Alright, I already know the answer, ladies. I know there is no substitute for the real thing, especially the quality, the feel of the leather, and most of all the feeling you get of getting the right bag. But I feel like I need a quick fix trendy handbag to add to my "safe" high quality collection. I just saw a cute inspired-by Fendi Spy bag on
amazon. Tell me the truth... is it worth it?
I don't think that there is anything wrong with an "inspired" bag from a legitimate label, if that's what you're talking about. For example, I always see teenagers who carry XOXO bags or even D&B around printed in the same colors and general patterns as LV but that clearly aren't LV. They abuse their bags and maybe can't afford LV but I don't see anything wrong with them liking the style and opting for a less expensive similar (but not the same) alternative.
This is entirely different from buying an actual illegal knock-off, discussed
ad nauseum elsewhere on this site, where the funds are actually connected to the black market and therefore there exists a chance that they are funding terrorism and drug-trafficking, and by definition actually are funding organized crime (because the smuggling and sale of these items post passage of the Anti-counterfeiting Consumer Protection Act in 1996 is a violation of RICO).
Perhaps the old saying, when applied to handbags, should be altered to "Inspiration is the sincerest form of flattery," since inspiration (which I am using here to mean a style influenced by but not copied from others) is, IMO, a viable legal affordable alternative while imitation is just illegal.
