Thursday, January 22, 2009

Imitation is the sincerest form of...luxury

By Angelina

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.

Some people might argue that the quality of an authentic Louis Vuitton handbag is much higher than a replica Louis Vuitton handbag. Little do they know that many luxury brands, including Louis Vuitton, choose to manufacture their products in other countries such as China or India, where labor and production costs are much cheaper.

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 an incriminating label, that doesn't necessarily guarantee that the authentic Louis Vuitton handbag is a product of Italy, as many brand owners would like you to believe. It is possible that up to 90 percent of the Louis Vuitton bag was made in China and only the final 10 percent of finishing touches were done in Italy, which qualifies it to be labeled "Made in Italy." Another possibility is that the authentic Louis Vuitton handbag was produced in Italy with the use of unlicensed foreign manufacturers. Given these situations, it is hardly fair to claim that an authentic Louis Vuitton bag is better than a replica Louis Vuitton handbag.

Picture this scenario: an authentic Louis Vuitton handbag is manufactured in a factory in another country that offers cheaper production costs. Laborers in the factory are paid minimal salaries to produce these authentic Louis Vuitton handbags. Just across the street, another factory is producing replica Louis Vuitton handbags, using identical materials as the first 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.

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.

This leads to another question: what is the reason for this vast difference in price? Louis Vuitton will claim that you are paying this significant premium because an authentic Louis Vuitton handbag carries their exclusive, legendary brand name. But to quote Shakespeare, the famous bard: "What's in a name?" And the best part is: you'll be able to show off the same brand logo, which is also printed on your replica Louis Vuitton handbag!

In conclusion, do you know the real difference between an authentic Louis Vuitton handbag and a replica Louis Vuitton handbag? Of course you do. Buying an authentic Louis Vuitton handbag may be beyond your budget; but getting a replica Louis Vuitton handbag definitely isn't! So make the smart choice -- get a replica Louis Vuitton handbag! - 16463

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