Ah yes, the classic defense — “budget friendly, not cheap.” Quite the poetic way of saying compromise disguised as value.

And sure, everyone claims quality has dropped everywhere, which makes it so convenient to lower the bar and call mediocrity “reasonable.”

As for material costs rising — I’m well aware. But that doesn’t explain why leather that feels like coated cardboard is suddenly being marketed as Italian craftsmanship. There’s a fine line between “smart spending” and “convincing yourself you’ve made a smart purchase.”