Got this as a gift and feeling uncomfortable

prof ash

O.G.
Jun 10, 2007
2,422
446
Hi all! My SIL got me this hat as a Christmas present . My first thoughts were:

1. This is tampering with a luxury brand’s intention for their product

2. If it’s not something the company sells, then it comes off as a fake item

3. I’m not wearing it and feel skeeved out that it’s in my possession now.

Thoughts on the integrity of this sort of business, veteran LV customers, and thoughts on the item in general? How can companies even do this? Or am I wrong? Isn’t this tampering and brand stealing? I looked at the company’s website, and it looks like they purchase authentic vintage LV pieces and add parts to make them boho. I know people buy vintage Pochettes to add art, old Balenciagas to rehab and dye... so is this any different with these boho bags?

The hat... it’s an actual piece of a (maybe authentic) LV bag cut and pasted on a beanie hat.
I know for a fact that a popular Instagrammer wore it and advertised it for the shop but she has a ton of *real* high end items but then partners with brands like Walmart to advertise knock-off looking Neverfulls. Ugh. Feeling disappointed because I can’t voice my feelings to SIL; I know the intention was to give a gift, but I disagree with it. Am I wrong?

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Better put:

once an item is purchased, is it no longer required to maintain the item for its original intention by the brand? Is deconstruction like this permissible, albeit tacky bc it could come off as trying to be a fake? Or do artists do stuff like this all the time, deconstruct things to make them new? The logo piece on it just makes me feel icky.
 
I have a friend who makes earrings out of old canvas. It’s not for me, but, I don’t know that what she is doing is wrong either. I assume they use bags that would otherwise be trashed. So in that sense the upcycling is a positive thing.
I think I could wear the hat if I knew the authenticity of the patch. I get what you are saying about it though too. It’s a cute hat without the patch anyway.
 
This emphasis on sustainability and upcycling is certainly stretching its limits. Like everything there's a cool, creative way of doing things ( like Dapper Dan = cool who didn't usually use authentic LV, GG or others and did those fakes a favour) and then there's cutting something (possibly) beautiful up and sticking it on a a very average 'thing' to up-sell.

Say thank you, put it with the pile to goodwill. Don't ever think about it again.
 
I agree with Littlestar88. Thank her for the gift and keep it moving. I have learned in my years experience sometimes its better to say nothing than have someone hurt and have this hat situation come between family. Perhaps wait some time to pass then donate it to St. Mary's or any other used clothing charity that picks up bags of things you no longer want. Happy Holidays!
 
Thank you so much for the responses! I already told her thank you so much for it and would never say anything about what I really thought, because she loves it and even got one for herself.

I was just surprised to encounter an item with part of a bag stuck on it for mass selling that isn’t an authentic LV item. I would feel weird cutting up my bags and putting them on new items to sell But I get the idea of using something in maybe unusable condition and making it into something cute. But I feel better that it’s not like, a knock off of an actual LV item. Weird. Thank you everyone!!
 
Gesture-wise I agree with the others, it was meant to be a thoughtful gift. That's OK.

But the fact that you feel weird about this concept shows that you truly understand what luxury is all about and that Vuitton is not just a logo printed on canvas. This is very important.
This upcycling bullsh*t is getting out of hands. If you have an old beat-up Speedy and you dye the leather black, it's OK. If you sew a patch on a hole it has and then continue using it, that is upcycling and it still remains Vuitton. If you hire an artist to paint your name or flowers or Sailor Moon on your bag, that item will still be Vuitton.
But if one allegedly (!!!) buys vintage in bulk and puts their logos on some subpar item, resulting in a design that is alien to Louis Vuitton but still bearing its branding, well, that is just straight up trademark violation. The whole selling point of items like this is that it SEEMS Louis Vuitton. That is very unethical. If they would do it for fun and for free, it would be just silly, but since they ask money for it, it crosses the line.
There is another aspect to it. The canvas. I know my way around the Louis Vuitton pattern, and this is not an authentic piece of canvas they used here. Which is kinda logical. Why would you spend hundreds on real vintage, when you can but counterfeit for a few bucks and sell them at an enormous markup?
I brought this story up in a similar thread some weeks ago: there was a lovely lady here on the forum this fall, who found some framed patchwork art, that was made from upcycled vintage Vuitton canvas. They did cost $3-400 a piece. Others cheered and loved the upcycling idea, but I checked the website, and it was screaming from the product images, that they used cheap counterfeit canvas. Very sad story. I hope she could return it.
 
Gesture-wise I agree with the others, it was meant to be a thoughtful gift. That's OK.

But the fact that you feel weird about this concept shows that you truly understand what luxury is all about and that Vuitton is not just a logo printed on canvas. This is very important.
This upcycling bullsh*t is getting out of hands. If you have an old beat-up Speedy and you dye the leather black, it's OK. If you sew a patch on a hole it has and then continue using it, that is upcycling and it still remains Vuitton. If you hire an artist to paint your name or flowers or Sailor Moon on your bag, that item will still be Vuitton.
But if one allegedly (!!!) buys vintage in bulk and puts their logos on some subpar item, resulting in a design that is alien to Louis Vuitton but still bearing its branding, well, that is just straight up trademark violation. The whole selling point of items like this is that it SEEMS Louis Vuitton. That is very unethical. If they would do it for fun and for free, it would be just silly, but since they ask money for it, it crosses the line.
There is another aspect to it. The canvas. I know my way around the Louis Vuitton pattern, and this is not an authentic piece of canvas they used here. Which is kinda logical. Why would you spend hundreds on real vintage, when you can but counterfeit for a few bucks and sell them at an enormous markup?
I brought this story up in a similar thread some weeks ago: there was a lovely lady here on the forum this fall, who found some framed patchwork art, that was made from upcycled vintage Vuitton canvas. They did cost $3-400 a piece. Others cheered and loved the upcycling idea, but I checked the website, and it was screaming from the product images, that they used cheap counterfeit canvas. Very sad story. I hope she could return it.

This was so well explained; thank you for being so thorough. My thoughts on it all exactly. I’d rather wear a plain no name beanie paired with a luxury bag.
Thank you for the confirmation on the canvas which is what I would’ve expected. I agree with you too, on the intact item personalized for individual use vs mass selling of recreated items using a brand not in its originally intended form. My friend’s daughter is named Poppy, and they’re big LV lovers. The aunt is an artist, so for the little girl’s first bag, they bought her an old Pochette Accessoires and had her aunt paint a few poppies on it. I thought that was unique and special. Also will be looking for your thread and hope that person can return the item too!
 
I'm a huge fan of upcycling but this hat does not fall into that category, imo. It looks like it is meant to be a real LV product, which it clearly isn't. I agree that for the sake of family peace, that you thank your s-i-l and move on. The hat itself is super cute. Is there a way to remove the patch?

LOL this is what I’m doing tonight when kiddo is asleep! I have mini pliers and can remove the logo piece