Sophisticated Spirit - My Brown Paddington

[Superbaby]

Originally Posted by classwhore

Someone should just order one and see what the verdict is for good. Someone who already has an authentic one. No first timers please!

I own 3 paddies (all from 3 different seasons) and I would order and buy it from SS just to see if her bags are legit, except that i already KNOW and feel strongly against SS..

So i guess i am not the right person to do it..

[star3777]

Originally Posted by Superbaby

I own 3 paddies (all from 3 different seasons) and I would order and buy it from SS just to see if her bags are legit, except that i already KNOW and feel strongly against SS.. So i guess i am not the right person to do it..

Me neither !

[Cristina]

I was going to mention something about the pics of the brown paddy on the blogspot site, but madeline posted it already. I also saw other pics from previous entries where the bags just didn't look right, such as the photo of the black one near the bottom of the page.

[allisonmax]

I read this story from bagsnob.com about someone who bought a bag from Sophisticated Spirit and then returned it and got a real one at Bergdorf's. She says the one from Sophisticated Spirit is a fake. The story was taken off, its kind of funny. There is a cease and desist letter. I still have the original story here.


We’ve all been there: dying for a bag, months in on that wait list, every time you see some bitch with the bag you want to rip her eyes out. Desperate times calls for desperate measures, right? Even if it means buying bags from, ready for this? An unauthorized retailer!!! The horror of it sends shivers down my back. A few weeks ago, we received an email from one of our readers, who we will call X, asking to help spot whether or not the Paddingtons selling at www.sophisticatedspirit.com were fake. We checked it out and sure enough, they were not the real deal. X even had the seller send detailed pictures of the bag and we went as far as forwarding them to our expert source to take a look, even though it was clear compared to the Paddingtons in my closet it was all amiss. Our assessment was that the handles looked too thin and far apart, the zippers were wrong, the seams were puckering and the price of $1,199 was a dead giveaway that it was a fake. But our gal was beyond persuasion, she had lust blindness and went ahead and bought it. Luckily, the story has a happy ending. We received this exciting email from her today.

Hi Snob!
I just HAD to tell you. I bought the Paddington today at Bergdorf Goodman (they got one chocolate brown in, and the woman working there knew how much I wanted it and called me first!).. and let me just say, you couldn't have been more right about the first one.. it was SOOOOO fake. Now that I have the real thing, I am shocked at how wrong it was. In and of itself, it was a pretty bag - but there is no comparison to what I have now. You were SO right about the handles and everything down to details on the zipper were wrong. I am so glad you planted the bug in my head about those things -cause the feelings of doubt and uncertainty were what made me return it. I am an assistant buyer for a department store and I can't believe how much this woman tried to play me for a fool. I would never carry a fake and I am so glad I talked to you. I am so happy that I found your blog and was able to figure out the right thing to do. Sometimes I guess when you really want something, you'll try anything - but it's best to wait for the real deal.
Thanks again,
X

This was an email sent by the owner of www.sophisticatedspirit.com after X asked many questions as to the authenticity. This just makes us crazy MAD!!

Dear [X],
You are so smart to ask and you have caught on to some of these scams on the net!!!!! I ordered this directly from Chloe, it was sent to one of their top Italian Authorized boutiques and then it was shipped to me. This is how I order almost all of my merchandise!!! Completely authentic straight from the designer!!!
Thanks so much for writing me and please let me know if I can help you in any other way.

Happy Thanksgiving,
Lynda Higgins
Owner
Sophisticated Spirit

[supersaucy]

I can't believe that this story got censored for telling the truth .. what is up with this?! :evil:

[Irissy]

Originally Posted by Vlad

I was doing a little bit of the good ol' digging, and stumbled across this: http://www.sophisticatedspirit.com/g....asp?p=176&b=8 vs. http://www.net-a-porter.com/cgi-bin/...11675?CMCat=27 I do not think that Net-A-Porter (which happens to be the only official Chloe online retailer) would appreciate another store using their images in such a manner. All talks about authenticity aside, but I wouldn't trust a store who uses another store's images to plug their own products out of principle.

I think someone from SS is reading this thread because I clicked on SS link and they now have a DIFFERENT photo of this particular Chloe bag!! Whoa... :blink:

[loren]

Well as I said before, I will not personally judge or throw mud or start rumors when I know not what I speak. Vlad, I'm willing to buy from her to find out because I can. I'm not afraid of losing my money as someone earlier said they sent their bag back and Lynda refunded her money. I would like my gal pals on this site to know the truth one way or the other so we can quit speculating. One of my tenants is from Milan and I feel like calling him and finding out who the top fashion houses are in Milan who carry Chloe and find out if I too, unauthorized can get an in to buy larger supplies below retail. That is how Lynda said she did it. Lots of research and phone calls using an Italian speaking friend. She says her fashion house is one of the most well known houses in all of europe so she is not worried that they are cheating her. She sounds very sincere, very knowledgeable and I myself will give her my business one time. I have been tricked before but I won't be this time. It will be easy to know the difference and if in doubt I will take it to the Chloe boutique and ask for assistance. Until then we should give it a rest and refrain from any preorders except from authorized dealers. (I'm on the list for a wisky and an ivory at NM and a chocolate at Nordstroms)

[Superbaby]

Originally Posted by Irissy

I think someone from SS is reading this thread because I clicked on SS link and they now have a DIFFERENT photo of this particular Chloe bag!! Whoa... :blink:

Like what Irissy has said, someone from SS has been paying a very close attention to this thread and forum. Dont you all find it fishy that SS suddenly changed its pictures? RIGHT after Vlad has found it to be in exact copy of NAP pictures?

If that is the case, why wont SS be paying attention to Loren's intention? If i am SS, and i know Loren is going to buy something from me to test authenticity of my items, I will totally buy something real from the store and send it to Loren. I have earn enough money from all of you before and even by sacrificing $1500 to send Loren authentic item, i will still profit from this transaction as i will be able to "regain" everyone's faith and confidence on my product. I can continue to sell fake bags to the rest of us, after sending Loren the authentic bag...

I dont think there is ever a way to really find out about SS goods from now, as SS is already on her/his guard. THe bag looks terribly fake from the picture on the first posting by Serendipidity.. I think it goes to prove about SS "authentic" item.

Just my two pennies.

[Superbaby]

I think the truth is really out. I feel that if some people really choose to believe in SS, i think they have the right to do that. Each of us have freedom to choose, so i guess its all up to everyone to believe in what they want to believe.

I personally STRONGLY advise everyone to stay away from non legit sites and only buy from authorized stores and online stores!

And as i have said before, i am not against people selling and buying fakes. I just feel that its morally wrong to mislead and trick others.

[Vlad]

I suggest you ladies point your attention this way:

http://www.bagsnob.com/2005/12/the_f...s_sooo_la.html

[Vlad]

Oh no worries, this thread is being watched closely. While you guys read the letter above, I would like to point out that it's not a hoax. It's only a matter of time until I get such a letter as well.

[Superbaby]

Oh my gawd..

I hope this will wake everyone's eyes to what is going on!! :blink:

[Vlad]

Quote:

We received this letter today from the lawyers representing the retail website (we are not allowed to mention their name) reported in our story "A Real Story About a Fake Paddington" and were asked to take it down. It is, in our opinion, a disservice to the shopping community but unless there are lawyers out there willing to help us with the fight, we regretfully have to obey. We are excited, however, that we have become big enough to attract so much attention. Next week, Hermes will call to make us take down our bag logo. Maybe everyone on our Shit List will call and we can all go out, get drunk and go shopping together. There are discussions about them at the Purse Blog Forum if you are interested. NAGLE & HIGGINS, P.C. Attorneys & Counselors at Law December 15, 2005 Re: BAGSNOB.COM To Whom It May Concern: We represent "not allowed to say", LLC, an Illinois limited liability corporation. "Not allowed to say" operates a business selling designer handbags and accessories via the Internet at www.not allowed to say.com ("not allowed to say”). "Not allowed to say" recently discovered statements on your website, www.bagsnob.com (“the Bagsnob”) that dispute the authenticity of handbags sold by "not allowed to say". The authenticity of the handbags sold by "not allowed to say" is an essential and material condition of the goods. The statements made by the Bagsnob are false and defamatory in nature. By posting the statements on your website, you have published to the world at large. The statements are harmful to the reputation and goodwill of "not allowed to say" and interfere with its business. You may be under the assumption that the statements posted are merely opinion and you are not liable. However, opinions are actionable if they imply that defamatory facts exist to support the statement. Your statements regarding the concerns that the Paddington bags sold on "not allowed to say" were “fake” and your conclusion that they were “not the real deal” are presented as facts. In addition, you have misappropriated and mislabeled images from the "not allowed to say" that are authentic photographs of the handbags from Chloe, the manufacturer. Accordingly, we demand that you (1) immediately remove all statements and references to "not allowed to say" from your website, (2) cease posting or allowing others to post statements or making any references to our client whatsoever, and (3) remove the Chloe photos that were taken from "not allowed to say" from your website. We hope that this matter can be settled amicably. However, if you refuse to cease and desist from this publication we will take legal action. We trust that it will not be necessary to do so. We shall await your response. Sincerely, "The Lawyer"

Quote from the above mentioned website, for reference.

[Superbaby]

That is just pure shady and ghetto.. uspiciou

[loren]

like i said, we should just let it go since we know not the truth unless we have a bag, or many bags in hand and can have Chloe say othewise. She obviously is confident in her legal standing and I don't think someone selling fakes would go there. Just my opinion.