Sunday, January 16, 2011

Faux vs. Fabulous

Looking at this just gives me the heebie-jeebies
[Counterfeit Goods]

The last few decades or so have been laden with an onslaught of faux replica everything.  The Chinese (among others) have turned making counterfeit copy goods - or "copy copy" as they say in China - into a mega worldwide industry.  Evidently, there are a plethora of individuals that have no problem jumping on board the counterfeit boat.  Let's hope that ship is the real thing and doesn't end up plummeting to the bottom of the ocean floor with all fake plastic purses in tow!  


So, real or fake?  Which do you prefer?  I say: don't ever do counterfeit.  I really don't have an issue with the crimes, morals and ethics of buying fake  - I take issue with the fashion crime behind the purchase.  The item loses its value when you go fake - it is no longer special or exceptional in any way.  It's gotten so bad, that the once traditional and classic brown "LV" print is now cheap and tacky looking, even if it is real - due to all the faux replica bags that exist in the same brown print.  The decision between real and fake is also a "how much do you respect yourself" issue, and - it's tacky.  Are you tacky? Are you comfortable describing yourself with the word tacky? My guess is no - so don't disrespect yourself by spending $250 on a fake plastic Louis Vuitton - put that money in a savings fund or spend that money on a spa day to give yourself the TLC you deserve.

Newsflash - anyone who's going to notice your designer item in the first place (real or fake) and knows anything about fashion will be able to spot that it's a fake every time, and aren't those the people you're trying to impress with your counterfeit bag that's screaming LV LV LV LV all over it?  Let's be real. I don't care how "good" the fake is, it is never going to be as good as the real thing. The product that you're getting when you buy counterfeit is going to be of low quality and will end up falling apart after only a short while, so you're better off spending your money on an item that is of better quality and not trying to be something it isn't.  Spend your money on well-made "noname" handbag that will last you years, instead of a cheap, polyurethane fake designer bag that is going to fall apart within months.   


Some of my friends are constantly trying to convince me otherwise on this, and every single time, the item they're praising falls short in some way: either it smells like Chinese plastic, or the print is off, the stitching starts unraveling within a couple months, or it's just plain tacky... there's always some issue with the piece and I can always tell it's fake.  In addition, I've noticed that my friends who do like counterfeit goods end up buying a myriad of fake items that collect and collect all over the house.  I don't know about you, but I'd much rather have one really nice item than 50 junky items that are going to end up in the recycling bin.

The whole point of spending a large amount of money on a handbag (or whatever item it may be), for me, is that the item is worth the money that I spent on it.  I'm proud to carry that bag every day, something that I worked towards buying.  If you're not the kind of person to drop that much on a bag in the first place, why are you trying to pretend like you are?  In theory, wouldn't you be more likely to save your money and spend it on something else entirely?  People who disagree with the notion of spending a large amount of money on a luxury item in the first place will usually not give a darn about a designer bag one way or another, and that's something that I can respect.  A lot of people feel that luxury items are a waste of money - and rightfully so. That's an idea I can get behind, much more than the thought process that goes into spending money on a bunch of fake junk.   Spending $$$$ on designer goods is just not something that a lot of people can understand - in the same way that I'll never understand how some people can waste a ton of money on Superbowl tickets or a top of the line flat screen television to watch football on  - it's just not my thing.

I've decided that anyone who's OK with buying a fake has never experienced the real thing.  Once you have you will not go back.  There is nobody who has bought a real item and will tell you that they like the counterfeit version better.  It's not happening.  So ladies and gentlemen...if you can't justify spending a load of cash on the real thing, maybe it's just not for you in the first place.  I guarantee you will be better off  and happier spending that money on something else entirely or saving it.  Do yourself a favor, be *real* with yourself and stay away from the faux!  You're worth it.


Here are some tips to spotting a fake handbag:


1. The print.


Usually, the bags that are counterfeitted the most are the most inexpensive designer bags - the bags that scream their designer label the loudest.  Take the "G" Gucci print or the "LV" print - those are the easiest to counterfeit because they are often made out of canvas and not high quality leather.  And with the print, you can usually tell a bag is fake when the print is off-center, or cut off at the seam.


2.  The smell.


You know "the smell" I'm referring to - the plasticy, "newish" smell that radiates from polyurethane.  If you can detect this smell within a few inches of the suspected fake bag - you've definitely got yourself a faux.  



3.  The leather.


This usually applies to Louis Vuitton bags only: the leather trim of any L.V. bag is going to darken in color from a pale, soft pink-ish hue into a deep, amber color with age.  So, if you see a bag that looks worn, but the leather trim is still light in color, it is most definitely a fake.


4.  The hardware.  


Often times you can spot a fake in the detailed hardware on a bag - good quality hardware is not cheap, and it will show when skimped on.  Look for fine detailing in the hardware, and if you spot any peeling chrome - you've got yourself a fake.


5.  The website.


When looking for a designer bag online, I'd say to only purchase from the company themselves or a large reputable store brand such as Nordstroms or Bergdorf Goodman.  Any other sketchy website selling seemingly authentic bags are most likely trying to fool you. If the price seems too good to be true, it is.  Also, keep in mind that you are turning over your personal financial information when you buy online - and lots of counterfeit bag producers are connected with criminal activity in other arenas as well... i.e. - identity theft.  And if you're going used - make sure to only purchase from a trusted website and seller with near-perfect feedback on a website such as Ebay who will reimburse you if the bag is fake - don't go with a seller on craigslist...it's too risky.  You'll most likely be able to tell if a website is trustworthy or not, with websites such as Saks.com, Niemanmarcus.com, Net-a-porter.com and Shopbop.com all being trustworthy - but if it seems shady, it most likely is.

Xo,
Genevieve


Ps.  If you'd like to experience the real thing before taking the plunge - take a look at this website : bagborrowsteal.com - you can "rent" a handbag without buying it.  Then you can decide whether or not you love it enough to pull the trigger!



A beauty bag like this proves my point - you just can't - and shouldn't - counterfeit this!
[Louis Vuitton Alma handbag in Rose Florentin]

3 comments:

  1. $250 for a fake (and over-rated) LV, can get you 2 adorable Coach bags! And their real too!

    ReplyDelete
  2. I <3 eveything about this post

    ReplyDelete