There’s a fake luxury level for which this is true. These are brands like Coach, Vera Bradley, Kate Spade and Tiffany & Co, which are billed as luxury but are primarily bought by lower middle class who want people to believe they have money. These people have been duped and the quality is garbage.

There are some luxury brands making high quality products, but most of them are smaller names that you don’t really hear on a daily basis.

My favorite jacket is a reproduction of the classic British windproof smock in sturdy polycotton, but black rather than camo. It's practical with plenty of roomy pockets, cut so there's room to move, windproof and quite water repellent with a coat of wax. And because it's simple polycotton, it's easy to repair if it tears or a stitch rips. It's unlined so I can use it almost all year, and roomy enough that I can fit warmer layers underneath.

Along with it, I bought a surplus Czech winter jacket. Olive drab canvas, furry lining, built like a tank. I have no doubt it will last for decades, and it was €30.

The value for money you get with military surplus or good reproductions is astounding. You won't have the fashion brand logos, but you'll have clothing that lasts for decades.

(I bought it from Varusteleka in Finland. They're a bit quirky, but the selection is outstanding and they ship worldwide)