If you saw someone with a Louis Vuitton bag ...

[HauntedArmchairOfDoom]

... and it was a fairly small bag, and the person was obviously not a millionaire, but just sort of pretty average, would you assume it was a fake?

I've wanted one all my life , and have A PLAN. I'm having a HUGE wardrobe clearout and am going to put the money I get from getting rid of heaps of clobber and unworn shoes towards a Posh Bag (I've never had one), and have my heart set on LV, but DH says there's no point because people will just assume it's not real.

What d'you think? Are my girlish dreams all for naught?

Haunted - hang on and buy from store if you can. It is such an amazing experience involving Moet, pretty boxes and wrapping and the feeling of walking out the shop with your brown LV carrier bag. I have a couple of LV bags, the brown/gold logo one no-one ever questioned it's authenticity when I got my colour monogram Speedy I have been amazed at the pure front of people, including the cashier in ASDA, asking if it as real and how much I paid for it!

When you know your bag is real, it gives you a warm fuzzy feeling. I hate fakes because god knows what their large scale manufacture is funding.

The real deal lasts. It ages as well as Judy Dench and has style and substance.

I cherish my bags. I save up, shop well in sales and sample sales and keep an eye out for vintage bags of lesser known names.

The only duff real bag I have is ironically one of the more costly-the Mulberry Alexa in leopard calf hair. It was ridiculously expensive being a limited edition and the calf hair has eroded and worn pretty badly.

Stay away from delicate skins such as python, calf hair, eel and lambskin if you want an everyday 'forever'bag.

i wouldnt gaf if it was fake or not, id probably just think it was tacky

Mignon - your comment on the ltd edition version of the Alexa has made me feel better - DH bought me a Leopard calf hair one and I was very ungrateful and took it back to swap for a plain Oak Buffalo one. It is brilliant.

Blueberry

You made a good judgement call there. I have an ox leather Mulberry Roxanne and a Mabel and they are fine, sturdy and i can stuff them full of kit and not worry.

A lot of designer bags are just pumped out by what are really large multi national corporations (the same happens in perfume) and aren't worth diddly squat. But with the 'big' names such as LV (even though they are part of the LMV group), Hermes, Chanel and also Prada, Marni, you get a decent level of customer and after care service.

Other good brands are Celine, Bottega Venetta and I have been happy with my Proenza Schouler PS1. Victoria Beckham has had good reports about her bag quality. The new YSL Cabas looks good too.

Moschino aren't that good. Although I love my shoulder chain strap bag, the clasp broke in weeks and I've heard similar complaints from others. My Michael Kors studded tote broke in days as did the replacement from Net A Porter.

I love the bag Dawndonna linked. Really can't see the fascination with mega expensive designer bags though. In my opinion Louis Vuitton bags look naff in the same way that the burberry check was. Just people being sheep.
I had a lovely white stuff bag I used for years. Replaced it with a mini satchel type bag from Miss Polly's in Aberystwth last year. Thought that was expensive at the £35 mark!

Can I ask another stupid question from a total Designer Ignoramus?

There are a few shops on eBay purporting to sell new designer goods (like this one, for eg. The goods are all new, and the shops (well this one anyway) have 100% positive ratings over tens of thousands of transactions.

Now being a total cynic and based on what everyone has said here it MUST all be fakes, right? So how are they getting away with it? Why are people giving positive ratings? Why doesn't eBay put a stop to it?

And on the remote chance they are genuine, where the eff are they getting their stock from?!

Note - that one doesn't have LV and Mulberry (well, not that I saw) but does have kinda 'mid ranking' designers - including Diane von Fursternberg and a frankly MENTAL leopard print thing I have my eye on

Is it the fuschia pink leopardy biba one? It's fab!

I think that shop looks like it sells real stuff, probably bought from Bicester or another outlet and then sold with a slight profit. I'd like go do this if I lived closer to Bicester. People do it with TK Maxx stuff too which is a bit annoying.

Aah, that would make sense...no, it's this piece of insanity, though I love the Biba stuff too!

Incidentally I went into my TK Maxx recently and nearly opened a vein in despair. It looked like the basement of a particularly crappy Bon Marche. Dispiriting racks and racks of jumbled up crap clobber spread out over acres of dirty grey lino I'm sure it wasn't like that when I was a lass.

Oh, link doesn't work, soz. Try this - but for 285 and not over a grand!

Hello haunted. I have 3 LV monogram print bags, matching purse and a pencil case (?) they are all over 10 years old and are immaculate.

The print is as clear as on the day they were bought, the leather handles have darkened and they are timeless.

I would go for a classic style that they have carried for years.

I don't think it will look fake and who cares? You'll feel fab. I own guccis, pradas and other designer bags but nothing feels like an LV. Just something about them.

Hope you get much enjoyment out of whatever you buy.

haunted they look genuine ,but to be honest they are dated,and I would not think of buying any of them,I would rather save for the the one I want,and not buy a second best IYKWIM. .

its a great bag

I can always spot fakes (she says) but maybe fakes in London more obvious

GET IT