Category: Brands

Posted on by — Leave a comment

Is Love Moschino and Moschino the same?

To answer the question is Love Moschino and Moschino, the same.

My answer will be French Normandy style: yes and no. Happy with my answer? Let’s see why I can’t give a straight answer.

Yes, because Love Moschino and Moschino are the same fashion house, same fashion brand.

The Moschino collection includes the following labels, also called diffusion lines for men and women.

  • Moschino main label for women and men
  • Moschino Cheap and Chic is a secondary youthful label, created in 1988 and exclusively for women and is since 2014 called Boutique Moschino
  • Love Moschino another secondary label for women and men. Until 2008, it was called Moschino Jeans another chic line
  • Moschino also has since 2009 “Maison Moschino,” a train station on Viale Monte Grappa, Milan.

No, Love Moschino and Moschino are not the same because the customer base is very different, one for more affluent people looking for a more unconventional style, the other, younger and much less affluent looking for a known and more wearable designer brand Moschino.

Yet, I know many affluent customers who swear by Love Moschino.

Many claim that the difference between Moschino and Love Moschino is the price, and I can’t entirely agree.

Indeed, the beautiful runway style Silk Organza Dress With Sequin Embroidery at $6,500 is way pricier than the Love Moschino Fleece Dress Crystal Logo at $286.

Look at both pictures. The styles are entirely different, as well as the price and the material. The Moschino is 100% Silk with no branding – the design is the branding. The love Moschino dress is 95% Cotton, 5% Elastan with a printed, very noticeable brand – Is Love Moschino and Moschino the same, really not looking at the design!

Is Love Moschino and Moschino the same

Think about yourself, which dress would you wear to a chic party? Which one for shopping?  

Let’s look at handbags, the Face Print Clutch at $550 or the Clutch With Stars at $115, as for the dresses, one has a prominent logo, for the other one, the design is the logo. Same question as before: is Love Moschino and Moschino the same, really not looking at these beautiful handbag designs.

Is Love Moschino and Moschino the same

We could go on and on 😊

Now, do you think that the difference between Moschino and Love Moschino is “only” the price tag?

I know you are already asking about Boutique Moschino. This third line is also a diffusion line well placed between the two other lines.

Boutique is a bit more “exotic” than Love Moschino with a lower price tag than Moschino.

The final answer is that both lines are from the same fashion house with different designs and prices.  I hope I answered your question, is Love Moschino and Moschino the same.

Quick Moschino history

Moschino was founded near Milan in 1983 by Franco Moschino.

Contrary to other fashion designers, Franco’s family owned an iron foundry. He wanted to become an artist painter.

Franco Moschino enrolled at the famous Marangoni Institute. During his studies, he worked as an illustrator for fashion magazines and fashion designers. After graduation, he worked for Versace as an illustrator.

In 1983, Moschino started Moonshadow, and launched Moschino Couture!

He created casualwear and jeans but quickly extended to lingerie, eveningwear, shoes, menswear, and perfumes.

Moschino’s designs were innovative and uncommon, like the famous eccentric black denim mini-skirt decorated with plastic fried eggs

He was called the Jean-Paul Gaultier of Italian fashion for his highly creative designs.

Franco loved playing with statements like “Expensive Jacket” embroidered in gold across the back of a cashmere jacket.

He loved mocking fashion classics such as the Chanel jacket with very showy details making him quite famous in the industry he satirized.

Before his death, Franco worked to raise money for hospices for children with AIDS. He passed in 1994 at the age of 44 from AIDS ☹

Rossella Jardini, Former Moschino creative director, took over and fulfilled the role of “creative witness,” preserving the style and philosophical tactic.

In 1999 Moschino joined the group Aeffe created by Alberta Ferretti and include Philosophy di Lorenzo Serafini and Pollini.

In 2013, Jeremy Scott became Moschino’s creative director.

Posted on by — 1 Comment

Is Versace Jeans Real Versace?

Versace Jeans

This a question that comes quite often: “Is Versace Jeans real Versace?”

My definitive answer is YES, Versace Jeans Brand is Versace. The major difference was the market targeted by the brand. Versace for affluent middle-aged and the Jeans version is focussed on the younger generations at a lower cost. I say “was” because today the Versace Jeans brand is becoming its own Versace designer style.

VJ is what is called a diffusion brand, which is a line of products created by a high-end fashion designer (Versace in this case) that retails at lower prices may be less flashy of the runway fashion.

Big brands use diffusion lines as a part of their strategy of massification of their luxury names. some brands like Dolce & Gabbana who dropped its D&G diffusion line. To be honest it wasn’t done very well. One that went too far is Calvin Klein, selling its diffusion brands like CK and Calvin Klein Underwear in mass chain stores like Walmart didn’t bring lust to his brand.

It helps with cash flow (more sales) and brand recognition as it is sold in department stores (Macy’s, Nordstrom…) and online.  Check out our Versace Jeans collection.

Versace Crossbody

A $1,850 Versace Crossbody

 Versace Jeans Crossbody

A Crossbody Versace Jeans we sell at $124

Is Versace Jeans Real Versace?

Gianni Versace, like many other luxury brands, has diffusion lines to name a few:

  • Armani Exchange, Armani Jeans, Emporio Armani  for Armani
  • Cheap & Chic and Love Moschino for Moschino
  • CK, CK Jeans and Calvin Klein Underwear for Calvin Klein
  • Just Cavalli, Cavalli Class and Roberto Cavalli Sport for Roberto Cavalli
  • MICHAEL by Michael Kors for Michael Kors
  • Versus, Versace Collection and VJ for Versace
  • …

A few notes, since January 2019, Versace has been acquired by Michael Kors Holdings, which is now Capri Holding. Capri also owns Jimmy Choo. Since the acquisition, Versace is merging all its diffusion brands into VJ.

Many people claim that all Versace brands are made in Italy, which is totally false. In the article Christina Schnell published, she says that if a Versace product is made in China, it is a blatant fake. She has no idea of what she is trying to talk about 🙂

Many products designed by Donatella Versace and her team including shirt design are manufactured in China, Singapore, and certainly soon in India. Many Versace products are still manufactured in Italy, but it’s getting less and less every year.

The reason? More successful these brands are, more output they need, and there is not enough workforce in Italy for all the “Italian” Designers. If you are interested, I highly recommend the article on Gucci on Reference.com about what I call the Gucci scandal.

Gucci factories are in Prato and are held by Chinese businessmen who pay their illegal Chinese workers’ meager wages $3/hour – see the New York Times article.

Two choices, honesty with the origin of the product made in China or made in Italy using illegal underpaid Chinese workers.

As a footnote, Prato near Florence  (Gucci and Prada factories), has the second-largest population of Chinese in Europe, after Paris.

My Small Store keeps track of VJ transparency and its impact on the environment and working condition – as many major brands the lights are not turned 100% on but it’s going there. For example, all Versace plants will be running on renewable energy by 2025, great if though we would prefer to see more details about the complete workforce situation. One Step at the time!

Bottom line, if you buy a Versace Jeans brand from an approved retailer like My Small Store, you are sure you have a real Versace. If you purchase it on the streets of New York China town, you are sure you have a fake one 🙂

I discussed in other posts about the bad and the ugly of buying counterfeit designer brand handbags and apparel. It is not illegal to buy, it is a federal crime to sell or resell. Many got caught buying a fake Gucci bag and realizing the mistake selling it on eBay, Facebook or Etsy – this is a big mistake. Same as for the “funny ones” who buy a fake handbag, then a real one online and return the fake one for a refund – no refund but a nice police report 🙂

A fun fact did you know that you can buy a Versace condo, rent an apartment, and stay at a hotel designed by the famous designer? The most famous being the Palazzo Versace Dubai (I recommend looking at the pictures)  with prices starting at $180 for a king room, up to $800 for a Grand Suite Creek View. Other locations include parts of China, India, Philipines, and other countries.

Don’t roll your eyes about Versace luxury residences. All designers have at least one:

  • The Gabbana Luxury Apartments South Beach Miami
  • The Armani Residences: Sunny Isles, Miami Beach
  • The Bulgari Hotel in Milan, Italy
  • The Bulgari Hotels & Residences in Knightsbridge, London
  • The Yoo Nordelta Residence in Buenos Aires, Argentina – less known in the USA
  • The Moschino and Philip Vergeylen apartments in London, England
  • The Maison Christian Dior apartments in Paris, France
  • The Louis Vuitton apartments in London, England
  • etc.

Price-wise? Way above my budget, not even in my dreams. A penthouse at the Versace Culture Village in Dubai,  5 bedrooms costs 12,000,000 AED or over $3,250,000 while a similar condo in Dubai would cost around $750,000 – these are not designed by luxury fashion houses 🙂

Why Versace Jeans?

Look at the price tag and the difference between the two crossbody bags above – $1,850 vs. $124. My lovely wife, who loves designer bags, says, why should I spend $1,850 for a Versace when I can get 10 Versace Jeans for much less than that?

If you look at our collection, you will find beautiful VJ at a fraction of a Versace, same beauty, same designers, same work quality. Do not think that VJ is a sub-brand as already stated, VJ is becoming a strong Versace arm.

What we like the most about VJ is that the designers are not going too far and many handbags have a beautiful minimalist concept while keeping the style and the luxury feeling. Many dislike the very flashy runway style and are more prone to enjoy more wearable design.

Why My Small Store doesn’t sell Versace?

We did, and they are now only available offline only. That decision came after “funny” people would buy a fake Versace in New York, Chicago, or Los Angeles, then order a real one from us. Cancel the order and return the fake one.

We grew tired of having to make police reports with almost zero chance to get our money back. So, if you want a reasonable price on a Versace, contact us to arrange a meeting here 🙂

Is Versace Jeans Real Versace?
Is Versace Jeans Real Versace? 10

This a question that comes quite often: "Is Versace Jeans real Versace?"

Product In-Stock: Available

Posted on by — Leave a comment

Royal Hot Sunglasses, must own #1 amazing shades!

Why Royal Hot Sunglasses?

Royal Hot sunglasses are not only good quality and have awesome designs but they also have the best ultraviolet protection possible (UV400). Cost wise they are really affordable starting @ $15 and going up to $50 for specialty shades. These are backed up by a 100% satisfaction guaranteed with exchange or full refund.

Each pair of Royal Hot sunglasses comes with a very cool luxury case, a cleaning cloth and a quite cool box (perfect for gifting). 

From standard driving polarized shades to round steampunk sunglasses you can get almost any style of frames but the famous 1950’s 1960’s cat eye design. 

What are our favorite ones? yes the steampunk frames – I am not talking about the John Lennon style of flat round lenses, I am talking about the real Steampunk. A sub-genre of science fantasy which incorporates designs inspired by 19th century industrial steam powered machines. Well alive with very cool places like the steampunk Truth Coffee in Cape Town, South Africa – I visited the place multiple times and it is a must see, the coffee is quite excellent as well.

steampunk-truth-coffee-cape-town

Looking back at Royal Hot, between driving big square eyewear, round Lennon, pilot style and other rimless frames you know that your shades will be different than your best friend one. 

In traditional culture, women sunglasses have unique designs like cat eye style, panthos design, or butterfly frame but that is changing. At My Small Store we realized that women love different frame designs and we offer sunglasses with total unisex styles – rectangle, oval, square, punk, round, aviator etc. 

The good old days of face shape dictate your glasses design are gone – no more oval face thus square frame, sorry. Today women wear whatever style they want.

Royal Hot sunglasses come with the highest ultraviolet protection available on the market UV400 which provides 100% UVA and UVB filtering. Both are quite dangerous to human eyes.  

Too much exposure to UVA is the cause of certain types of cataracts, as your cornea lets UVA pass through, it plays an important role in the development of macular degeneration. UVB is the one responsible for tanning but it causes sunburns not fun on your skin and extremely dangerous for your eyes as your cornea absorbs all UVB – thus cornea sunburns causing the famous snow blindness. 

Royal Hot shades also come with polarization that helps considerably with glares and reflections from smooth surfaces. Perfect for driving, fishing and all winter activities.  

Price wise, why own one pair of UV100 Julbo steampunk sunglasses at $99.98 when for the same budget you can get the same beautiful Royal Hot punk plus a pair of driving frames and a pair of classy all polarized UV400 (much better than UV100) with 100% satisfaction guaranteed and free shipping?

 

Posted on by — 1 Comment

Bobo Bird Unique Handmade Wood Sunglasses – #1 Quality

wood sunglasses

 

Bobo Bird manufacturing is located in Northern China. It all started in 1995 when a father made a wooden watch for his son. Years later, the son created the BOBO BIRD company for his father because the watch he received on his birthday was the most special gift he had ever gotten.

The name of BOBO BIRD comes from a North China local birds that their calling sounds like BO-BO.

Today Bobo Bird is not only a sunglasses brand but it also designs and manufactures beautiful and unique watches, wallets, and eco-friendly high-quality wooden sunglasses with 100 UV protection.

Why Wood Sunglasses?

First and most important, all woods are reclaimed and recycled. Maple wood, Bamboo, Zebrawood, Sandalwood, even the Zebrawood are reclaimed and recycled.  Making these wood frame sunglasses even better, each pair is unique. 

Bobo Bird wooden sunglasses are handmade, polarized lenses, UV400  protection, some are mirrored, some have acetate frames, some are 100% natural wood, or bamboo sunglasses. Look at our collection of the best wood sunglasses for men, women, or unisex.

Why choose a high level of UV protection, read our post about protective eyewear, how they work, and how they are made.