Shoes

[Deanie]

This is serendipity, Rue La La has LV bags from the reserve. They are still pricey but compared to new a bargain I guess. What d you think of pre-owned pieces from here. Or pre owned anywhere for that matter?

[Q4u]

Pre-Owned is IMHO a fantastic way to acquire a new-to-you designer handbag. I'm not familiar with Rue La La so I can't comment on their items. As long as they have incredible authenticators that can positively tell a fake from a real LV, then it's good. However (and this is what I do, sell pre-owned designer bags, with the emphasis on LV) I can tell you that the counterfeits are SO GOOD now that it comes down to counting stitches and looking at the interior lining weave... as well as thread color, the font style (of the imprint), the spacing of the letters and the pressure applied. I'm not kidding.

The last 15 years has shown an incredible acceleration of counterfeit technique that is actually allowing many fakes into the re-sale world as authentic because frankly those that authenticate are blown away with how good they've gotten. So some think the fakes are real, and into the resale world they go. My estimation is that there must be a very large percentage of them now.

I have to tell of one bag that was being considered real when they came out. It was the very limited edition of the MOCA Neverfull bags (only sold at the Museum of Cultural Arts in Los Angeles and was artfully crafted by LV, Marc Jacobs and Takashi Murikami) and were HOT... and they were counterfeited. But most were done badly. The one we came across was done extremely well. The ONLY thing we could find to pronounce it as a fake was a missing comma!! No one would notice this and apparently the fakers didn't notice it as well.

So if anyone is interested in a pre-loved LV, please take good pictures and send them to Authenticate4U dot com with a small fee and at least have it double checked. Make sure you buy from secondary sellers you trust. And remember that it is a Federal Offense to sell counterfeit merchandise, that ICE (FBI) takes it seriously, and so does the postal system which considers sending them through the mail to be fraud and punishable by law.

Good luck, I still think buying second hand is worth it, but CYA...

[tough_kitty]

On 3/14/2015 stevieb said:

On 3/14/2015 tough_kitty said:

On 3/14/2015 kcladyz said:

You know everytime I buy an expensive bag from a department store it falls apart. The last bag I got was $90 I was lucky and got it on a store wide sale for $50. It has metal links for handles. Well the metal links are not fused together. they all have an area where you see the link can be opened and sometimes the link slips out and I have to snap it back in, or the leather handle slips out of the grove in the link. makes me mad, another high end purse the decorations around the handle unraveled within the first 2 weeks YET if I buy a more bargain purse from HSN it will last forever. Go figure.

If I am going to spend over $50 for a purse i want it to be sturdy and last a long time.

I don't think $90 is considered expensive.... it probably wasn't all leather...

While I'd agree, TK, 'expensive' is relative and it sounds as though the issue here wasn't the leather, but the hardware... Besides, while ninety bucks isn't necessarily a lot to spend on a purse for some folks, it isn't exactly cheap either... The days, though, of getting a 'better' brand leather bag for fifty and under are pretty much nonexistent...

OK, let me rephrase in the context described by the OP, $90 isn't the same as $1,400 that she was questioning.....but yes, I agree, "expensive" is relative....

[tough_kitty]

On 3/14/2015 Deanie said:

This is serendipity, Rue La La has LV bags from the reserve. They are still pricey but compared to new a bargain I guess. What d you think of pre-owned pieces from here. Or pre owned anywhere for that matter?

I personally like my bags brand new only. I don't mind buying used furniture but not handbags .....It's a personal preference.

[Q4u]

You have to really check out the handbag. For example, I don't care for how Fendi wears at all.... so I've never purchased one. I've see enough used and abused Fendis on arms to understand that the item will shred somewhat and look awful far sooner than other brands and they still want a heavy price for them. Unfortunately, there ARE very high end designer handbags out there that don't hold up.

On the other hand I've owned and really used a Fossil for years, the leather is still in great shape, the heavy burnished hardware still strong and zippers work great. Fossil = $90, Fendi = approx. $1200. I personally buy bags because of features I like (or a company I respect) and don't buy bags just because they're a so and so.....

[Bird mama]

On 3/14/2015 Kalli said:

Yes, you're paying for the name and for the right to show everyone else how much money you can spend on a bag. heehee

I can't even imagine spending hundreds on a handbag. It's just not important to me. However, I've paid almost $2000 for a saddle for my horse and many folks would probably think that's outrageous. It's all in what's important to you.

I would pay that much for a good saddle. You need something that won't irritate the horse and will keep you on it.

[tough_kitty]

On 3/14/2015 Q4U said:

You have to really check out the handbag. For example, I don't care for how Fendi wears at all.... so I've never purchased one. I've see enough used and abused Fendis on arms to understand that the item will shred somewhat and look awful far sooner than other brands and they still want a heavy price for them. Unfortunately, there ARE very high end designer handbags out there that don't hold up.

On the other hand I've owned and really used a Fossil for years, the leather is still in great shape, the heavy burnished hardware still strong and zippers work great. Fossil = $90, Fendi = approx. $1200. I personally buy bags because of features I like (or a company I respect) and don't buy bags just because they're a so and so.....

Good point I personally find all high end designer bags ridiculously unattractive but perhaps I just don't get it I buy based on looks but it has to be all leather or a canvas bag. No plastic leather for me (anymore).

[Q4u]

On 3/14/2015 tough_kitty said:

On 3/14/2015 Q4U said:

You have to really check out the handbag. For example, I don't care for how Fendi wears at all.... so I've never purchased one. I've see enough used and abused Fendis on arms to understand that the item will shred somewhat and look awful far sooner than other brands and they still want a heavy price for them. Unfortunately, there ARE very high end designer handbags out there that don't hold up.

On the other hand I've owned and really used a Fossil for years, the leather is still in great shape, the heavy burnished hardware still strong and zippers work great. Fossil = $90, Fendi = approx. $1200. I personally buy bags because of features I like (or a company I respect) and don't buy bags just because they're a so and so.....

Good point I personally find all high end designer bags ridiculously unattractive but perhaps I just don't get it I buy based on looks but it has to be all leather or a canvas bag. No plastic leather for me (anymore).

I don't mind signature bags at all (LV, MK, Dooney, etc.) but LOVE leather. Just love it. I purchased the Dooney & Bourke Clayjton in Black and every time I use it (which has been almost all winter) I marvel at the beauty of the leather.....

[Mayita02]

I agree that's in supply and demand. I just cannot make myself pay over $100 for any handbag. I guess it's a matter of upbringing: back in the day, you wore what you could afford. At any rate, I get lots of compliments with the way that I dress: and trust me, it's not expensive. QVC has great prices in many clothes, by the way.

[Deanie]

On 3/14/2015 Q4U said:

Pre-Owned is IMHO a fantastic way to acquire a new-to-you designer handbag. I'm not familiar with Rue La La so I can't comment on their items. As long as they have incredible authenticators that can positively tell a fake from a real LV, then it's good. However (and this is what I do, sell pre-owned designer bags, with the emphasis on LV) I can tell you that the counterfeits are SO GOOD now that it comes down to counting stitches and looking at the interior lining weave... as well as thread color, the font style (of the imprint), the spacing of the letters and the pressure applied. I'm not kidding.

The last 15 years has shown an incredible acceleration of counterfeit technique that is actually allowing many fakes into the re-sale world as authentic because frankly those that authenticate are blown away with how good they've gotten. So some think the fakes are real, and into the resale world they go. My estimation is that there must be a very large percentage of them now.

I have to tell of one bag that was being considered real when they came out. It was the very limited edition of the MOCA Neverfull bags (only sold at the Museum of Cultural Arts in Los Angeles and was artfully crafted by LV, Marc Jacobs and Takashi Murikami) and were HOT... and they were counterfeited. But most were done badly. The one we came across was done extremely well. The ONLY thing we could find to pronounce it as a fake was a missing comma!! No one would notice this and apparently the fakers didn't notice it as well.

So if anyone is interested in a pre-loved LV, please take good pictures and send them to Authenticate4U dot com with a small fee and at least have it double checked. Make sure you buy from secondary sellers you trust. And remember that it is a Federal Offense to sell counterfeit merchandise, that ICE (FBI) takes it seriously, and so does the postal system which considers sending them through the mail to be fraud and punishable by law.

Good luck, I still think buying second hand is worth it, but CYA...

Thanks Q4U. Nice analysis.