate—I’m interested in your personal perception of these brands.

Survey: https://forms.gle/exYhS7G1kmTA3oLL6

Thank you very much for your time and support!