I once handcrafted leather products. It was at this time that I met Jim Murnak, someone who invoked such awe that I featured him in a two-part story (see Part 1 here and Part 2 here). I sold my wares to a number of retailers, some with an upscale clientele. One husband and wife team owned two locations in the West Village, each managing their own shop. The husband, Walter, hailed from Great Britain and was a mentor of sorts to me. I was young, very impressionable, and knew nothing about the world. My mind was like a sponge for all the wisdom he could impart.

I would make deliveries of product in person to the wife’s shop, and often, I would take the opportunity to visit Walter’s shop around the corner. I looked forward to my visits with great anticipation, as invariably we would become engaged in some conversation regarding craftsmanship, quality, or international travel, of which I knew nothing. He often contrasted the American versus the European mindset. He did much to foster the concept of the ugly American, the archetype that I profiled in So Where’s David? One day, he made a statement which echoes to this day. “Brian, you are seeing the first generation grow up that does not know quality because they have never seen it.”

A bit harsh perhaps, but with some elements of truth. In an age of branding, merchandising, marketing, and with a tidal wave of product, who can really understand materials and design and, hence, know quality? Who would recognize elements of shoddy design, like the use of sheet metal screws in plastic, machined metal versus castings, or brass plated versus solid brass buckles? The degradation and cheapening of product is well illustrated by wood veneers, where the surface layer has gone from 1/8″ thick to 1/64″ or even less, giving the very word veneer an unwarranted bad name.

Saddest to me are those with buckets of money, particularly the nouveau riche, who suddenly have the means to purchase anything they desire. I recall a TV tour of a rap star’s home where an extraordinary kitchen had only drawers of candy and a refrigerator with shelves of soda and beer. For these nouveau riche, quality is frequently defined strictly by brand and what costs more. Conspicuous consumption is the order of the day. I find it sad, because as a manufacturer, I see that those with extraordinary means often seek the “best” with little regard or knowledge of what it really means, often just parroting back some key buzz words regarding the product specifications. Manufacturers fine tune down to minute detail, yet most goes without care or appreciation, only to be tossed aside for the next new toy. However, I suppose there is no need to look under the hood of a car if you don’t know understand what you are looking at.

There are things whose mere existence scream finest and most expensive, such as the Lamborghini, costing hundreds of thousands of dollars. Even in New York City, the sight of one of these vehicles raises eyebrows. In a virtual sequel to my story, “Who See the Red”, I spotted the bright red Lamborghini in today’s photo on West Broadway in the heart of SoHo. Heads turned, and some even had photos taken of them with the vehicle.

For the New Yorker, it is also perhaps the audacity and the height of deliberateness to park a Lamborghini in the streets – even a convertible left open. It not only says the obvious, that someone can afford such a luxury, but also that the owner is so cavalier about money that he or she is perfectly comfortable leaving an asset of this size on the streets of New York City, subject to theft or vandalism.

But here perhaps, beyond image and panache, there at least may be some good news. I want to believe that a Lamborghini is a product that is more than just an expensive brand and that there is real Quality Under the Hood…

More cars: Boom Boom, Itching and…, Nice and Olds, Hoopmobile, Mint Condition