Why We Love Louis Vuitton Goods But Not The Company Selling It
There has certainly been a lot of controversy recently about Louis Vuitton knockoffs. Current estimates put the amount of genuine Louis Vuitton handbags at only 1%, whilst the other 99% are replicas and knockoffs. Why? Well simple when you think about it: the average Louis Vuitton handbag costs well in excess of $500, whereas Louis Vuitton knockoffs that look exactly the same and are made to the same quality would cost well under $150.
Obviously there are pros and cons with the issue of buying replicas. Many people worry about how ethical it is to buy something that is a knockoff or a replica of the real thing. However, Louis Vuitton has gone to some quite frankly insane lengths to class what is its own copyright. An artist who created a poster campaign to provide aid for the Darfur region of Sudan was sued by Louis Vuitton for producing a satirical picture of a starving child holding a Louis Vuitton bag. Apparently, in the eyes of Louis Vuitton, this was copyright infraction, and they therefore had the right to ask for $22,500 a day from an African aid charity. This is far more dubious ethically than buying some Louis Vuitton replica luggage, and does make you ask how much money you want to go into the coffers of Louis Vuitton.
You also have to consider how much the average customer can afford to purchase. Should these things be entirely the preserve of the rich, or should normal people like us have a chance at owning some nice Louis Vuitton handbags?
