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British designers crimped by lack of factories

Burberry Designer Handbag

By Rachel Sanderson

LONDON, (Reuters) - As the fashion show cycle heads to a climax in Milan and Paris, in London industry executives are debating if Britain's efforts to grow its own Gucci or Louis Vuitton will require a new industrial revolution. A decades-long decline in British manufacturing is back in the limelight with the launch of government-funded research to find out if, despite acclaim, young designers like Marios Schwab are at a terminal disadvantage to French and Italian rivals because they don't have a factory on their doorstep.

So far one problem is clear: however hot the designer talent, it is impossible to get ahead if you can't get your clothes made. "British designers are not progressing season-on-season because of the manufacturing," said Wendy Malem, director for not-for-profit Centre for Fashion Enterprise, who is leading the 100,000 pound government-sponsored project. "They cannot overcome the manufacturing glass ceiling."

In the past 40 years, British factories owned by some of the oldest brand names from Burberry to Barbour have closed down and shifted some of their manufacturing to cheaper places such as China and Eastern Europe. Burberry has kept two factories in Britain, in Yorkshire, but shut one in Wales last year because it was too expensive.

In Manchester -- once the locus of global coat making -- one of Britain's last surviving premium outerwear manufacturers offers a snapshot of British manufacturing's decline. Cooper & Stollbrand employs 60 workers today, stitching and cutting trench coats, overcoats and bomber jackets often in signature hunting-and-shooting fabrics such as tweed and gabardine.

Their number has fallen from 200 in 1995 and 450 in 1971, a year sterling strengthened sharply against the dollar, increasing costs for British exporters and marking the start of retailers' exit to cheaper sites. Now, with a renaissance of British luxury underway -- thanks to a crop of new talents and booming new demand for high-end goods from Chinese and Russian consumers -- this manufacturing gap is gaining attention.

"SELLING YOUR SOUL"
Pierre Mallevays, a former LVMH executive and now managing partner of Savigny Partners LLP, a corporate finance and M&A boutique specialising in luxury goods, said British luxury's renaissance may have come just in time. "British brands simply cannot emulate the French and Italians -- they need to reach back and find their history, but in many cases that history in no longer there," he said in an interview. "Where the British were very good traditionally was in their own production and their own manufacturing. Once you start dismantling that by selling factories you sell your soul." Of course, Britain is not alone in shifting manufacturing offshore.

The best-known French and Italian brands can start making a handbag or shoe in China or Turkey and bring it back home to be finished and gain the "Made in France" or "Made in Italy" tag. But designers in Paris and Milan have the benefit of commercial networks in the luxury goods trade developed over centuries and still thriving local artisanship, that is often protected by the biggest conglomerates. PPR's Gucci Group, for example, trains the artisans making its Bottega Veneta signature woven leather bags.

By contrast, designers and luxury industry executives say Britain is jeopardising the growth of its talent by taking the move to offshore too far.Among Britain's most acclaimed young designers, Christopher Kane is one who is suffering from the lack of nearby manufacturing capacity.

Even with his credentials -- he was partially sponsored by Donatella Versace through his master's degree -- Kane said he has difficulty finding anyone willing to make his clothes. "Especially being a young designer, it's actually quite hard to source outside Britain because people really don't want to touch you, you don't have a brand as such, like Gucci, or huge amount of money behind you," he told Reuters. At home, the few factories left find it inefficient to turn out the small runs Kane requires, or they do not have the skill.

NOT JUST NEWCOMERS
Complaints about lack of skill, in a country where a century ago artisans were rated more highly than those in Italy, are not just restricted to fashion's newcomers. Geoffroy de La Bourdonnaye, the new French chief executive of luxury store Liberty founded in 1875, told a recent industry meeting how difficult it is to find someone in Britain who can still operate the traditional block printers used for its signature fabrics. Cooper & Stollbrand owner Michael Stoll said the British had been too short-sighted: "In Britain, loyalty has been to short- term profit, rather than long-term gain," he told Reuters. At the Centre for Fashion Enterprise Malem, working jointly with British-government sponsored endowment Nestor, plans interviews with 30 designers to provide a snapshot of the 800 million pound UK design industry.

Her aim is to lobby the European Union for assistance in providing British designers with equal access to manufacturers as that available to their Italian and French rivals. But not all Britain's upcoming luxury designers believe a lack of factories should curb their international ambitions.

Anya Hindmarch, creator of the "I'm Not a Plastic Bag" tote whose high-end handbags have been photographed in the clutches of Hollywood star Reese Witherspoon, will have 55 shops by May after openings in Las Vegas, Moscow, Beijing and Japan. Having started her business aged 19 after selling bags in Britain that she spotted in Italy, Hindmarch says being British is in her products' "DNA" but she will manufacture "all over, wherever we think it is the right thing for that particular bag". "It is about being tenacious and getting on with these problems," she told Reuters in an interview. "You have to wake up and smell the coffee and get through the tough times." (Editing by Sara Ledwith)

World's Most Desirable Luxury Brands

CHANEL accessories

photo courtesy of eFashionHouse.com

Nicola Ruiz, Forbes

Ask a friend what he would buy if he had a bigger bank account and he might rattle off a list that includes a limited-edition sports car, a round-the-world trip or a million-dollar beachfront home.

Goods by Gucci, however, top the lists of luxury brand lovers. That's according to an online survey conducted late last year by The Nielsen Company, a market research firm. It asked 25,000 consumers in 48 countries which luxury brand they would buy if money were no object. Besides Gucci, respondents chose Chanel, Calvin Klein, Louis Vuitton and Christian Dior (other-otc: CHDRF - news - people ).

It's easy to see why Gucci reigns. Worldwide sales, though recently tapered, have jumped since Mark Lee became president of the company in 2004, then CEO the following year. In 2007, sales increased 11%; that's on top of a 17% increase in 2006 and a rise of 18.4% in 2005. Gucci is a part of the Gucci Group, which has a number of fashion brands in its portfolio, including Yves Saint Laurent and Sergio Rossi. PPR, a French holding company publicly traded on the Euronext exchange in Paris, owns the Gucci Group.

"Gucci manages to offer high fashion and very commercial items," says Michael Macko, fashion director at Saks Fifth Avenue (nyse: SKS - news - people ). "That red and green stripe is some of the most iconic luxury branding ever created, and people want a piece of it."

Behind The Brands
Born as a leather goods company, Gucci is now most well known for its logo-ed handbags. When the company opened a new 46,000-square-foot store, the largest of its 233 worldwide, on the ground level of the Trump Tower on Manhattan's Fifth Avenue last month, they also launched a "Gucci Loves New York" handbag collection which sold out within two days of opening. Proceeds from the bags went to Playground Partners Central Park Improvement Program.

Chanel and Calvin Klein tied for second. The privately held Chanel, famous for the little black dress, tweed suit and quilted handbag, was founded by Coco Chanel in 1909 and is currently helmed by Karl Lagerfeld. It stays relevant thanks to a slew of consistently classic yet stylish products. The label's current must-haves include a quilted leather envelope clutch and a sleeveless embroidered cashmere dress with pink trim; its current pitch woman is Keira Knightley.

Calvin Klein's global retail sales surged to $4.5 billion in 2006--that's an increase of 50% since Phillips Van Heusen acquired the company in 2003. It manages such reach thanks to its three labels: Calvin Klein Collection (designer apparel and accessories), ck Calvin Klein, (bridge apparel and accessories) and Calvin Klein (better apparel and accessories). Top looks for spring include slim trousers cut on the bias for men and a high-waisted white skirt suit for women.

Shopper Stats
When looking at who actually buys designer brands today, the United Arab Emirates and Hong Kong come out on top. Almost one-third of survey respondents living in these areas claimed to buy the brand with the iconic interlocking-G logo. Only 7% of North American shoppers polled buy Gucci products.

While designer goods are certainly desirable in emerging markets, North America was the least interested in luxury brands, with 35% of respondents claiming they would not be tempted to buy even if money was not an issue. When quality comes into play, 34% of respondents in Eastern Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Latin America believe designer goods have the highest quality vs. non-designer; that figure falls to 20% for both Europe and North America.

What would you buy if money were no object? Weigh in. Add your thoughts in the Reader Comments section below.

"In emerging markets such as Latin America and the Asian Pacific, designer brands are probably more of a proclamation," says David Boyd, vice president of Nielsen Global Research, "a way to set themselves apart or feel that they've arrived as part of the new economy."

Regional differences also emerge over counterfeit goods peddled at market stalls globally. Over a quarter of North Americans questioned believe that fakes are just as good as the real thing, but in Asia, where most of the fakes are produced, consumers hold them in low regard, with only 8% putting them on par with the genuine article.

"People in Asia can pick out a fake bag like no one I've seen," says Boyd, "But in the U.S., people are less aware and less concerned, because in the U.S. luxury brands are considered more mainstream."

GUCCI designer handbag black tote bag monogram motif 200047 designer purse.

No. 1: Gucci
Guccio Gucci founded the House of Gucci as a saddlery shop in Florence in 1906. A century later, the company's horse bit and stirrup motif is an enduring symbol of luxury. He started out selling leather bags to horsemen in the 1920s and progressed to luxury luggage as his clients graduated from equine transportation to horseless carriages. Today, with Frida Giannini at the creative helm, handbags with the interlocking double-G logo are among the company's biggest money makers.

CHANEL designer handbag cream quilted lamb designer handbag

No. 2: Chanel (tied)
Chanel is one of today's best-known fashion brands, and has been practically since it was founded by Coco (Gabrielle) Chanel in 1909. Coco Chanel established herself as the 20th century's single most important arbiter of fashion by offering women no-nonsense, elegant, relaxed and functional clothes. Today, the tweed Chanel suit with a nipped-at-the-waist cardigan jacket remains one of the most popular--and most copied--fashion staples. In 1983, Karl Lagerfeld reinvigorated the brand with a dose of sexiness. He's been designing the collection ever since.

No. 3: Calvin Klein (tied)
In 1968, Calvin Klein and an investor started the company as Calvin Klein Limited with a small line of men and women's coats. In the '70s, Klein won two Coty Awards for his minimalist styles, and by the middle of the decade he had created a designer-jeans craze by putting his name on each pair's back pocket. Advertisements featured a 15-year-old Brooke Shields who famously said, "Nothing comes between me and my Calvins." In 2003 Phillips Van Heusen acquired the brand, and today there are three tiers within the collection ranging from high-end pieces to moderately priced casualwear.

No. 4: Louis Vuitton
The French luxury fashion and leather goods brand, now a main division of the French holding company LVMH, was founded in 1854 as a luggage retailer. The company is now known for its monogrammed leather handbags and employs designer Marc Jacobs as its creative director. Keeping up with the demand for exclusive luxury, the company is collaborating with a series of artists for limited-edition handbag collections.

Lady Dior Pink Leather Tote Bag

No. 5: Christian Dior
The designer founded the company in 1945 and quickly became famous for the "New Look," a fitted jacket with a nipped-in waist and full calf-length skirt. After the rationing of fabric during the World War II, Dior's lavish use of material was bold and shocking. Since 1996, chief designer John Galliano has been at the creative helm of the French fashion house, owned by the LVMH luxury goods group.

Versace Unisex Croc Leather Clutch Bag

No. 6: Versace
Gianni Versace founded the Milan-based company in 1978. After his 1997 death, his sister Donatella Versace, formerly vice president, stepped in as creative director and his older brother Santo Versace became CEO. Today, despite talks of going public, the company is still entirely owned by the Versace family. While the collection is known for its flashy, embellished style, this spring the looks that came down the runway put more emphasis on cut and volume than shimmer and bling.

No. 7: Giorgio Armani
Giorgio Armani, 74, is the sole shareholder, president and chief executive of the designer brand. The fashion and luxury goods group manufactures, distributes and sells everything from apparel to cosmetics to home interiors under a range of seven brand names, but it is best known for its menswear.

No. 8: Ralph Lauren
After a stint as a Brooks Brothers tie salesman, Ralph Lauren, 69, started his powerhouse brand 42 years ago with a collection of ties. Today there are over 35 boutiques in the United States. The company offers three collections: Polo is the fast-fashion-fix line for the young metropolitan male; Black Label is a more upscale, edgier version of city dressing; and Purple Label is the ultimate deluxe line. The designer has a personal fortune of $4.2 billion.

Prada Monogram signature shoulder hobo handbag BR3350

No. 9: Prada
Milan-based Prada was founded as a leather goods company in 1913 by Mario Prada. His granddaughter Miuccia inherited the company in 1978 and grew the business into a fashion apparel company. Her claim to fame was the signature Prada nylon handbag, which helped turn the family company into a billion-dollar business.

The YSL Downtown Bag

No. 10: Yves Saint Laurent
Founded in 1961, Yves Saint Laurent was the first fashion house to launch women's ready-to-wear. He opened Rive Gauche boutiques for women in 1966 and added men's ready-to-wear in 1974, which helped make designer luxury labels more accessible to the wider public. The Gucci Group acquired Yves Saint Laurent in 1999.

Purse Christmas Shopping Online: Authentic Designer Handbag Gift Giving

It’s that time of the year again to start surfing the Net for the best authentic designer handbags and purses. Christmas is a perfect time to give the extra-special women in your life a gift with a special logo, label and price tag. Be careful not to fall prey to all the new websites popping up just-in-time for the Christmas rush. Make sure to make your purchase from a reputable ecommerce site you trust which responds to emails quickly.

Women of all ages enjoy receiving a new purse any time of the year, and Christmas is as good a time as any! So, if you are wondering what to give this Christmas to the women in your life, give a new authentic designer handbag or purse. The designers are creating some of the most fabulous styles you’ve ever seen. This year, you can select from a variety of bright colors, patterns, fabrications, prices and sizes. There are hand-held, shoulder strap and backpack styles. The inside is important, too. Are there extra pockets for a cell phone? Is the bag lined? There are a number of handbag characteristics you’ll be thinking about in your search for the right handbag gift.

Please don’t buy from the websites showing you the same designer handbag in every color under the sun. Designers don’t manufacture those bags. They are made by factory owners in third-world countries who produce them fast and cheap. Then, they turn-around and unload them by the truck load to street vendors and jobbers in the USA. One of the hottest counterfeit styles this year is the Celine Boogie Bag. Another hot counterfeit is the Balenciaga Motorcycle Bag. Just be careful! Ask questions, and purchase from a website who replies to your questions and emails.

Some women like a big slouchy leather bag, and others like a small rigid constructed purse to carry. So, there are many questions you should answer before making the purchase. Because of the wide selection of purses available online and the same or more available styles of the way women dress, be certain to select a designer handbag you know she’ll like and keep for a very long time.

It’s important to select the right purse because you want her to smile when she opens your gift. However, you may be making a very big investment financially, too. Designer handbags are not a cheap item. Handbags have become the staple in most fashionable women’s closets. So, the investment you make may as well be for something she’ll adore for many years to come.
The most difficult part of giving a new purse for a gift is making the purchase decision based on what you think the receiver will like, and not buying something just because you would like it for yourself. Here’s some information to use whenever selecting a purse as a gift. First, visualize the woman in her everyday clothing. Is she a jeans and T-shirt person? Does she wear a suit to work everyday? Does she dress conservatively or funky? If you can, look inside her closet. What are her favorite colors? What style shoe does she wear? What style of purse does she carry now? Is it a shoulder bag, a satchel, a tote or a backpack?

Shop around, and then visualize the woman carrying the bag you want to purchase. How does she look? If you start laughing, then it’s time to keep looking. But, if you can actually see her carrying that bag, then grab it because online, what you see today may be gone tomorrow! Don’t pass up the perfect gift. Online merchants do not stock pile inventory. They obtain enough stock to get them through each season and move the stock as quickly as possible. So, when you find the right item, buy it quickly. Most of the time online shoppers find the item they had been eyeing is regretfully sold. It’s happened to me, and it can happen to you as well. Don’t let it happen this Christmas!

Once you have a good idea of the color, size, style and price-point, you can purchase the purse of her dreams! Look for something stylish and yet something basic enough with a classic flare. Don’t invest too much money in a fly-by-night fad. Funky styles are better selected by the woman herself. Most women buy the funky styles based on their mood or style of the moment. So, if you want to make a lasting impression, select a classic style in a basic color. My favorite recommendations include the basic colors in shades of brown or black leather or cloth bags by Ferragamo, Prada, Tods and Chanel. You can’t go wrong with these Designers. Classic Ferragamo have enough style to sail into the next millinium. Yet, they are fashioned for everyday and transition easily into evening wear. You can’t go wrong with a classic Ferragamo.
The Prada handbags are phenomenal and come in every size, shape, color and fabrication. Women of all sizes, ages, and styles adore the thought of owning an authentic Prada purse. The important thing to look for in a Prada is the triangle logo positioned on the exterior of the handbag. It can be strategically placed front center, back center or either side of the handbag. Just make sure the triangle logo is there! Fashion-conscious women of all ages want to see the Prada Logo, and they want everyone else to see them carrying it, too!

As stated earlier, be careful not to fall prey to a website selling fake or counterfeit handbags. I can’t mention names of websites here because it’s just not proper, but believe me, they are out there, and their prices are not cheap! The sites selling fakes keep their prices right up there comparable to the authentic bags. And, many of the bags look real in the photos and may not be when you receive them at home. I’m certainly not trying to instill fear about online shopping. My intention is to educate consumers so they learn to make the right choices. I own and operate an ecommerce website. I want people to feel safe and comfortable doing any type of shopping online.

Merry Christmas and happy handbag hunting! I find the best prices online and do almost all my shopping online nowadays. Don’t be afraid to buy online, just be smart. Your email can be your best friend when you shop online. Write, ask questions, and make your purchase from someone who replies with the right answers. You’ll be happy you did, and so will she.
About the author.

Anna Miller is the President of i-GlobalMall.com, Inc. She has been buying and selling Designer Handbags and purses of all price ranges online for over ten years. She’s been around the handbag block, and she’s heard and seen it all! Anna operates an ecommerce site at http://www.efashionhouse.com/designerhandbag.html Guaranteed authentic or your money back Designer Handbags and Accessories.

http://www.efashionhouse.com/ should not be confused with any other website selling purses. This site is the home of five stores: BrandsBoutique, ValueBags, ItalysOutlet, DesignersLA and LuxuryVintage. The prices found at eFashionHouse.com are the best online for authentic designer purses and accessories. EfashionHouse.com keeps their operating overhead low so they can pass the savings onto their customers.

Designer Handbags Reach Record High Average $2,000 Fall 2005

Shopping in Beverly Hills last week I strolled Wilshire Boulevard popping in and out of fancy stores sizing up all the new designer handbags. There are a number of new looks for Fall 2005, and prices have a new look, too. Did you know designer handbags have become the staple in most wardrobes? It doesn't take a genius to buy a pair of jeans and a T-shirt, but to purchase the correct designer handbag to pull it all together has become quite an art.

In conversations with many handbag salespeople, it was obvious the upcoming season will offer a variety of wild colors, exotic leathers, and metallic finished leathers. They will appear in shoulder styles, clutches, slings and large totes. Most designer bags remain consistent in size and function. The variations from season to season come to color, hardware, texture and price.
Prices are a difficult topic for handbag lovers to discuss, it became the purpose of the Beverly Hills shopping trip. Which designers will rise to the top? Which handbags will have the highest price tags? These thoughts offered astonishing observations wondering through the high-end boutiques and department stores.

Doing a bit of mental gymnastics with a few designer handbag price tags, it became obvious a calculator was needed! Prices are competing with Los Angeles mortgage payments! One designer bag, constructed of scratch resistant, pebble grain calf leather, had a hefty $3500.00 price tag. Durability to last a life time is a major characteristic of a quality handbag, but let's get real here, women change handbags as often as they change their nail polish. Paying hefty prices for a designer handbag a few times each month is fashionable, but not healthy or wise.
Not mentioning any names, a lengthy conversation with a handbag specialist in a very well-known department store shed light on the day's mission. We strolled the designer handbag department with calculator in hand. Punching in numbers of our favorite high-end designer, we came up with a hefty five-figure total for 10 handbags. Then, with jaws dropped open, the average price was uncovered! As expected, little was left to shock and surprise. Based on a sampling of the designer handbag prices, the price for a brand new, high-end designer handbag this season averages an all-time high of $2000.00 USD.

Oh my! What a price we pay to pull it all together with that pair of denim jeans and T-shirt! We have become the hunters in search of the best designer handbag we can find. And, when we know it will coordinate with a pair of jeans and a T-shirt, then we know we've selected the best bag. We want to look good, and we want to feel good, too. It would be nice to know we can purchase a bag from a new designer and still make a mortgage payment this same month.
Here's a solution. For those of us who know style and don't want to compromise quality, find a designer handbag expert to coach and guide your investments. Lacking modesty, I'll volunteer recommendations on a variety of designer handbags available at a fraction of what you'd expect to pay in a retail store.

You can actually purchase several handbags for the average cost of one designer handbag if you shop wisely. If you are a true designer handbag addict, and you purchase a new handbag whenever you get the urge, then you need a reliable source. Shop carefully at sites specializing in designer handbags, and you'll find your favorite designers at as much as 50% less than the average cost on Rodeo Drive!

Copyright © September, 2005 http://eFashionHouse.com

Check out all the authentic, new designer handbags today at http://www.eFashionHouse.com. You can purchase all three, a Marc Jacobs, a Fendi and a Prada bag for about $1000.00. Yes, three new, authentic, designer handbags for about half the price of one in a retail store. Shop eFashionHouse.com for your next designer handbag, two designer handbags, three designer handbags or more! You?ll be very glad you did, and so will your favorite jeans and T-shirt.

Designer Handbags Authentic or Counterfeit? Designer Purses Should ALWAYS Have Money Back Guarantee

Don’t waste your hard earned money on a fake counterfeit designer handbag or purse! That hefty investment you make $200-$800 in a fake designer handbag or purse can end up being worthless. If you are going to buy a new purse, invest in something of value, not cheap imitations. ALWAYS insist on a money back guarantee!

Why in the world would anyone want to buy a fake designer handbag or poor quality? I just can’t comprehend spending good money purchasing a fake designer purse. It doesn't even begin to make sense to me, even if the purse looks like the real thing. When you know it’s not authentic - why bother?

Above all else, be aware that buying a counterfeit item is illegal, period.

Counterfeit designer merchandise has a sub-culture all its own. I’m not sure if people enjoy the fact they are getting something resembling the real thing at lower cost, or if they just don’t understand the quality, durability and value of authentic designer handbags in the first place.
I find humor in it now, but pre-internet, the counterfeit handbag purchasing process seemed mysterious and intriguing. It felt as though you were somehow privileged to know how to buy these uncommon goods. Pre-internet, the only way to locate a fake bag was through word of mouth. Wholesalers of counterfeit bags still make sales by appointment only. There are signs throughout the store reminding you “ALL SALES FINAL.”

It involved a sort of cloak and dagger approach when walking into wholesale stores, asking to talk to the manager and introducing yourself as a friend of a friend. Introductions were all made through word of mouth referrals. There’s no advertising at all. Unlike online purchases, where everyone boldly claims their goods are authentic.

The counterfeit shopping experience is intriguing. You can almost feel the illicit connection made with the handbag underground. All you want is a new purse, a designer copycat, something that looks like the real thing without the hefty price tag. The irony in all of this is the reality of the experience. They are NOT inexpensive.

In reality, you pay a lot of money for junk. Maybe the leather is good, and maybe it is not. How would you know? Have you seen the real thing to compare? If you did, you certainly wouldn’t be investing in a fake after handling the real thing! Solid metal hardware, rich sumptuous leather and finely crafted details trump the plastic & vinyl attachments, poorly stitched linings and knock-off logo's cheaply glued to counterfeit designer purses and handbags.

We know the best designer handbags and leather goods are made in Italy and France. No need to drop names here, we all know the top sellers. Fakes might be made in Italy or France, and they may not. You never know. Most of the people you are dealing with are hustling you to make a big profit on something of little worth and definitely of no real value.

The evolution of designer handbags has made its mark world wide. Every woman with fashion sense wants to carry a new, hot, high-end designer handbag, and the price is not cheap. On an average, the retail boutique price for a new designer purse starts at about $1000. That’s a hefty price to pay to feel good when you leave the house. I know some women who carry bags costing more than their cars! The Hermes handbag collection of some of my clients' totals more than the initial cost of my first home!

The Internet has opened a flood gate of ecommerce sites for handbags. There are more than enough websites selling purses these days. And, the best stores sell authentic designer merchandise, not fakes. The difficulty comes in trying to determine the real from the fake and make the distinction clear.

Here are a few tips for identifying a website selling fake counterfeit designer handbags and purses:

A new store comes online just in time for holiday shopping.
The new website’s contact information is missing or obscure.
The new website’s registration information (Whois.com) is “private.”
You can’t locate the owners.
The same style or design of a bag is available in many colors.
The website sells only three or four designer brands.
The handbags look like items you’ve seen on many other websites,
Prices are too good to be true less than half of retail.
There are page after page of similar items.

There’s one page of authentic-looking bags, but the rest of the website contains the same bag in every color under the sun!I’ve seen websites come and go over the past ten years online. First, the sites selling fakes offered Gucci, Fendi and Prada. Then, there were the ones selling strictly Louis Vuitton and Chanel. The Hermes Birkin and Kelly bag are still prolific in the counterfeit world, but they are not as commonly seen online as the other Designers.

The most commonly counterfeited handbags today are: BALENCIAGA, TODS, CELINE, and CHLOE. Plus, the old-time favorites are still hotter than ever in the counterfeit market: GUCCI, LOUIS VUITTON, HERMES, FENDI and PRADA. I recently saw even LAMBERTSON TRUEX smooth calf leather fake bags, too.

With all the choices out there, how can you tell if you are buying a genuine product? Well, in reality you just don’t know unless you really know the product well. I am a purse expert, but sometimes I've been fooled, too. Most of the time, I know what I’m doing, and I buy the right thing.

Three rules I use to make a handbag purchases online:
Ask before you buy.
Talk with the owner of the site ONLY!
Obtain a full money-back guarantee for authenticity.

I asked a wholesaler if his bags were guaranteed authentic, and I was told, “Yes, they are gauranteed to be 100% made in Italy.” Another wholesaler told me, “Our bags are the best quality.” Yes, but are they authentic designer goods? I’ve also heard, “The man who made this bag worked for the Design House for over 20 years. Of course, it’s authentic!” Wrong. If you don’t get a straight answer, pass on the purchase.

Please don't blindly believe everything you see and especially not what you are told. I arranged a meeting with a wholesaler at a well-known annual conference. The bags I pre-ordered were authentic items, yet when the order arrived, they were obviously not exactly like those styles shown at the pre-order sale. Be careful. Buy from a website or seller who has been online for a very long time. Over the past ten years selling online, I can honestly say that the best lessons I’ve learned were from customers who did their homework. Talk to people, share your insights, and please ... let’s all stamp out fakes online!

About the Author.
Anna Miller is the President of i-GlobalMall.com, Inc. She has been buying and selling Designer Handbags and purses of all price ranges online for over ten years. She’s been around the handbag block, and she’s heard and seen it all! Anna operates an ecommerce site at http://www.efashionhouse.com/designerhandbag.html Guaranteed authentic or your money back Designer Handbags and Accessories.

http://www.efashionhouse.com/%20Designer_Handbags.html should not be confused with any other website selling purses. This site is the home of five stores: BrandsBoutique, ValueBags, ItalysOutlet, DesignersLA and LuxuryVintage. The prices found at eFashionHouse.com are the best online for authentic designer purses and accessories. EfashionHouse.com keeps their operating overhead low so they can pass the savings onto their customers.

Made In China - Designer Handbag Fashion Totally Misunderstood

Wow! What's all this garble about "everything" made in China being counterfeit or fake? Do people understand the design and manufacturing process? Or, are they just determined to squabble about one of the manufacturing industry's greatest resources?

True, there's been a lot of media about children's toys being manufactured poorly. Shame on China for the mess they've created. They'll fix the problem, or they'll lose business. We all learn from our mistakes, right? Or, at least the smart folks learn. And, let's face it, China is no dummy!

China has been manufacturing most of the clothing, shoes, handbags, and accessories stocked in all the major department stores throughout the world for many, many years. And, this is not going to fade or go away. China offers low-cost labor for low-end to high-end designer handbags, clothing and just about anything around the house.

Most people don't understand the truth about the Made in China label. China has been producing most of the Designer Merchandise sold in the USA for very long time. Why? Because the price to manufacture in China keeps prices as low as possible for consumers. People complain about the high price tags on designer handbags, clothing, shoes, and accessories. If the same item made in China was made in the USA or Europe the prices would be doubled or tripled.

If the Hermes Birkin bag was assembled by hand in China instead of France, the price would not be $7,000.00 each. If Italian leather was sent to China for the assembly of Prada handbags, the prices would not be $3,000.00 each. Please put things into perspective.

Burberry's new management decided to use China for some of its assembled manufacturing needs and people went crazy. The thought of using a designer handbag made in China is misunderstood, misinterpreted, and misguided. The product made in China consists of the same quality of fabric as if it were made in the USA, France, England or Italy. The only difference is the designer item was assembled in China, or any other country offering a cheaper assembly manufacturing process.

Most of the high-end Designers buy fabrics, leathers, and materials from the USA or Europe, pay a premium price for the high-quality fabrication, and then negotiate manufacturing in China. The materials and specifications are sent to China and made. Representatives from each of the Design Houses travel to China or other manufacturing countries to supervise the process. The finished products are shipped to the USA and other parts of the world for sale. It's a process kept sweet and as simple as possible. It creates jobs and produces a global economy.

Most consumers don't know the designer manufacturing process or understand the details. They see a Made in China label and assume it's a counterfeit item or fake. In reality, it's not. It's a moderately priced item made in a country which has been stereo-typed. And, we can't blame the consumer because most of the junk, counterfeit and fake merchandise bearing the trademarks of others are made in China. Hopefully, the USA Customs Department working closely with the fashion industry will help end importing counterfeit goods.

There are many countries available the fashion designers use to outsource labor. The high-end leather designer handbags with high-ticket price tags are made in the USA, Italy, London and France. The lower cost designer products are made elsewhere. Most designers offer collections every season which provide both high-end and lower priced products. For example, Ralph Lauren has five price and fabrication determined collections: RL Classics, Collection, Black Label, Blue Label and Lauren. Plus, many of the designers produce a separate collection for outlet stores and discount stores like Marshalls, TJ Max, Target, Walmart, etc.

Some of the countries are more commonly used than others, and nonetheless they are countries with capabilities and low-cost labor. Some of these countries include, and are not limited to China, Turkey, Mexico, Romania, India and Portugal.

Fashion designers who make designer handbags, designer wallets, designer scarves, designer clothing, hats, shoes, etc. use these countries because they can sell their products at affordable prices. Some of the fashion designers include, and are not limited to Coach, Burberry, Liz Claiborne, Robert Rodriquez, Max Studio, Tommy Hilfiger, Ralph Lauren, Marc Jacobs, Michael Kors, Kate Spade, Dooney & Bourke, Juicy Couture, Donna Karan, Anne Klein, Brighton, and many, many others.

Just because an item is Made in China, it does not constitute fake or counterfeit. Let's get this straight and communicated clearly. The reason the item was made in China is because at that point in time, the designer's manufacturing team decided it was the best business decision to make for a cost-effective distribution of its product and collection.

The next time you see a Made in China label on a designer handbag or accessory, and you purchased it from a reputable source, thank your lucky stars for the bargain price you paid. If you have any doubt, take the item to the designer's boutique for authentication and peace of mind. Don't assume just because it's Made in China it's a fake. You know what assuming does, right?

About the author:

Anna Miller is the President of i-GlobalMall.com, Inc. She owns and operates the internet website http://www.efashionhouse.com/ . EfashionHouse was named Best of the Web by People StyleWatch Magazine and recently About.com recognized eFashionHouse as the top of three sources for authentic Chanel at below retail prices. Anna is considered an Internet Pioneer and Ecommerce Entrepreneur. Anna has been buying and reselling authentic designer fashion accessories online since the early 1990's. The Corporation's vision and mission is "to offer authentic designer handbags, purses and accessories below the cost of retail." You can visit the i-GlobalMall.com, Inc. fashion blogs at the following dot com locations: i-GlobalMall, ValueBags, BrandsBoutique, DesignersLA, LuxuryVintage and ShoppingBrokers.

Decked Out in a New Designer Purse for the Holidays: New Designer Handbag is Good for Your Health

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Here are some trusted tips, research, and websites for your holiday discount designer handbags purchase. Whenever in doubt, go to Google.com, copy & paste the italicized words in the search box, and hit the Enter key.

Nowadays, we pay a few hundred dollars for a new pair of designer jeans, and our designer jacket or designer cashmere sweater costs a bit more. Our Manolo stilettos top the charts at several hundred dollars. Then we explode with a fabulous designer purse or handbag with a much higher price tag. Why? Why not!

If it feels good, do it. Carry a designer handbag to make the designer outfit you painstakingly put together look great! And, pick a classic. Select a designer purse you’ll want to keep around for awhile. Don’t be boring. Pick your new purse with style, pizazz, texture, pattern, embossed leather and color. This season’s designer purses are adorned with logos, chains, charms, colorful trims and bold large sizes.

The list of hot designers seems endless. To name a few, some of the top handbag designers include: Juicy Couture, Marc Jacobs, Fendi, Chanel, Louis Vuitton, Prada, Gucci, Burberry and Coach. Don’t be surprised when you go handbag shopping. The prices range from hundreds of dollars to several thousand each.

Remember George Karlin’s stand-up routine about “stuff?” Well, now we have surrendered our stuff to be contained in fabulously designed expensive purses and handbags! Plus, remember the famous Loreal` cosmetics TV commercial proclaiming “I’m worth it.” Owning a new expensive designer bag is now part of the psychology of fashion. We are worth it. We work hard for our look, and it feels great to carry a famous designer bag! Our stuff is carried in style because we are worth it.

When you find yourself people watching at the airport or shopping mall, focus on the purses women (and men) are carrying these days. The designer handbag craze is not isolated to one sex. There are almost as many fancy manbags for the guys as there are fabulous styles for the women. So, if you are thinking about upgrading your man’s appearance, pick a standard basic to begin his new adventure. A suggestion is a LATICO designer handbags black leather messenger bag. It’s a standard, basic, clean style for any man on your list.

Famous designer labels are the standard -- the norm today vs. days gone by. For the most part, you’ll see Gucci designer handbags recognizable by their traditional stripe or horsebit motif in leather, GG monogram canvas and/or mixed with leather and canvas designs. Gucci designer purses are for all age groups. Personally, I’d save the Gucci gifts for Mom, Auntie and the more mature women on your holiday shopping list.

Juicy Couture offers metallic leathers and adorns the bags with pom-poms, chains, charms and the signature “J” logo on zipper pulls and hang-tags. Juicy leather bags are made of soft and supple Italian napa. The bags are comfortable to carry and cater to all age groups. A Juicy Couture designer purse is the perfect gift for any female aged 13 or older. Most of the purses are lined in a signature Juicy Couture lining. If you want to see the teen on your holiday shopping list grin ear-to-ear hand her a Juicy Couture designer handbag. Any size, shape, style or color will do the trick!

Marc Jacobs designer handbag styles are timeless and seasonless. They can be carried all year long and never go out of style. The signature push locks and pockets decorate Marc Jacobs purses. They use durable, scratch resistant leather in smooth, pebble grain or quilted styles. Engraved hardware on zipper pulls is standard. The bags are usually quite roomy and come in a variety of colors. Marc Jacobs is a little pricier than the Juicy bags and will make her not only smile, but probably give you a big smooch! If you are looking for stocking stuffers fill ‘em to the brim with MARC JACOBS designer accessories monogram animal shape pencil sharpeners. Anything with the MJ monogram will bring a smile to the face of your young fashionista’s face!
Coach designer purses are an all-time favorite. Every closet should have at least a few to pull out when all else fails. Coach accessories are great for everyday use and available in a variety of styles, colors, sizes and designs. Coach makes a signature CC logo pattern in monogram canvas. There’s also smooth and pebble grain Italian leather styles. Colors range from patchwork to solid basics. You can’t go wrong with a Coach purchase for the holidays. One of our favorites is the COACH designer handbag 3574 signature duffle monogram shoulder bag. Coach also has small leather goods in wristlet styles, wallets, key cases and picture keepsakes. Small evening bag styles are also available for the person who does not like carrying a large bag. The COACH designer purses white canvas bronze leather is ideal for gift-giving.

Louis Vuitton designer purses are seen everywhere. The LV monogram canvas when purchased brand new is very expensive. Yet, often found at resale shops when a woman wants to upgrade to a new bag. Resellers like LuxuryVintage.com offer a deep discount on pre-owned Louis Vuitton designer handbags. Be careful when shopping online for Louis Vuitton. There are tons of knockoffs being sold as authentic items. When making an online purchase, it’s always smart to confirm the authenticity with the site owner prior to submitting an order.

Prada is easy to spot. The Prada triangle logo is an icon in the fashion industry. Prada designer handbags are made of leather or durable vela nylon trimmed in leather. With the release of this year’s box-office hit “The Devil Wears Prada” sales have increased for this famous designer label. Please remember, angels wear prada too – especially your little angel! There are several styles to choose with large embossed leather PRADA logos and embroidered PRADA enscribed on the font of many 2006 designs. One of our favorites is the PRADA designer purses BR3464.
Fendi designer purses are adorned with the famous FF logo pattern. The F’s are available in a large FF pattern or a smaller ff motif. Both jacquard prints are fashion icons and available in a variety of colors with matching small accessories available, too. A classic Fendi is always a good choice for a gift, especially for someone special. The classic FENDI designer handbag baguette designer purse - 8BR000 is at our top of the shopping list for all ages. Yet, if you are looking for a monogram key case under $100, select a FENDI accessories 8AP002.

The Burberry Check pattern is very easy to recognize when you find yourself spotting designer handbags. The traditional tan is also available in a lighter color called Nova Check. Most are constructed of a vinyl treated canvas with leather trim. The moderately priced BURBERRY handbag sling pochette or the BURBERRY nova check flower pot shopper are favorite Burberry check picks.

Chanel is famous for its quitled lamb leather and chain straps. The CC logo is what women go for the most. The CC logo is found on Chanel designer handbags, Chanel designer jewelry and Chanel designer sunglasses. If you want to make a hit with a lady, give a Chanel gift. It’s a classic item and literally never goes out of style. A favorite in line with the holidays is the CHANEL designer purse shades of red leather monogram hobo bag. You may even find it at more than 20% off retail online!

Hermes probably tops the charts for prices, and there aren’t enough words to express the respect for Hermes designer handbags. The Hermes leather items are hand made and each are given its own serial number to identify the artisan’s hand work. Hermes shops are only found in major cities. But, now with Internet Shopping available, a few reputable sites offer Hermes. Again, be careful not to make a purchase for a fake Hermes. They are horrible imitations and an insult to the House of Hermes. Select a reputable online store and don’t be sorry later. Auction sites are a risk for making a Hermes purchase. So, unless you know the seller, you may want to stay away from auction sites like eBay for Hermes. Hermes.com offers small accessories, but their shipping and tax is outrageous. Bluefly also sells Hermes but again, the discount is not that great. There’s also BrandBoutique.com for new deeply discounted Hermes, and if you don’t mind pre-owned, LuxuryVintage offers even deeper discounts plus shipping discounts and not sales tax. Whenever there’s a question, send an email to the site and don’t purchase until you get all your questions answered.

Designer purses top the charts ranging from the mid-hundreds to thousands of dollars each. Most women plan to purchase several each year. I truly believe the designer handbag has become as popular to the fashion addict as buying a new pair of shoes. Don’t let the high cost scare you off. These bags last a long time when cared for properly. Store them in a sleeper bag neatly in your closet. Take your favorite leather goods to a good shoe cobbler for cleaning and repairs. An expensive designer handbag will last a long time, even longer than your favorite pair of boots or stilettos when cared for properly.

With the onset of the holidays, thoughts of giving and receiving can pose a dilemna. Skip the chocolates and flowers this year. Give something that lasts forever! There are certain folks (ourselves included) who are very difficult to buy for. So, what do we do? We ponder and wait until the last minute to make our selection. Think twice about this year’s purchases. Almost all women carry a purse. So, it’s a no-brainer any woman would love a new designer handbag. Most men use a wallet, some use manbags, and many use a briefcase or messenger style laptop bag. Make your shopping easy, memorable and practical. Invest your gift-giving dollars in an item the receiver will love and adore.

Here’s a tip to the wise, and why you should own vs. rent a designer handbag. The following excerpt from an article was found posted on Snopes.com titled Bag-Teria. In summary the article states, “Bacteria on Purses. A study was performed on women's purses. A health team went to a local mall and took samples from the bottom of 50 women's purses. The purses were swabbed with cotton swabs along the entire bottom of the purses and placed into special containers. The swabs were then processed at a local laboratory. The Health Report also showed where women place their purses: public rest-rooms (on the floor beside the toilet), kitchen counters & kitchen tables, on tables & chairs in restaurants, etc. The results of the laboratory tests contained the following most serious result: 1 out of 4 purses — E COLI. Other extremely serious bacteria also were listed, including Hepatitis.”

Just the thought of using a purse previously borrowed by a stranger is revolting. Many women carry their puppy in their tote. Should you risk using that same handbag for the market? Not a good idea - even if it gives you a sense of status. You certainly don’t want to spread an unwanted illness from a rented purse!

All decked out in a new designer purse for the holidays and beyond is the goal. The investment made for a new leather or monogram tote bag must become a lasting treasure. So, do your homework, and shop online for discount designer handbags and purses at a reputable ecommerce fashion site. And, whenever in doubt, send an email to the website’s owner for help, guidance and assistance. Many websites offer personal shopping tips to put a smile on both the gift-giver and receiver for high-end designer purchases.

Anna Miller is the President of i-GlobalMall.com, Inc. (IGM) and has been selling authentic designer fashion online for over ten years. IGM’s main website is http://www.eFashionHouse.com EFashionHouse.com was named BEST OF THE WEB by People Magazine Fall 2006 StyleWatch for discount designer handbags and accessories. Questions can be sent to Anna at eFashionHouse dot com.