Buy It For Life - Part Five: Cachet

Cachet, “the state of being respected or admired” is another hallmark of quality. Cachet is intangible, yet produces a physiological effect, that impacts how we view and feel about an object.

Certain goods are produced in a way that make people who have them look or feel better. When I purchased my first high quality leather bag and brought it with me to work, my head was held a little higher, and my chest was puffed out a little more. I felt good having this bag with me. I felt a bit more confident. I felt like it said something about who I was, and the values that I had. This is a very distinct example of something that has quality, it makes you look or feel better, because you know that it is something that was made with high attention to detail, with excellent materials, by skilled craftsman.

The feeling of being proud of certain goods does not always mean that what you have is of high quality though. When I got a Jansport backpack for my freshman year of high school, for example, I similarly thought that I was a little cooler, because it was what a lot of other kids had. This did not mean that it was a high quality product. It was my perception. But like cost, where a high quality product will never be inexpensive, a certain amount of cachet will always be associated with a high quality good. If something has cachet, you will know it. You’ll be stopped and complimented. You’ll be noticed. You might just have a little more swagger in your gait as a result. Chances are, you’ll have something of high quality.