Highest Quality, Lowest Price.

A thought when perusing some luxury stores at the mall —

Wow, the dynamic range between high-end luxury goods and “fast fashion” is so much in terms of build quality, materials, and innovation in fashion.

Which got me thinking —

Why are luxury goods so much better (and so much more expensive) than basic goods?

iPhone vs Android

So this is what I’ve learned about iPhone — the cost is totally worth it, in terms of the value, the ecosystem, and how it is so simple, and how everything just works.

Android devices are often much cheaper, but the design, UI, and usability isn’t as well thought out. As a consequence, using an iPhone is a joy, whereas using an android device is a pain (although the specs and technology are good).

My thought on what makes the iPhone superior:

An insane passion for craftsmanship, using the most premium materials, and the will to simplicity and elegance.

$700 sneakers?

I saw some sneakers I liked — the design was clean, minimalist, and simple and elegant.

But they were $700.

Now — the question is:

Are they “worth” $700?

Of course that is subjective — but this is what I can say:

  1. The designs were far more unique, simple, beautiful, and elegant.
  2. The quality of materials and stitching was superior.
  3. Cheaper brands don’t offer similar designs with similar build quality. For example, Aldo has lots of great designs (copies from high-end brands), yet the quality sucks, and the price is still quite expensive for what it is ($120+ shoes with glue falling out).

Which made me wonder —

What if we could create high quality goods, with the best designs and fashion, best workmanship, for the minimal price?

In fact, the profit motive isn’t #1. The motive is to deliver the highest quality possible product, and to put it into as many human hands as possible.

For example, Apple as the greatest company thus far, which has been able to make the best possible technological tools for the masses, which can still be affordable by anyone (even the poor can buy used iPhones, which still work great).

Supreme quality

I don’t like the notion of “luxury”, because there are too many moralistic connotations associated with it.

Perhaps better is for us to strive for the maximum quality, craftsmanship, materials— the supreme of simplicity, elegance, and beauty. No branding, no distractions — the best possible product (not in order to show off a brand name or image). To genuinely desire the best tool, item, or thing.

Democratic, open access, for the masses

I can personally say (growing up poor)— I hated the fact I couldn’t afford all these cool brands (Ecko). But this ended up being a good thing — I started to wear solid-colored clothing, simple designs, which were all affordable at foot locker.

So my ideal dream is this:

For fashion, a higher-end UNIQLO.

For cameras,

A more affordable Leica.

For cars, a more premium Mazda (Mazda Miata with specs more similar to a Porsche 911).

For technology, Apple has already mastered it.

Maximal quality, minimal price

The goal is to always increase the quality of things, while always lowering the price.

This has been my dream with HAPTIC— to create the best possible tools for photographer artists, to maximize our creative productivity and style, with tools and resources which are simple, beautiful, and elegant.

More turbo thoughts to come.

ERIC