A Response to the NYT Article on the Superfake Handbag Industry
A replica bag is a copy or imitation of a designer handbag (e.g. Balenciaga, Chanel, Gucci, Hermès, or Louis Vuitton). These bags resemble their original counterparts but are sold at a fraction of the cost because they are not authentic. On the other hand, low-quality replicas tend to use synthetic materials that lack the same durability and quality as genuine leather. These materials are often cheaper and have different levels of craftsmanship. But these smaller, more intimate coteries go beyond a shared love of reps. "We’ve been to each other’s houses," Lisa tells me of her replica group. To them, status isn’t having the means to join the $10,000-handbag clique—anyone could be so basic.
Swansea City Football Club