The rise of the designer handbag began its journey in the early 14th century as a little leather pouch that was used to carry coins.  It was usually tied around the waist of the man that owned the coins.

It was a small bag that was created by cutting a circular piece of cloth, sewing a thin leather strap around its circumference and pulling on the strap to create a drawstring.  The pouches were quite small and held only a few coins.

It was in the 1950’s that the rise of important designer houses such as Hermes, Louis Vuitton and Chanel began to ascend into their heights.  Today, designer houses such as Gucci, Coach, Kate Spade, Prada and Dior are also an active part of the world of designer handbag fashion.

While a handbag may be defined as a small bag used to hold such things as a wallet, tissue, makeup, hairbrush and other such items.  In the world of high fashion, a handbag’s real value and purpose is the fashion statement that it makes.

The Cost of a Designer Handbag Original

Designer handbags are big business in the fashion industry, Hollywood and in the world of wealth and privilege.  These designer handbags bags often cost much more than an average American car and are clearly out of reach for the general population.

But for the chosen few that can afford such luxuries, a designer purse is a status symbol that shouts out whose bank account is larger.  It is a strangely competitive fashion rage; wealthy women will place their name on a waiting list for a designer handbag, one that costs well into the thousands of dollars, and wait anxiously for the day that their bag is available.

The Cost of a Replica Designer Handbag

There is hope for those that cannot afford the prices of the designer house handbag.  A huge counterfeit industry exists in the creation of knock-off or replica designer bags.  These handbags are sold in a much lower price range and are readily available to the general public.

The replica designer handbag market is so lucrative that the demand for the knock-off is often higher than the comparative market for the designer bag.  Sometimes, the replica designer handbag so closely resembles the originals that it even carries the label of the company that it imitates.  Often times, it is difficult to tell the two apart.

If you are in the market for a designer handbag, you might ask yourself, why not buy the replica designer handbags and save a considerable amount of money.  The most important reason to not purchase a knockoff designer bag is that the counterfeiters do not pay taxes.

This costs the American government well over 200 billion dollars revenue.  Another reason is that the support of counterfeit sales actually supports organized crime and illegal activity, which supports that whole subculture, supplying increased funds for their illegal activities.