"The Rich New York Women Who Love Their Fake Birkins" article in The Cut - thoughts?

[papertiger]

This thread is only commenting on and discussing points made arising from the article in #1 post, discussing Hermes:

For general discussion and debate on fake bags please read/post here: Why do people wear fake bags?

For a discussion on the 'gray (or grey) market: What is the gray market for HE handbags? It's not a fake...

 

[papertiger]

I can 100% assure you, you're wrong. I've watched RepLadies for several years, and there are definitely women ordering, reviewing, and wearing counterfeit bags. I've seen them and touched them, and it's impressive how close they are to the originals. Whether these women are mega-rich, I don't know. But they are certainly upper middle class, at least, since they drop a significant amount of money on bags.

That RepLadies exists/ed was never the question nor in question

 

[Tapenade]

You don't have to be an angel to call people out for obvious illegal behavior.
If someone robs you, do you have to have no previous crimes to call the police on them.

I'm just saying that if you're exploiting other people to get the money to buy authentic Hermes, you're not exactly standing on the moral high ground.

 

[I AM GPT]

I for one know that I am not exploiting any other people to afford my luxury goods. Can I stand on my moral high ground NOW?

 

[Tapenade]

That RepLadies exists/ed was never the question nor in question

So which part of that article do you think is fake? RepLadies exists. Fake bags exist. Rich people who buy fake bags exist.

 

[I AM GPT]

CALL THE PRESSES!

 

[Tapenade]

I for one know that I am not exploiting any other people to afford my luxury goods. Can I stand on my moral high ground NOW?

Where does your produce come from? Are you sure that some undocumented indigenous Mexican isn't picking your strawberries? How about your iPhone? Are you the one and only person who has an iPhone with parts NOT made by subcontractors with sketchy labor practices? How about your college degree? Did you somehow get an education that didn't involve underpaid adjuncts and grad students?

There are very, very few of us who have much of a moral high ground on labor practices. That's just not how capitalism works these days.

 

[I AM GPT]

Are you kidding me with those analogies?
So the only person that can a moral high ground over counterfeiting, is when they eat only the produce they planted, build their own phone device and also educated themselves without outside assistance.

So tell us, why have you been "watching" repladies for YEARS now?

 

[jellyv]

There are very, very few of us who have much of a moral high ground on labor practices. That's just not how capitalism works these days.

With spurious straw man propositions, evidently the goal is an endorsement of the counterfeit trade as being on the same moral footing as other consumerism. Here's some fun facting, in case this was missed. These are terms you agreed to:

Counterfeits / Fakes

The PurseForum community and its members take a strong stand against counterfeit goods. Only post images depicting authentic items. Do not knowingly post images of fake or counterfeit goods, or post links to websites advertising, selling, or promoting counterfeits ("Fakes threads" and "Authenticate This" threads excluded).

https://forum.purseblog.com/help/terms/

 

[Tykhe]

Are you kidding me with those analogies?
So the only person that can a moral high ground is when they eat only the produce they planted, build their own phone device and also educated themselves without outside assistance.

So tell us, why have you been "watching" repladies for YEARS now?

I think this person is projecting. Just because she gets her birkins from the manufacturers of fake birkins (as she admitted to doing in another post), she assumes that everyone who has a birkin must have acquired it through nefarious means. Probably a sign of a guilty conscience, ie "If I had to resort to illegal behavior to get this item, so must have everyone else!"

Also, why is this person allowed to post here? I'm sure if any of us went to that subreddit and argued with them there, they'll ban us without a second thought.

 

[papertiger]

Where does your produce come from? Are you sure that some undocumented indigenous Mexican isn't picking your strawberries? How about your iPhone? Are you the one and only person who has an iPhone with parts NOT made by subcontractors with sketchy labor practices? How about your college degree? Did you somehow get an education that didn't involve underpaid adjuncts and grad students?

There are very, very few of us who have much of a moral high ground on labor practices. That's just not how capitalism works these days.

Please don't turn on other members, this thread is about the The Cut article only.

For more general chit chat about fake bags please read/post Why do people wear fake bags?

 

[papertiger]

So which part of that article do you think is fake? RepLadies exists. Fake bags exist. Rich people who buy fake bags exist.

I've already written extensively what and why. Please see my other posts as part of this thread.

 

[I AM GPT]

I was a bit confused by your posts at first and less than 10 second of digging :
The plot thickens.

 

[Tapenade]

Are you kidding me with those analogies?
So the only person that can a moral high ground is when they eat only the produce they planted, build their own phone device and also educated themselves without outside assistance.

So tell us, why have you been "watching" repladies for YEARS now?

I don't think you stand on the moral high ground for buying a $20K bag, no. The bag is pretty, the leather is really nice, and you may well enjoy having it a lot. Having it doesn't make you a better human being, though. You're exploiting other human beings for the products you use, just like everybody else. So maybe you feel good about paying French workers with social welfare benefits for your handbags, but you're still depending on Rohingya refugees working 60 hour weeks in meatpacking plants for your steaks. Welcome to capitalism, where you can't shop your way to virtue.

I think RepLadies is fascinating. I got there because I bought a bag in Italy in 2005 because it was super practical for what I needed. I carry a lot of stuff, and if the handles on my bag are attached by rings, they shred. I was on the street and saw a bag with handles sewn on firmly, so I bought it, not knowing it was a Birkin rep or what a Birkin was.

When somebody pointed it out to me, I got interested in the rep industry. I'm an academic, and a lot of my work is on supply chains (mostly in agriculture, but sometimes in factory-made goods). Repladies opens all sorts of interesting questions: How do the rep makers make money on these? Lower labor costs? Lesser quality materials? Low marketing costs?. Then I got interested in the sociology of reps---do people buy them to display status? Because they like the design of the bag for some reason? What's the actual difference between rep and auth that produces the value differential, and is it material or social? If you're interested in how markets work, reps are a fascinating case study. I don't quite get the frenetic QCing over at RepLadies, but their general attitude is a hoot.

I don't particularly have any interest in any kind of handbag, rep or auth, as a status symbol. There aren't a lot of people in a university who know or care about branded mass market luxury goods, so who would I impress? Birkin-style bags do make really good book bags, though--they are nice-looking and the handles hold up extremely well.

 

[880]

Clearly RL want a bag in a certain style, made with certain material, and even have the same logo stamped. Right… and we’re delusional

Yep, agree with above. RLs seem to feel that those of us who spend on the real thing think we are superior for spending x dollars. I disagree. I buy expensive leather goods and RTW for my own enjoyment because I love them. I don’t view my purchases as investments. I don’t think an expensive luxury brand makes me a better human being. I have also commissioned a custom hand stitched artisanal bag from an independent artisan which is arguably of equal if not better quality and is as expensive as H. I don’t consider it flexing in my social circle when my friends literally don’t notice or care. (I do celebrate it with like minded individuals here). My mom, who has more money than me, sometimes borrows my bags, but she loves her le sports sac bc it’s light. I don’t think less of her. I believe @IronOak , @oshinex, @acrowcounted, and others have made similar points.

I am not going down the rabbit hole of whether a fake is made with quality leather or is competently hand stitched. It is obvious that RLs don‘t value original design and intellectual property (and for some of us, thst is less than honest or authentic). I wouldn’t have as much of an issue if the replicas weren‘t illegally H branded and stamped. whether the customers who buy fakes are truly wealthy is a matter of debate (IMO the ability to buy a bag for 1K does not indicate wealth). But, Hermes is not even for everyone who can afford it; it’s for the people who love it enough to cope with the Paris lottery; the lengthy H SA relationship and retail process; the resale surcharge; or, with the hunt for authentic bargains and spa. I can understand why RLs dont feel welcomed on TPF bc this forum, by definition, celebrates authentic luxury branded goods, period.

I was also taken by surprise when I read a statement to the effect that those of us who buy luxury lack some moral high ground argument when it comes to luxury purchases. . . They’re not strawberries. And well paid artisans aren’t day laborers on a minimum wage. And, yes I am only human, but if anyone cares, I buy my steak, pork, and poultry from D’artagnan which I’m reasonably sure does not support illegal labor.

 

[papertiger]

Let's concentrate on the article or let the thread drop. If it's run its course, so be it.