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Straits Times
22-05-2025
- Business
- Straits Times
Viewpoint: How I got duped by luxury dupes
In 2019, the sale of counterfeit goods accounted for 2.5 per cent of world trade, worth a total of US$464 billion. PHOTO: REUTERS BRITAIN – My journey into the fun house of fakes began, as so many things do these days, on TikTok. Like many men, I had been content carrying a tote bag or backpack. Then my algorithm introduced me to Love Luxury, a designer consignment store in London offering previously owned Hermes bags. This wasn't about saving money, exactly. A Birkin with a retail price of around US$12,000 (S$15,500) – already an egregious amount of money – could be resold for twice or three times its original price. I found the extreme wealth both revolting and fascinating. I gobbled up clips of people playing the so-called Hermes Game – in which Birkin seekers tithe tens of thousands of dollars to Hermes boutiques in the hope that they might be offered the chance to buy one of their sought-after bags. My TikTok For You page soon became nothing but unboxings and reviews of other luxury brands, including Chanel, Dior, Bottega Veneta and Loewe. I began to lust after these designer goods, imagining which ones were right for me. Except that I am not rich, and neither are my parents or anybody I am likely to date. Besides, surely such sums would be better spent on the deposit for a house. But the overwhelming deluge of bag content made me desperate for the luxury my lacklustre bank balance would never permit. Then my algorithm served me up handbag dupes and replicas, imported from China. Buying them felt like an act of rebellion against the luxury brands that help enforce class division. But I couldn't stop. Buying dupe after dupe quickly became a destabilising obsession – on account of platforms that incentivise everything but stopping. When I came across a video about the viral Walmart Birkin – or Wirkin – I saw a way to participate in a world that had enthralled me. While we don't have Walmart in Britain, I found one on an online marketplace called OnBuy. I bought it for US$61. It took nearly a month to arrive from China. When it did, I was delighted. I doubted it was anything close to an authentic Birkin, but it was soft and smelled like real leather, not plastic. I took it out that night to meet friends, showing it off like a child with a new toy. They passed it around, surprised by how luxe it felt and giggling over the idea that I was now cosplaying as an uber-wealthy fashionista. Carrying this bag allowed me to escape into the fantasy of unachievable wealth. I felt like someone who no longer struggled to pay the rent. In 2019, the sale of counterfeit goods accounted for 2.5 per cent of world trade, worth a total of US$464 billion. On Reddit, there is a robust subculture of dupe hunters. The counterfeits they seek not only democratised access to designer bags, but were also symbols of resistance against the apparent greed of companies like Chanel and LVMH, which over the past six years have vastly increased prices and scored growing profits. Next, I bought a dupe of Bottega's intricately woven Andiamo bag, then a fake Coach bag, then a faux Acne Studios tote, another pretend Birkin (burgundy, size 35), a counterfeit Goyard Saint Louis in green and a dupe of a delightfully slouchy Songmont crossbody. If real, they would have cost me over US$37,000. Instead, I was out only around US$400. That may not seem like much to some (how fortunate), but for me, it was about half a month's rent. I took on debt. I told myself I could afford the bags by spreading the cost with Klarna, a buy-now-pay-later programme, despite each additional purchase and the subsequent partial payments pushing me further into overdraft. I have spent hours and hours scrolling Chinese e-commerce platforms such as DHgate and AliExpress, coveting fakes for sale. I've messaged sellers about the leather used on their replicas of Loewe's signature Puzzle bag (authentic: US$3,500; dupe: US$90). I've stayed up until 4am reading user reviews of The Row's more structured Margaux bag (authentic: US$5,500; dupe: just over US$100). Whenever I ordered something, I compulsively tracked my package from China to Britain. When it arrived, I'd tear open the many layers of packaging and smell the bag, caress the leather and examine the hardware. Though I had no reason to, I would leave the house with it, eager to take it on its debut outing. I've carried a Birkin to the supermarket, filling it with produce for dinner that evening, and worn my Andiamo, empty aside from some lip balm and a book, to the pub. Friends and family began to express their concern at the number of bags I was ordering. 'I think it's important that you stop,' my friend Kate texted me. I agreed, but each night, social media led me back to the bags. A few weeks later, only after my friend Jonathan mentioned that he found the hyper-consumerism I was engaged in distasteful, I really took pause. I looked back on the previous months and saw someone in the grips of an obsessional spiral. By chasing the dopamine hit that came with securing the next bag or gobbling up TikToks, I wasn't able to see my addictive and destructive behaviours or the way that debt would only continue to mount. I was skimping on my food shopping, taking on extra work and avoiding social situations where I knew I would have to spend money. I put off going to the dentist. I was out of control, like someone possessed, spending far beyond my means. I felt foolish. These bags had been tarnished by my new-found shame. I deleted TikTok, as well as the apps for the Chinese marketplaces, but by then, it was too late: The rest of my social media accounts were flooded with handbag content. On YouTube, my home page was a solid wall of influencers doing bag hauls from China. Almost every Instagram story I watched was followed by a luxury brand or retailer offering designer bags for sale. I was even pushed targeted ads while reading the news. I began to see this all for what it was: a symbiotic network of influencers, social media, e-commerce platforms and digital advertising – all designed to capitalise on my inability to regulate myself. How do you endure life online when that life consists of constantly being sold things? While the obvious answer is to log off, how feasible is that, really? These social media platforms are designed to extract not only our time but also, increasingly, our money – whether we can afford it or not. I can't entirely absolve myself, though. By buying these bags, I was chasing the illusion of status or happiness. While I self-soothed, I was still complicit in voracious consumerism. There was nothing radical or rebellious about it. I was still entranced by the lure of luxury brands, eager to be a part of their club. I had been duped by the dupes. NYTIMES Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Yahoo
10-02-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Is Not Being Hungry In The Morning A Sign Of Hormonal Issues? We Asked The Experts
Don't get me wrong ― I have a huge appetite. It just doesn't tend to kick in until around noon. Experts say our Circadian rhythm tends to make us less peckish in the morning, only to become ravenous after 8 pm (yup, that sounds like me). But my TikTok For You page has had me in a bit of a panic recently. Wellness influencers appear on my screen, telling me that not feeling hungry in the morning ― especially if you're a woman ― is a telltale sign of too much cortisol, a 'stress' hormone that's been blamed for everything from weight gain to puffy faces. So, I thought I'd reach out to registered nurse Janelle Salo, Dr Michael Chichak, Medical Director at MEDvidi, and Dr Daniel Atkinson, clinical lead at to find out whether that's really true. Nurse Salo says: 'Cortisol, the hormone that helps wake you up, is naturally higher in the morning and it can suppress hunger.' But that doesn't mean anything's wrong with you, or that your hormones are somehow 'imbalanced.' We need cortisol to regulate our bodies and keep us alert ― that's why people with Addison's disease, a condition caused by a lack of cortisol, experience exhaustion and even fainting. All three experts made comments along the lines of Dr Atkinson's assessment. He told HuffPost UK: 'Lots of things can affect your appetite, so not feeling hungry when you wake up isn't necessarily an indication of ill health, or that your hormones aren't working as they should.' These factors can include eating too much the night before, hormonal changes, or, yes, added stress. Nurse Salo added that 'women may notice shifts in their morning hunger depending on where they are in their menstrual cycle,' stating that 'rising oestrogen levels can dampen appetite, while progesterone can increase it'. Those are hormonal changes, but they're not necessarily ones to worry about ― women simply tend to go through more hormonal shifts than men as a matter of course. Indeed while all experts say that not being hungry in the morning may not be a red flag in and of itself, Dr Chichak told us that women 'may experience more complex hormonal imbalances involving cortisol, insulin, and even liver function' that could complicate the relationship between appetite and health than men. If waking up without an appetite is normal for you and you're not experiencing any other symptoms, the experts agree you're likely fine. But Nurse Salo writes that 'if you regularly skip meals and feel sluggish, lightheaded, or irritable, it could be worth checking in with a doctor or nutritionist to ensure that your eating habits support your energy levels.' She adds that while hunger levels vary from person to person, 'If everything is running smoothly, meaning you're well-rested, eating balanced meals, and staying hydrated, you should generally start feeling hungry within a couple of hours after waking up.' Dr Atkinson points out that Cushing's Syndrome, a medical condition which arises from extremely high levels of cortisol, may actually increase your appetite rather than lower it. Still, he says: 'If your appetite is consistently lacking over a prolonged period, then it might be worth speaking to a medical professional.' Dr Chichak agrees, writing: 'For some, skipping breakfast is not such a big deal, however, when combined with an energy slump, digestive problems, or menstrual irregularities, medical attention is advised.' If your appetite is usually so low you're not eating enough to sustain yourself, if you notice other symptoms like sluggishness and dizziness, and if you generally feel worried about your eating habits, a trip to the GP is advised. But otherwise, Nurse Salo advises: 'if you feel good and your energy levels are steady, your natural hunger pattern is probably just right for you!'. This 'Risky' TikTok Sleep Trend Has 'Zero Legitimate Science,' Sleep Expert Says Here's The Best Time To Eat Dinner, Longevity Experts Say I Asked An Expert Why We Get Food 'Icks' And The Reason Is So Surprising
