Sunday, May 25, 2008

Is Imitation the Sincerest Form of Flattery?

Fake labels are everywhere. On the shoulder of the woman sitting next to you. On the tween passing you by. From fake Chanel to Gucci they seem to be taking over. An epidemic, if you will.

Many consumers reason, "why buy a real designer label if I can something nearly identical for less?" Sure, that seems awfully tempting. Paying $40 for your "Chanel" wallet compared to $1,400 may sound like a steal.

One of my reasons for not buying fakes is that you get what you pay for. For example, a Chanel handbag is meant to last a lifetime. From the stitching to the leather, it will last you until you are old and gray. Your $40 pleather bag will not.

Another reason is that these imitation companies are stealing the reputations of these companies. Chanel, Gucci, Versace and the like started small like every other company. They worked hard to build their reputation and empire and I want to respect that.

These days so many people don fake labels that if you are sporting the real deal, people assume it's fake.

So, pass on the Folex and opt for the real deal or not at all. Imitation is not the sincerest form of flattery.

1 comment:

rachel said...

I 100% agree with you.
I recently got a Juicy Couture bag [real] and many people have asked "Is that fake or real?"
I hate it, because I paid $200 for it!! But you do get what you pay for, this bag is going to last me a lifetime. :]