I’ve always been a sucker for a nice Fendi bag charm. There’s just something about them that draws me in and I couldn’t help but be smitten when I saw the latest line of charms for Fendi. I was, however, a bit hesitant when I found out some of them were actually counterfeit.
“What the heck,” I thought, “am I going to do now?” Then I remembered some of the counters in my favorite Fendi dealerships carry replicas of original designs. I decided to do some research and compare a few of the bag charms I found online to those in store.
And I was shocked at what I found! Many of the counterfeit ones seemed to be made from inferior materials and had a cheaper look to them overall. But what really made me cringe was seeing copies that weren’t exact replicas of authentic charms. Some had noticeably different logos and colourings that couldn’t be mistaken as genuine Fendi.
It got me worried that if a prospective buyer weren’t savvy enough, they could easily fall for a fake. Particularly those who are spending a lot for a luxury item like this. I also got to thinking, how can it even be helpful to own one when I know it isn’t real and both versions seem to be grossly overpriced.
But then I had an idea. What if I buy a fake Fendi charm and use it to recreate a real one? With a bit of ingenuity (and some patience and skill) I’m sure I could get the same look at a fraction of a cost. And one’s even get a bit creative and make a co-ordinated look out of different types of charms.
After buying a fake Fendi charm I quickly found myself in my element, crafting and customizing it until I was happy with the result. I started by replacing the plastic trimmings with more durable hardware and used a different clasp to add some personalization. I also painted the charm with some colors to give it a nicer finish.
It took a while but I managed to make a replica that looks remarkably like the real ones, which was an impressive feat for a novice like me! I was so pleased with the outcome that it didn’t even bother me I was buying a fake. Now I’m even thinking of making more and using them in a jewelry project I’ve been wanting to try out.