I wasn't going to chime in but I feel I must. This idea that LV is less prestigious because of all the fakes circulating around is one I find fascinating, for several reasons. By the way OP, I live in Asia so I understand the hierarchical culture (and I don't want to revisit the LV is a brand for secretaries issue) but I will explain why this thinking is absurd and misguided.
I live in a major Asian city where there is a big Hermes and DIRECTLY across the street there is a mall with high quality fake Hermes in every color, leather, and hardware. Less than a half block away, there is a shop selling high quality fake Chanel bags....wait, I misspoke, there are two shops, same block. The reason why it seems like LV is more counterfeited is because the canvas pieces have been faked cheaply and sometimes really badly. My housekeeper has a horrible fake LV, but she is so happy with it, and no one, no one, would ever think it was real, but it is those bags that cause people to turn their nose up at LV. The fake canvas bags worn by the underclass in Asia, makes the middle and upper class want to disassociate themselves from that. However, the reality is, there are plenty of leather and pleather fake Chanel and Hermes bags out there but they aren't as obvious because the underclass can't afford those higher end fakes. That is the reality.
As for anyone who thinks that just because people have money they are someone you would want to associate yourself with, I will share this story as food for thought. Many years ago, more than fifteen years or so, a friend and I were going to lunch with a group of ladies in our social circle, including a
US Senator's wife. She was wearing a Chanel bag and one of the women asked her, "did you get that from our Hong Kong source?" She said she had and several of them went on to comment on their source's latest catalogue of items. Apparently, this contact in HK provided high end fakes of every brand, and sent them catalogues and everything! The majority of the women were sitting there with fake bags! And that was nearly twenty years ago!
So my point is, if you want to buy "prestigious" brands to align yourself with a "higher class" of people, just be aware that they are equally prone to wear the fakes as the underclass you so want to avoid associating with, the only difference is that theirs aren't as obvious. With that being the case, why not just buy what you love, can afford or find a good value? Oh, wait, I forgot, the pull of society is so much more important than what you think as an individual, and everyone else's opinion (whether expressed or not) is more important. I understand that that is largely the way here in Asia, but please, you are a grown woman, with your own money are you not?
If you want some brands I seldom see faked....perhaps Ferragamo, Moynat or Dior, but I have seen them, just not on every block. Hermes, Chanel, Gucci, BV, LV, YSL, Prada, Miu Miu, Goyard, and even Coach are all in the same boat.
I live in a major Asian city where there is a big Hermes and DIRECTLY across the street there is a mall with high quality fake Hermes in every color, leather, and hardware. Less than a half block away, there is a shop selling high quality fake Chanel bags....wait, I misspoke, there are two shops, same block. The reason why it seems like LV is more counterfeited is because the canvas pieces have been faked cheaply and sometimes really badly. My housekeeper has a horrible fake LV, but she is so happy with it, and no one, no one, would ever think it was real, but it is those bags that cause people to turn their nose up at LV. The fake canvas bags worn by the underclass in Asia, makes the middle and upper class want to disassociate themselves from that. However, the reality is, there are plenty of leather and pleather fake Chanel and Hermes bags out there but they aren't as obvious because the underclass can't afford those higher end fakes. That is the reality.
As for anyone who thinks that just because people have money they are someone you would want to associate yourself with, I will share this story as food for thought. Many years ago, more than fifteen years or so, a friend and I were going to lunch with a group of ladies in our social circle, including a
US Senator's wife. She was wearing a Chanel bag and one of the women asked her, "did you get that from our Hong Kong source?" She said she had and several of them went on to comment on their source's latest catalogue of items. Apparently, this contact in HK provided high end fakes of every brand, and sent them catalogues and everything! The majority of the women were sitting there with fake bags! And that was nearly twenty years ago!
So my point is, if you want to buy "prestigious" brands to align yourself with a "higher class" of people, just be aware that they are equally prone to wear the fakes as the underclass you so want to avoid associating with, the only difference is that theirs aren't as obvious. With that being the case, why not just buy what you love, can afford or find a good value? Oh, wait, I forgot, the pull of society is so much more important than what you think as an individual, and everyone else's opinion (whether expressed or not) is more important. I understand that that is largely the way here in Asia, but please, you are a grown woman, with your own money are you not?
If you want some brands I seldom see faked....perhaps Ferragamo, Moynat or Dior, but I have seen them, just not on every block. Hermes, Chanel, Gucci, BV, LV, YSL, Prada, Miu Miu, Goyard, and even Coach are all in the same boat.
