Branded? Who, me!

When a publisher of a leading magazine told me that if he ever were to start a lifestyle glossy, he couldn't think of a better person to handle it than me, it appeared all starry-eyed. An elegant boulevard milling with a world of chic designer clad sets, tanned petite girls in Christian Louboutinu00a0 stilettos sauntering beside men in immaculate suits. Shop after shop ufffd Ferragamo, Miu Miu, Prada, Versace, Valentino, Dior.

But he would freak out and understandably so, if he knew the real truth that the ber fashionista that he was talking to back then didn't own a single Prada or Chanel in her wardrobe.

So what is it about scrambling for these brands? What does it give to the person who owns big brand garments? I've always wondered if people just like the feel of cashmere on their skin, the joy to spend as much as you recklessly wish or if it's something to do with the sheer camaraderie of simply divulging your success in life?

I was at the opening of a vertical resort in Singapore last week and the city is testament to big brands everywhere you turn. Marina Bay Sands, which opened after much ado owing to the government ban against casino culture in the city, is also home to every possible international brand you could think of. I did get the Becky Bloomwood itch once and did stroll through a few of them, but then after a mall moll through in and out of only six, I was already dizzy. I paused at a mannequin donning the most amazing LBD (Little Black Dress), all soft and sexy; I stroked it fondly, flipped the price label and nearly fainted. Not that the stores were small, they were actually huge, or the price pointed beyond my purse strings, but the mannequin call was not enticing enough.u00a0

When we sat down for a drink in the evening at a swanky pub, each of the girls had at least one big pick from those shops they wanted to flaunt. After all what is shopping about until you haven't brandished them? One raved about the big discount that was on and how much she'd saved. Personally, I'm really not the parsimonious kind but I'm also not the spawning type either, who wouldn't think twice before big ticket buys.

Many don't like to show a logo. For others, it's all about the logo. A survey showing a classic divide in luxury attitudes says the markets that most prefer items with logos are places where it's fine to flash purchases (that's sometimes the point!), topped by India at 80 per cent. Where do I fit in? Neither. Did I get ambushed into a snare? Almost. Where do you stand? Let me know.