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.

Marc Jacobs Leaves Louis Vuitton

Okay, I know this is old news, but I think it's still worth reporting.

After 16 years of leading Louis Vuitton from a small luggage company to the infamous fashion label it is today, Marc Jacobs has decided to leave. Although, lucky for us fashion lovers, he's leaving to focus more on his own namesake brand, so we should be seeing more coming out of this favorite brand.