They say that being copied is the ultimate form of flattery. Images that come to mind are celebrities that are often mimicked at costume parties. Other things that are copied are designer clothes, most notably the Louis Vuitton purses. This trend of copying one of the most well-known handbag creators in the world has gotten out of hand. With only a small percentage of Louis Vuitton purses actually being authentic, this purse has truly become the ultimate definition of flattery.

Despite attempts of authentic purse dealers to ensure that their product is not copied by placing such things as emblems or serial numbers on their products, this has not stopped purse replicas from being created on a quantum scale, especially the last 10 years.

With the global reach of the Internet and such venues as online auctions, counterfeit purse makers are making a killing worldwide selling millions of purses for tens of millions of dollars each and every year.

Therefore, if you go to a flea market and find a Louis Vuitton purse, more than likely that purse is a counterfeit. Louis Vuitton states on their website that they do not sell factory seconds and they do not put their purses on sale. Therefore all excess Louis Vuitton stock is destroyed and cannot be found at discount retail shops.

If you're looking for an authentic source for any kind of purse, the best place to go is a shopping mall or the authentic website of that company and order it directly from the source. If it does not matter to you that you have a replica, then buying any purse, with any emblem that you like, is probably okay for you. Louis Vuitton purses, if you have an authentic one, came from the source, and not a discount retail store.