Why Do People Buy Fake Designer Bags Or Fake Designer Anything?

[Missmoomoo]

I don't buy fakes- but I think because I think they are a bit of a waste of money. I am a shopaholic so I know if I started buying fakes I wouldn't stop. I tend to buy things "on the spot" so if I start buying $200 fakes I won't stop and next thing you know I will have 10 fakes I don't use, when I could have bought a real $2000 one. Haha- see I know my weaknesses. Also people will start to get mighty suss if I start turning up with a brand new designer bag every week. Be believable in your selection!

My youngest brother in law's girlfriend abosutely loves LV stuff and she has fake LV which she wears just to tide her over until she can have the real thing. Recently a few of us pitched in and gave her a real one for her 21st. She cried. It was actually really sweet.

However she still carries the fakes because she can't bear to hurt the real one. How cute is that. haha.

 

[Missmoomoo]

There's this girl that I met a few times, but I barely know her. I was friends with her on Facebook and she would always post pictures of her designer items. Gucci sunglasses & bag, Hermes bracelet, a couple of LV items, MK watch, etc. She dresses really nice too.

One day a friend of mine who is really good with computers hacked into her hotmail account. That was wrong of her to do, I know, but that's not the point. She noticed a lot of emails from "iOffer" and checked it out. She realized that she has been buying fake items this whole time, showing off to her FB friends and trying to pass her "designer" items as real ones! This whole time, I thought she was spoiled by her dad, as she gives the appearance that she is rich.

Do you know someone that shows off fake items? I don't understand how someone can live with telling / showing people lies. You can easily buy fashionable non-designer stuff and no one would be like "OMG, she's wearing aldo sunglasses". I guess some people buy fakes for the "status".

I'm sorry but why on earth would someone hack into someone's email? Just to prove they bought fakes? Because they were jealous of someone who they thought had real designer goods?

If she is passing her goods off as real- that's on her- and that's a real shame for her ego - but your friend commited a pretty serious technology crime right there. That's some Mean Girl stuff going on!

 

[vidder911]

Oh goodness! You must think we're all crazy! Lol!!

Hah! A little bit of crazy is good.

Actually, I'm pretty impressed with the way people handle themselves on here, given the trend you see among other websites. I'm also pretty intrigued by the motivation for people to log on and share fashion information, even though most people I've known who are designer-friendly always have an offline group to discuss this...

 

[dangerouscurves]

Well said! And, ahem. Hello everyone.

I've been a long time lurker on this site, and have been researching counterfeit and fake luxury for the last couple years. You response accurately describes the social milieu, yet it is only one face of a multi-faceted phenomenon. To explain it in more detail, the root of counterfeits(and replicas) and their demand lies with the celebration of a really expensive brand/product. The product and its characteristics are what motivate people to buy them. Each luxury brand has its own intrinsic value and each type of value appeals to certain people (durability, design, material quality, exotic nature, etc.). They also have a common, baseline extrinsic value, which is of exclusivity. This air of exclusivity is what prompts people to really treat others differently the moment a luxury product is shown off. It is just the way it is.

For people who want exclusivity and intrinsic value, but can not afford to own many originals, usually end up buying high quality replicas.

For those who want exclusivity only, but cannot afford it, end up feeding the demand for cheap fakes.

I hope to discuss this and more in a separate thread.

By the way, for a 30 year old male that (as someone on this thread mentioned), doesn't have a CLUE about bags, this forum has been a revelation of sorts.

Well, if I was carrying a replica, either a good quality or a crappy one I don't think I can feel that air of exclusivity anymore.

 

[dangerouscurves]

I'm sorry but why on earth would someone hack into someone's email? Just to prove they bought fakes? Because they were jealous of someone who they thought had real designer goods?

If she is passing her goods off as real- that's on her- and that's a real shame for her ego - but your friend commited a pretty serious technology crime right there. That's some Mean Girl stuff going on!

True.

 

[Ivoryandgold89]

This is a very interesting thread. I have often pondered this, myself. I would much prefer to go to a department store and purchase a quality item in my price range than to buy a faux anything from wherever they sell them. (Actually, where do they sell them?) I see people carry obvious faux bags, but my local mall does not have anything like this. Huh. I am fortunate enough to be able to purchase items that I like from designers that are frequently emulated, but I do not see a problem with carrying a less expensive bag that is nice quality and assumingly more well constructed than something that is made to look like an expensive bag. Goods in higher price ranges exist to serve those who earn more money since those businesses know how to serve a niche in that market. Buying a faux bag is harmful to the bottom line of that business and that may harm the jobs of their employees. Buying faux is much more than emulation, in my view it is harmful and disrespectful. Just my opinion, though!

 

[lanvin]

Anybody who has the real bags can immediately spot a fake. I can anyway. I never really have strong feelings about the subject when I have seen one. It's just acknowledged somewhere in my head. So that being said, I agree with you fayden that buying a $400 designer bag is way more exciting to look at from an observers purse-pective.he,he

This is why I don't get the argument/point that people buy counterfeits ito portray a certain look 'for less' - be it chic, stylish, moneyed etc... because if they're trying to impress people, it'll be people who know about what they're wearing enough to take note, surely?

There was a woman in Marshalls with stacked fake (and very gaudy almost luminous yellow metal colour ) love bracelets, probably the worst fakes I've seen, but I'm sure not everyone in Marshalls knew what they were or cared so the primary purpose fails - you don't impress or gain the admiration of people who 'know' the brand because they can tell it's fake!

Also, when I was in Bicester Village recently in the Mulberry shop (the Celine shop it opposite) there was a teenager with her parents with the fakest Celine bag I've yet to see. Really pleathery, giant Celine logo, everything was so off. I am positive she would have gone into Celine at some point...so I don't get who these people are trying to convince?!

I notice that Hermes has become the new 'It' bag to fake, along with Celine, you see 15 year old girls with fake Chanel earrings in Tesco of all places toting these plastic Hermes bags about on their arms, it looks so bad


Also, a lot of fakes I see are usually of the most 'commercially' well known brands such as Gucci, LV, Chanel - brands that every man and his dog have heard of but many of them are not even copies of existing styles, they're just some random bag with logos stamped all over and again, if people are buying fakes because they want to give off a look of having designer things for less, I don't look at these random bags stamped with 'Chanel' and 'LV' and think 'how stylish!' , I have negative reactions to their general style as opposed to them carrying just a nice bag, a nice style, a nice shape, nice material etc in which I would be admiring.

 

[Cheetah7]

Truthfully I can't even tell if someone is carrying a fake unless it's a brand I'm very familiar with. If it's a good fake then I have to be looking very closely to tell...and I mean VERY close. Of course if it's blatantly obvious and tacky looking then that's a different story altogether.

I agree with the comment that I'd rather buy a non designer (but legit) brand than buy a fake of a premier designer brand just to make a so-called "impression".

 

[Jclb]

these people buying the faux stuff obviously don't see or realise the problems of it which expand beyond 'the emotions behind buying it' and 'the non-emotional effects' of doing so.

 

[beezygal]

If I can't afford a designer bag, I won't buy one at all. What's the point of buying the fake version of it? To fool ppl or to fool myself? I will just buy cheaper brands or no brand at all.

 

[LJT]

I was given a fake bag once, although it was reasonably good quality the entire time I wore it out (which was once & never again) I felt cheap & nasty, like I was trying to be something I wasn't. I cringe when I see some items on eBay that clearly look fake but there are mountains of people bidding on it, something makes me think those people don't even care if it's fake.

For the amount some people pay for a fake bag, they could hold onto their cash a little bit longer, save a litte more & either buy a quality medium range brand, or a vintage/preloved luxury bag from a reputible seller. I believe in quality over quantity and to being who you are and what you can afford.

The worst situation to be in when carrying or wearing a fake is when someone points it out or takes a closer look, or, God forbid, asks "is it real???"

 

[Gina212]

This is an interesting thread. I wouldn't buy a fake designer bag because I would know it's fake and not be happy with it. I'd also feel cheap and like I'm trying to fool people.

However, I actually think a lot of people buy fake designer handbags not to have something designer but because they like the design.

I don't really care though if someone is wearing a fake bag. I don't notice, I've never noticed because I can't say I really care. I don't notice anybody's jewelry or bags or clothes. I think as long as it isn't hurting anyone they are free to do or wear whatever they want and if it makes them feel better, then all the power to them. I can't judge someone based on their fake designer bag (Although I probably couldn't tell cause I don't look closely). Sometimes it just makes them feel better and I can't fault them for that (unless they are making someone feel bad because they have something designer and another person doesn't).

Ironically I actually hide my expensive things from a lot of the people I know cause they'd be judgmental about it. Even my engagement ring I hide. However this makes it that I am not around these people much. I even hide the Kate Spade bag. I am sick of hiding my stuff but right now it's my only solution.

 

[Emlee1]

because they want to feel cool and fit in. I remember once I went to NYC and my mom bought me Chanel earrings, and I was with my best friend and she went on the street and bought fake Chanel sunglasses, I was appalled, but my mom was happy for her because she didn't want her to feel left out since she shouldn't afford the earrings. I think its wrong if you can't afford it its perfectly fine , find something else cheaper, I can't afford a balenciaga bag so I have rebecca minkoff which is a little reminiscent.

 

[swissmiss123]

My youngest brother in law's girlfriend abosutely loves LV stuff and she has fake LV which she wears just to tide her over until she can have the real thing. Recently a few of us pitched in and gave her a real one for her 21st. She cried. It was actually really sweet.

However she still carries the fakes because she can't bear to hurt the real one. How cute is that. haha.

I think that's so great that you all pitched in and got it for her. If someone likes the look of the LVs, then why not use fakes until they can afford the real thing? Having that constant motivation to save up and/or wait for something you truly love every single day will make finally attaining it that much more satisfying. However, there are ways to look chic on any budget, so I don't really understand why people would want to spend money on fakes when they have thousands of great options at nearly every price point. If you truly love a bag, you would feel like there is something missing even if you have the fake. That's why it was such a big deal when this girl finally got her real LV.

I personally don't buy fakes. I don't judge it, but I can't say I really get it. I would feel dishonest and desperate and like I'm contributing to stealing someone else's art and helping the people who steal designs profit off of that and that doesn't sit well with me. But that's just my personal opinion. Style has nothing to do with price tag and when I was a broke teenager I found many bags that I loved that didn't cost a lot and helped me create some very cute outfits.

But if buying fake bags will help a fashion lover who may not have the funds for the real thing just yet have that little bit of satisfaction and happiness and peace of mind that that girl had, then I don't think it's all that bad. I don't necessarily support the buying and selling of counterfeit merchandise, but it's not like companies like LV and Gucci are hurting for cash anyway and the market for fake bags isn't going anyway anytime soon.

 

[vidder911]

This is a very interesting thread. I have often pondered this, myself. I would much prefer to go to a department store and purchase a quality item in my price range than to buy a faux anything from wherever they sell them. (Actually, where do they sell them?) I see people carry obvious faux bags, but my local mall does not have anything like this. Huh. I am fortunate enough to be able to purchase items that I like from designers that are frequently emulated, but I do not see a problem with carrying a less expensive bag that is nice quality and assumingly more well constructed than something that is made to look like an expensive bag. Goods in higher price ranges exist to serve those who earn more money since those businesses know how to serve a niche in that market. Buying a faux bag is harmful to the bottom line of that business and that may harm the jobs of their employees. Buying faux is much more than emulation, in my view it is harmful and disrespectful. Just my opinion, though!

That's why selling fakes online is easier. Buyer probably knows little or nothing about authentication and seller relies on this. Even if the buyer knowingly buys the fake, they can always cop out saying they were scammed online!

I don't mean to say that everyone scammed online has a dirty secret, but it goes to show how easy it is to buy/sell fakes today!

In principle, I agree with you completely that buying fake goods is akin to abetting a humanitarian crime, but in the developing world, where I'm from, people care less about principle and more about status.

The thing is, that technology and Internet have proliferated the sales of fake bags, giving people who want to make that "impression" an easier way out. Also, a lot of people including experts on this site, would be able to spot a fake if they look close enough. But there are exceptions to this, which raises the question on consistent authentication. Maybe a technology solution might increase trust in authentication?

Thoughts?