August 19, 2007
Soapbox: Fakes are Never in Fashion
I am really against buying counterfeit merchandise such as clothing, shoes or handbags. Besides being tacky, it is illegal and supports illicit activity such as the mob, sweat shops, and crime in general. This merchandise is high in profit to the people selling it. They are betting that you want designer so much that you are willing to buy fake. Don’t do it. It’s not real and most people can tell the difference if they just stopped for a minute and really examined the item in question.
Bazaar Magazine has a counterfeit advisory board. Their site has loads of info regarding counterfeit merchandise and how to spot it. Here is another link with more info. And an abstract from the NY Times.
Fashion has a price and it gets diluted when people buy fakes off a street corner. Fake is not fun. Fake is illegal.
I agree. Besides, most of the fakes I see people carrying are so blantanly obvious they are fake, I wonder what the appeal is in having one. Plus as I get older I am appreciating designer items not just for how they look, but also their quality, which obviously the fakes do not have.
Thanks for the link! You’re right of course. At the same time, I can’t afford the real stuff, but don’t want to buy the fakes! So I just go for the cheaper stuff at Target or the GAP.
Of course, I can’t knock thrift shop shopping either, but you get the range of stuff when you do that. I just bought a cool shirt and pair of shorts in Palm Springs, CA (still jet-lagged from my trip) for all of $13. Oddly, I found the exact same pair of shorts that I was wearing at the time! Those were $5, too.
I completely agree with thrift store shopping. It is all about reuse, plus you never know what you are going to find.
I have heard that Palm Springs has some of the best vintage in the country. And of course I want to go there is watching “Welcome to the Parker.”
some fakes are so funny
i saw some fake chanel sunglasses and instead of two c’s it had 3 circles
OMGosh…did you see that story on the morning news about the little shop in Hiawassee (spelling?) that was selling fakes and the lady doing it is the Chairperson of the local school board….sad!
www.southerness.blogspot.com
I have to agree with Coco. Some are so blatant it is funny.
Leslie, I have to agree with you on that. PS does have some of the best vintage shopping in the country. The thrift store I went to, Revivals, is one of a few secondhand stores, and unlike many thrift stores I have seen here in Baltimore - even a few of those higher-end consignment shops - I didn’t see a lot of junk. There was junk, but not much. And I was surprised at how inexpensive some of it was!
You will love the “Deluxe” book then!
I totally agree. Fakes are horrible and easily spotted usually.
I will represent the other side… I don’t see the huge deal here…there are so many other things to worry about in this world than if someone’s crap is fake. If I see a cute purse and it’s fake I might buy it because it’s cute…I don’t think the fashion industry is going to ever be truly hurting because of this.
And by the way….if I find a fake Hermes Birkin bag I’m buying it because I like it but I’m not paying $4000
Ahh! Bet you thought I would not approve it. Not worried about Karl Lagerfeld making more money. Worried about the poor kids in the sweat shops.
Get ready to start working on this party for Oakland. Lots to do. Meeting next week. Thanks again for helping.
you can so easily spot a fake. and the darn things aren’t cheap for fakes. they should be free if they are fake.
I thought about it some more last night…..I don’t really agree with fakes being passed off as real…but I’m all about “inspired by” knock-offs.
I boycott Walmart because of the sweat-shop aspect….have you seen the documentary “Walmart–The High Price of Low Cost” if you do you will never go in a Walmart or Sam’s Club again!