I want to get a gag for a friend. Where in NYC can you buy the fake designer purses and fake Rollex watches?

Since Gullianis crackdown a couple of years ago, it is hard to find bags with the fake labels. You can find a Rollex instead of Rolex, that sort of thing.

Just walk down the street, they are everywhere. En masse try Canal Street.

For what it's worth - my recent experience is that there are purse sellers everywhere. The really shady guys are the ones who spread their wears on a sheet on the ground or out of ratty boxes, so that they can quickly scoop up their illegal purses. We noticed that these guys' purses tended to have the labels on them. The ones that look more official, on tables, etc., usually are not labeled. We asked a police officer about the purses. He said the "sheet/box guys" are totally illegal and the "table guys" are only semi-illegal. Thje labeled purses were everywhere, however!

My wife's friends say there are lots of them along Canal Street.

Not sure when you folks go, but I was in NYC last week and we found fake designer purses EVERYWHERE (w/labels)! All down Canal, just about every vendor in the tiny stalls along Canal was selling fake LV, Gucci, Prada and Coach. Some were very good knock-offs, I might add.
My daughter bought a LV bouchette that was a dead ringer for the real thing for 20.00
She also scored a Tiffany ring, bracelet, necklace and keychain for 80.00/all. All excellent copies.
We were armed with current catalogs.
Bad knock off watches are everywhere, too. Yucky bright gold Rolex's and Omega's.
It's been hard to find good ones in recent months.
You'll be able to find the goods if you go on a weekend afternoon. Weekdays are a little spotty... go between 2-5pm.
Have fun.

yes, go to canal street. we noticed that many of the vendors closed for awhile in the afternnon but seemed to open up later on in the day.

Thanks, We're going either the day before Thanksgiving or the day after.

Battery Park was full of these guys selling off of canvas sheets. Really negotiate with them. My "Pravda" ;-) backpack dropped in price from $35 to $18 in about a nanosecond. The Kate "Splade" ;-) started at $30 and dropped to $15. The guys on Canal Street priced everything at $20 with no negotiation that I could tell.

We usually always go to Canal Street the day after Thanksgiving - I don't know why, just tradition. Knock offs are EVERYWHERE on Canal St. Some are more expensive than others, so shop around. FYI, it will get very crowded as the day goes on. Also, you can go to Little Italy for lunch.