Why do we love the brands but buy the fakes?

[michyed]

^How could you even compare terrorism to animal rights and harsh working conditions? (Not to mention the counterfeit industry is guilty of sponsoring criminal activity, involuntary prostitution, child labor. I've seen it with my own eyes.) And do you think workers in the counterfeit factories actually have it well off?

Dismiss it as propaganda all you like, really.

 

[baby_yorkie]

i own fake and real. basically i dont believe a bag can/could cost more than 500/piece. what's it better between real and fake? does the real one guarantee to last 10 years?
im paying 100-200 (max) for a fake and so far the longest fakes last at least 3 years of everyday use.
so let's do the math: 200/3 years, 1k bag should last me 15 years....i dont think LV will last that long- look at those disgusting used LV on ebay....erk...
it's the matter of moral issue to me. yes, it is not right to use fake, you r not supporting the real company...but it supports my wallet...and that makes me happy.
the real ones i own are chloe bags. simply because...fake chloes are not good. so im willing to pay 500 or less for chloe bags. with 500, i can easily get a great condition/like new chloe...and that's the max i will pay.

 

[sanitizedfashion]

^How could you even compare terrorism to animal rights and harsh working conditions? (Not to mention the counterfeit industry is guilty of sponsoring criminal activity, involuntary prostitution, child labor. I've seen it with my own eyes.) And do you think workers in the counterfeit factories actually have it well off?

Dismiss it as propaganda all you like, really.

Nowhere in my post did I liken terrorism to animal rights and harsh working conditions. Although, they are all equally as bad. I didn't mention terrorism once; as far as I'm concerned, all of the ills of counterfeit merchandise is propaganda provided by the corporations being ripped off and the fashion industry. The argument of terrorism, doesn't make much sense to me... how are the two inextricably linked? That argument comes up quite a bit in the real v. fake argument and no one has yet to give me an example of direct linkage. Neither did I say or do I think that the workers in said industry "have it well off." It just seems hypocritical to get on some high horse about how and where your exclusive designer handbags are produced when you have no idea how real designer handbags are made, and for that matter, anything else. I'm pretty sure that every company likes to cut corners to save on production costs. Wake up people, nearly everything is made in China and I don't think the luxe designers are discriminiting in which factories and whom works in them and how. (Try reading How Luxury Lost it's Luster).

CHANEL, the only brand that I used to support now makes all of their bags in factories with little to no aid of workers. How is a factory crafted bag worth more than circa $2600+ dollars? Hermes is also pulling a fast one as they raise their own alligators (thus taking away business from the little man also, bad for the economy) and then selling those skins to other luxury brands, which means their alligator bags should be cheaper because all the supplies are in-house. It's all about supply and demand. If the luxe-bag market was smart, they would lower prices and then their demand would go up, because people would be able to reason themselves into buying a bag sub-$1000 (However, this will never happen because they rather keep their air of superiority and opulence.) Until then, people will always buy fakes regardless of what only-authentic buyers think and in spite of their perceived "truths" of the industry. Who, especially in this economy, is going to spend their mortgage payments on a handbag when they could spend a fraction for nearly the same thing? To some, it's practicality. Fakes in quality could be likened to that of Guess, Donna Karen, or Nine West bags which have relative longevity; the "poor craftsmanship" of replicas are a slightly exaggerated myth. I don't even know anyone who keeps the same handbags for a lifetime, but that's just me. I once read an article about how people only label a bag faux or real based on who carries it. Therefore, when you see an old, snotty lady with a Birkin, LV, Chanel w/e you assume it's real without second thought. Fakes are becoming more convincing and ruining it for the exclusivity-ninnies/worshippers out there, sorry .

Just curious, where and when did you see "it" with your own eyes ?

 

[risska]

^ I agree with everything you just said. While I haven't purchased any fake bags I have no issues with doing so.

For me I can find no way to justify $5000 (yes, thats how expensive a 2.55 Chanel is in Australia) on a bag. Maybe that quality is worth $1000 but it's not worth $5000, and the Chanel name means little to me, certainly not $4000 worth.

Once upon a time these bags were handmade from the best quality materials possible, you were paying a premium price for a bag made with made with premium craftsmanship. Like everything else in the world, the high fashion industry is now just interested in making a pretty dollar.

At this point in my life I refuse to to support a company that expects me to pay $4000 for a name, $4000 for someone else to have a million dollar lifestyle, I'm not spending $5000 on a bag to know that I can buy the best. Because I don't care if I can buy the best, I don't care about a name, I just care about the pretty bag. Some people will say fine, just go without. But why should someone have to go without if their is another option?

I think if you buy the $5000 handbag that is own choice, and if you buy the $200 fake that is also your own choice. As long as you are happy with your bag, who really cares? It's wrong to judge someone by the fact that they can afford the $5000 bag, just as it's wrong to judge someone based on the fact that they can't afford the $5000 option or choose not too.



And just a heads up with the terrorism argument thats probably going to take place: Designer brands have encouraged this image that 'Fake handbags fund terrorism'. It's a very positive image for designer brands to put out there and support as people fear terrorism and many would hate to fund it.

Do some research and you will find a very vast amount of money for terrorism comes from drugs. Which is only logical, why would a terrorist group who makes $500 million from one shipment of drugs bother selling fake designer bags? Imagine the sheer amount of bags you would need just to rival the money that terrorist groups make from drugs.

So yes, maybe some fake handbags do support terrorism, but it would be a very small percentage that do. Most fake handbags are just funding people and their families in poverty ridden countries.

 

[Street_a_Licious]

oh god. not the "counterfeit purses fund terrorism" thing again.

let's be clear:

China produces most the counterfeit purses in the world. correct? most likely.

where do people suspect most terrorist cells to be? Middle East, South America, hell, even parts of Europe.

so, please find a link for those 2 seperate events.

 

[etceteraism]

Back at the beginning of high school I had a fake LV. There's a lot of small Chinese malls in my city, and fakes became a HUGE fad. Everyone carried a fake LV. But it got so obvious-people would ask where you got the fake from (without even asking if it was real first). One girl owned a real one, and nobody believed her. After that I decided I wouldn't buy a fake again. Everyone got really good at sizing you up and determining if (based on your age/outfit/etc) you were carrying a real one.
No, I can't afford the designer bag I'm lusting over right now-instead I bought a really nice leather Treesje bag that is good quality, but no big brand. I only ever carry 1 bag and use it into the ground, so I'll pay for quality.

 

[D A N A]

When I was younger my mum bought me this Dior bag the one with the weird shape I don't remember the collection's name exactly but it was sorta like the saddle horse?
Anyways I carried it a lot and a year later she told me it was actually a fake- No one knew it was fake , it was made really well and even the inside of the bag was perfectly made. When she told me it was a fake I threw it out, lol. I don't believe in buying fake bags because I can afford the real thing (not really I, my dad can). So if he doesn't have any objections to spending that kind of money on designer products, why should I?
Also I didn't feel the same way carrying a fake Dior bag.
I do not see any problems with people purchasing fake bags, we all lead different lifestyles with different needs and mentalities.
I believe most people buy the fakes 1) save money, even if your a millionaire you still would save a dollar if you could. I think that is the only reason all the other reasons revolve around the money factor too in my opinion.
And yes all of these large luxury companies do produce their products in poorer countries with not so good conditions and paychecks. The companies too want to save money.

 

[dior*kiss]

I owned fake when I was younger but now will only touch real deal. I sold my fakes (chanel, bal and LV) at a market stall (I did let them know they werent authentic) and worked hard and now have my Balenciagas, Louis Vuittons and Chanel that I treasured much more than what I ever felt about a fake bag.

People love fakes for the image it portrays, and not the brand itself. You can't love a brand if you are hurting it!

 

[MissDaisyChain]

i buy both fakes and auths

im a student but have quite a sizeable income but it has its limits, so id rather spend my money on cheaper auths eg LV speedy, mulberry, some smaller chloe bags but i draw the line at blowing 2k on a bag so ill buy fake chanel flaps and gucci bags (which have got more expensive over the years)

i'll buy fakes of bags that are really hard to get hold of as well e.g bottega roma bag. if someone asks me if its real ill be honest about it though because i think most ppl are under the impression that ppl buy fakes to appear rich but then saying that do people buy auths to appear rich? i dont think thats the case..sometimes its nice just to have a nice bag

 

[papa_levante]

if someone asks me if its real ill be honest about it though because i think most ppl are under the impression that ppl buy fakes to appear rich but then saying that do people buy auths to appear rich? i dont think thats the case..sometimes its nice just to have a nice bag

True, we buy fakes to seem rich and when a rich person buys a real bag, are they even that rich anymore?

I own a Fendi bag and as my mother was going through my closet, she said, "I could buy one exactly like this in Korea that will probably be of better quality." (One of the straps broke and I'm not sure how, but I can guess considering the leather is so soft that any hard tug could have pulled it right off.) I wouldn't buy a fake because I fear it would come off as being cheap. Then again, being cheap is probably better because I always get shit for buying expensive sunglasses. ("They're just sunglasses, Holly!")

 

[tullepen]

the fake ones here are so easy to spot.

 

[Marciano Olsz]

Real vs Fake

What are your thoughts on real vs fake, which do you buy/prefer? I'm thinking of finding clothing and replicating it. I found a nice Dolce & Gabbana belt today and since my Grandfather owns a steel workshop, I'm thinking of making a fake one. Who's to tell the difference?

Post here if you've ever bought/made any knockoffs!

EDIT: wrong sections, this post was originally a post about fake Gucci handbags >_>

 

[hopelessly]

I am vehemently opposed to fakes.

Everyone who cares about fashion or clothes in anyway should read this book.

http://www.amazon.com/Deluxe-How-Luxury-Lost-Luster/dp/1594201293

Its about how much companies and designers lose to the fake fashion goods industry, and how workers are treated who make these fake designer goods. It is truly appalling.

If your grandfather owns a steel workshop why not design your own belt? why rip off someone elses idea?

 

[Marciano Olsz]

I am vehemently opposed to fakes.

Everyone who cares about fashion or clothes in anyway should read this book.

http://www.amazon.com/Deluxe-How-Luxury-Lost-Luster/dp/1594201293

Its about how much companies and designers lose to the fake fashion goods industry, and how workers are treated who make these fake designer goods. It is truly appalling.

If your grandfather owns a steel workshop why not design your own belt? why rip off someone elses idea?

Hmm true, I guess I COULD do my own label

Never thought of that, I just really really LOVED this belt and it killed me inside to see it was priced at half the price of my car

 

[hopelessly]

Often luxury goods are priced like that for a reason - they are made by skilled artisans with the finest quality materials in the world.

So when you rip off a design you are not only ripping off the designer, but everyone else who has a part in the products creation, and everyone else on the company.

Sorry if I am being forceful about it I just am very very passionate about this topic!! No hard feelings either way

 

[Marciano Olsz]

Often luxury goods are priced like that for a reason - they are made by skilled artisans with the finest quality materials in the world.

So when you rip off a design you are not only ripping off the designer, but everyone else who has a part in the products creation, and everyone else on the company.

Sorry if I am being forceful about it I just am very very passionate about this topic!! No hard feelings either way

Haha true, I understand where you are coming from. Funny story actually. I was in the Holt Renfrew retailer store and I asked for any Tom Ford suits/blazers etc. The rep said that 3 Chinese men came into the store about 10 minutes after it opened and purchased about 800 suits, 300 of which were Tom Ford and left, also purchasing every product by Gucci and all Armani shoes

I was so upset, was looking for a suit for graduation and have been waiting FOREVER for a Tom Ford and these men are going to make knockoffs

Now I have to wait another month.

 

[hopelessly]

I really do urge everyone to read that book I mentioned - Deluxe by Dana Thomas

It is such an important topic that so many people are blind too. When you buy fakes you are supporting something that goes so much further than you think.

 

[SyphaBelnades]

I believe that people who are trully elegant and know the good stuff from the bad are not worried with brandnames.

They buy the products based on the quality, not necessarily the name, and it so happens that a lot of the quality products are exclusive brands.

Also, this whole argument of designer bags costing almost the same as lesser status bags and what you are paying for is the brand is simply not true.

If you investigate about the brand history, and how they produce then and now you will realize that they are almost handmade, like Gucci. When the bags first started it was very much artisan work, and after going through a time where they would use cheap products, they have since returned to making good artisan work.

And c'mon, once you wear it you know the difference. Whenever I've bought designer clothes it always feels and looks better than the clothes you find at department stores, etc.

Also, a lot of people who buy fakes are just simply cheap people. People who want to be flamboyant and appear distinctive but not wanting to pay the price for it.

Of course, it's not the same for everyone, some people buy fakes because they simply can't afford the real thing, I can relate to that and it's sad because I feel good things shouldn't really be a luxury, but we live in a capitalist society and we have to eat.


A .lot of things depend on the way you see it, it's so petty to feel that you are funding someone else's lavish lifestyle by buying their product, as if they needed you in particular to make that happen.

I just bought 100 dollar shoes, granted it's not that expensive but it's a bit pricey for my budget and not once did I think "oh god why should i pay for this and make this designer more of a millionaire". How about actually respecting the hard work that goes into making the shoe and all the stages it goes through till you are able to buy it?? what about the comfort they will bring you?? the attractiveness?? I mean they are beautiful shoes, and they have the brand in the sole!!! I mean you don't even realize they are kenneth cole but I don't care! they were beautiful.


I hope this post doesn't get deleted, I get like an email everyday saying my post is off topic but who talks in topic in real life?? I mean you inevitably ramble to some extent.

 

[hopelessly]

this was very well said imo

 

[irresistable_loz]

I would never buy a fake... As someone who is looking to start a fashion label, it's just not something I can endorse.

I do believe that many brands overcharge ridiculously for their goods, and it isn't fair, but no matter how nice something is, I cannot and will not pay someone who has done nothing more than copy the hard work someones put into something with, 99% of the time, a far inferior product.

If you can't pay for the original, fine. Find something else you like and support another designers original works, there are plenty out there and when you track them down you'll have something unique that every man and his dog hasn't picked up from the local markets. Just my opinion, but I'll stand by it.