Very early morning phone calls from my mother since the death of Yves Saint Laurent is almost expected. A big fan and also a client of the late couturier, Celine Fonteray’s distraught over YSL’s death is very understandable. And of course, she is my mother and I know that she can be very emotional at times.

Dior phone (courtesy of Christian Dior)

But, this morning it was a different kind of emergency. She was calling me about the new Dior mobile phone that is rumored to sell at $26,000. Created by the French company ModeLabs, the Parisian phone designer to the stars, the “My Dior” clamshell with a 2.6-inch touch screen and a 2-megapixel camera has been wrapped in crocodile skin and embellished with 640 Swarovski crystals that totals 3,251 carats.

“Madeline, is it worth for me to buy it? Or, should I get the cheaper model for $5,000. Both comes with a Mini-me that clips in my purse so that I don’t have to look for it when it rings,” my mother asked. She sounded serious and truly looking for advice.

I could have laughed and told her she must be out of her mind to even consider buying something that expensive that will have a better model in six months time. But, she is my mother and I love her. She does not really understand technology and if something about fashion is high-tech, she wants it but need to make sure that she is buying the right thing.

“It’s a cell phone Mama, like any other mobile phone in the market.”

“No, Madeline, it’s Dior and its French. I’m carrying around a Prada phone because no French fashion house has launched one. Now, there is, so I’m going to have it.”

“Then buy the $5,000 model because in a few month’s time a new one will be coming out. At $26,000, you’re obliged to keep it for at least a year or two. At, $5,000, it can be disposable, don’t you think?”

“Are you being sarcastic, Madeline?”

“No Mama,” and I were being truthful when I said it. “If you buy a mobile phone for function, you pay about $500 for it. If you want it for high street fashion, paying four figures for it is expected. If you’re going to use the phone for at least two years because it takes about 18 months for new technology to arrive in the market, then you should get the $26,000.”

“I see your point. I’ll probably use it just for six months. Now that I found out that they can move all my contacts to a new phone in a few seconds, I can change phones whenever I want.”

And that was how I convinced my mother to buy a $5,000 mobile phone.

[IMADGE MEKKER]