Secret Shopping: Luxury Consumers Opt For Discreet Blank Bags

At Hermes and a handful of other exclusive retailers, "secret shopping" has becoming the winter season's newest trend. Anyone who can still afford, say, the three cashmere throws at $2,225 each that Mrs. Fuld bought when she stopped by the store that day isn't likely to advertise it. Instead, the city's most extravagant shoppers are ferrying their purchases home in unmarked bags; delegating delivery to assistants; or manipulating credit card bills to disguise their spending from outsiders--and their spouses.

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Comments

[wordvarc]

Mine are brown.

[kellygrrrl]

I bet she Stuck a VW emblem on her Bentley -- that ought to do the job

[kellygrrrl]

yeah, whenever I cruise down Rodeo Drive in my designer duds, I always make sure to carry a large Target bag so no one knows what I'm up to.

These people are like RabidJunkies. They are NOT going to change.

[bluguy8]

Of course she does....... no K-mart for her ... She was really picking up somethings for Sarah Palin

[kolorkin]

i'm already speechless.

[courageunderfire]

As I have said before, NOTHING will change for these corporate execs and their families.
Even if they get no salary etc, they will find ways to stay in the comforts they have been accustom to.
I can only hope that the law makers start instituting real laws that people in jail for a very long time when they rape and pillage the system like they have. It disgusts me.

[gzuss]

Poor little rich people! Having to hide their excesses in plain white wrappers.

[Spinzone]

Why should she not make such purchases? The Fulds are a prominent NY family; they have a named room at MOMA and give millions to charity. They are strong supporters of the Democratic party.

[Oxonian2001]

Doesn't matter. The millions they "donate" to charity is still a drop in the bucket. They get to write much of it on their taxes anyway. Fact is, their activities on Wall Street and their push for deregulation (amongst others) helped ruin the American economy in significant ways, resulting in job losses, foreclosures and evictions.

[kolorkin]

agreed.

[bluguy8]

amen to that

[leeman79]

It you could only get these people to understand that the real reward is in giving. I hope you enjoy your throws. Before your next shopping trip, could you first consider the little boy in the foothills of Kentucky that still has to walk 1/4 mile to get potable water or the little girl in Atlanta that won't get the doll she wanted for christmas.

[bellabeach]

These are shallow, empty people and buying "things" make up for their lack of self worth!

[1201SLD]

"visiting the boutique once a week and spending $5,000 or $10,000 each time. "

Seriously, aside from the insensitivity and bad taste... this woman is addicted and needs help. What other explanation can there be for spending $5,000 or $10,000 a week at Hermes or any other store? Her closet would probably make Imelda Marcos blush. All this spending is a symptom of much more, the classic but now-unfashionable American consumer disease.

[PumaJ]

Somehow, I just have trouble wrapping my brain around the fact that the woman actually spent over four thousand bucks on a couple of cashmere throws. What's up with that?

If she has so much money to "throw around", better she should throw it toward some charity.

[Horst]

These are intensely greedy and egocentric people. If they can't make money they steal it. Give any away? You must be joking.

[sonoffestus]

I prefer a good deal at the local thrift store. I just snagged a nearly new Columbia rain shell for $15.00. I could have bought one on the net , but what fun is that? Most of my summer shirts & shorts are from the thrift shops as well. Nothing makes me happier than to find a good piece of clothing for peanuts. How about a brand new J. Peterman shirt for $8.00? The good summer stuff is out on the rack right now, better get going. Oh, and bring a couple of Ralph Lauren bags to bring the stuff home in!

[PhilipTaylor]

I guess it is hard to break old habits!

But when the company is in Bankruptcy it is time to switch to polyester!

[tomas0808]

It's starting. Pretty soon they won't be able to drive their Mercedes because people will throw rocks at them, they will hole up in their mansions and shop online, (but what fun is it to not show off all that stuff, feel superior and let people know what a trendy fashion goof you are), then eventually they will fly their Lear jets to their islands to escape slaughter only to be slaughtered on their islands because the economic disaster that they wreaked on the US will have spread to the island as well because they insisted globalization was such a great idea. POETIC JUSTICE