For a very long time, I was not interested in the big luxury brands because of a cliche about Asians buying a lot of replica handbags. I was sure that if I had an authentic Louis Vuitton in my arms, everyone would have thought it was fake. Why spend a lot of money on that?
Until recent years, the main clientele of luxury brands is neither Russian nor Japanese but Chinese… Now, an Asian lady with a genuine luxury bag seems normal in Paris.So, I treated myself to a few luxury wallets. I thought I might treat myself to an authentic bag too.
Having chosen a well-known luxury bag model, I haven’t yet had time to decide between buying a bag at the store or a pre-loved one, that I have already been targeted by advertisements on Instagram and Facebook…. by Replica sellers. These advertisements were more frequent and followed me to Unitedstates, France, and it increased more when I went to China. They were so well made that at first, I thought they were pre-loved bags. But the price was only 10% of the new price.
Types of sellers targeted me:
- those who sell replicas in China or elsewhere
- those who make replicas in Vietnam
To learn that Replicas are already reaching such a high level is a shock, Replicas cover all types of products: leather goods, jewelry, watches, high-tech, and even medicines!
Reasons of riches stop buying replica handbags
- Bad service at luxury stores (where sales associates are arrogant and treat them like shit even when they are buying a $10,000 bag )
- Authentic ones are less durable than fake ones (one shopper recounted the anecdote that she asked her friend why her bag was in tatters while her friend’s bag remained in pristine condition, and the friend replied that it was a Replica bag)
- To not be afraid of damaging the authentic ones (some have authentic versions, which they use during safe situations, for example, going to a restaurant, and take out the replicas when they travel)
- Because they like a challenge and feel like they’re making a deal
- Because it’s a form of rebellion against luxury brands (well, I don’t understand that, by parading with a luxury authentic, you also contribute to their marketing)
- Because they prefer to invest rather than waste money on a luxury authentic.
- Because they want to be sure of the practicality of the bag before buying the real one
Top-tier replicas are super expensive. buyers spend $500 to $4,000 for a Replica bag.They do not buy Replica bags that sell for less than $1000 in stores. They only aim at high-quality, luxury brands. Indeed, replica buyers seem pretty rich. They’re not looking for a cheap $20 fake.Apart from a few rare cases, the products they show look very much like genuine ones. Only when they’re put right next to the genuine ones can one see the minimal differences.These buyers are, for the most part, based in the USA. So finding and contacting Chinese sellers and getting products is very difficult. Since it is an illegal trade, they send money in the wild without really knowing if the product matches the photos and if the product will arrive at all (if customs haven’t seized it yet).
In addition, Chinese retailers aren’t that fluent in English, so… these Americans have to use Google Translate to communicate in Chinese with Chinese sellers aahhahah. Those who prefer to buy on the Chinese Amazon (Taobao) must also learn to recognize the Chinese characters to click on the right buttons.
Everyone’s biggest fear is someone pointing at their bag and asking if it’s fake, hence this obsession with QC (quality control), down to counting the number of seams. But they are pleased if they walk around with their replica luxury brands, SA do not notice that it is a replica or give them compliments on their bags.I remember, when I worked at a consignment store, we had a bag whose leather exceeded all the leathers I had touched so far. I thought it was authentic (the customer who brought it to me too – since it was a gift), until I checked the authenticity card. It was the first time I touched a top-tier replica.
some brands and products were easier to copy than others. To find out why this or that product was impossible to copy 100%, buyers went so far as to watch the manufacturing videos of luxury brands, to understand. There were long discussions about a particular technique,pearling for example, the aesthetics of which aren’t visible to beginners, but connoisseurs will notice it immediately. Finally, it is by comparing the “top-tier” Replica (of very high quality) to the authentic ones we see which brands deserve their reputation (and their price) and which brands are just marketing, because luxury is in the details.
Others say that since they had access to this “limitless” inventory, they understood that it was the brand that interested them, not the design of the bag itself. When they say to themselves that they could afford any design, in any material, including limited editions, they realize the weight of the brand and the “status symbol” represented by this or that bag.I hope luxury brands will ask themselves how did they manage to fall so low and rely only on marketing and no longer on the unique quality of their products? It’s not that Chinese artisans are too talented, but it’s because the quality of products from luxury houses has fallen too low.
Okay, back to the salespeople in China who targeted me on Instagram and Facebook. Their phone number was visible, so I contacted a few to ask for the price and ask to see the products. Most don’t have ready-made products so we’ll make two visits.When I came, the store was full of Replicas, but very average quality replicas that you see in the Grand Bazaar in Istanbul or on a hidden street corner in Dubai. I randomly point out a few bags, and the price given does not exceed $200. On the other hand, he explains to me that there are several categories:
- True copies but without the brand logo
- Fakes as seen at street vendors
- Super fakes: already a little better.
- A quality: almost exact copy, with logo, but not necessarily in the authentic material (for example, faux leather instead of genuine leather)
- AAA quality: almost exact copy, with logo, in genuine leather
- 1:1 Mirror: same leather as genuine, with logo, reality by Chinese craftsmen
- like authentic quality: same leather as authentic, with logo, made by European craftsmen
- Factory quality: it’s a bag created in the brand’s workshop but has not passed the final checks. This mainly concerns “made in Italy” products. I don’t know if this is verified information, but a few years ago, former employees of a large luxury house were tried for trafficking counterfeits.
He does not have high-quality products in stock because they are expensive, and if he cannot sell them, he will lose several thousand euros, so these bags are on order only. He has one that just arrived: he sold it for $800, and the buyer will pick it up in a few hours. This bag smells genuine leather, and since I’ve never touched an authentic one, I have no idea if it’s authentic. It’s very well made!
The seller adds that the luxury bags are purchased authentic and then deconstructed in China. Thus, they base themselves on the structure of this bag to make an exact pattern. As for the working conditions, he won’t be able to tell me because he also buys from intermediaries in China and has never set foot in a single workshop. The only video he was able to show me was that of a factory in China, filmed by who-knows-who, with a Chinese woman doing saddle stitching by hand, but not by hand. French (American/Asian method). As for the confirmation, “same leather as the authentic” is both true and false because I inquired with luxury leather suppliers in China. European tanneries, suppliers of luxury brands, sell the same leathers to anyone.
Now, it’s time to visit a salesman who quoted me $1000 for a top-tier replica. $1000 is a lot of money in Vietnam. Only the elite can afford it. Surprise: it’s a small workshop waiting for me, with a dozen craftsmen working on different types of products… with or without brand, counterfeit or not. They need three weeks to copy the design of the bag of my choice, gather the necessary materials, and make the bag. The bag will have a logo or not, as I want. Here, everything is done manually (no machines), the technicality is there, but they are less careful about conformity. They are more focused on craftsmanship: using authentic, good-quality leather. They copy the design but aren’t looking for 1:1 standards. They will not count the number of stitches, for example. They say they make copies of luxury bags because there is demand:
- Vietnam fashionistas have less access to luxury products (the price is x1.5 compared to the price displayed in France).
- There is less stock.
- They don’t want to wait and use this kind of service.
When I ask if they have international customers, they said no. It’s a service reserved for locals because they don’t want to have problems with luxury brands. I touch their leathers: divine. I see the names of prestigious French tanneries.
In short, since I discovered this world of super fake, 1:1 replicas,I am once not interested in authentic luxury brands.From then I jumped to the replica dark side.
