Why You Shouldn't Buy Fake Designer Pieces
HEYYYY y’all. Ok this is going to be a ~controversial~ post buuut I want to share with you why I will never buy a knock-off and why you probably shouldn’t either.
I want to preface this by saying that I completely understand wanting to have nice things – I LOOOVE the few designer pieces I have and I wear them proudly because it signifies hard work and they’re fun to wear! I also definitely have a list of everything I want to buy and I do prioritize that list when it comes to saving for specific items. That being said, I am a broke broke broke college senior and have to put into perspective that a bag is not ALWAYS worth the same amount as what P and I have set aside for our first month’s rent lol.
I feel like a lot of the people who buy knock-offs just genuinely don’t understand why it’s wrong, hence today’s post. I’ll be the first to admit that I have a fake Gucci belt that I bought before I realized why it is important to save for the real thing.
1. Many of the fake products are made by child labor slaves. Your purchase is keeping them locked inside making more pieces that are sold for a painfully small amount.
2. It is illegal to both buy and sell. In addition to the fact that thousands of children are being harmed in the making of your copycat bag, they are stealing from creative directors who worked hard to design a bag worth thousands.
3. It does not look real. I promise, there is not one single knock-off in the world that looks real to someone who has seen a real one. The stitching is jagged, the hardware is the wrong color, the size and shape are different and the logo is slightly off.
4. It will not last. Knock-offs are cheap imitations – and I mean CHEAP. The likelihood of that product lasting a month of regular wear is so so slim because the quality is very cheap. Because it’s an imitation, you also don’t have the safety net of being able to take it into a shop for a complimentary fix/replacement when it starts to fray or show sudden signs of long-wear.
Designer pieces are special because not everyone has one – buying a fake version takes the specialness out because it involves no sacrifice. You didn’t have to save or work hard, you just had to throw $20 away on a purse that will fall apart. That being said, there are so so many ways to snag affordable luxury pieces! Below are some of my favorite go-to shops for authentic, second-hand luxury pieces.
CHEAP HACKS FOR AUTHENTIC PIECES
The Real Real / my all time FAVORITE ‘consignment’ designer pieces are from The Real Real. When we were in NYC I bought P a Chanel tie that was genuinely so affordable and it looks brand new. All of their stuff is in great condition and they are always running some kind of deal!
Tradesy / I have not purchased from Tradesy but I have friends who swear by it! Every time I’ve checked, they’ve been offering $50 off your first purchase.
TJ Maxx / I haven’t learned the true hack on this, but while in NYC literally every single TJ Maxx we went to had Chloe, Gucci and Prada bags galore. Their website doesn’t allow you to search by the brand name, but when I searched “canvas leather shoulder bag” a Fendi option popped up along with a Gucci bag! These bags are new, so they are only a few hundred dollars off compared to the cheaper prices on The Real Real and Tradesy.
Ebay / DO NOT go this route unless you are 110% confident in your identification skills lol. That being said, users in other countries usually sell bags for 40-60% off retail price depending on the style and year. Again, you need to be absolutely sure that you know what authentic date codes, hardware, stitching, receipts, etc. look like to avoid being scammed.
