Faux Fashion

Once upon a time, there was a little girl who wore a red coat and longed for a Fendi Spy bag to match. This little girl was unable to afford the Fendi Spy bag and there were no local markets for her to go to buy a knockoff...
That's how it used to be, before the introduction of online stores dedicated to selling fakes! Some people love being able to buy the latest designer gear at a lower price, even if the products aren't real. On the street, it is near impossible to tell the difference between a real Lacoste polo and a low-cost one. On closer inspection, the stitching is never the same quality and there is less attention to detail - here are some tips on keeping away from faux items (especially useful when buying off eBay):

Left: real -- Right:fake
Tip #1: Often faux bags will be shapeless, whether it be caused by the use of inferior material or simply by lack of attention to detail, it always pays to compare your product side-by-side to a photo one from a trusted retailer (try Neiman Marcus, Saks and other department stores)

These bags: The real Balenciaga should cost upwards of $1000. This particular fake costs $49.99 and apart from a few similar features, the bags are like chalk and cheese.

Left: fake -- Right: real

Tip #2: The colours will almost never be the same. In the fake bag, the colours are faded compared to the real bag on the right and the fake leather is often a different shade.

Tip #3: Never be fooled into thinking a bag is real just because it is expensive. This particular fake costs $85 but there are ones that can cost hundreds of dollars and therefore people think they are real. Never trust people who claim that their bags are cheap because they are "wholesale" or imperfect stock. Many designers don't sell anything that isn't 100% perfect.

These bags: The real monogram Speedy 30 costs around $1910 and this fake is $85 but it is not uncommon to find some knockoffs retailing for $500.

Left: fake -- Right:real

Tip #4: Fakes hardly ever have logos because of copyright laws and if they do, the logo is never exactly the same. On the inside of real sunglasses there should be a copyright logo (you know the one - the 'c' in a circle) and some sort of indication as to who the designer is and where they were made.

These sunglasses: The real Dior Cannage sunglasses come in a lot of colours (these red ones were the only decent quality photos I could find - funny isn't it? I can find good photos of fakes but have to look for hours to find real ones). Dior actually makes Cannage sunglasses in the white and pink colour. There is a difference in lens colour too. I was shocked to see how similar these are, especially as I just got a pair of the real ones! The real ones will cost over $150 and these fakes are around $30.

One last word before I go...

Think before you buy, is this item too good to be true? Use your common sense!

Remember - the only time when fake is good is when its faux fur!