Longchamp purses - and fakes

I know everyone hates the fake question but am going to paris and need to bring back gifts for several of my daughers teenage friends...any suggestions on where to get this from?

As for the real thing, where can I get the best deals.

Thanks for your help

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You have 3 real options as far as I am concerned: the Longchamp store 404 rue Saint Honore 75001, the department stores (Printemps and Galeries Lafayette), duty free. I have never done price comparisons so that%26#39;s as much as I can say. Longchamp like all Frenck luxury brands practice what%26#39;s called %26quot;distribution selective%26quot; meaning they strictly controle who they sell to. Thus %26quot;steals%26quot; are hard to come by: if you find it everywhere and at discounted prices this is no longer luxury.

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Buying fakes is taking a chance that the Canadian customs confiscate the bags and fine you heavily.

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Don%26#39;t think that you can sneak fakes by Canada Customs because %26quot;they won%26#39;t know the difference%26quot;. They absolutely know the real thing and they will confiscate fakes if they find them. Then, they will go through your luggage with a fine tooth comb looking for any items that haven%26#39;t been declared or are fakes of other designers, etc., because it is illegal to import or purchase counterfeit designer goods.

I%26#39;ve seen items confiscated from young women and little old ladies, and every sort of person in between. The fines can be very considerable.

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I have never seen Longchamps fakes for sell in Paris. What you can find are affordable knock-offs. Completely legal and more affordable, you%26#39;ll find them in tourist areas through out the city.

The only place I know that fakes are easy to find is at the entrance of the St Ouen (Clignancourt) flea market. Mostly trashy, bling-bling looking stuff ripping off Dior and D%26amp;G.

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Sorry I somehow misread, but yes, very risky, very costly,...

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%26quot;They absolutely know the real thing and they will confiscate fakes if they find them.%26quot;

CBSA agents do NOT have the authority to determine authenticity of the goods and therefore cannot seize the goods - they must refer the %26quot;intelligence to%26quot; the RCMP (who will no doubt show up with their Tasers cocked).

%26quot;Then, they will go through your luggage with a fine tooth comb looking for any items that haven%26#39;t been declared or are fakes of other designers, etc.,%26quot;

They DO have the authority to seize undeclared goods.

%26quot;because it is illegal to import or purchase counterfeit designer goods.%26quot;

Canada%26#39;s legislation in this field is extremely lax. The priorities for improving legislation are 1) protecting good of Canadian origin (e.g. Bill 47 related to 2010 Olympic products and 2) Safety - goods not truly approved by CSA.

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Aside from the whole issue of fakes getting confiscated and how that would affect you personally, etc. there%26#39;s the other pesky issue that when you buy counterfeit goods you are knowingly and directly supporting and perpetuating all manner of nefarious activities, from organized crime, to child labor and worse. If you can%26#39;t or don%26#39;t want to afford the original, find something less expensive that isn%26#39;t the tip of a criminal iceberg. There are a million cute inexpensive gifts you could find in Paris....

OK, rant over....

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I%26#39;ll second MMpetite. In addition to possibly supporting terrorism and definitely supporting child labor - its intellectual property theft. Imagine you designed that bag and someone was selling a fake 10 feet away from your store.

When you get to Paris, you%26#39;ll undoubtedly see some accessory on fashionable teens that stands out - and it will be 1-2 years ahead of NYC/Canada. Buy that for the daughter%26#39;s teenage friends and you%26#39;ll be the cool mom forever.

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I absolutely hate the fake question.

If I cannot afford to be the real thing I would never buy a fake version!

Fake is fake!

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There is an%26quot;outlet%26quot; in the Rue de Rivoli section. These are not knock offs. How soon are you going? I can get the address from my cousin. (We were in Paris last summer and she bought one...still expensive but cheaper than au printemps or galeries lafayette.