Jerry ZurekClothing and accessories manufactured by high-end designers such as, Coach, Fendi, Christian Dior and Louis Vuitton are worn for purposes far beyond making a fashion statement. In fact, wearing such items is representative of our society’s obsession with wealth and prestige. Everyone is trying to uphold an image of affluence, but many are bluffing.
Designer clothing goes hand-in-hand with expensive houses and luxurious cars. But since it is impossible to drag a beautiful house around town and because no matter how valuable a car may truly be it will still remain isolated in a parking-lot, designer clothing is a sure fire way to make your status known and felt.
I work as a sales-associate in a popular retail store; therefore, on a daily basis I interact with large amounts of people. And, though it may be superficial and stereo-typical, when I see a consumer enter that is just dripping in labels from the earrings in her ear to her handbag all the way down to her shoes, the first thought that pops into my mind is “wow, she must have a lot of money.”
To be honest, I highly doubt that I am the only person in the world who supports this pre-conceived notion of associating labels with privileged circumstances. Though the exact price range may be unknown, I believe that it is common knowledge that items with designer names like Fendi, Christian Dior or Luis Vuitton, for example, written on the labels are anything but inexpensive.
In my opinion, I find absolutely no fault with the individual who purchases these specific items, but does so within his or her means. The way I see it, if you desire a five-hundred dollar purse and you can afford, then proceed to buy it guilt-free.
What I find to be extremely disturbing are those certain materialistic individuals who would much rather spend hundreds of dollars on a designer handbag than pay this month’s electric bill. I do not know if I am more disgusted by their materialism or their desire to put on an appearance of wealth. They place themselves in-debt by failing to properly prioritize, simply because they are determined to maintain a false appearance of wealth.
Though the next class of label hunters are not as bad, in the end, they still serve as posers in our society. I am talking about those people who can be found shopping away on Canal Street in New York City buying an almost undetectable imitation of a designer item.
Personally, I’m not a big fan of designer imposter items. But, I will admit that as a young teen in high school, I was intrigued by the idea of cheap purses with expensive labels; I mean for thirty dollars I could own the very same item as one of my favorite celebrities. So, I bought my first fake bag; it was a white and silver Dior imitation.
I never wore that bag more than once. That one day that I did wear that bag, I was overcome with an unexpected feeling of guilt. I felt like every soul that I passed on the Center City streets of Philadelphia knew that I was sporting a phoney bag. I had never felt like such a wanna-be in all of my young life.
From that day forth, I have been completely against purchasing, owning and wearing fake designer items. Whether it may be fake Chanel earrings or a phoney Dior purse, those who buy these items are sending one message and one message only.
Though they may not realize it, by purchasing knock-offs, they are showing a discontent with their on economic standing. It’s almost as if they are saying that what they have is not good enough for them; so, they prolong a charade of material wealth, because it makes them feel better. They fail to see that by trying so hard to be someone that they are not, they are, in effect, declaring their inferiority and the upper-classes superiority.
Posted to the web by Brian Coary
