Too cheap to be true

The good news is that fashionistas in the City can get their hands on the latest Gucci clutches, Prada jeans and even the occasional Armani jacket without breaking their budgets.

The bad news, however, is that it’s illegal. Bangalore faces no dearth of stores which supply fake branded clothing, handbags and even shoes. Especially prolific around the Brigade Road area, they proudly display rack after rack of exquisite designer items which are almost identical to their genuine counterparts – save for a misspelled name here, or an inverted logo there. What’s more, there’s also a huge market for these counterfeit items.

Given that fake designer wear can look glamourous and yet sell amazingly cheap, it’s no wonder that it’s a popular option for many. Salaiha, an engineering student, admits that for many, wearing ‘branded’ clothes can also serve as a status symbol. “People think that it reflects their standard of living. Shopkeepers are aware of this, so they manufacture these fake clothes on a huge scale. There are a lot of such shops around Brigade Road and Commercial Street,” she explains.

Sometimes, she admits, customers are actually tricked into picking up fake brands without realising it’s a counterfeit. “There have been times that we’ve bought clothes, and only after going home and trying them on have we realised they’re actually fake,” she says.

While counterfeit clothing might be popular amongst college goers, Japnit, a professional, feels that this craze fades away after a point. “When I was in college, I wanted variety in my clothing, but was also on a limited budget. Because of this, fake branded stuff was an easy option. But over the years, I’ve started to feel it’s better to spend a little more to ensure better quality. These days, I look more for clothing which is long-lasting,” she maintains.

She admits, though, that the ‘glamour’ of owning designer wear can push a lot of people to pick up fake items. “There is an appeal in carrying Louis Vuitton, or other branded wear. But after a point, it ceases to seem as important,” she says. It isn’t very tough to distinguish counterfeit clothing from their original counterparts. Manjula, also a professional, claims that there are many indicators that a purchase might not be original.

“It depends on the place you’re buying it from, as well as the price. One wouldn’t find Gucci sunglasses being sold on the road. And where originals are sold for thousands, these fakes are sold for hundreds,” she explains.

She points to noticeable differences in quality. “Originals tend to be much more comfortable and have a better fit. In fake clothing, this isn’t the case because very often the inner lining of these garments are made of cheap material and aren’t stitched properly. They don’t last very long, and the colour also tends to fade quickly. But for people who like to change their wardrobe every six months or so, fake stuff works,” she concludes.