Monday, January 12, 2009

Imitation is the sincerest form of...luxury

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

This is a question many people ask: What's the difference between a replica Louis Vuitton handbag and an authentic Louis Vuitton handbag? Well, the answer is simple: the price. A replica Louis Vuitton handbag is a lot more affordable -- and what's more, you get exactly the same brand name and quality that you find in 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.

Some might frown upon replica Louis Vuitton handbags because they are not of Italian origin. However, if you scrutinize an authentic Louis Vuitton handbag, you may realize that there's actually a "Made in China" label somewhere inside, probably in a concealed or unseen part 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?

Just think about this: an authentic Louis Vuitton handbag is made in a factory in a foreign land. Lowly-paid laborers work on these authentic Louis Vuitton handbags. In the same neighborhood, another factory just down the road is making replica Louis Vuitton handbags, using the materials of the same quality as the other factory.

The handbag costs about $100 to produce in both factories. But the authentic Louis Vuitton handbag is then sold to you in a high-end retail outlet for $2000. The replica Louis Vuitton handbag is made available to buyers on the Internet at a much lower price.

The point is, the product is exactly the same -- but the authentic Louis Vuitton handbag is going to cost you significantly more than the replica Louis Vuitton handbag. However, the authentic Louis Vuitton handbag is not superior to the Louis Vuitton replica in any way. Both are identical.

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! - 15359

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