Opinions on Knock-Offs

Today I bought a fabulous Celine knock-off bag ($15!!) from my local thrift shop, and I absolutely love it. Those wildly popular Celine bags with the triangular side flaps are seriously sent from heaven.

The beautiful and heavily
counterfeited Celine bag I purchased
a knock-off of today

However, I (and a convo with Zachary...thanks mah bestie!) couldn't help but feel a little guilty. Should I really be supporting these people who are just human copy machines or should I save money to buy the real thing and support the amazing artistry and work involved in the development of these bags?

To be honest, I'm not sure what my opinion is on this subject. While I love (I mean love) the beautiful  designer quality and creativity we've come to expect from these top of the line names, I know that I won't ever be able to afford these beauties any time in the foreseeable future. H&M and Forever 21 are my kind of prices, with American Apparel and Zara being my stop for splurging. Honestly, my knock-off Prada baroque sunnies that I love so much are not all that different from my friend's real ones (Hers say Prada on the side and are made of a stronger, more matte plastic, if you were wondering), other than the fact I paid $14 and she paid $300. On the other hand, supporting quality, creativity, and craftsmanship is something I'm always open to doing, especially when I know that these pieces were handmade by skilled and passionate people as opposed to impoverished and poorly treated workers in sweatshops.

This iconic Louis Vuitton bag is
possibly the most counterfeited in
history

This could also be looked at other ways too: knock-offs could be the best form of flattery, as you know your product is iconic if so many people want it that it's been counterfeited. The prices for designer clothes and accessories is monstrously high and many of these uber-popular designers get paid extremely well. Maybe knock-offs are just the mortal's way of appreciating these designer's art, and the designers don't need the extremely large amounts of money they ask for these things.

Because of the rising demand of popular designer products, the demand for knock-offs has become higher than ever as well. People want the innovative and trendy look of new designer products without such a hefty price tag. Designer knock-offs are becoming more and more prevalent in today's society, with some of these styles circling our favorite shopping destinations and venturing out from the sketchy counterfeit tables and stores we're used to seeing in odd parts of town.

What are your thoughts on this issue? As you can see, I haven't totally come to a definitive opinion yet...my view on knock-offs is greatly determined by the fact that a) I love high fashion and b) I can't afford designer clothes, shoes, bags, etc. Do you think knock-offs are great or utterly disgusting? I'd love to hear your thoughts.

Stay beautiful!

<3

Audrey