Why Do People Buy Fake Designer Bags Or Fake Designer Anything?
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Speaking of fakes, UGGS that is: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/...&utm_source=Alert-style&utm_content=FullStory
Allow me me clarify my post.
OP's essay told us that the women (who support fakes) mentioned are pretty much ignorant of the legalities and plainly do not care about them so to even bring those things into consideration is irrelevant.
The main topic was why people 'fake' it with the complete AWARENESS that they are using fakes. Hence, I am questioning the value system attached to coveting luxury items. Had I taken economic background into consideration, I would have 'dismissed' people based solely on their ability to afford an item or not, real or fake. I did not even factor in what their financial priorities are and how they spend their money, because to me, that is irrelevant as well. However, what I am addressing is their
CHOICE. Why does one woman not care if her earrings were stolen? Why do these women buy branded fake items instead of no name knock offs? Are they any different from women who can buy authentic items but do not care if they are acquired in a shady manner? Do some women think that by buying high end items (real or fake), they can belong to a special place in society (i.e. luxury game players)?
There is clearly a correlation between luxury items and an elite lifestyle. While we all have different reasons as to why we buy these things, let's be real here, there is a striking similarity that those people mentioned in the essay have with those who staunchly argue that "people who wear fake are fake" -- they all JUDGE based on the high value they place on those labels.
I did not mean to offend, just wanted to express my opinion. Also, so as not to be misunderstood, let me just say that I DO NOT in any way support counterfeit items.
I think many of the people here who say "I don't support fakes because of (reasons such as funding terrorism, child laborers, etc)" don't actually disprove of fakes for those reasons. Maybe they do but not for the main reason.
How many of you eat chocolate? Most of your chocolate was produced by African slave labourers. How many of you wear diamonds, shop at Walmart, wear exotics? Not to mention your coveted brands might be using immigrant workers working in near-slavery conditions in Italy to produce your coveted made-in-Italy bags.
I won't judge, but since I do some of those things, I won't judge someone wearing a fake bag, either.
How many of you eat chocolate? Most of your chocolate was produced by African slave labourers. How many of you wear diamonds, shop at Walmart, wear exotics? Not to mention your coveted brands might be using immigrant workers working in near-slavery conditions in Italy to produce your coveted made-in-Italy bags.
I won't judge, but since I do some of those things, I won't judge someone wearing a fake bag, either.
Well, I hope this wasn't a research paper. I really don't get the point of this paper? Your title is "we're all paying the price" which made me expect a study in HOW counterfeit bags are detrimental to society. Instead you portrayed the attitudes of regular women in a negative light to prove your point so your title should be something like "Counterfeit Bags: how women who own them are selfish brats who support terrorism, child labour, and other terrible things." And as for the bolded, I'm sure that's what most people who purchase things feel about their purchases. When's the last time you looked into the entire production history of the groceries you buy? Just because they're not counterfeit, doesn't mean they don't engage in the same shady practices that counterfeit bags do..
Maybe we shouldn't be up in their pants about how they spend their money. I think most TPFers would agree, if it's them who are being judged.
And I hardly think that the last line is an attitude shared solely by people who own counterfeits, and it sounds like a statement made out of anger (perhaps because they felt attacked?). I believe that is a view shared by many current ********s and socialists but I keep the politics out of this...
Maybe I get a distorted view on this from being on this site, but it seems odd to me that everyone is suggesting "inspired by" etc bags as an alternative, but there are so many threads shaming lookalike bags.
It seems someone can't win.
You can't afford the real thing, so you can't have it.
The inspired one looks TOO MUCH like the real thing, so you can't have it.
Get a bag with "similar details" which is really not the same style, so you can't have the style at all.
And all so those of you who can afford the real thing don't have your victory diluted by the mere existence of a bag that looks like yours but wasn't thousands of dollars.
There are a lot of bags out there that aren't covered in logos, etc. If the designer's mark isn't on it, it's not a fake bag. But there is still a lot of scorn for bags that even look like the expensive one, and that's not fair. I don't think you can have it both ways, say no to fakes but also say that an inspired by bag has to look completely different.
It seems someone can't win.
You can't afford the real thing, so you can't have it.
The inspired one looks TOO MUCH like the real thing, so you can't have it.
Get a bag with "similar details" which is really not the same style, so you can't have the style at all.
And all so those of you who can afford the real thing don't have your victory diluted by the mere existence of a bag that looks like yours but wasn't thousands of dollars.
There are a lot of bags out there that aren't covered in logos, etc. If the designer's mark isn't on it, it's not a fake bag. But there is still a lot of scorn for bags that even look like the expensive one, and that's not fair. I don't think you can have it both ways, say no to fakes but also say that an inspired by bag has to look completely different.
Ahhh, I see what you're saying. Thanks for clarifying. I'm inclined to agree with you.
I think it's important to remember that tPF and its attitudes toward handbags are anomalies. Outside of certain segments of society and throughout most of the middle class, I'd venture to say that these women's attitudes are not remotely abnormal. So we can disagree and dislike and become angry and judge them to our heart's content, but it's not going to change the behaviors one iota. I think being friendly and non-judgmental and then taking them by a Coach or Dooney or RM or Kate Spade or Tory Burch or some other high-quality, low-cost line to let them experience for themselves how great it feels to know that they can be stylish AND live with integrity ... is going to go much further toward putting a dent in the business of counterfeits.
I agree. I think the insistence on slamming "inspired by" bags here is something of an embarassment of the community. So long as it's not breaking the law - and it's the law's province to decide whether it's being broken or not - I think we should accept other's preferences, tastes, and priorities without judgment. If everyone here just wanted a birkin, it would be a far less diverse and exciting forum, for sure!
ITA. And the repeated allegations of child labor are sometimes directed at children in countries where it's child labor or homelessness and begging and being pimped on the street from 4 and 6 and 10 years old on up. Some of the judgments here reflect a very narrow, sheltered, westernized world view - which is understandable - but since we have, at minimum, google at our fingertips, I think it's great to seek out a little more knowledge on the topic before leveling some very negative comments towards other women.
I'm Italian, recently moved to the States. In Italy most of the women along the street carry a high designer bag. You can even see 15-year old girls with Birkins and Chanels, obviously fake, but really good fakes. I don't know about here, but there are plenty of facebook pages that sell fake designer items, at not cheap price, and a lot of people buy them continuously, despite the fact that if the italian police catch them, they must pay 5000 euro for what they did.
The problem is that most of this people think that it's useless to buy the real expensive thing, because there is no so much difference with the fake one. A few years ago a documentary on the main italian channel showed like most of the REAL designer bags and shoes (Im talking about Chanel, Bottega Veneta, YSL, Prada, Burberry, Sergio Rossi, etc...) were produced in some areas of Naples or in some small towns in the north of Italy by Chinese/Italian people, in horrible conditions. A real Bottega Veneta bag was produced with 40 euro in total, then sold at 3000 euro in the shops. So people started to think "why the heck should I buy something that is worth 40 euro at 3000, produced by the same people who produce fakes"? If you add that most of what is left is produced in China, then it arrives in Italy, someone put a botton or a tag and you can define it "made in Italy"...I think that buying fakes, people try to get revenge on the big brands who fooled them, even if doing so they help camorra or other criminal organizations.
The problem is that most of this people think that it's useless to buy the real expensive thing, because there is no so much difference with the fake one. A few years ago a documentary on the main italian channel showed like most of the REAL designer bags and shoes (Im talking about Chanel, Bottega Veneta, YSL, Prada, Burberry, Sergio Rossi, etc...) were produced in some areas of Naples or in some small towns in the north of Italy by Chinese/Italian people, in horrible conditions. A real Bottega Veneta bag was produced with 40 euro in total, then sold at 3000 euro in the shops. So people started to think "why the heck should I buy something that is worth 40 euro at 3000, produced by the same people who produce fakes"? If you add that most of what is left is produced in China, then it arrives in Italy, someone put a botton or a tag and you can define it "made in Italy"...I think that buying fakes, people try to get revenge on the big brands who fooled them, even if doing so they help camorra or other criminal organizations.
I know many successful women who can afford the best designers, but they openly flaunt their fake bags. It is like a game to them to go to flea markets and Chinatown storefronts and buy fakes.
If someone chooses to buy a fake, that is their business. I am not going to condemn them for their choice.
If someone chooses to buy a fake, that is their business. I am not going to condemn them for their choice.
They choose to fake it because they can't afford the original one even though owning a certain bag model is everything they dream of. Someone who affords the real thing, buys the real thing!
Not necessarily. Often it is the people with the most money who are the most frugal and don't see a value in owning a "real" bag when the replica is 80% of the quality and style for 1/20 the price.
after all, they generally didn't get rich by spending money. In fact, I've found the person most likely to carry the logo-covered, flashy, trendy designer bag is the person who is LEAST able to afford it, but the most interested in convincing others that she can.