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Mon Feb 19, 2007 6:00 am  |
Anna_in_Sweden, WHAT world do you live in?!? Yes, designer bags represent quality, but, in most cases, that isn't what you're paying for. You ARE paying for the label. A bag for a lifetime? Puhleez. With the sole exception of something like a Hermes Birkin or Kelly, or maybe, maybe a Fendi Selleria (handmade and numbersed), this year's hot $2k handbag is all too often next year's "bottom-of-the-closet" handbag. Alot of women want the look, but can't afford the markup that comes along with the designer label, and so, they seek high quality knock offs.
My sister, brother, and I are the only ones in my very large extended family who do not work in the fashion industry. Believe me, you pay for the label. I learned at a very young age that Vestimenta is the manufacturer that Armani uses for all his suits. Now, if you're talking about an evening gown, or a couture piece, you won't find the exact cut and fit of the original. But, for a basic black or navy cashmere suit or jacket, you can pay upwards of $2-3K for an Armani, or you can buy a gorgeous piece with the Vestimenta label for a fraction of the price.
Not everyone is a rich girl. In fact, some, even when they could technically afford it, can't justify spending a couple of thousand on a business suit.
God bless eBay  |
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Mon Feb 19, 2007 9:12 am |
I am a self-proclaimed purse fanatic..I can't walk by a purse store. Still looking for a HG. I loved the look of vuitton. I used to live in a very Italian, very designer-label crazy area..who couldn't afford the real thing. Knock-offs abounded. Good ones too. The ladies would be buying for themselves, their moms, their sisters..even nonna would get one for her 80th. I can never forget walking into a grocery store and seeing a whole generation ..yes, even little old nonna, carrying the same vuitton bag. Just killed it for me
Since then, I look for non-designer, but quality bags that are unique, functional & classic. Kathy van Zeeland makes nice ones-cheap at anout $150 cdn for a large bag.
Mind you, I'd still love a good quality prada knock-off-they don't stand out as much as vuitton does, I'd buy it for the style & functionality.I do love burberry..I checked the prices in London once & almost fainted.
Just to let you know how out of hand this has gotten, when I when to my tiny little Greek island last year I went to a little (and I mean little) store for gum..yep..on the shelves were vuitton & burberry knock-offs-30 euros.  |
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Mon Feb 19, 2007 10:32 am |
| Katee, I do believe that it is possible to discuss things without it getting personal. Don't you? |
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Mon Feb 19, 2007 10:55 am |
| Marina, I'm with you. Several years ago I was visiting my Dad in hospital in Memphis. I had just received an LV for Christmas. Half of the women in the ICU waiting room were carrying knockoffs. When I returned home my LV went into the closet never to see daylight. I'll go with a nicely styled quality non-designer bag without a problem now. |
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53 and starting to show it |
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Mon Feb 19, 2007 11:23 am |
| katee wrote: |
Shortiez has great replica handbags. Really good quality and very reliable service.
http://www.shortiez.com/ |
Thanks Katee,
The bags do look pretty amazing but they are still out of my range at this time in my life. All my money went into skincare Don't have money left after EDS (both the store and the forum)  |
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Simple but No Simplier...Approaching late 20s, Normal/Combination Skin, Rarely Breakout now but have some old acne marks, sunspots, & broken caps |
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Mon Feb 19, 2007 11:24 am |
| katee wrote: |
| Yes, I ordered a Prada Napre Gauffre Antic from them for my sister's birthday. Beautiful bag! She's a Prada fiend and she said it was the very best replica she had ever come across. Their bags are all made in Italy. Many replica bags are made in Asia, and aren't of the highest quality. |
From the pics on the website the bags look amazing. I have a Fendi Spy and it looks exactly the same.
Could you tell your sisters bag was a replica? I have a huge fear of walking around with a "replica" and people being able to tell!! Seems pretty pointless then!
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27. dark olive. prone to congestion. loving ISC and emu oil |
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Mon Feb 19, 2007 12:29 pm |
| katee wrote: |
| Anna_in_Sweden, WHAT world do you live in?!? ... A bag for a lifetime? Puhleez. |
Obviously, I live in the same world as Anna.
And yes, I have bags for a lifetime - because my real Mulberry, Prada, etc., etc. were made well enough for staying for lifetime. I have absolutely no desire having hundreds of fake bags, I rather want to have few real ones with the original design, material, know-how and tradition. |
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Mon Feb 19, 2007 12:42 pm |
| lin23 wrote: |
| katee wrote: |
| Anna_in_Sweden, WHAT world do you live in?!? ... A bag for a lifetime? Puhleez. |
Obviously, I live in the same world as Anna.
And yes, I have bags for a lifetime - because my real Mulberry, Prada, etc., etc. were made well enough for staying for lifetime. I have absolutely no desire having hundreds of fake bags, I rather want to have few real ones with the original design, material, know-how and tradition. |
But....if it is really well made as well and really classic looking, does it matter if it is fake? I have an obvious copy of a red croc birkin and I love it, but to be honest I'm not wild about handbags as such. My carry all is an old ferre suede tote bag I got on ebay for 16 quid. Yes it's 'designer' and original but it isn't obvious or ubiquitous. It is however no better made than my fake birkin.
That said, I can see where you are coming from Anna. My mini-me has about four tanks which are copies of the rick owens ones I've just bought and even though one is such a gorgeous green to make ME green with envy, they can't begin to touch my real ROs in terms of fit and drape.
I guess it's horses for courses  |
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my new jewellery website:www.gentle-medusa.com |
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Mon Feb 19, 2007 1:30 pm |
| Anna_in_Sweden wrote: |
| Well I certainly understand not paying more than £100 for a bag but I thought the point of buying a high end designer handbag is because their quality and reputation are excellent. If you are buying a copy then what is the point, that is unless you are interested in showing off the label? ... |
Anna, quality and reputation aside, maybe someone chooses to buy a knock-off simply because they like the style/color/shape, etc. of the bag and don't want to spend the $$$ on an authentic one. I'm sure flashing a designer label helps, too, but there are other considerations when purchasing a bag.
| katee wrote: |
... Yes, designer bags represent quality, but, in most cases, that isn't what you're paying for. You ARE paying for the label. ... Alot of women want the look, but can't afford the markup that comes along with the designer label, and so, they seek high quality knock offs. ...
Not everyone is a rich girl. In fact, some, even when they could technically afford it, can't justify spending a couple of thousand on a business suit. ... |
Took the words right out of my mouth. Those designer bags, quality materials aside, are absolutely NOT constructed of $1,000+ worth of leather and hardware. Its the name/label/recognition you are paying for. Just like cosmetics and skincare - sure you are paying for some of the ingredients (not much) but what you really are paying for is the product name, packaging, marketing and the salary of the spokesmodel! The ingredients always cost but a fraction of the actual price of the product - the rest is hype. |
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Mon Feb 19, 2007 2:07 pm |
My friend was in Florence, Italy last year and took this picture : she said the workmanship looked quite good. I wonder if they are made in Italy or China.
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Mon Feb 19, 2007 2:35 pm |
Katee, in my post I expressly pointed out that I would rather buy a classic bag rather than this years trendy item. I agree with what you wrote that this years hot bag will be in the back of the closet once it is no longer the item du jour. As for a bag lasting a lifetime... absolutely it can. I have several that I received from my mother that range from lower end Koret up to higher end Balenciaga. Most of these bags were purchased by her or received as gifts in the 1950s and 60s. They are all classic pieces. If the quality is top notch and one cares for it properly then I see no reason why it wouldn't last. If you however purchase trendy items then even if the bag itself is great quality you might not want to use it for a long time because it will fall out of style. You also stated that your large extended family works in the fashion industry so it strikes me as odd that you encourage and seem to agree with buying fakes.
Mermaid Girl, I agree that when it comes to skin care a lot of it is hype. At the same time many posters here swear that higher end products work better which I don't completely agree with. I think that many skin care products can be fantastic at mid and low range too. OCM is as cheap as one can get! However when it comes to certain things such as fashion items, you do get what you pay for. Some things of course are less important than others. I personally would not spend a lot of money on a bag however I will for a pair of shoes, a great coat, or gloves. I'd rather have 10 great quality items in my wardrobe that are classic pieces rather than 40 items from H&M that need to be replaced after 1-2 years. T-shirts and tank tops being the exception because I love buying those cheap!
Again if you save your money and purchase a classic bag (whether it is vintage or a current) you can have a great authentic bag that will last seemingly forever. |
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Mon Feb 19, 2007 8:16 pm |
If we're talking about authenticity, Chanel is made in France.
Not that anyone would see the inside. C's are too skinny and are more rounded in person. I bet the chain, etc would look fake in person. Metals and details like that usually do. The bag itself is actually quite shiny but the photo makes it look raincoat kind of shiny which it isn't.
Nit-picky, but only because you asked
I'm not knocking fake bags but seeing them on some people kind of irritates me.
I will agree somewhat that it is the label. Having said that, I've been fortunate enough to be able to purchase these brands and the craftsmanship is really amazing. Is it worth that much? No, nothing is really. $80 for cleanser? Nah. $1000 for leather? (Usually canvas, leather trim.) No. 'Course not.
This is why I never liked Prada. (Aside from too many people having the fakes and not a lot of options for men)
It's NYLON. I'm not paying $500 for nylon. (I'll pay $600+ for canvas though! LOL!)
I hope I don't sound like a jerk. Definitely not my intention. |
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Mon Feb 19, 2007 8:38 pm |
Hey, I love Prada ! Rip stop parachute nylon  Light weight and indestructible. They are my favorite traveling bags, over Chanel, MJ, LV. When I come home, I just dump it in the wash. The leather trim is so durable, no problem. |
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Mon Feb 19, 2007 8:42 pm |
Sorry! I don't mean to knock them. Not a lot of choice for guys, that's all.
I just can't justify $500 for plain nylon...I just won't do it. LOL!
For travel, I love my Gucci duffle. Canvas is a lot easier for me to handle. I'm too paranoid with nylon. With canvas I'm not afraid to toss it around, etc. If you love it, you love it. |
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Mon Feb 19, 2007 9:13 pm |
| dalguy wrote: |
Sorry! I don't mean to knock them. Not a lot of choice for guys, that's all.
I just can't justify $500 for plain nylon...I just won't do it. LOL!
For travel, I love my Gucci duffle. Canvas is a lot easier for me to handle. I'm too paranoid with nylon. With canvas I'm not afraid to toss it around, etc. If you love it, you love it. |
It's OK, I know a lot of people feel nylon Pradas are way over priced and before I met this lady who gets her Pradas from the factory store I used to think so too. Now I pay a fraction of the price at Needless Markup to get one so it's ok for me. I also like Francesco Basia. Not so many fakes, if any at all, and the styles and workmanship are good. I like Nina Ricci too, the styles are clean and refined.
For me, the LV monograms are not worth the price. I hate how the untreated leather trim picks up any kind of dirt, water marks, oil from our skin.
I personally only buy the Epi line. So to each their own. |
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Tue Feb 20, 2007 6:26 am |
| I've just been looking at the shortiez.com website again. How do they get away with it? The website looks really professional, by the write ups they give the impresion that they are authentic, how do they not get sued? |
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27. dark olive. prone to congestion. loving ISC and emu oil |
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Tue Feb 20, 2007 6:33 am |
I just went back and read the blurb and they're definitely implying that their bags are authentic...   |
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27. dark olive. prone to congestion. loving ISC and emu oil |
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Tue Feb 20, 2007 1:19 pm |
| katee wrote: |
Shortiez has great replica handbags. Really good quality and very reliable service.
http://www.shortiez.com/ |
Hi Katee,
I went on the website you recommended and the bags look fabulous- exactly like the real thing.
I just have a question- you mentioned you bought one for your sister- how has it held up?
I bought a gucci in italy last year (exact replica) and it fell apart after a month.
I'm thinking of saving up for a real one- but I really can't justify spending 2 Grand for a purse!
thanks
CG |
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Tue Feb 20, 2007 2:17 pm |
My sister adores her bag and she uses it constantly. So far so good.
Anna_in_Sweden, I think you misunderstood me. First of all, I didn't think I was "getting personal." If you thought so, please accept my apology.
I'm well aware of the fact that a bag can last a lifetime. I carry a large ostrich Hermes Birkin. I got it when I passed the bar exam and it just gets better with age.
But, many women aren't in the market for a classic bag that they'll keep forever. A couple of years ago, the wanted the Chloe Silverado, the following year they had to have the Fendi spy... and on it goes. Very few people can afford to purchase original designs at retail prices. And, even for those who perhaps can afford the luxury, they often are simply not willing to make that kind of investment.
My objection was to your statement "why would anyone want a knock off." Perhaps you didn't intend it the way it came across, but I thought it was a little insensitive and also condescending to women who want to be stylish but are on tight budgets. I see designer knock-offs sold by street vendors in D.C. Unlike the knock-offs sold by street vendors in the Florence (Italy) leather market, the bags are crap, and I'd never recommend them to anyone. But, there are some well-made, high quality replicas out there. They allow women on a budget to enjoy designer styling, and often workmanship, without a prohibitive price tag. They also allow younger women, or any woman really, who is a more "trendy" dresser to indulge and have fun with fashion.
The truth is, if you walk into my closet, you'll find black label Armani suits hanging next to tshirts and tank tops from H & M and Target. And, on the same shelf as my GENUINE Birkin, is a gorgeous replica of a Fendi Spy bag that I bought when I was in Italy this fall. |
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Tue Feb 20, 2007 3:14 pm |
| Katee, that handbag site you listed, is the quality good on them? I have a friend with a yen for designer style and quality but not the money. |
_________________
my new jewellery website:www.gentle-medusa.com |
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Tue Feb 20, 2007 3:39 pm |
| lol |
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Tue Feb 20, 2007 8:07 pm |
| Anna_in_Sweden wrote: |
| Why not save up and buy the real thing? |
I am clearly in the minority, but I agree with you Anna! I wrote this in another thread about LV, but when I was in college I went to Canal St. in NY and bought 3 fake LV bags and a wallet. It was the sketchiest 20 minutes of my life, but I was obsessed with them. I knew they were illegal and possibly made in sweatshops, but at the time I didn't care. Three years later, I would never again buy a bag whose authenticity was at all questionable for those same reasons. When I got my first job out of school, I bought a Marc Jacobs that most of my friends think I am an idiot for buying. But I busted my butt in school and am proud as heck of the bag that I bought with my own money. It isn't trendy at all, and I've never seen anyone with it and I will use it forever.
There is a company called Bag, Borrow or Steal, and it's a membership to rent purses! It's pretty pricey for the highest level, but you will always have an authentic "it" bag. |
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Tue Feb 20, 2007 8:44 pm |
Hmmm, just an observation here.
First I noticed that pictures of fake bags on this site looked really good. The bags looked just like the real ones. Then I realized that those pictures are not pictures of bags they are selling, those are pictures of the real bags and I have seen them somewhere else. For example, their LV bag pictures, most of them are pictures from http://www.eluxury.com/. eluxury is an authorized online retailer for authentic LV bags in US. |
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Tue Feb 20, 2007 8:46 pm |
| Moocheez wrote: |
My friend was in Florence, Italy last year and took this picture : she said the workmanship looked quite good. I wonder if they are made in Italy or China.
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Your friend takes a great picture. And yes, I live in Ebay World along with Katee.  |
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