If you've been anywhere near DTLA's Fashion District (specifically "The Alley") in the past month or so, you may have noticed that the shelves have been looking a bit sparse. No, the area of Santee isn't hosting a colossal, hood-wide sale, it turns out $14.1 million worth of counterfeit Hermès handbags were seized at the L.A. and Long Beach Ports just last month, according to WWD.
Between two shipments from China, 1,500 bogus bags were discovered — meaning those days of witnessing shady Range Rover deals are definitely numbered...at least for the time being. And, while bargain-hunting shoppers may appreciate phony purses for their wallet-friendly prices, those purchases are also, reportedly, ultimately supporting terrorism and other black markets.
So, the recent L.A. bust (along with this summer's news of Hermès employees knocking off their own merch) not only protects the intellectual property rights of one of the most iconic companies on the planet, but it also eliminates sales which may damage our national economy. Lesson of the story? Just don't spend your hard-earned butter on a mock — save for the real deal, instead. Hey, it's the patriotic thing to do!
Photo: Nils Jorgensen/RexUSA