Monday, January 12, 2009

Imitation is the sincerest form of...luxury

By Angelina

Many people wonder: Is there any difference between a replica Louis Vuitton handbag and an authentic Louis Vuitton handbag? Here's the straightforward answer: the price. A replica Louis Vuitton handbag is a lot more reasonably priced -- and the best part is that it has exactly the same quality standards 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 such a label doesn't exist, it doesn't prove beyond all doubt that the authentic Louis Vuitton handbag is genuinely produced in Italy, even though manufacturers hope that you will make this assumption. Instead, you may learn that about 90 percent of the Louis Vuitton bag was assembled in China and the last 10 percent was completed in Italy, which is enough for the bag to be granted a "Made in Italy" tag. Or perhaps the authentic Louis Vuitton handbag was produced in Italy with the help of illegal workers from other countries. With this knowledge, how logical is it to argue that an authentic Louis Vuitton handbag is better than 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 total cost of making the handbag is $100 in both factories. But the authentic Louis Vuitton handbag is sent to a posh fashion store and given a price tag of $2000. The replica Louis Vuitton handbag, however, can be easily purchased on the Internet at a much reduced price.

You are getting the same product -- but an authentic Louis Vuitton handbag costs you exorbitantly more than the replica Louis Vuitton handbag. But the bottom line is that an authentic Louis Vuitton handbag is not necessarily of higher quality than a Louis Vuitton replica. Both are exactly the same.

So, you may ask, why the price difference? Well, Louis Vuitton will tell you that you are paying a significantly higher price for an authentic Louis Vuitton handbag because of the renowned, world-famous brand name. But as Shakespeare once said: "What's in a name?" And get this: you'll get the same brand name emblazoned across your replica Louis Vuitton handbag!

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! - 15995

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