Thank GOD for the Chinese

Louis Vuitton knock offs- Sources: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-471679/Revealed-The-true-cost-buying-cheap-fake-goods.html

If you are poor like me and love to be fashionable, there is one little secret for you: Knock offs.

There are many things that are being knocked off; from designer dresses to bags, and let us not forget shoes. If you are smart, you can find pretty much everything from big names in the fashion industry at a nice price. Just shop at Forever 21 or check the "black markets" in Asia. Women who cannot afford a $3000 Prada or Fendi bag will get it for even cheaper than $100 in markets in China and South Korea (plus you get to discuss the price; I am sure no one will let you do that at Prada). And if you live in Houston, Texas like I do, you can just hop on to Harwin Street and find the designer -knock off- bag that you are dreaming about for a very affordable price.

And to what do we owe such a pleasure? The Chinese people of course! Those people were smart enough to realise that everybody deserved a Louis Vuitton bag. So what they did was to steal the design and reproduce it one hundred times to sell it for a cheaper price. Of course all of it is very illegal. But who cares?

People from Louis Vuitton and other designers do care. In this economy, they see their sales declining. And they are loosing millions to the black market.

As far as I am concerned, I have mixed feelings. I do hate knock offs for the following reasons:
1- they do look cheap and are not well made
2- they are highly illegal and you could get busted for owning one (particularly at the airports when you travel)
3- it is not fair to the designer
Nevertheless, I still encourage people to buy them. I own a knock off Bottega Veneta weaved bag that I bought several years ago in a discount store. When I was buying it I did not know that it was a Bottega Veneta knock off. I just bought it before travelling back home; it looked great and the bag was big enough to keep all the stuff that I need to travel -and believe me I do need a lot-. I do not follow trends, I buy what I like. And I did-still do- like the bag. When I have it with me, people give me compliments. Just today a cashier at Ross told me that it was lovely. After owning it for 3 years, I came across the picture of the real deal in a fashion magazine. Even in the pics, the bag looked very well made and rich. I know that if you compare it with mine, you could see the difference. But seriously I do not care because I cannot afford the real deal.


The real deal: Bottega Veneta hobo bag $3000 at net-a-porter.com or just $1000 at blufly.com



My Bottega Venetta hobo knock off bought for just 2000 yen ($20) at a discount store in Japan three years ago. Can you see the difference?

Even if I was making millions, I do not see myself "invest" in a 3000 dollars bag. It is too crazy. Imagine what I could do with the same amount of money. I could feed a village for a month (and get good deeds in return), I could treat my Mother for a shopping spree. I could pay my brother stipend for more than 3 months.
Overall, I am happy that the Chinese had the common sense to make knock offs so that poor fashionistas like me do not feel left out.