Counterfeit "designer" handbags - time to fess up!

cindy324

Wed, Jul 05 2006, 1:58 pm

OK, I've been wondering about this for awhile now. What do you all think of purchasing counterfeit handbags that look just like the genuine very pricy handbags like Louis Vuitton, Fendi, Prada, Coach etc. complete with the company's logo.

I live in Brooklyn , and see all the frum ladies buying them, including myself, I have to admit. Would this be considered stealing, being that the designers are losing money,although I doubt it's running them into the ground, and being that it is 100% illegal to sell them ?

amother

Wed, Jul 05 2006, 2:05 pm

Ive been tempted to buy knockoffs and once bought a prada one that something broke off it the 1st day I wore it. The good copies cost a lot of money especialy for a chanel or LV bag. I have some nice real bags (around 200-250 each) but they are not huge designers. I'm about to get a knockoff LV as a gift from a friend I know its going to cost her over 200 dollars, but the real one costs around 2,000

brooklyn

Wed, Jul 05 2006, 2:13 pm

Places like canal street still sells the knockoffs, but they are not as good as the original. If you don't know the original they look pretty good, but they are illegal, they don't even sell the bags openly anymore, they [gentile] raided too many times. Now they take you inside a building where they have them in a locked room and they rush you to buy. I'd rather spend some more money and get the real thing.

southernbubby

Wed, Jul 05 2006, 6:14 pm

In some countries it is also illegal to buy them. Apparently, designers are worried about losing business because there have been people arrested for selling fakes. I have read articles about this. Maybe you should google search
and read these articles. Is it stealing? I wonder what the halacha really is. If I buy an Izod shirt at a garage sale, remove the aligator, and sew it on a Kmart shirt, have I really done anything wrong? Is it more wrong that removing buttons from one suit and putting them on another? In the case of bags, it is a violation of a law so this may impact the halacha.

Raisin

Wed, Jul 05 2006, 6:30 pm

southernbubby wrote:

Is it stealing? I wonder what the halacha really is. If I buy an Izod shirt at a garage sale, remove the aligator, and sew it on a Kmart shirt, have I really done anything wrong? Is it more wrong that removing buttons from one suit and putting them on another? In the case of bags, it is a violation of a law so this may impact the halacha.

But, the people who make the counterfeit shirts are not buying lots of tshirts or whatever, removing the label and sewing them onto cheap inferior tshirts or handbags. They are making their own copies of labels and logos.

I don't think I could ever bring myself to spend $200 on a handbag, anyway. shock

A nice coat, maybe, but not a counterfeit handbag.

If it is illegal, I guess you have to follow the law of the land.

Sad to see that frum people are such fashion victims!

amother

Wed, Jul 05 2006, 8:46 pm

well..... on the topic of counterfeit- I love a specific designer watch and bought a nock off for 1/10'th of the price at www.copylex.com

The problem is that I can't find them on the web anymore and wondering if they got reported/closed down.

Anyone heard of them before?
They sold knock off Rolex, Cartier and other top brand watches for both men and women.

Ruchel

Wed, Jul 05 2006, 8:56 pm

I have a fake Chanel and a fake Vuitton. After visiting Coco Chanel's apartment (full of stuff she acquired during WW2 thanks to "German admirers", who of course didn't buy these beautiful paintings and jewels and furniture) and knowing a bit of the history of Vuitton (the favorite luggage brand of Hitler may he rot in gehinom), I don't care if I'm stealing from them.

Ruchel

Wed, Jul 05 2006, 9:13 pm

Crayon210 wrote:

Just because you don't like someone's actions means you can steal from him/her??

No, but if they stole from me or my family I might be less interested in their interests, and not feel guilty about what most people do anyway, without any reason.

Ruchel

Wed, Jul 05 2006, 9:17 pm

Crayon210 wrote:

Wait...if it is indeed considered stealing, then how can justify it by saying well they deserve it? Are you Gd?

No, on the contrary, I'm a human being with feelings which lead me to think like this. Sorry.

Ruchel

Wed, Jul 05 2006, 9:21 pm

Crayon210 wrote:

To think is one thing. To DO is another.

Well, I probably wouldn't steal directly from them unless I knew exactly what was stolen from us, which amount of money. But buying a fake bag... I am not going to have guilt issues over that.

stem

Wed, Jul 05 2006, 9:38 pm

What exactly is the point of having a fake rolex or prada? Is it that it has the famous name on it? Isn't the point of having expensive things - their value?

cindy324

Wed, Jul 05 2006, 10:28 pm

Quote:

What exactly is the point of having a fake rolex or prada? Is it that it has the famous name on it? Isn't the point of having expensive things - their value?

I guess it's a status symbol.

Quote:

Wait...if it is indeed considered stealing, then how can justify it by saying well they deserve it? Are you Gd?

No, on the contrary, I'm a human being with feelings which lead me to think like this. Sorry.

Good question, and a VERY GOOD answer!

Quote:

But buying a fake bag... I am not going to have guilt issues over that.

Yeah , somehow I have no guilt issues over those bags either. In fact, I really like the new coach summer style bags...maybe it's time for a trip to Canal street. LOL

stem

Wed, Jul 05 2006, 10:30 pm

cindy324 wrote:

I guess it's a status symbol.

Maybe I'm just naive, but I don't get it. How is it a status symbol if you don't have the real thing?

realeez

Wed, Jul 05 2006, 10:45 pm

I don't have any "knock-offs" but if someone who would buy an imitation wouldn't be interested in spending the full amount on the real thing, how are they stealing from the designer? Like if I buy a nine west purse or a "knock-off" either way, Louis Vuitton isn't gaining... I guess it would be stealing his design.

As a safety recommendation, don't go into any locked rooms in deserted buildings to get a purse!

amother

Thu, Jul 06 2006, 8:21 am

stem wrote:

What exactly is the point of having a fake rolex or prada? Is it that it has the famous name on it? Isn't the point of having expensive things - their value?

Great Q Stem however I looked high and low for a watch I liked and finally found one- the Cartier Tank Watch. I love the shape, the roman numerals on the face and the style band. It's classic and timeless. There was no way I was spending $1700 on a watch, so the $150 alternative was quite tempting.

It's the same exact watch, made from the same materials, weighs the same etc. The only difference is the inside mechanism. To me it tells the correct time- so who cares if the inside is cartier or a misc. brand?? To me it's the LOOK of the watch, irrelevant that it's indeed a Cartier name brand.

http://www.worldofwatches.com/....._wtch
It's the top watch, 2nd from the left... the women's watch is identicle, just a drop smaller, & more dainty.