Counterfake

You walk by a dark, downtown alley. A skeevy little man whistles your way. You lower your head and pretend to text, but he ushers you closer. Your eyes scan the sidewalk for possible escapes, but you find yourself led deeper into the shadows. And then you see it…..yes, an oasis in the abyss. What is this diamond in the rough? A faux Louis, duh! Where did you think I was going with this?

Yes, the majority of us are guilty of the crime, just slaves to the fashion gods. I’m talking about the paradox that is the counterfeit. Although generally honest people, why do the majority of us seemingly have no qualms with supporting the counterfeit market? Is it not easy to blame the exponentially increasing prices of authentic designer goods? Of course I would dieee to own a real Chanel of my very own, but the last time I checked, a particular bag that stole my heart boasted a price tag of a cool $4,500. Oh yeah, and just as I finished saying, “Only that much?” to the salesperson, she informed me that the price would soon be $5,000 – as Chanel annually increases their prices about $500. Bogus. I could not help but feel a deep, personal animosity toward the salesperson at that moment – ok, not gonna lie, I wanted to strangle her with the chain strap of that very Chanel bag I was clutching in my eager little paws.

But, alas, there really is no justification to ripping off others’ ideas – as a designer myself I really can relate to the frustration of someone else reaping the benefits of your brilliance, as I know mine is few and far between (haha). So although I do support the position of the knockoff market (very different from counterfeiting), I thoroughly support the anti-counterfeit event currently happening on Ebay. Ebay has joined forces with the Council of Fashion Designers of America to bring awareness to the issue of counterfeiting by contracting 90 uber famous designers to each design a “You Can’t Fake Fashion” bag to be auctioned off. Each bag’s bid starts at $100, and the proceeds go to the CFDA to fund the movement. A few of the bags seem a tad arts and crafts for my liking (and my hundred bucks), but most are pretty cool, and one-of-a-kind. The auctions are live NOW on Ebay, and it ends on Monday, March 25th – so happy bidding!

What are your thoughts on counterfeiting in the fashion industry? Will you be bidding on any of the bags?

xxxKATxxx