I'll attest to this. I'm in Europe 9 months of the year. In the UK, Abercrombie and Ralph Lauren are HOT HOT HOT items amongst the working class and middle/upper-middle classes, respectively. However, G-Star jeans are a very good pair of jeans over there, as opposed to a speciality luxury denim here. Discounting is much rarer, with the exception of Germany. My friend's mother found it a great coup when she found some Tommy Hilfiger socks at TK Maxx. As an American, Tommy Hilfiger does not wow me in the slightest, with the brand connotations being "Discount/outlet store fodder" and "Dad brand." However, brand image does differ from market to market. Levi's and Ralph Lauren are relatively mundane here. Over there, any of us could pay down a good part of our vacation by bringing a suitcase full of NWT polo shirts and jeans. However, in the UK, Burberry is suffering significantly from "Prole Drift" and their clothing is considered a bit gauche (although price embitters those who cannot afford it as well). Over here, a Burberry purse or scarf always wins a compliment.