I'll be in Manhattan mid-week and would like to know where I should go to buy a "fake" designer bag. hanks for any tips.

To simply answer the question: they are all over Battery Park [near ferry to Statue of Liberty etc] and in Chinatown.

Be prepared for the comments about buying fake designer stuff that will follow. 'Nuff said.

That's Canal Street in Chinatown, and ditto on the comments to follow.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/background/co...unterfeit.html

Canal Street is a good spot. If your plan is buy a bag made by child labor, might as well get the best quality, right. I mean, some 4 year old did work hard to get that bag made.

If you want to patronize an industry with links to terrorism and organized crime for the sake of fashion, I say you go girl.

Sure, those who blew up the commuter trains in Spain financed their operation through counterfeit goods but that isn't your fault.

http://www.iht.com/articles/2007/02/...iness/fake.php

It's illegal and buying can get you in trouble.

P.S.. A friend bragged about her fake bag, went on a cruise with some women. They all left their bags on the chair to fill their plates at a buffet. Her bag was the only on that was missing.

Walk anywhere. They are on every street corner. You will trip over them trying to get down any sidewalk.

in the search this forum bar at the top of the page type in "fake bags" - a ton of threads on this subject will come up on the left hand side and you will learn more about fake bags than you ever dreamed of knowing from where to find them to why not to buy them

I live in NYC and this is a sensitive subject.

There is documented proof that SOME street vendors are funding terrorism. And I have seen numerous busts on Canal Street for selling illegal merchandise.

A few months ago some tourists were trapped in the basement of a store when the police busted the owner for selling illegal crap. Although it would make a great trip report, it is abetting criminal activities.

This is beyond the question of why people would want obvious knock offs. What type of status is associated with fake gear?

This thread http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...1&tid=34786479 gives some clues as to why there's a status attached to fake bags...as well as a lot of other info!

Some of you sound so judgmental, and it's not that i don't understand your concern.

I just wonder if you put into practice your views with your other consumer purchases.

Do you buy Nike sneakers and other sporting goods manufactured in sweatshops overseas? Do you buy goods manufactured in Thailand - I remember a huge boycott years ago against that country for its working conditions.

What I find odd about the judgemental comment is the following-would you knowingly abet crime in your hometown?

Then why would you do it in mine?

I do see Ny'ers with fake bags but I would guess 95% are under 25, so that would account for the need for fake status.

Karens,
Well known US brand names have teams of inspectors to look at factory conditions. Do they catch everything, no. But, the stakes are far to high for them to look the other way. Does it happen, yes, I'm sure it does, I'm not that naive.

However, at least SOMEONE is trying when it comes to the Nikes of the world.

Ask yourself, how bad must in be then in a situation where there are no responsible parties with a vested interest?

"Her bag was the only on that was missing."

Then she knew what it was like to be the victim of stealing and a crime, something she should remember next time she decides to do the same thing by buying a knock-off.

Thank you all for your thoughful and helpfulcomments.


I guess I'm a naive out-of-towner who didn't realize what exactly was involved in this business, Mea culpa - I'm grateful for your information. I think I'll stick to my Vera Bradley bag and watch for markdowns at Filene's Basement and Marshalls.

So how do you all feel about the bags being sold on the streets and in Chinatown that are not knock-offs? There are many, many, many bags that have the look or feel of a designer, but don't actually have the designer logo. How is this different than the bags being sold at H&M or Target or anywhere else that have the "feel" of a specific designer. "Imitation is the most sincere......etc. etc. etc."

Time for an explanation. In general, we're talking about two different products:
1. The knockoffs with designer labels. They are definitely illegal.
2. Imitations--the ones made to look similar to the designer models--are legal. These do not have designer labels and obviously are just as legal as the lookalikes you see in H & M and elsewhere.

Well, that's kinda what I thought, Howard. So maybe we shouldn't be so hard on first time visitors to NY who want to buy fake designer bags. Maybe they just want to have the fun of shopping in Chinatown for something that looks like a designer bag. It wouldn't hurt to ask before dumping the whole you're a thief routine on them.

Most designer bags, I'm talking the expensive like Gucci, Prada, Chanel and the like and are only sold in Authorized shops like NM, Bloomies, Saks.
If you're lucky you'll find them after sales in Filene's basement

http://cgi3.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dl...berry_princess