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

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#3,331
My answer is simple.

I like the look of the bag. I knew it was a fake. I couldn't justify spending on a real one ...and to be honest, not a lot of thought went into it, after all it was just a bag (a cheap one at that) hehe

If that makes me a horrible, bad and dishonest person then so be it.

PS. and yes I've taken a pen or two from the office stash. So ... lock me up and throw away the key!

:-)
 
#3,332
petite_chic said:
Following this thread I'm really starting to think the whole question is loaded like a landmine. "Why do people buy fake designer bags or fake designer anything?" Anyone who honestly admits that they do and explains why, which is the point of this question btw, is accused of stealing, a supporter of an illegal industry, or given the somewhat indifferent "everyone has a right to their own lifestyle but I personally don't do it" disclaimer or the "I used to but stopped so I'm all good"...none of which is an answer to the original question.

I mean the bottom line is because either the person didn't know it was fake or they simply like the bag, the price, and enjoy wearing it. As for all the negative implication attached to it, if it bothered them, they wouldn't buy it in the first place. And if they were gifted the fake, ultimately the same answer. It either bothers you or it doesn't - how complex can it be?

As for the rest of us responding, how about, do you feel better about yourself, pat yourself on the back, for not wearing a fake/replica/counterfeit when you see someone else wearing one? Do you regard that person with shock, disdain, outrage, pity, indifference, gotcha!, secret bag twin? (just had to add that last one). Personally, I think I fall along the lines of "gotcha" 'cause I'm pretty clueless. :D

And what about the whole idea of authentic but stolen bags? Have any of you bargain hunters ever wonder if the great NWT deal on Ebay is actually a stolen (authentic) bag? We've all heard of gangs targeting stores and leaving by the truckload, could one of them be the very bag you're carrying?

Frankly I'm more curious about who and why people steal office supplies (rhetorical question).
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Fake bags- no for me
Office supplies- soooooo guilty...

Btw- I totally agree with everything you said. It's a land mine kind of question.
 
#3,333
Very loaded question. Why do people buy or wear fakes? Because they want to. Those people are thieves, the scum of the earth, the dirt beneath my shoe, common criminals, etc. Of course, I am being sarcastic.
 
#3,334
I think it is a landmine because of the financial aspect of the question.
There can be ladies who simply cannot afford the real thing and might feel "despised" by the ones who can This might explain some reactions.Money can be a big divider.
 
#3,335
Mariapia said:
I think it is a landmine because of the financial aspect of the question.
There can be ladies who simply cannot afford the real thing and might feel "despised" by the ones who can This might explain some reactions.Money can be a big divider.
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Self-esteem just as much. It is as a rampant FEMALE insecurity issue, gleefuly fed by the fashion industry and its henchmen the ad squad hellbent on convincing women we are only as valuable as we look. Nevermind it is a poor teen student flaunting a Canal Street fake as if it were the real thing or a sixtyish millionaire lady angsting over her upcoming, third lifting in five years - the principle is often the same. Covering up, masking, pretending... feeding logo'ed chicken soup to a discomfited, hungry soul. Not saying this is the only motivation of ALL who knowingly wear fakes, but it certainly is part of it. Otherwise why run the risk of, at best, the rejection and incomprehension of those who wear the real thing, and a fine or even jail at worst?

Someone with a healthy sense of self-worth does not need to kid oneself or try to kid others into believing that they are wealthier or more fashionable or whatever than they are. Adjust your attitude, stop trying too hard to impress with externalities, strive to be AUTHENTIC from the inside out in all you do, say and choose to wear, and enjoy what you can reasonably afford.

How many males do you see going to such lengths to scout out, buy and wear (and agonize over it with guilt, regret, fear of being found out) fake designer anything? If they know they are fake they care not, they enjoy having the ersatz and as soon as they can afford the real thing they go for it, meanwhile they do not obsess over it. Maybe they do fakes more frequently in the watch department, these being THE status symbol and all, but certainly not in the same scale women do. Most will save, go into debt or both in order to get authentic sports gear, if only because most kinda suspect the hazards involved in mountain-biking or skiing down a steep slope with a dodgy helm and skis :p
 
#3,336
Maybe it's just because I haven't been exposed to proper super-fakes, but all the fake bags I've seen (even the supposedly 1:1 ones) just don't feel right, the leather is not quite as good, etc. So I wouldn't buy a fake just because I can palpably see that difference in quality. Although I suspect logo canvas is easier to replicate on a 1:1 mirror basis than leather.

But I recently had a niggle about jewellery which made me think that yeah, in certain circumstances I can understand why people turn to fakes. I have fallen in love with the design of the Tiffany Atlas wide bangle, which currently costs £1,400 for sterling silver. Which is daylight robbery as far as I'm concerned. In my view it's far more obvious in this instance that it's the Tiffany brand that's driving the price sky-high rather than the materials and workmanship, which leaves a bad taste in the mouth. I love the design and normally I wouldn't mind paying luxury prices to recognise that the company came up with the design, but it just seems ridiculously disproportionate - more so than "normal" mark-ups on luxury, which we all know is already very high.
 
#3,337
Pimpernel said:
Self-esteem just as much. It is as a rampant FEMALE insecurity issue, gleefuly fed by the fashion industry and its henchmen the ad squad hellbent on convincing women we are only as valuable as we look. Nevermind it is a poor teen student flaunting a Canal Street fake as if it were the real thing or a sixtyish millionaire lady angsting over her upcoming, third lifting in five years - the principle is often the same. Covering up, masking, pretending... feeding logo'ed chicken soup to a discomfited, hungry soul. Not saying this is the only motivation of ALL who knowingly wear fakes, but it certainly is part of it. Otherwise why run the risk of, at best, the rejection and incomprehension of those who wear the real thing, and a fine or even jail at worst?

Someone with a healthy sense of self-worth does not need to kid oneself or try to kid others into believing that they are wealthier or more fashionable or whatever than they are. Adjust your attitude, stop trying too hard to impress with externalities, strive to be AUTHENTIC from the inside out in all you do, say and choose to wear, and enjoy what you can reasonably afford.

How many males do you see going to such lengths to scout out, buy and wear (and agonize over it with guilt, regret, fear of being found out) fake designer anything? If they know they are fake they care not, they enjoy having the ersatz and as soon as they can afford the real thing they go for it, meanwhile they do not obsess over it. Maybe they do fakes more frequently in the watch department, these being THE status symbol and all, but certainly not in the same scale women do. Most will save, go into debt or both in order to get authentic sports gear, if only because most kinda suspect the hazards involved in mountain-biking or skiing down a steep slope with a dodgy helm and skis :p
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What the difference between someone wearing a fake low key bag, and someone wearing a real designer bag with huge arse logos/monograms all over their bags?
The fake, low key bags don't scream "look at me" unlike the monogram Guccis/LV's.

As far as I'm concerned, the authentic monogram bunch are the ones with an self-esteem issue. They're the ones wearing the bags that scream "look at me, I can afford an LV"

Then follow up what I said, with your post and the same applies.

"Someone with a healthy sense of self-worth does not need to kid oneself or try to kid others into believing that they are wealthier or more fashionable or whatever than they are by wearing logos or monograms all over their bags.
Adjust your attitude, stop trying too hard to impress with externalities, strive to be AUTHENTIC from the inside out in all you do, say and choose to wear."


I've said this is another forum but I'm say it here again;
I think most people who buy fakes just like the design, but don't have the funds to buy the real thing.
I don't believe they're more apt to lie, or steal, nor do I believe their self-esteem is worse than anyone else's.

eta: LV ladies, don't hate me. I only brought up LV as an example, to show this point of view can be applied to pretty much any group.
.
 
#3,338
BPC said:
What the difference between someone wearing a fake low key bag, and someone wearing a real designer bag with huge arse logos/monograms all over their bags?
The fake, low key bags don't scream "look at me" unlike the monogram Guccis/LV's.

As far as I'm concerned, the authentic monogram bunch are the ones with an self-esteem issue. They're the ones wearing the bags that scream "look at me, I can afford an LV"

Then follow up what I said, with your post and the same applies.

"Someone with a healthy sense of self-worth does not need to kid oneself or try to kid others into believing that they are wealthier or more fashionable or whatever than they are by wearing logos or monograms all over their bags.
Adjust your attitude, stop trying too hard to impress with externalities, strive to be AUTHENTIC from the inside out in all you do, say and choose to wear."


I've said this is another forum but I'm say it here again;
I think most people who buy fakes just like the design, but don't have the funds to buy the real thing.
I don't believe they're more apt to lie, or steal, nor do I believe their self-esteem is worse than anyone else's.

eta: LV ladies, don't hate me. I only brought up LV as an example, to show this point of view can be applied to pretty much any group.
.
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I was kind of thinking the same thing. Though I do agree with some of the original quote, I also don't really feel like we should make our choices in life based on the possible rejection or derision of anyone else. There will always, always be people willing to look down on you no matter what you do. There are plenty of people out there who look down on people for spending what they think is too much on authentic luxury items. Or people who look down on those who carry contemporary designer items. (Coach, Dooney in particular I've heard people say some pretty ugly things on tPF about these brands and the kind of people who carry them. Which I've chosen not to take personally and I will proudly carry my Coach and Dooney no matter what anyone says.) And even the monogram bags are given a bad rap often.
There's no point in basing your decisions on what anyone else may or may not think because you're never going to please everyone or get everyone's respect.
 
#3,339
BPC said:
What the difference between someone wearing a fake low key bag, and someone wearing a real designer bag with huge arse logos/monograms all over their bags? (...)
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The wearer of the fake bag is breaking half a dozen laws, thus can be prosecuted, fined and jailed like a common criminal because in fact she IS lying and stealing according to the law and any ruling court could care less if she tries to duck responsibility with excuses like "I just like the design". An offense is an offense in Europe, in the US, in Canada, Australia or most other countries, you know that, and everybody who can read knows that too.

Other than that, yes, it is also probable that many people who buy the most blatant wealth indicators (bag, car, jewels) without being actually wealthy may be using those to boost their self-esteem. But I believe this thread is only about fakes, not about the real stuff.
 
#3,340
Pimpernel said:
The wearer of the fake bag is breaking half a dozen laws, thus can be prosecuted, fined and jailed like a common criminal because in fact she IS lying and stealing according to the law and any ruling court could care less if she tries to duck responsibility with excuses like "I just like the design". An offense is an offense in Europe, in the US, in Canada, Australia or most other countries, you know that, and everybody who can read knows that too.

Other than that, yes, it is also probable that many people who buy the most blatant wealth indicators (bag, car, jewels) without being actually wealthy may be using those to boost their self-esteem. But I believe this thread is only about fakes, not about the real stuff.
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I was addressing your initial post which discusses self worth. You didn't mention the legalities of wearing a fake.

I guess these liars, with low self worth who are breaking half a dozen laws aren't considered to be PUBLIC ENEMY #1 here (U.S).
At least I've never heard of anyone getting arrested, let alone getting jailed for carrying a fake.
Would think it would make it to the news at least once in a while if it were happening.
 
#3,341
BPC said:
I was addressing your initial post which discusses self worth. You didn't mention the legalities of wearing a fake.

I guess these liars, with low self worth who are breaking half a dozen laws aren't considered to be PUBLIC ENEMY #1 here (U.S).
At least I've never heard of anyone getting arrested, let alone getting jailed for carrying a fake.
Would think it would make it to the news at least once in a while if it were happening.
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No, it's not illegal to buy or carry a fake in the US. Only to sell.
 
#3,344
BPC said:
What the difference between someone wearing a fake low key bag, and someone wearing a real designer bag with huge arse logos/monograms all over their bags?
The fake, low key bags don't scream "look at me" unlike the monogram Guccis/LV's.

As far as I'm concerned, the authentic monogram bunch are the ones with an self-esteem issue. They're the ones wearing the bags that scream "look at me, I can afford an LV"

Then follow up what I said, with your post and the same applies.

"Someone with a healthy sense of self-worth does not need to kid oneself or try to kid others into believing that they are wealthier or more fashionable or whatever than they are by wearing logos or monograms all over their bags.
Adjust your attitude, stop trying too hard to impress with externalities, strive to be AUTHENTIC from the inside out in all you do, say and choose to wear."


I've said this is another forum but I'm say it here again;
I think most people who buy fakes just like the design, but don't have the funds to buy the real thing.
I don't believe they're more apt to lie, or steal, nor do I believe their self-esteem is worse than anyone else's.


.
Click to expand...


Agree 500%!! Very well said.

When I purchased my fake LV, it was because I liked the look of the bag. Plain and simple.

When people would comment, I would laugh and openly tell them it's a fake. I didn't pass it off as the real deal nor did I buy it to boost my self esteem.

Like mentioned previously I no longer buy fakes but think no less of people that do.
 
#3,345
We went from people who carry fakes are liars and thieves? To people who carry authentic bags are insecure with a low self esteem?

WOW! What's really going on around here? Lol


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