My monthly stack of magazines arrived last week and I dutifully hauled them with me this weekend for the trip up to Boston to see my sister. As I was flipping through the August Marie Claire, I came across their Goth-inspired fashion spread. I heart Goth, as any loyal reader knows, and carefully stopped to examine each and every spike, stud, and skeleton. I wasn’t surprised at all when I noticed that a bronze raven skull necklace, nearly identical to my raven skull necklace, appeared on the page. I mean, I have really good taste.
What did shock me was the $1,850 price tag . I bought my necklace in a charming little jewelry store in Williamsburg for $20—not on the streets of Chinatown. Compare the two (mine is on the left):
Now, I do understand that wholesale distributors rip off designers. And Pamela Love makes kick-ass stuff and I can only imagine that people are trying to copy her stuff. I get it. And I know the counterfeit bag market contributes to evil sweatshops and you might as well be chaining a kid to a sewing machine if you even look at a fake Birkin bag (I do not buy fake bags—anymore…I did once and it smelled funny and I was holding it when I was in the elevator with Nina Garcia and I swear she was staring aghast at it the whole 38 floors feeling utter shame and pity for me).
So now I’m all confused like Blake Lively deciding between backless or see-through. Am I right to be a little outraged—I know Love makes her original designs and won’t use Asian factories (according to Business of Fashion), but for a piece of bronze on a bronze chain? $1,850?
You can get this pair of Anita Ko white gold diamond stud earrings for $1,540.
