Where do superfakes come from?

[spiralsnowman]

I've always wondered...
Have you guys seen the website Milan Ave? Well, I have been to the actual store of the same name in Los Angeles. The first few times I passed by, they had B-bags of every color and size, it was crazy. They even had ones from past seasons. They were selling for $800 or something and they seriously looked so real, guys. I've seen the ones at Barneys, and these had the same distressing, etc.

Another lady was in there and heard me muttering to my mom, "this is really weird, why would they have so many when Barney's doesn't even have them?" She and I kinda looked at each other and there was a mutual understanding... I guess I was not the only one who said this, because I went back a few days later and they were all gone, except for 4-5 of that season's colors... It's highly doubtful that they would all sell out after sitting there for a month, you know?

Sorry long post...

 

[bagnshoofetish]

They come from the bowels of Hell!
:evil: (insert evil laughter here)

 

[spiralsnowman]

Another thing,
I actually talked to the SA there, just to see their explanation, and she actually told me to be careful of the many fakes out there, and that if I was feeling iffy about a store I should check them out on the Better Business Bureau website.......

I went home and checked at BBB for Milan Ave in L.A., and they got a F rating! I could not believe that she had the guts to tell me to check! I think she may have taken a gamble that her words would reassure me enough that I wouldn't actually do it?

 

[fendigal]

Believe it or not, I heard fakes come from child labor in third world countries and that they even fund terrorism. Paula Zahn did something on CNN regarding this. I sounds a little dramatic to me.

 

[marspalm]

lol that is too funny i bet she never thought you would actually go check

 

[orinoco]

i heard the super SUPER fakes comes from either guangzhou china or korea.... :blink: actually, i've no idea whether fakes r even produced in the US or anywhere else?

 

[fendigal]

I don't think fakes are produced in the US, I always hear about them being caught in customs.

 

[Loganz]

Fakes are produced all over the world. Sometimes in the same factories that produce the originals.

As for child labor, that is not as common, what is common is the money funding terrorism and organized crime. Don't just think Al Qaeda terrorism, think Ireland, Russia, other countries with other internal civil strife.

I am reading a book on this subject: Knockoff: the Deadly Trade in Counterfeit Goods, by, Tim Phillips.

I have learned a lot about counterfeiting, oh, and US customs does not seize a tenth of the replicas that make it in. The trick is to ship the labels seperate from the bags. It is not a fake bag until the "logo" is sewn into or onto it. The labels are sewn on/in after the containers have been unloaded and the merchandise has reached it's destination.

 

[fendigal]

Well, that explains why the labels on fakes are often not put on straight!
Wow, they are produced in the same factories as the originals? How does this work?

 

[minicoop]

Here in parts of asia, we know that regular fakes come from china (available in shenzhen, a train ride away from hongkong) while the superfakes (called Grade A or Grade AAA) are from Korea. These aren't found in the stalls in markets similar to the regular fakes. The seller just has catalogues of the latest styles and then when you seem like a serious buyer/ready to get one, you need to follow the seller to the place where they keep the goods.

 

[Irissy]

I am reading a book on this subject: Knockoff: the Deadly Trade in Counterfeit Goods, by, Tim Phillips.

This sounds like a good book. Do you recommend it?

 

[Loganz]

Well, that explains why the labels on fakes are often not put on straight!
Wow, they are produced in the same factories as the originals? How does this work?

They are produced afterhours with leftover materials, this is why they may not be perfect, they use the castoff materials.

Also, some replica shops will give an authentic bag to any Chinese manufacturer and that plant will tear the bag down and remake it to appear exact - here the differences would be in the leather or subtle nuances, these would also be super fakes because all the construction, stitching, etc, would be exact.

 

[bagnshoofetish]

They are produced afterhours with leftover materials, this is why they may not be perfect, they use the castoff materials.

Also, some replica shops will give an authentic bag to any Chinese manufacturer and that plant will tear the bag down and remake it to appear exact - here the differences would be in the leather or subtle nuances, these would also be super fakes because all the construction, stitching, etc, would be exact.

that is so friggin depressing.

 

[Loganz]

This sounds like a good book. Do you recommend it?

Oh yes, I do. I bought my copy from Barnes and Noble online.

It covers all aspects of counterfeiting from Disney, to Head and Shoulders shampoo, to Cigarettes, Prescription drugs (supposedly most of the online viagra is not viagra), and of course handbags.

It is easy, intelligent, reading, I highly recomend it.

Perhaps when I am done with my copy we can have a "pay for shipping" and send it around to those bloggers who would be interested in reading it (of course, my copy has lots of highlighted areas.)