Whew! I think I converted someone (I hope!)

[lilpicotin]

I'm posting this here because I think you guys would understand

I just got an email from a friend who, after apologizing for a delay in writing, explained that she had been in Italy and had bought herself a fake Bottega!

But then she said that after reading my blog, she wants a real one! I think she means the article that I had copied from one of the threads in the Hermes subforum, about how Bottega was rated the #1 luxury brand (I copied it below for you to read, in case you haven't already... I didn't see it when I glanced down the forum). Now she's asking me which website will give her a good deal for a cheap but real Bottega!

I mean, I know there's BlueFly and eBay and other consignment stores, but I know her - she means like really really cheap, the amount that you would pay for a fake. I'm trying to hold back from writing her an entire lecture about the handmade quality of BV and how it's worth every penny - she's not poor at all and can definitely afford a real BV, she just doesn't think handbags are worth spending on. What would you say to your non-purse-loving friend if you were in this situation?

Oh, and here's the article I think she read:
Jun 03, 2008 11:00 ET Luxury Institute Survey: Wealthy U.S. Consumers Rate Most Prestigious Women's Luxury Fashion Brands: Bottega Veneta, Hermes and Valentino NEW YORK, NY--(Marketwire - June 3, 2008) - High net-worth female consumers rated Bottega Veneta the most prestigious women's luxury fashion brand in the 2008 Luxury Brand Status Index (LBSI) survey from the independent New York City-based Luxury Institute (www.LuxuryInstitute.com). Respondents who would recommend Bottega Veneta say it is "very upscale and sleek looking," "lasts forever and is timeless," and "is very well made." Hermes and Valentino ranked second and third, respectively. "This year's ratings indicate that wealthy women are highly discerning, perhaps to a fault," said Milton Pedraza, CEO of the Luxury Institute. "Wealthy women rate Bottega Veneta a rare gem in a world of homogenizing brands. In a year when parting with your hard-earned money is carefully considered, wealthy women downgraded Vera Wang on prestige for its move to Kohl's, although some saw this as smart business." "Quality is becoming an issue as many luxury brands accelerate outsourcing production to countries where the art of handcrafting is merely a production run, and in a world where Zara, H & M, and even Target have great styling and good quality," said Pedraza. "If your brand had digressions in previous years, you need to know that wealthy women have long memories. They are the most informed consumers on the planet. Every brand rated has lessons to learn from the voices of high net-worth women."

Following are the 26 luxury women's fashion brands that were rated (alphabetical order): 1. Armani2. Bottega Veneta3. Burberry4. Calvin Klein5. Carolina Herrera6. Chanel7. Christian Dior8. Dolce & Gabbana9. Donna Karan10. Façonnable11. Ferragamo12. Fendi13. Gucci14. Hermes15. Louis Vuitton16. Marc Jacobs17. Michael Kors18. Oscar de la Renta19. Polo Ralph Lauren20. Prada21. St. John Collection22. Tory Burch23. Valentino24. Vera Wang25. Versace26. Yves Saint Laurent The proprietary Luxury Brand Status Index (LBSI) survey is the only measure of the prestige of leading brands among wealthy Americans. A national sample of 818 wealthy female American consumers, with an average income of $348K and average net-worth of $3.6 million, was surveyed online. Survey results are weighted to match demographic and net-worth profiles of the same audience according to the latest Survey of Consumer Finances from The Federal Reserve.

[LLANeedle]

BlueGenes, what a spot to be in. I don't think you can do better than a 50% discount in a store during a sale and only on selected items. Ebay has deals but Ebay scares me. Occasionally, you'll see a bag on Costco or Overstock with a generous discount. My friends would think I had lost my mind if they knew what my bags cost. They are very happy with the purchases of fakes from Purse Parties. I don't even get into it with them about the legalities, copyright infringement, child labor etc....like I said they'd label me nuts anyway if they knew what I spent so the discussion never comes up.

[lilpicotin]

yeah, it's tough for me because I know most people wouldn't spend that much on purses to begin with. But when my friend asked me where she could get a "cheapo Bottega" - I was just kinda like, there's no such thing!! "Cheapo Bottega" is a complete oxymoron!

[Sum]

i agree, what a difficult place to be in. it would probably take time to change someone's mind set as it has to do with one's values, attitude and inclination, but the good news is, it can be done! my friend couldn't understand what the hoopla was about carrying bags that are obvious rip-offs, but after knowing what it was like for someone to take credit off your work, she had an entirely different perspective :)

[ricera]

If it were my friend, this is what would happen: (Obviously, I like BlueGenes subtlety and finesse.) I hate fakes!!!