Where can I find a good Louis Vuitton knockoff?

[sunberst]

Let me first start by saying that I do have the small pouchette with the cherry blossom pattern (brown with pink one) from last spring. I bought it because I adore the colors brown & pink together, I like things that smile and are happy & I love cherry blossoms. The design is very "me".

You would not believe the buzz that little tiny bag causes. Everytime I go out I get complimented on it. Women literally stop me in the street or in the grocery store and tell me how cute it is. At first it freaked me out a little. I am not good with strangers coming up to me at random. I am just walking along minding my own business and them boom, some woman spots it and makes a beeline over to me. It is like I have entered a new sub-culture and have this unspoken membership by having a bag. Funny, huh? ;)

I love that little bag, but it is small. Very small. I can only fit a few things in it so it is not practical to use all the time.

What I want, is a bigger one. One to use on a daily basis. However there is no way I am paying thousands of dollars for a real one! (do women really do that?) So I am looking for a decent knockoff. What I mean by decent is good quality, something that won't fall apart and something that doesnt scream fake. I will be using it daily, so I want it to be somewhat nice.

Does anybody own a knockoff LV, and what do you think of it? Where did you get it?

Oh and I am looking for the cherry blossom design in particular.

[mlr73]

I don't know if this is what you're looking for but:

http://shop.vendio.com/carlislejr1/store.html


I just did a search on Google.com for Louis Vuitton. You could also try Froogle Google (go to google, scroll down to bottom, click on Tools & services, click on froogle)

[jphilg]

You are going to need to get it from a street vendor. I know a great LV knockoff guy in DC (at the Foggy Bottom metro!) but not sure what the street vendor scene in Chicago looks like.

My taste goes to Prada bags...I have one real one (gift from ex boyfriend who traveled a lot to Italy), a knockoff from Hong Kong (mecca of fashion knockoffs!) and a knockoff from the metro guy. The Hong Kong knockoff is indistinguishable from the real thing (probably manufactured at the same time, and just not shipped to Prada) but the one I bought off the street is slightly lesser quality, especially the lining. I love all three bags, though. You can probably get the effect you are looking for from the knockoff.

And to answer your question, yes, people do pay thousands of dollars for bags and other goods: Acquiring Minds, Washington Post Magazine 12/13/03. (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A53732-2003Dec10.html) . I actually know several people that shop this way. It is just a choice; at most income levels, you give up something (maybe a big house? maybe your charitable giving?) to shop like this. Not how I spend my money, but a choice nonetheless.

Good luck in your search!

Jen

[linsleyd]

Canal Street in NYC!

Just got three Louis Vuitton knock off's there this weekend!

Personally, I can't tell a major difference, just slight things that only a knowing eye can point out. I love them and personally will not pay the money for a real one so knock off's are my only chance!:D

[Chefzhat]

How about this one?LV purse (http://www.lushbags.com/lm-retro.php)

[sherri]

Try the Yahoo auction sites. They have many LV purses.

[wallycat]

Originally posted by sunberst
However there is no way I am paying thousands of dollars for a real one! (do women really do that?)


yes, they do :o :o :o

I'm glad I'm older and wiser now :rolleyes:

[ellamay]

This probably doesn't help, but I found a great knockoff LV purse in Venice, Italy on the street leading from St. Mark's Square to the Accademia bridge. It fools everyone. They had the best knockoffs I have ever seen of all different brands -- LV, Bally, Prada etc. If you have a friend headed that way tell them to look for one for you!

[greysangel]

I love purses...dont know why because I mostly carry a gym sized bag but that's another story :o :D

I buy knock offs all the time. Especially this time of year the street vendors are all over the city..not just canal or wall street area. LV, Coach, Prada you name it.

JeAnne

[Chefzhat]

Just out of curiousity - and believe me this isn't a slam on you sunberst:

If you appreciate the quality and style of your little LV bag, and enjoy the attention it receives and the status it carries, why would you want to carry a fake?

Again, just curious. I have a couple of designer originals and love them dearly. They were gifts to myself for achieving a couple of goals. Of course, with all the knock offs around, the first question I get about my bag is "is it fake?" which is a question that offends me.

Debie

[greysangel]

Debie - I can't speak for sunberst, but for me it's usually a style. I really like coach style bags..I'm just totally unwilling to pay the cost. I don't care about the tag so much so it's not a status thing and I certainly wouldn't try to "pass it off" as the real deal.

With shoes..I think I'm more willing to dole out the money :D

[Chefzhat]

Originally posted by greysangel
With shoes..I think I'm more willing to dole out the money :D

Ahhhh, shoes . . . . :D There's another area I get into trouble:)

[ellamay]

If you appreciate the quality and style of your little LV bag, and enjoy the attention it receives and the status it carries, why would you want to carry a fake?

I like the styling of LV bags. I am completely unconvinced the quality is worth $750 and up. I have a few Coach bags that are authentic and I like the quality of those, but all my Coach bags except for one were bought in outlet stores for under $200. I don't think you can get an LV bag for under $200. The least expensive LV bags are the smaller bags that I wouldn't even be able to use because I need to carry so much stuff (cell phone, wallet, PDA, asthma inhaler and cosmetic bag are pretty much the minimum, and I like to have more room for more stuff if possible).

Also, I am pretty sure if I ever walked into my house with a $500 handbag I would either have to return it or get a divorce. :) Then again, I would feel the same way if my husband walked in the house with a $500 watch.

[wallycat]

Ellamay, I agree...thankfully I was single when I splurged...and I worked in Paris for 4 months when the rate of exchange was very decent :D ;)

The all leather LV is AWESOME...the clothish ones never lasted with me :rolleyes:

[aprilbride]

Have you checked out E-Bay? I bought a Fendi purse off of E-Bay a few months back and couldn't be happier with it. It's authentic with serial # and all and was totally reasonable. I know they have a huge selection of LV purses, you might find something there.

I totally know what you're talking about....my parents go to Italy every year and my mom always sends me the latest knock-offs. The last one I received was a white LV with the colored lettering and it is huge! People stop me all the time to compliment me on my bag, I even got some curious looks walking into the LV store with it. Like you, I'd never ever buy one at retail price, even if I could afford it...

[615bride]

What are the signs of a knockoff besides obvious things like quality and "made in the USA" stamps on it? My sister has a LV knockoff from NYC that she is very proud of and I must admit it looks great. We're not thinking it's real but I'm just curious as to the difference.
Sorry to hijack Sunberst - let us know if you end up getting something!:)

[sunberst]

Wallycat-
So YOU were once one of THOSE people, huh? ;) I am just messing with you.

Chefzhat-
Let me clarify, the one I have currently is not real. I got it from a friend who had some for a short time. I have no idea where to go to find another knockoff since she does not "distribute" them anymore. And I don't try to pass it off as a fake, if someone asks I will tell them and I have. In fact I have volunteered that information a few times before and had a woman scold me for saying that. She felt that I should play it off like it's real. It does not offend me if someone asks (which they rarely do, they mostly just comment on how it is cute) because I am more than happy to tell about my deal. :) But I don't care about the status of it all. It is just cute & happy and makes me happy. And the link you sent looks great! Except the one I desire has the brown background. I see they offer it in the Papillon style...possibly a Christmas present for myself. :) I do have a genuine Kate Spade and several Coach bags- but those are a lot cheaper than LV! The reason I am concerned with getting a decent quality is because the knockoffs still cost a pretty penny. Usually a $100-$300. So I want it to be somewhat worth the cost. I don't want the zipper to break & the leather to tear after a few months!

615bride-
I guess there are handbooks out there that help to distinguish the reals from the fakes. Some are obvious, like some knockoffs have the design "stamped" on it and it is blurry and cheap looking. The hardware of course, and the lining. Mine has a suede lining which I guess is not what the real ones have. (I honestly have no idea, never seen a real one in person). But other than that my design is perfect, all the hardware has the logo on it and seems good quality.

Looks like I need to take a trip to NYC!
Chefzhat & Wallycat... we all live sort of close. Can we have a handbag party? Or will I not be let in without a real one. :)

And I thought nobody would respond to this thread...

[aggie94]

Originally posted by sunberst
And the link you sent looks great! Except the one I desire has the brown background. I see they offer it in the Papillon style...possibly a Christmas present for myself. :)

Beth, the one in the link that Debie sent also comes in brown - if you mouse over the little brown circle under the picture, it will show the bag in brown. :)

[sunberst]

Originally posted by aggie94


Beth, the one in the link that Debie sent also comes in brown - if you mouse over the little brown circle under the picture, it will show the bag in brown. :) YEA! Thank you.

[Guest]

Sunberst,

I just had to add that your purse is "real", but not authentic. And to hijack this a bit, it makes me think of my long lost Diamonique earrings. I got more compliments wearing them than I ever did with genuine diamond earrings. And it is much less painful it you loose them. Whic I course I did. When people asked if they were "real" I would usually say yes and add that they were a gift from my husband. Honestly, unless someone takes a loop or does a close up examination of a knock off handbag, no one will be the wiser.

As far as spotting knock offs, I bet you will find "made in China" stamps in most of them. For that matter, many Coach and Dooney and Burke bags are now made in China.

[Chefzhat]

Bride, it's hard to tell knock offs any more because they duplicate right down to fake serial numbers. :eek: Usually you can tell by looking closely at the lining, stitching quality, and pattern. And they all usually come with a storage bag. Mostly, you can tell by the price - LV bags start at $500 and go up from there. Coach runs over $200, DB starts at around $140. Quality bags are most often either US made, or Italian made. Two of my DB bags are USA, one made in Italy. I've never owned a Coach bag. I'm not sure where my Burberry bucket is made.

I'd love a Louis Vuitton Murakami Speedy bag, or a small travel bag. Big bucks, something I'd have to save for. Or for a college graduation present!

I want to say that I don't have a problem with people carrying knock offs. I personally prefer to wear real diamonds and support designers by purchasing their bags. If I lose something, it's insured. I figure I've got cool things to pass down to my grandkids!

So, which bag did you get??

[linsleyd]

Originally posted by MWS
I just had to add that your purse is "real", but not authentic. And to hijack this a bit, it makes me think of my long lost Diamonique earrings. I got more compliments wearing them than I ever did with genuine diamond earrings.

My MIL works for QVC, so I have a beautiful pair of Diamonique's in my ears right now. Love them! I have real ones as well but they only come out once in a while because I do have a problem with losing real gems! :rolleyes:
As far as fake LV, mine looks completly real except for the suede lining. And I really don't care, I like the look and would never spend that kind of money on a real purse, just couldn't do it!:D

[NancyR]

Well I admit it, I am such a hick. I never heard of Diamonique before and I actually think CZ jewelery is pretty. I have a couple of CZ rings that I ALWAYS get compliments on. Can anybody honestly tell the difference when you see somebody wearing fakes like that (I'm sure there are exceptions, of course, I mean the nice ones). Also, does anybody here know of street vendors in Chicago? I've never seen one.
Nancy

[sunberst]

nancy,
personally i have never seen a street vendor in the city (chicago) outside of sporting events, like the shirts they sell outside of wrigley. it may be illegal here actually.

when i was in new york, they were selling kate spade bags on the street (canal i believe) out in the open. however they were really fake looking.

mws,
i guess my bag IS real because it is not imaginary! ;)

the quality of knockoffs vary. mine came with a dust bag & the tag reads: louis vuitton paris made in france. the only thing that is the tell-tale sign that i know of is the suede lining.

i understand and appreciate the desire to reward the real designers by buying their products & having a heirloom to pass on. maybe if i had the money i would. i mean of course i could technically have the money if i saved and gave up other things to afford this luxury, but i am not willing to do so. it would be funny to trade my car in for an old rusty ford escort, eat ramen noodles for months, cancel my cell phone because i can no longer afford it, yet have an authentic LV bag on my shoulder! at this point in my life i would rather pay off credit cards & student loans and use the money for a down payment on a house. until i marry a rich guy, or become wealthy myself, i wil have to stick with the ones i can.

an article for you ladies:
http://littleviews.com/home/newyork/fake_bags_2.cfm

"In the last two days, however, I've received several emails from people who believed that they purchased the real thing and wondered if there was any way to tell. My first response was that it seemed to me that the real Louis Vuitton craftsmanship would be so outstanding that it would be easy to distinguish it from a fake. Well! Guess again . . .

If you re-read my first article, you'll notice that I sniffed at the Canal Street LV bags because they were vinyl, not leather, a sign to me of inferiority.

To test the theory, I visited the LV purse department at Macy's, expecting to be impressed by the quality of the real product. To my absolute amazement, real $700+ LV purses are made of a rubber or vinyl-coated canvas. More amazing is that some of these purses are trimmed with vinyl. I expected leather on all."... more on article page

oh and on CZ, i have a lab-created diamond ring that is gorgeous! it cost me $14 and i get compliments on it all the time. i am quite proud of that purchase.

[Chefzhat]

I feel like I'm ducking tomatos . . . :)

I don't have a problem with people carrying/wearing fakes - whatever floats your boat. I just prefer not to.

Debie

[Laura B]

I have three fake bags purchased this past summer in NYC. They are cheap and the workmanship is obviously inferior to that of the real thing. I don't doubt that there are some higher quality knock-offs out there that would give the real things a run for their money (hopefully the $100+ knock-offs are of good quality). I have a fake Kate Spade, Prada, and Burberry. I now have a real Kate Spade bag and wallet am going to throw away the horrible fake one. I also bought my SIL a real Prada for Christmas (from a great discount seller of authentic bags - something like discountdesignergoods.com). I haven't paid my dues to Burberry yet, but I will!

I feel really bad about having bought those fakes. I don't think all of the real ones are worth the money, but some are. More importantly, though, I believe in protecting intellectual property. I don't download songs anymore, I'll never buy another fake bag, etc.

My guilt really kicked in right after I bought the KS bag. I went into DH's law firm (an intellectual property firm, no less) and was introduced to a couple of associates. They wanted to know how I had spent my day, and I proudly told them I had bought a fake KS in Battery Park. And then I said, "Oh, god, I hope this firm doesn't represent Kate Spade!" :o


I'm not trying to preach to anyone who buys a fake designer bag. I'm just giving my view.

[Sarah]

This is off topic, but I'm a bit of a handbag fiend. I'm not really into LV, Prada, etc. Right now, I'm stuck on Jeanne Lottie purses. They're a Canadian design firm...really cute, totally affordable.
Here (http://www.jeannelottie.com) is the website for the 2003 fall collection.

[kim21]

Chefzhat...I'm coming in really late to this thread, and I'm with you on this. We'll duck the tomatos together. I perfer to support the original designers and will not purchase the knock-offs. Bye for now, Kim

[ellamay]

I'm confused -- I didn't think this was a tense discussion or that anyone was lobbing tomatoes. Did I miss something?

[badunnin]

Originally posted by Sarah
This is off topic, but I'm a bit of a handbag fiend. I'm not really into LV, Prada, etc. Right now, I'm stuck on Jeanne Lottie purses. They're a Canadian design firm...really cute, totally affordable.
Here (http://www.jeannelottie.com) is the website for the 2003 fall collection.



Oooh! Too fun! One of my favourite purses is from a designer at Granville Island in Vancouver. Lovely little thing, buttery soft leather, about $80 CDN I believe.

[Guest]

A couple of random thoughts related to this thread.

If you think you are buying an American made product, such as Coach or Dooney and Burke, think again. This morning, while doing errands, I stopped into the Coach store and asked where their bags are made. The answer was ALL the cloth bags are made in China and some of the others. Well, I took a look at about 5 different leather bags and the hard to read label said that they were "hand crafted" in China. Higher end goods are being assembled in China because labor is so cheap. The bags I looked at were selling in the $200-$300 range. It isn't like this money is supporting a "designer" but shareholders, Coach and LMVH, are publically traded companies, large corporate salaries and huge advertising campaigns.

I don't like logos and these signature items have never appealed to me. I just don't see what the big deal is, either fake or authentic. After all, it is only a purse. Some of us can afford the designer labels and buy them, others can, but don't, and then there are those who love the stuff and don't have the budget for the real thing. Some of us love to "label drop" and others roll their eyes when the see the designer names in print. It is just not important, at least to me.

[Chefzhat]

Originally posted by ellamay
I'm confused -- I didn't think this was a tense discussion or that anyone was lobbing tomatoes. Did I miss something?


It was more the "how stupid to waste money on expensive bags" "I could never do this", "I'd have to get divorced if I did this" comments that were starting to sound like put-downs.

MWS - big corporation or not, the original designer deserves credit and compensation for his work. Otherwise he/she won't be designing these items that are so appreciated that the designs are being copied and sold at a fraction of the price/quality. Frankly, when I go spend the big money on a designer item I would rather not have to explain that it's a fake. Just call me snooty, I guess. I felt the same way when Target started carrying a low end line of Calphalon. It bugged me that I had spent the money, time, effort and investigation to buy fantastic cookware to improve my cooking when now any fanny-pack wearing grandma can buy a set for $89 so she can make Kraft dinner.

[tbb113]

Off topic but slightly related, people don't always realize that they are buying knock-offs. I was down in our warranty department today and they were commenting that EVERY day they are getting knock-off merchandise returned for warranty work. I can only assume that the person that purchased the knock-off believed that they were buying legitimate goods. Otherwise, I'm completely confused on why they would send it to be repaired! If a price seems to good to be true..it usually is :)

[greysangel]

I guess I justify the whole moral issue around knock offs by the idea that we are all walking billboards without really asking to be. We have swirls on our sneakers, alligators on our shirts and sometimes labels on our butts. Whether it's "real" or a "knockoff" it's still free publicity and free advertising for the designers which is probably why there is not stricter enforcement of identity protection etc. For a fact in this household, several of my cds this year were bought after dh and I downloaded samples from mp3 and other online sources. Would we burn multiple copies of cds and sell them from our sidewalk? No. However, we really don't listen to radio that much and would not walk into a store and buy a cd cold without hearing some of what was on it.

Just another two cents.

Debie- I'm not throwing tomatoes at you at all so I hope you don't see it that way. When something really means a lot to me, I spend the money. For me, a purse just doesn't mean that much to me when 90% of the time it's living in my closet while I walk around with a large back pack (with my co logo :o ) or a large gym bag with the Nike swirl.

J

[Sarah]

Originally posted by badunnin

Oooh! Too fun! One of my favourite purses is from a designer at Granville Island in Vancouver. Lovely little thing, buttery soft leather, about $80 CDN I believe.

The best was her astroturf purse last summer, with silk daisies and a picket fence. They're purses to show off, not necessarily be practical.

[bmonczka]

Had to delurk..this is a juicy thread!!! I have a handbag obsession so I am with chezhat and a few others. To me there are some beautiful bags and some are like works of art. The leather, the craftsmanship, etc.. I really can't stand fakes.

I have several designer bags from a large Marc Jacobs bag to a tiny little Louis Vuitton shoulder bag. Most were gifts from dh for special occasions such as Valentine's Day or an Anniversary. Once in awhile I buy one for myself. I have worked pretty darn hard (actually both dh and I have) over the last 11 years and if I want to blow $350 on a Gucci wallet or more on a new Louis Vuttion handbag then that's what I choose to spend my money on. Different things are exciting to different people. Shoes come a close second but I usually don't blow too much on those.

To be honest, it really does bother me that people buy and carry fakes. This may get me in trouble but I feel that justifying a fake by saying you like the "style" isn't a good reason. What someone likes is the style the DESIGNER created, that's what goes in to the price they charge. The designer should get credit and payment not a guy who mass produces stickers that say Kate Spade or pins that say Prada and hot glue guns them to a bag made of fabric that was produced by scanning a real bag into a computer to manufacturer the conterfeit fabric.

I'm not trying to be snotty. Whether someone carries a fake or real bag doesn't make them a bad person or less worthy of anything. I just have a personal viewpoint on the whole Fake industry.

One thing I think a lot of people are forgetting is that all those fake handbags are illegal:eek: A woman is facing felony charges in Detroit for supplying bags to women for the fake purse parties.

Sorry this was so long, I haven't been on the bb in awile..to busy working:p It's interesting to see so many different opinions.

[sunberst]

Originally posted by Chefzhat
It was more the "how stupid to waste money on expensive bags" "I could never do this", "I'd have to get divorced if I did this" comments that were starting to sound like put-downs.oh you guys, nobody is being catty or throwing vegetables. if someone says that they could not spend that kind of cash on something, it is just an honest opinion of that person. we all have different incomes & priorities. some people would spend thousands on kitchen stuff, or car stereos, home entertainment systems, etc. but would not on a handbag. we all spend our money in different ways. no biggie.

i agree with all of what jeanne said. i am not really into labels so much, but i know that if i like it or not, i am an advertisement of some sort. i love american eagle clothes because they are so casual but i will not buy a shirt with their "AE" logo on it. i will only buy clothes that have no visible label. but i am sure i am still an advertisement as people know their style of clothes so when i wear my cute hooded sweater without the label, i am still advertising from them. man these stores need to pay US to wear their stuff since they are benefiting from it, too! :)

and i am not going to get mad at the fanny-pack grandma statement. i am far from that description yet i bought some nice calphalon from target. i love that store! and i don't think i have any kraft products in my house... but i am not sure why it bugs you though that this stereotype of person is purchasing calphalon from target. this is not meant to sound mean, but i think it is great when designers/makers offer different price/quality ranges of products because it allows people of all kinds to purchase them. and i am sure people with fanny-packs can cook up some mean kraft mac & cheese (because they can store extra cheese packets in their fanny-packs)... ;)

[badunnin]

Originally posted by bmonczka
To be honest, it really does bother me that people buy and carry fakes. This may get me in trouble but I feel that justifying a fake by saying you like the "style" isn't a good reason. What someone likes is the style the DESIGNER created, that's what goes in to the price they charge. The designer should get credit and payment not a guy who mass produces stickers that say Kate Spade or pins that say Prada and hot glue guns them to a bag made of fabric that was produced by scanning a real bag into a computer to manufacturer the conterfeit fabric.


I have a fake Kate. It is adorable, and I love the style. The labeled peeled off. I threw it away. I still carry the purse.

[badunnin]

Originally posted by Sarah


The best was her astroturf purse last summer, with silk daisies and a picket fence. They're purses to show off, not necessarily be practical.

The same one that does all the beautiful leather goods?

[valchemist]

Beth, I saw your bag (the pink and brown one) on the CBS evening news. There were trailerloads full of them (and other designs, too). Unfortunately, the story was related to how "counterfeit proceeds are bankrolling some of the world's worst criminals."

here is the story...

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2003/12/19/eveningnews/consumer/main589549.shtml

oh well. :(

[claire797]

There is a guy in Austin who sells knock-offs. He works out of his truck, which is usually parked alongside North Mopac near Braker. A co-worker of mine stopped there a few years ago and asked the guy to come to our office and display his wares for a group of women. He came during lunch one day and all of the women went down to the parking lot to check out his purses. A friend dragged me along, but I felt there was something creepy and wrong about it. Against my better judgment, I looked at the purses. Just to be a goof, I told everyone "These are FAKES!" and walked off. For the rest of the day, I pretended I knew the key to identifying fake purses but refused to tell anyone.

I told DH about it that night and asked if maybe I should have just bought one to give as gifts to people like my mother who were totally into that sort of thing. DH (who knows everything) then explained to me where the money went and why we shouldn't go near that guy.

A few weeks ago, we were driving up Mopac and there he was -- still in that same spot where my co-worker stopped 3 years ago. Business is good.

[Kayaksoup]

Originally posted by sunberst

and i am not going to get mad at the fanny-pack grandma statement. i am far from that description yet i bought some nice calphalon from target. i love that store! and i don't think i have any kraft products in my house... but i am not sure why it bugs you though that this stereotype of person is purchasing calphalon from target. this is not meant to sound mean, but i think it is great when designers/makers offer different price/quality ranges of products because it allows people of all kinds to purchase them. and i am sure people with fanny-packs can cook up some mean kraft mac & cheese (because they can store extra cheese packets in their fanny-packs)... ;)
Beth, you are being very mature about this:) I was seething at the stereotyping, but you made me smile. so I won't seethe anymore.
For what its worth, I don't buy big name designers, real or fake. Not a moral stance or anything. One, I can't afford the big designers and Two, I like small designers like the one sarah posted or a canadian girl tomoko kitai. She is based out of Toronto, Sarah, so you should check her out:D

[Chefzhat]

Originally posted by sunberst
[and i am not going to get mad at the fanny-pack grandma statement. i am far[/B]

well, good:) Still wanna have a handbag party??;)

Val, the link to the CNN story was something that I had read and forgotten about - thanks for bringing it back up. Yet another reason to re-think buying fake/knock off items.

[greysangel]

Seeing as the original question was where to get a good knock off, and not the political, moral or social economical ramifications of getting one, I would say we are way off topic.

Beth I for one am sorry this thread in no way shape or form answered your question.

I certainly hope at the end of the day I'm not judged for my knock off Coach briefcase, my Filene's basement and thrift store clothes, or the generic pantry items and medicines lining my shelves.

Jeanne

[valchemist]

I, for one, am all for great bargains! I don't need the real thing and wouldn't mind a fake. I own Diamonique.

I just posted that link above to share information. It certainly wasn't meant to be judgemental. I thought that maybe some people would like to know where this money is going. But I guess sometimes it is easier not to know. (I liken it to myself not wanting to know about the series of events that had to occur to result in the hamburger sitting on the plate in front of me.)

[Chefzhat]

JeAnne - you are right.

Sometimes my typing does not sound nearly as humorous as it would if we were IRL.

No hard feelings:)

[sunberst]

page 1 of this thread did answer my question... i got a few great links & tips on where to go. and i won't judge you jeanne. you should see my medicine cabinet. all walgreens brand with the nifty names like wal-profen.

thanks for the link val. that is a valid point. my view on that is that nearly everyone supports crime/terrorism on some level. there was this website with an article i read called "my cat supports terrorism" which i found interesting.

now i have a new question....

"Where can I find a good Fanny-Pack knockoff?"
;)

[valchemist]

Originally posted by sunberst
my view on that is that nearly everyone supports crime/terrorism on some level.

interesting!

I thought I was providing new information, but it seems like everyone has heard about all this. and it happens in other everyday arenas, too? I just hadn't heard of it before. ok. well as long as everyone knows. :(

[Kera]

This is probably a stupid question, but I buy my purses at stores like Target, so I'm not familiar with these designer ones. I'm just curious, why do they cost so much? Do they really cost that much to make? If not, I can understand why people would want the knock-off versions.

Also curious - what other ways are people supporting terrorism? I guess I would think there is a difference between knowingly doing that, and doing it unintentionally. I don't think I'd do something that I knew supported crime/terrorism. But again, I have no interest or knowledge in designer purses, so I'm probably the wrong person to comment on this subject. I didn't even know what/who Louis Vitton was until I clicked on this thread.

[SueK]

Originally posted by Kera
Do they really cost that much to make?

Doubtful. IMHO, you're paying for the name, not the quality.

[boisewinesnob]

I don't know anything about where to get knockoffs, but to comment on the question about drug and/or crime support; it is not limited to counterfeits....there are some other recognizable names (one clothing brand I know of) who have their fingers into some illegal drug production (I learned about it in my addiction studies class...didn't just "hear about it" ).

Also, there are unfortunately some wineries, or at least their brokers who are owned by some Italian guys in the cement business ;) . One of them I know of used to be one of my favorite wines, too :( , although that winemaker went to another winery a few years ago. But who's to say that place isn't the same way?

[badunnin]

Originally posted by boisewinesnob
I don't know anything about where to get knockoffs, but to comment on the question about drug and/or crime support; it is not limited to counterfeits....

You are very right. You might be surprised at the banks that are supporting interests overseas that aren't in line with American policy. Whether you choose to support these interests is really up to you as an individual - I think there are points in time when all of us kind of raise an eyebrow at American policy, and that's fine. But how many of us are actually choosing our financial institutions based on where they are investing?