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

[uber-chic]

I've never understood this, but why do people insist on buying fake knock offs of designer anything, especially bags? In my opinion I could never get any satisfaction knowing that I was toting around a fake bag or fake watch or fake anything. If I can't afford to buy it, then I'd rather buy something in my price range instead of posing like I can afford something I can't.

Some people argue that they'd rather spend their money on something else like fixing their house or going on vacation, and would rather carry a knock off instead, and then have the nerve to make fun of people that buy the real thing. What they don't realize is that people that can usually afford a real $2,000 bag, can also afford to fix they're house and go on vacation too, without having to sacrifice one for the other...it's all relative.

Buying knock off bags and seeing women with knock offs doesn't make any sense. It's like a guy wearing a fake rolex, you just can't take him seriously, or respect him for that matter. I would rather see him wearing a timex...the same applies to women. If you can't afford the bag, stick to coach or kate spade or something, right? You're fooling no one but yourself, where's the satisifaction there?

Thoughts anyone? I don't mean to stir or churn, but I just had to!

 

[classwhore]

think about it: For the same reason people spend $1500 on designer bags.
What on god's green earth would make anyone in their right mind spend $1500 on a BAG when a $20 bag does the exact same thing, which is, carry your stuff? WHat does the $1500 bag have over the $20 bag? The ability to say, "I have so much money I don't know what to do with it," or "I can afford this and you can't?"
And basically, who are you impressing besides other envious women, since guys care as much about handbags as girls care about expensive cars.

 

[fayden]

think about it: For the same reason people spend $1500 on designer bags.
What on god's green earth would make anyone in their right mind spend $1500 on a BAG when a $20 bag does the exact same thing, which is, carry your stuff? WHat does the $1500 bag have over the $20 bag? The ability to say, "I have so much money I don't know what to do with it," or "I can afford this and you can't?"
And basically, who are you impressing besides other envious women, since guys care as much about handbags as girls care about expensive cars.

i'm thinking about it, and well if you ask that, then you can ask, why does anyone buy a mercedes or a porshe when all it does is go from point A to point B? when you can buy a much cheaper used car that will do the same job? it's because people can. and if they have the money, they will buy whatever they want.

i buy expensive designer bags because they make me happy. and no one can tell me otherwise.

 

[riotstar]

Fayden, I think classwhore is addressing why purchasing luxury items make people happy. I doubt it's because people "can" or "can't" purchase them. I can afford a multitude of goods I have no desire in calling my own. It's not just the aesthetic quality, material, or design of the handbags that lures people. At the most basic level, I think people are just covering up the fact that they want to be admired on some level, be it affluence or fashion palate. We're just carrying out some fantasy of what we'd like to be. Can't say I'm excluded from this.

I don't get the idea of knock-offs either. If not for all the reasons mentioned above, people who carry designer bags most often make an impression on people who know/care about them. Personally, I'd be more self-concious carrying around a replica than simply carrying my keys, cash, and makeup in my back pockets.

 

[SuzyZ]

I do not have the kind of money where I can buy the best of everything - so here is where priority comes into play - my living expenses are low so I can travel and have a fabulous designer bag when I want one - It makes me feel stylish and chic and the owner of something special - so I don't have the watch or the diamonds but I have what I want. I would never wear a knock off, NEVER!!

 

[B. Jara]

I've never understood this, but why do people insist on buying fake knock offs of designer anything, especially bags? In my opinion I could never get any satisfaction knowing that I was toting around a fake bag or fake watch or fake anything. If I can't afford to buy it, then I'd rather buy something in my price range instead of posing like I can afford something I can't.

Some people argue that they'd rather spend their money on something else like fixing their house or going on vacation, and would rather carry a knock off instead, and then have the nerve to make fun of people that buy the real thing. What they don't realize is that people that can usually afford a real $2,000 bag, can also afford to fix they're house and go on vacation too, without having to sacrifice one for the other...it's all relative.

Buying knock off bags and seeing women with knock offs doesn't make any sense. It's like a guy wearing a fake rolex, you just can't take him seriously, or respect him for that matter. I would rather see him wearing a timex...the same applies to women. If you can't afford the bag, stick to coach or kate spade or something, right? You're fooling no one but yourself, where's the satisifaction there?

Thoughts anyone? I don't mean to stir or churn, but I just had to!

Perhaps some women just like the design of the bag...but could care less who made it?

Although often times the replica bags are made by what basically boils down to slave labor....but that's another whole ball o' wax.

Could your opinion be based on the fact that you sell designer bags?:suspiciou

 

[B. Jara]

i'm thinking about it, and well if you ask that, then you can ask, why does anyone buy a mercedes or a porshe when all it does is go from point A to point B? when you can buy a much cheaper used car that will do the same job? it's because people can. and if they have the money, they will buy whatever they want.

i buy expensive designer bags because they make me happy. and no one can tell me otherwise.

Scoot over, I need a spot on your bench. Want some popcorn?

 

[B. Jara]

I do not have the kind of money where I can buy the best of everything - so here is where priority comes into play - my living expenses are low so I can travel and have a fabulous designer bag when I want one - It makes me feel stylish and chic and the owner of something special - so I don't have the watch or the diamonds but I have what I want. I would never wear a knock off, NEVER!!

::erk:::
Did you mention diamonds?

I'm not that picky about my shoes (although I do not buy cheap shoes, I just hardly ever buy or need for that matter what can't go with a pair of jeans) but give me a beautiful handbag and diamonds any day!! ::::

 

[FendiBagLady]

I don't like knockoffs personally. I know that the counterfeit bags are often made in sweatshops and the money is funneled to terrorist organizations or organized crime units. Unfortunately, the people who get arrested for selling counterfeit goods are the guys (and gals) on the street who are just trying to make a living, often in the US illegally and have no other way of supporting themselves.

That being said, I would never not "respect" someone for having a knockoff bag! Respect - or lack thereof - is due to someone's CHARACTER, not their material possessions. I have friends who have tons of knockoffs because they like the style and cannot afford the real ones. The fact that someone else would not respect them as people because they cannot afford the fancy bags that others carry makes me kind of disgusted.

 

[B. Jara]

That being said, I would never not "respect" someone for having a knockoff bag! Respect - or lack thereof - is due to someone's CHARACTER, not their material possessions. I have friends who have tons of knockoffs because they like the style and cannot afford the real ones. The fact that someone else would not respect them as people because they cannot afford the fancy bags that others carry makes me kind of disgusted.

Excellent post that bears repeating.

 

[classwhore]

I know that the counterfeit bags are often made in sweatshops and the money is funneled to terrorist organizations or organized crime units.

I seriously wonder how much of that is propaganda. Most everything made in China or most of Asia is questionable, whether authentic or counterfeit. Even here in NYC, the sweatshop is still alive and well and thriving, you just don't hear about it. It's like, everyone who picks on Walmart, citing their labor-abuse practices, you would be surprised how widespread that is, but since Walmart is considered this enormous juggernaut, people have a natural tendency to attack them with all sorts of accusations. Even that 'exposé' movie about Walmart, "The high cost of low prices,' parts of it were fabricated. (the story about the hardware store closing because of Walmart's presence was completely embellished. They closed 3 months before Walmart even opened because of bad management on the owner's part, according to an article published in the NY Times.)

Don't believe everything you hear or see.

 

[fayden]

i can never own anything fake. i'm too much of a purist. hehe.

 

[*JJ*]

i seriously doubt that people buy knock-offs because they like the style and don't care who makes it. a lot of fakes' shapes are totally off or have a shape that doesn't even exist (in the designer's collection), they only have the logo pattern (in LV's case). so it's often not the shape they want, but the logo.

 

[Noriko]

I tend to think that people like to wear knockoffs because they don't want to spend the $$$ for the designer look but want it anyway. Lets be honest...a LOT of people can't tell the difference, so maybe they aren't fooling people like us, but they are fooling the unenlightened masses which is probably good enough for them anyway. Sucks that people do it, but I highly doubt the knockoffs will stop being produced completely when the demand for them is so great.

 

[classwhore]

I tend to think that people like to wear knockoffs because they don't want to spend the $$$ for the designer look but want it anyway. Lets be honest...a LOT of people can't tell the difference, so maybe they aren't fooling people like us, but they are fooling the unenlightened masses which is probably good enough for them anyway. Sucks that people do it, but I highly doubt the knockoffs will stop being produced completely when the demand for them is so great.

haha, even among the self-proclaimed 'experts' on this board, there's still so much debate on detecting fakes. I have more than a passing hunch that the actual designers are responsible for their own fakes, since the market is so viable, and some of the fakes are so close it's almost impossible to make them without "inside" information and the same suppliers.

On a side note, has anyone here ever been on a tour of any of the manufacturing plants of the designers, or heard of anyone who has? I imagine it to be a collection of underpaid old Italian or French matrons, toiling away with calloused but experienced hands.

Did anyone catch that joke a couple of weeks back on SNL's Weekend Update where Tina Fey said, "'SpongeBob SquarePants will begin airing in China in December so millions of factory workers can finally know what the hell they're making."