Are Fakes in Bad Taste

Kari suggested looking on e-bay for bags after she got her beautiful Kate Spade bag that way. I was looking at the Kate Spade bags and then ended up looking at all satchel style bags and saw a few that were quite nice looking. I remember Rae bought a beautiful bag made in China and was quite happy with it.

I found a bag that I thought looked nice and was a good shape and size. The ad said very soft pliable leather - another plus. I put the bag on my watch list to consider. A little while ago I was reading on Corporette and followed a link about the Birkin bag. I now know that the pretty bag I liked on e-bay is a knock-off of a birkin. If I hadn't looked at Corporette, I would never have known it was styled after a famous bag and I am not sure whether that should deter me from considering it.

What do you think? Is it wrong to buy a knock off? What if you found out a bag you purchased was a knock-off? Would you continue to use it?

14 years ago

Shopping

11 replies

Latest reply was from Kristen

Anonymous

If the bag was "in the style of" but not actually covered with logos, or bearing insignias or the like, I would feel OK with it. That said, I would not knowingly buy a counterfeit item and wouldn't want to carry one either.

14 years ago

lyn*

(website)

Veteran

I have a bag that is "in the style of" a PS bag ... I didn't know it was like that until I posted it on here. I don't care. It's a nice bag and I carry it every day.

That being said it was only $40; so I don't expect it to hold up like a brand name bag. I also just throw it around on the ward (poor thing) and don't worry that someone is going to steal it from me - so it serves my needs.

I also would not carry a fake branded bag - ie: a "FANDI" bag I saw on ebay. My sister and I had good laughs over it.

14 years ago

MsMary

Veteran

I think the chances of anybody mistaking your eBay bag for a real Hermes are about zero, as are the chances of anybody thinking you are trying to pass of your eBay bag for a real Hermes. It's a classic style that's been copied for years and as long as it doesn't purport to be a real birkin, I don't see a problem. In fact, I don't consider a bag "in the style of" a well-known bag to be a "knock off." It's just, well, a bag "in the style of."

14 years ago

mamaKate

Veteran

What MaryK said~

14 years ago

HelenInCanada

Veteran

It's definitely not advisable to KNOWINGLY buy a counterfeit, but unfortunately sometimes the customer is unaware. I understand that high profile authentic sources usually have some kind of "identifier" that helps consumers know when they are buying the real thing. Always caveat emptor, or some such. *Buyer beware.*

As far as similar imitator styles of "it" bags go - eh, lots of labels knock each other off constantly, and how many people can spend a thousand dollars on a one-of-akind designer handbag? Doesn't mean they don't want to enjoy the latest styles that catch their eye, etc, so if something is "inspired" by a KS or a Chanel or a Valentino, but is not branding itself as the real thing, I don't think it's a crime to buy and enjoy!

14 years ago

lyn*

(website)

Veteran

Oh; about Valentino, there is actually a legit handbag line "Valentina" lol. I thought they were all knock-offs when I first saw them! :p

14 years ago

Jenava

(website)

Veteran

I inherited a bag that has a tiny Ferragamo logo clasp. It certainly couldn't be mistaken for such a ghigh end item, however. I use it quite a bit, though, because it is both structured and cross-body, as well as large enough to hold my wallet and umbrella. I haven't been able to find another bag of any price that replaces it!

14 years ago

Kari

Veteran

I had that happen too. I bought a very inexpensive bag in an animal print that I thought was cute, and only realized after I'd been using it for many months that the bag was a very obvious knock-off of a high end bag. It wasn't a fake - no one would ever mistake the quality of the bag for a high end product, and it didn't have a fake logo or anything, but it made me feel a little self conscious to carry it because I didn't want people to think that I'd bought the bag trying to imitate a high end product, instead of just buying a cheap, cute bag that I liked.
I don't know if my logic makes sense or not.

14 years ago

Mander

(website)

Veteran

I'm so ignorant of big designers that I would have no idea that something was a knock off, except for the counterfeit types. But styles that have been around for decades have been copied in so many ways by so many companies that I would not feel the least bit bad about a similar style bag. After all, there are only so many shapes that you can use.

14 years ago

modgrl

(website)

Veteran

I have to agree with MaryK; no one is going to mistake your "inspired by classic Birkin style" bag for a real $40,000 bag. And while I think it would be great to have one of these, I would prefer to buy an Audi and drive around with a $40 inspired-by bag.

14 years ago

Kristen

(website)

Veteran

Knock-offs are very different from counterfeits, so as long as the label isn't pretending to be the name of the designer, and as long as the bag isn't cheap looking and fits what you want, then go for it.

Lots of lower-end retailers have knock-offs of designer bags; DSW had a ton of those leather rosette bags around the time Angie got her original Valentino. There was no mistaking the difference between the two! Target also frequently has knockoff styles, even more so in clothing than in bags.

14 years ago

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