Wednesday, January 28, 2009

Imitation is the sincerest form of...luxury

By Alice Alina Allison Amanda Amy Amber Andrea Angela Ann Anita Barbara Betty

You might have thought about this question: Is there any distinction between a replica Louis Vuitton handbag and an authentic Louis Vuitton handbag? Well, the only difference is: the price. A replica Louis Vuitton handbag is less expensive, but you will get the same fashionable style and unique brand name as an authentic Louis Vuitton handbag.

There is a common misconception that an authentic Louis Vuitton handbag is superior in quality to a replica Louis Vuitton handbag. But consider this fact: many luxury products, including Louis Vuitton bags, are actually made in other countries, for example, China or India. This is because manufacturing costs are much lower in these places.

Many critics claim that replica Louis Vuitton handbags are not made in Italy. But perhaps if you examine an authentic Louis Vuitton handbag more closely, you may find that a "Made in China" label somewhere inside, hidden in a place that is very difficult to find, such at the bottom of the bag.

Even if you don't find the telltale label, that doesn't mean that the authentic Louis Vuitton handbag is truly made in Italy, as many fashion boutiques like to boast. Perhaps you may find that up to 90 percent of the Louis Vuitton bag was made in China and the final 10 percent was added in Italy, thus allowing it to earn a "Made in Italy" label. Or perhaps the manufacturers produced the authentic Louis Vuitton handbag in Italy using illegal foreign laborers. Under these circumstances, can anyone fairly say that an authentic Louis Vuitton handbag is superior to a replica Louis Vuitton handbag?

Imagine this: an authentic Louis Vuitton handbag is being produced in a factory in a developing nation. Workers in the factory are paid low wages to stitch together these authentic Louis Vuitton handbags. An identical factory just next door is producing replica Louis Vuitton handbags, using materials from the same supplier as the other factory.

In both factories, it costs about $100 to make the handbag. However, the authentic Louis Vuitton handbag is then shipped to an elite fashion boutique and offered to you at $2000. On the other hand, you can buy the replica Louis Vuitton handbag on the Internet at a much more competitive price.

So the product itself is identical -- but the price certainly isn't! An authentic Louis Vuitton handbag sells at an unreasonably higher price than a replica Louis Vuitton handbag. But the fact is: an authentic Louis Vuitton handbag is not more special than a Louis Vuitton replica. There is no difference between them at all.

So is there a reasonable explanation for this price differential? Louis Vuitton will justify the drastically higher price tag by saying that an authentic Louis Vuitton handbag bears its prestigious, unmistakable brand name. But Shakespeare was right when he wrote: "What's in a name?" The truth is that the same brand name will be displayed prominently on your replica Louis Vuitton handbag as well!

So, what's the real difference between an authentic Louis Vuitton handbag and a replica Louis Vuitton handbag? Here's the answer. Getting an authentic Louis Vuitton handbag might break your bank account; but buying a replica Louis Vuitton handbag won't! So the choice is up to you -- be sure that you make the right one! - 14915

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