IT IS one of those ironies in New York life. Or perhaps a “blessing” – if you are a shopper with limited cash.
Most of the elegant stores along Manhattan’s Fifth Avenue and Madison Avenue that carry luxury names in fashion, unfortunately, have their clones peddled elsewhere, sometimes just a few blocks away.
But human nature has its shopping needs, so consumers eyeing cheaper knockoffs are surely delighted with such an alternative. Still, these imitations are a headache for law enforcers and trademark owners.
Three months ago, The New York Times reported that the Goyard tote bag was all the rage among street peddlers.
The original is priced at US$1,065 (RM3,400), according to a print advertisement put up by the upscale Barneys New York.
“Goyard’s unique canvas is 100% recyclable and made from natural materials without plastic or petroleum recycle,” the ad said about the shopper tote.
Pretenders to the throne, however, sometimes cost up to just US$100 (RM319).
Stroll along Madison Avenue on the Upper East Side and you would likely chance upon a street vendor offering fake designer bags at a fraction of the original price.
Yearning for a Dolce & Gabbana bag? Get one for US$40 (RM127), which is a steal. Really.
But the mecca of counterfeit goods here has to be in – where else, but – Manhattan’s Chinatown.
In one recent case, the New York Police Department and the Mayor’s Office of Special Enforcement seized fake goods valued at US$1mil (RM3.19mil) from dozens of stores in Chinatown.
These included fake Rolex watches and handbags bearing the names of Coach, Gucci, Prada, Burberry and Fendi.
“The owner of the so-called Counterfeit Triangle will have to replace the counterfeit vendors with legitimate businesses, and pay a substantial fine, before the buildings can be reopened,” a statement from the Mayor’s office said.
Consisting of 32 storefronts, the Counterfeit Triangle is bounded by Canal Street, Walker Street and Centre Street.
It has the unsavoury reputation of being the hotspot for fake designer goods.
According to the statement, the raids came about following two months of investigation.
“This is the largest single operation my office has conducted and I hope the entire Counterfeit Triangle is transformed into legitimate tax-paying businesses,” Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg said in the statement.
The Mayor’s Office of Special Enforcement has seized about US$60mil (RM191mil) worth of knockoff goods in the past four years, and shut down 23 locations.
First-time offenders face up to 10 years' imprisonment and US$2mil (RM6.38mil) in fines.
Many of the street vendors that you encounter on the streets of New York come from other countries.
“Most of those who are arrested are not native New Yorkers,” the NYPD said.
Not all of them would peddle their wares openly. Usually, an “agent” would approach a passer-by, asking whether he or she was interested in a Rolex watch or some other designer goods.
The fake merchandise are often kept inside huge, black garbage bags.
Alia Abdul Ghani, a Malaysian financial analyst working in New York City, has a number of stories to tell about her encounters with the street peddlers.
“Every time I am in Chinatown, I am bombarded with these sellers. No joke! They swarm around any woman on the street going ‘gushi gushi’ (Gucci) or ‘plada plada’ (Prada),” she said.
“It is so annoying, and once my patience got to me and I yelled, ‘I don’t wear fake things!’”
Alia is adamant about not owning any designer knockoffs.
“Although I do see the reasons behind people buying them, I have never attempted to do so,” she said.
“I have escorted some friends to Chinatown. Fake goods range in their quality and price. The ones sold on the streets are of poor quality, obvious to the eye that it is fake and, personally, a shame to be carried around!
“An LV monogram canvas knockoff can range from US$40-$100 (RM127-RM319). You need to bargain with these people. However, you can get better fakes online with prices from US$200 (RM638) upwards.
“These websites sell many more brands, including MiuMiu, Marc Jacobs and Fendi; far more choices than just the popular LV and Gucci on the streets. They are also of better quality.
“At times, to the untrained eye it's quite difficult to tell if it is a fake or real.”
