Why Do People Buy Fake Designer Bags Or Fake Designer Anything?
- Thread starter uber-chic
- Start date
TPF may earn a commission from merchant affiliate
links, including eBay, Amazon, and others
I never understood it, but I think people want to fit in, and they will try to do so even if it means a fake.
The production of counterfeits - and why people wear them - are not separate issues - imo. Moreover the issue of counterfeits is not an issue of whether or not people who buy and wear them are rich or poor, whether or not a person is entitled to wear authentic, counterfeit, inspired or whatever, etc. etc.
Rather the issue of counterfeits is that the production of counterfeit anything - is criminal. Therefore, by what rationale is the purchase of such items not a problem? By what rationale should we not care?
Not only is counterfeiting not victimless - every purchase of a counterfeit anything - funds criminal activity. Furthermore, the use of counterfeit enterprises by criminal organizations is to fund more aggregious criminal activity.
If nothing else - this should give anyone pause - who even remotely considers counterfeits "okay". There is absolutely no acceptable, legitimate, or supportable reason to purchase counterfeits - or fund criminals who produce them - or look the other way when our friends buy them. I cannot understand why this is so difficult for some people to grasp. Moreover, it does bother me, when I see counterfeits "flaunted" as the real thing here on tpf. Whatever the reason why a person purchased a counterfeit - in the end - their puchase funded crime. Period.
Isn't this worth caring about? Or is your knowledge of counterfeiting limited to the mistaken belief that it is a victimless crime and counterfeits are harmless?
Rather the issue of counterfeits is that the production of counterfeit anything - is criminal. Therefore, by what rationale is the purchase of such items not a problem? By what rationale should we not care?
Not only is counterfeiting not victimless - every purchase of a counterfeit anything - funds criminal activity. Furthermore, the use of counterfeit enterprises by criminal organizations is to fund more aggregious criminal activity.
If nothing else - this should give anyone pause - who even remotely considers counterfeits "okay". There is absolutely no acceptable, legitimate, or supportable reason to purchase counterfeits - or fund criminals who produce them - or look the other way when our friends buy them. I cannot understand why this is so difficult for some people to grasp. Moreover, it does bother me, when I see counterfeits "flaunted" as the real thing here on tpf. Whatever the reason why a person purchased a counterfeit - in the end - their puchase funded crime. Period.
Isn't this worth caring about? Or is your knowledge of counterfeiting limited to the mistaken belief that it is a victimless crime and counterfeits are harmless?
And yet here you are, participating in this very topic...
Never assume. Don't you know what happens when you do?
Well I'm just going to say that for me all my anger and disrespect goes towards the manufacturers and sellers of fake goods rather than towards the carriers. (And by manufacturers I don't mean the poor people working at slave wages to make them)
The way I see it, for every annoying wannabe flouncing and flaunting her fake bag that she paid $20 for there's another person out there that might have paid several times that for a fake thinking that they just got a great deal on an authentic bag and so carries it with pride not knowing how foolish she might be looking. That's the real crime in my opinion. And unless you know the person and know for a fact the circumstances on how they came to own their bag, there's no way whatsoever to tell the difference. So to be spitfire angry at a stranger every time you see a fake is a waste of ire. I say put your anger towards the degenerates who sell them, especially those who pass them off as authentic. And put your energy towards educating those who aren't fortunate enough to know the difference.
This forum, I like to think, is more about educating each other rather than putting each other down for not having the same exact viewpoint that you might have. We're all on the same side here. Or we should be.
And I don't like to see anyone flaunting a fake either, but I don't really like to see anyone waltzing around like they're better than everyone else simply because of the bag they carry, authentic OR fake.
The way I see it, for every annoying wannabe flouncing and flaunting her fake bag that she paid $20 for there's another person out there that might have paid several times that for a fake thinking that they just got a great deal on an authentic bag and so carries it with pride not knowing how foolish she might be looking. That's the real crime in my opinion. And unless you know the person and know for a fact the circumstances on how they came to own their bag, there's no way whatsoever to tell the difference. So to be spitfire angry at a stranger every time you see a fake is a waste of ire. I say put your anger towards the degenerates who sell them, especially those who pass them off as authentic. And put your energy towards educating those who aren't fortunate enough to know the difference.
This forum, I like to think, is more about educating each other rather than putting each other down for not having the same exact viewpoint that you might have. We're all on the same side here. Or we should be.
And I don't like to see anyone flaunting a fake either, but I don't really like to see anyone waltzing around like they're better than everyone else simply because of the bag they carry, authentic OR fake.
I once received a counterfeit bag as a Christmas present (I don't think friend realized it was fake, not telling her). She paid a lot for that bag and it's unfair that sellers can dupe people into spending exuberant amounts of money on something that isn't what it's being advertised as.
Now for people who buy fake designer bags intentionally, I'm not going to condemn them for not having the means to get the look that they want. But I can't imagine feeling okay knowing that I'm carrying something that's not real... it just doesn't feel right.
Now for people who buy fake designer bags intentionally, I'm not going to condemn them for not having the means to get the look that they want. But I can't imagine feeling okay knowing that I'm carrying something that's not real... it just doesn't feel right.
For people who KNOWINGLY BUY FAKES AND PASS IT OFF AS THE REAL THING, I don't feel angry towards them, I feel sorry and sad for them. They live in a lie and feel the need to fit in or whatever. So sad...
This is my first post on here and I am kinda sorta jumping in at the deep end. I despise fake handbags. I feel nothing bad towards those who own them but they do look a tad tacky. When I cannot get a designer handbag I get a nice highstreet handbag from river island, forever21 or topshop they are much better made. Where I live teens loved the Pauls Boutique London brand and it used to be EVERYWHERE. The Bags were not expensive, about £60-£80 pounds (100-120 dollars) but some kids couldn't afford them, either there parents couldn't afford them or didn't want to spend over £20 (12 dollars) on a bag for a preteen- teen. I loved my pauls boutique bag for school but I never bullied kids who had the cheap knockoffs and boy they were nasty. Sold on market stalls and practically falling to bits.
http://cn1.kaboodle.com/hi/img/c/0/0/a6/a/AAAADLWJEFUAAAAAAKajBQ.jpg?v=1263536495000
the real deal - above
ebay.co.uk/itm/New-Women-Designer-Style-Fashion-Boutique-Handbag-Tote-Bag-Charm-Army-Design-FAB-/160808196869?pt=UK_Women_s_Handbags&hash=item2570ea5b05
the fake brand 'fashion boutique'
My tastes have now matured but I remain having no harsh feelings to those who wear fakes whether they be rich or poor
Last edited:
I agree with many of the sympathetic sentiments above.
I think the success of design is that it creates something beautiful- an aesthetic that most people can't help but want. To appreciate and want to engage, emanate, participate, and OWN something beautiful is only human.
It is just a fact that most people can't buy designer. The whole purpose of lots of designer marketing is to price it exclusively. By definition, it becomes inaccessible to many people.
As a result, I just can't blame people for buying fakes intentionally sometimes. These are often people who are unlikely to have bought the real thing in the first place, and I am totally sympathetic to the desire to own something beautiful.
I think the success of design is that it creates something beautiful- an aesthetic that most people can't help but want. To appreciate and want to engage, emanate, participate, and OWN something beautiful is only human.
It is just a fact that most people can't buy designer. The whole purpose of lots of designer marketing is to price it exclusively. By definition, it becomes inaccessible to many people.
As a result, I just can't blame people for buying fakes intentionally sometimes. These are often people who are unlikely to have bought the real thing in the first place, and I am totally sympathetic to the desire to own something beautiful.