When it comes to handbags, it’s best to fake it; or save until you don’t have to! All women have their own, be it shoes, clothes, jewelry or like me; handbags
If you’re a bag girl, you’ll love the description of your must-have bag, mentioning color, shape, and style, but at the top of the list will be the designer.
Be it the highly coveted Hermes Birkin that can cost you up to 9000.00 or the Chanel 2.55 Classic Flap bag that costs from 1700.00 us girls what one. My dream designer bag is the beautiful Mulberry Bayswater in electric blue, a snitch at around 3000.00.
Owning such bags has become a status symbol depending on the circle you mingle with or aspire to. In my neck of the woods is the Orla Kiely bag which has proven to be a huge hit with the ‘yummy mummy’s’ and having one invites you to her exclusive club it’s back to playground politics and not everyone can afford the luxury to join.
So it’s no wonder the market is saturated with replica and fake designer handbags, most women don’t have thousands of pounds of disposable income to buy such designer handbags (more pity).
The most copied in designer handbags is Louis Vuitton, with a genuine LV costing up to 3000.00… Whoops, I hear you say and you won’t find LV for sale.
As you may know, this is not something new, women have been faking it for years. By law, a company that sells designer replica handbags, or as they are often called, “designer-inspired” handbags, must clearly state that the handbag you are purchasing is a legal replica. Unfortunately, not all sellers do, and worse, there are companies that sell fake knockoffs claiming that they are the real thing.
So if you decide to splurge on your dream designer bag, it’s important to know you’re buying the real deal, so how can you tell if you’ve got the genuine article?
• First, buy from a reputable seller, a reputable store, or a quality boutique, and make sure the staff knows about the product.
• Be realistic about the price, if it sounds too good to be true it probably is, after all you are paying for a high quality product.
• Be aware of the telltale signs that distinguish fake bags from authenticated designer ones, such as:
Check the crafts; seams should be even, with no loose threads or frayed seams.
The lining fabric must be of high quality, fake bags are often stuck with uneven seams and poor lining.
Check the logo; make sure it’s correct with the correct font and spelling, if it says “Prado” or “Proda” instead of “Prada” then that’s a huge indication that it’s not a genuine designer bag.
Check the label for the country of origin, if a Gucci bag says it’s made in China and not Italy, then you know it’s not a genuine Gucci bag.
Look for color variations, if fake color variations can be very subtle so inspect closely and smell the leather to make sure it’s genuine, it may feel silly doing this but you’ll be able to tell right away if it’s made from real leather . which will be all designer bags.
As shown? If a so-called designer bag has cheap, rusty plastic covering the handles, then that’s a sure sign that it’s a fake, it would only serve to make the bag cheaper.
Do you have a serial number? or an authenticity card?, most designer bags come with one of these, the serial numbers are often embossed on the inside of the bag near the handle, but counterfeiters are getting good at it and They often reproduce them along with dust bags.
So you can see that it’s hard to make sure you’re getting the real deal when it comes to buying a designer bag, especially if you’re looking for a bargain and not buying from a reputable seller. It’s important that you do your homework and research the bag you want to buy, which brings me back to the title; “To fake or not to fake?”
For me personally, I would always know that my bag wasn’t the real deal, so I couldn’t be sure of the quality and whether or not it would wear well.
Fashions change so often now and if you want to keep up with current trends then an affordable replica of a designer bag could be the way to go, the price is certainly attractive and you could have a new bag for every season, which it has got to be something good!
However, there are affordable designer bags that you don’t have to fake to be able to afford them, for example British designer Zandra Rhodes launched a range of fabulous bags in 2010 and it’s proving to be a big hit with fashionistas, prices range between 45.00 and 120.00.
Keep an eye out for emerging designers, who haven’t quite made it yet. Shop now before everyone jumps on the bandwagon, become a fashion leader and not a follower, learn to spot style, real craftsmanship and quality.
At the end of the day it’s up to the person, as long as you understand what you’re buying, whether it’s fake or real, for me I’d rather not fake it, I’m going to save my pennies until I can. allow me to buy my Mulberry Bayswater.
Check out Zandra Rhodes bags for an affordable designer solution.