In the midst of the worst global economic recession in sixty years, the replica handbag industry is scrambling to keep up with people’s needs. With luxury purchases decreasing by over 30% during the last fiscal year, luxury fashion houses have been hit big time. This is actually great for the replica handbags industry, boosting sales over the past year immeasurably. The recent increase in demand has brought about many welcome changes, including higher competition between websites and lowering production costs. Rivalry between replica handbag sites is phenomenal, which means these companies must refine their reproduction technique to an exact science, not only with attention to craftsmanship, but also in regards to the textiles used and the variety of handbags they choose to replicate. No doubt, the replica handbag industry is thriving, especially for those companies who manage to make the grade.

Once upon a time, in order to get a replica anything, you had to schlep downtown to Canal Street in NYC or be lucky enough to vacation in Hong Kong or Thailand where replicas are their first language. Unfortunately, although being extremely inexpensive (usually less than $50 in New York, for example), the bags looked cheap, too, and usually fell apart quickly. The present global village, combined with state of the art production technologies, have made the replica handbags of today mirror images of the original. When comparing a genuine Louis Vuitton to a replica, you will be hard pressed to notice the difference. Plastic or cheap leather has been replaced by high quality leather, stitching has become strong and tight, and logo placement and general design are identical. Not to mention that buying over the internet has made these bags accessible to all, thereby forcing companies to offer a wider array of handbags (nobody wants the same bag as their neighbor)! Because of the fierce competition, most sites will offer a money-back guarantee, some with better conditions than others. But it is something to keep in mind: A site that is confident in their mirror image handbag replica will offer a satisfaction guarantee!

You should always check to see if a replica handbag site states the grade of bags they produce. This is extremely important, keeping in mind that there are several grades involved. The lowest of the low, called grade B or AB is distinguishable from the original by anyone, not just handbag aficionados. In fact, the only thing similar to its authentic counterpart, is the brand logo. It may not resemble the original design in the least. The next grade is A, which is what is usually sold on the street. These replica bags look comparable to the original, but made with cheap materials, even plastic instead of leather. The logo placement may be inaccurate, the stitching crooked and loose, and will fall apart after a short time of regular use. After this is AA, and then triple A, with the latter being a good quality handbag with comparable materials being used, like softer cross-grained leather. This is a good choice for most, as they run cheaper than exact replicas, while still being close to their counterparts visually. Precise details may be missing though, so don’t expect to not notice the difference upon careful inspection. Following this are quadruple, quintuple and sextuple A, otherwise known as 1:1. Using top-layer calf skin which turns honey-colored over time, exact design, logo placement, quality lining and metals, are what make 1:1 replica purses the crème de la crème. They also come with all the extras including dust cover, authentic card and care booklet, and when applicable serial numbers, date code and model numbers. In short, 1:1 replica handbags are indistinguishable from the authentic bags, both in look and feel.

The replica handbag market has become so precise, it is truly bridging the gap between the rich and the poor. Whereas once you had two choices: to shell out thousands of dollars on a genuine Louis Vuitton or Gucci bag, or to buy some cheap fake that’s simultaneously hard to find and looks shameful too. Today’s economic and technological environment has brought us all to a more even playing field. The rich got poorer and no longer have as much money for luxury fashion items. And the poor got wiser and have more accessibility to the global marketplace, while gaining all the exposure to the current fashion scene as the rest of us do through various media. The middle class, meanwhile, have adapted an attitude toward fashion that is ultimately playful, taking from celebrities what they want but going on a less than haute couture route while doing it. And the industry has responded to all this change by adding prêt a porte lines to previously runway fashion houses, and of course offering replicas. High quality replica bags finally give people a chance to be judged by their taste in fashion, not by how much money they spend! Replica handbags provide economic relief, one bag at a time.