Counterfeiting is such a big business that it is threatening the profits of the original design houses.  This shadow economy, according to Tim Phillips the writer of Knockoff: The Deadly Trade in Counterfeit Goods, would be the world’s biggest business if it were a named business.  Counterfeiting is known to account for 7% of world trade and may be as high as 10%.

A high percentage of traded goods, including clothes and accessories are counterfeit.  More alarming, is the knowledge that these goods include fake products that may be taken into or used on the body. Yes – your body, my body, not necessarily some anonymous person, but you or me.  This problem of fake goods is in everyone’s backyard or doorstep.

Fake handbags and rip off trainers may seem harmless when chatting among girlfriends as they do not cause many potentially harmful problems.  Sadly, many people consider it all perfectly acceptable and think their contribution to this shadow economy won’t make any difference.  But the same suppliers of fake handbags also supply other products that may cause harm for individuals.

Fake cosmetics and pharmaceuticals include somewhat alarmingly, fake Tamiflu, cardiac heart pills, defective hip implant parts as well as fake guns (Glock pistols) and airplane replacement parts.  Just imagine having no response to a faulty drug for a serious ailment, or a faulty car part that causes a lethal or even minor accident.

As clothing in UK is now 40% less costly than it was a decade ago, it is commonplace for a woman to own a top range bag.  However, many women are purchasing counterfeit versions both unwittingly and knowingly.  Some purchasers simply don’t care, believing they deceive others who they think know no better.  Very few of us are fooled by the woman who does not earn a salary to afford, for example, a Hermès bag, but nevertheless insists that her Hermès is genuine as she travels by tube (subway).

However, there are just as many purchasers who do feel cheated if they inadvertently buy a fake replica bag, whereas they only want the genuine designer article.  Consumers need to realise that every time they purchase a counterfeit version that is a sale lost for the design house.

In fact I soon noticed that genuine and authentic were two of the most overused words online.  If a bag is authentic would you need to be told that.  The words authentic and genuine are almost the kiss of death to some auctions and many websites.  Very few online retailers are approved to be able to sell genuine designer handbags. 

If you buy a possible fake then you must accept that is what it may be; you have a replica bag not the real thing.  The key point is that you have to like the bag for its own sake.  In my opinion, the only things that really matter are that the bag sits on the shoulder, and looks balanced with its owner, and most important of all is that it has a quality of materials that will shine through over the years.  It really must be high quality leather and have good hardware.

As clothing in UK is now 40% less costly than it was a decade ago, it is commonplace for a woman to own a top range bag.  However, many women are purchasing counterfeit versions both unwittingly and knowingly.  Some purchasers simply don’t care, believing they deceive others who they think know no better.  Very few of us are fooled by the woman who does not earn a salary to afford, for example, a Hermès bag, but nevertheless insists that her Hermès is genuine as she travels by tube (subway).

However, there are just as many purchasers who do feel cheated if they inadvertently buy a fake replica bag, whereas they only want the genuine designer article.  Consumers need to realise that every time they purchase a counterfeit version that is a sale lost for the design house.

 became interested in finding out more about the purchase of fashion counterfeit goods when I was invited to visit a factory abroad where I could see counterfeiting in operation!  I was just amazed at the upfront coolness of the invitation.  Whole factories in the former USSR, Korea and China are given up to churning out fake goods in accessories, trainers, apparel, media items, pharmacy products, auto car parts, Vodka, detergents and cigarettes.  One day the factory produces genuine articles for a supplier order and the next day it changes production to do an equally large, but counterfeit production run of the same product.  Often such factory operations have false walls which can reveal whole stockrooms of overrun goods.

Purple Heart implies a sense of refinement and sensuality, adding an air of creativity and excitement to the top ten colours.  Purple heart mixes really well with either warm olive or honey yellow. Think of the crocus and you’ll recall how the colour mix that nature gives us is so perfect.

Near left – Purple Heart (Pantone PANTONE 18-3520).

The check coat/jeans outfit and colourful bags below right are from Boden. The purple dress is a good buy from the JL Collection at John Lewis. These bag, belt and shoe accessories would set you on the right colour trends for Autumn Winter 2009.

All the items are easy to purchase online, details below.  Purple hues have been in fashion for a few years, but now every tone from richest aubergine to softest mauve is making itself felt in the retail fashion sector.

Top Left – Faith Footwear – Autumn Winter 2009 Purple Flat Shoe.
Centre Left – Oasis Purple Buckle Suede Stretch Belt – £25.
Lower Left – Red Herring Piped Island Platform £35/€54 – Debenhams Autumn/Winter 2009 Women’s Accessories.
Centre – JL Collection – Tailored Purple Dress £75 JL at John Lewis AW 2009.
Top Right – PURPLE, RED, GREEN Bags from Boden.
Lower Right – George at ASDA – AW09 – George Women Bow Ankle Boot £15.

Shoes, especially evening shoes, are trimmed with roses.  Both day bags and evening bags have flourishing 3D roses. In fact, roses are sprouting elsewhere, you can see them as corsage  roses and hair ornament roses.

One wonders if costume jewellery can become much more chunky or heavy. The reaction of some has been to begin following instead the micro trend for finer daintier gold and silver chains. Fine chain jewellery interspersed with bezel set gems and faceted stones offer tasteful statement pieces with ladylike grace.

Elsa Perretti’s Diamonds by the yard from Tiffany have a growing following. At Tiffanys a 16″ sterling silver and 0.09ct diamond necklace costs £350 and a 30″ sterling silver necklace £740. These going up in grades of diamond carat weight and chain metal quality to £14,900 for a luxury 38″ platinum with some 4.32 ct VS diamonds. They have necklaces for every pricepoint. The diamond earrings to match are quite beautiful.

Others invest in slider beads for Pandora, Troll, Biagi, or Lovelinks brands of self selecting bead charms for technically matching snake chain bracelets or necklaces.

For those still enjoying chunky oversized jewellery pieces then agate and wood jewellery bangles of differing widths piled high are a way of showing contrasting textures and tones.

Outfits can be set off with just one massive cocktail ring or stacking rings that fit magically into one another creating a band of your own arrangement. 

Right – Gemstone rings from jewellery designer Sarah Bond and Saretta’s new Black Magic Collection. The collection is inspired by the magic and allure of natural coloured clear cut gem stones. All the gemstones used have been ethically sourced and the bullion used is ethically certified. As a fundamental service Saretta offers each piece in the collection to be made in a variety of precious metals to suit the customers price range and demand. Prices starting from £210 GBP in Silver. See more work by Sarah Bond at her website.

Dark glamour rings and black diamond rings of cocktail size can draw attention to beautifully manicured hands showing red or rich wine matte polish fingernails the mark of a 1940s glamour goddess. The matt manicure is one of the hardest to achieve and really requires the skills of a professional manicurist. It is stealth wealth in action.

The return of rose gold as a trend driven precious metal satisfies the colour combos of the burnished and copper tone gold clothes that will be seen everywhere through the Thanksgiving and Christmas season.  Wide cuffs are morphing into even more complex wrist formations of filigree or chunky dimensions. Initially when the cuff trend was first spotted most wrist cuffs were vintage pieces of costume jewellery, or low cost plastic or crystal pieces. As the trend for jewel cuffs has flourished, so has the talent of craftsmen designers. Delicate and artistic cuff bangles are becoming more readily available