Due Diligence on Maison Michel hat & hair accessories

• Details of Investment

Since 1936, Maison Michel has been creating perfect hats for the most prestigious fashion houses like Dior, Givenchy, Lanvin & Chanel. But it was not until 2006 when Chanel bought Maison Michel that its 32 year old Artistic Director, Laetitia Crahay made its hair accessories (Yes.... bunny ear hairbands) the hottest it brand to invest in right now. Want to know how super cool of a designer Laeitita is? Check out the recent Chanel accessories coz she is also the head of accessories & jewellery there.


Check out the range from net-a-porter.com, brownsfashion.co.uk, jades24.com & colette.fr to see for yourself. If you are ever so lucky as to be located in Paris, then you should visit the store at 65, rue Saint Anne where you can order a made-to measure hat in 3-4 weeks.

 

 

• Financial Cost

Hairbands are available from USD200 (which would get you basic simple styles) & upwards (carefully constructed masterpieces with snowflakes, crystals, thorns, rabbits, frogs, nails, thick chains, feathers, pearls, veils & chains) while hats will set you back USD400-600. The craftsmanship is truly amazing (would expect nothing less from being a Chanel child company), but I guess the hairpieces or hats don't come cheap. I mean, I love hats & hair accessories but I find I have to be in a specific mood or have a special feeling to wear it (sometimes if lucky I might only wear a hat once a year) which means my investment would not bring me a low cost per wear each year. And even if I was in the mood, you need to have the outfit to wear it with.....

• Valuation & Returns of Investment

Remember when Bunny ears first popped up during the Marc Jacobs for LV 2008 fashion show?? then that same year Madonna wore them to the Met Gala?? then in 2009 we saw them on the Olsen twins spotting lace bunny & mouse ears by Maison Michel in Tokyo and then on Lady Gaga for the cover of NEO2 magazine whilst Lily Allen performed in them, then we saw them again in recently in 2010 on Frida Gustavsson at the Paris Vogue Masquerade ball. Given that the Bunny ears have still remained a 'fashionable' item among the fashionistas in 2010, perhaps it can be placed next to your Manolo Blahniks in the closet in terms of importance?


Clearly the bunny ears are not everyone's cup of tea. It's not a cheap accessory that you can use under all circumstances - you can't wear them while shopping or buying groceries or working in an investment bank!!!  They seem to be made more for fashion moments... like if you sing a lot in concert performances, have a life long list of masquerade ball invites & appear in more magazine covers than Lady Gaga then it doesn't hurt to get a pair.... otherwise best opt for the Maison Michel hats & hairbands which you can still appreciate, wear more frequently & make a fashion statement out of.

FYI...I noticed the bunny ears have diversified into being cat ears in the current collection (they have even made it in pink & without the veil that covers the face). I guess this could be a sign that the 'ears' will become one of Maison Michel's signature pieces.

• Risk Factors

As Dita Von Teese recently proclaimed:- 'You have to be brave to wear a hat. Wearing a hat says: 'I have confidence & I don't mind if people are looking at me'.

If you are thinking of investing in a Maison Michel hair accessory (where it be bunny ears or a top hat), you need to know that people will look at you (whether it be they think you are a weirdo for wearing bunny ears in broad daylight or just admiring the feathers of your Maison Michel creation).

• Overall Rating

If you want the Maison Michel bunny ears so badly, why not consider visiting the many DIY websites which will enable you to use your capital on other much loved must haves?? Maybe I might just give the more wearable hairbands & fedoras a try when I literally have nothing else to buy.....