My first fake LV bag experience felt like a stab to the heart. I just didn’t know what to think. It was like someone had maliciously taken something that I really liked and twisted it into something unrecognizable. I was appalled that someone could be so real about something so fake.
Instead of the luxurious leather that LV prides itself in, my purported “LV” bag was made up of a shabby pleather and rough, snagging stitching. I had paid a pretty penny for the item and was feeling pretty foolish. To make matters worse, the logo was almost larger than life and was just screaming, “I am a knockoff!”
Little did I know, there was a huge market for fake LV bags. I started to notice them more and more and it was remarkable how real they looked. I can only assume that counterfeiting technology has grown exponentially. It made me angry to see so many people buying into this scam. It wasn’t right.
I was curious how a designer could not be affected by these rip-offs and copies. That is until a friend of mine showed me a report on the 2019 Goods Infringement Resource Center report, which detailed the knock-off industry related to Louis Vuitton. This report estimated that the counterfeit products made up approximately 25% of all clothing sales worldwide — the very same figure that was mentioned on a cable news show.
It was shocking to learn that LV alone had suffered $6 billion in stolen sales revenue in 2018! That means that the situation has been getting worse despite their best efforts. It was disheartening to realize that thieves were so embedded in the industry.
The more I researched, the more disgusted I became. I found shady online stores selling goods they knew to be fakes, and shady warehouses full of knock-off materials. As I was looking through the reports I started to wonder, what does this mean for the LV brand? What does it mean for their loyal customers? It felt like a stab to the heart all over again.
It was clear that something needed to be done to tackle this counterfeit industry. Firstly, I believe there needs to be further, stringent laws that are issued worldwide to ensure these knock-offs are eradicated from the market. Secondly, bigger fines and harsher sentences should be placed on those manufacturing, stocking and selling counterfeit products. Thirdly, counterfeiters should be required to pay their owed losses back to the brands they are stealing from; this will lessen the financial impact the LV brand has endured. Further to this, I feel that educational programs are just as important for potential customers. Through these educational programs, customers can be taught how to spot a fake, and the value of the real thing. And last, but not least, better customer protections and refund policies must be put into place to ensure customers don’t become victims of these dishonest producers.
After having done more research, it seems to me that the LV brand is doing its best to tackle this problem and I hope that with the enforcement of the right legal and educational systems, the counterfeit industry can be exposed and destroyed, and future customers can be safeguarded against these counter-productive con men.
My conversations with friends also highlighted that there are underlying issues that need to be addressed. Questions and conversations such as, why is there such a high demand for the counterfeit? Could the counterfeit market be offering customers something that LV just cannot? And finally, is it a problem of affordability? These are all valid questions that need to be explored further.
Surprisingly, there is also a market for people that enjoy the knock-offs as an ironic fashion statement. If these ‘Irony Lovers’ were to purchase the genuine bags, it would reduce the demand for the knock-offs, thus, overall decreasing the counterfeit market significantly.
It’s worth considering that these ‘Irony Lovers’ could potentially become long-term customers of the LV brand if they understand the importance of buying legitimate clothing. It’s also worth considering that the prices for genuine products can be lowered when the demand for knock-offs goes down.
The fake bag industry is unfortunately an evergrowing problem and I worry about the future of the LV brand if this is not stopped. It’s no secret that the LV bags are high quality and luxurious products, and if quality is not linked to the brand, then what’s next?