Fabulista Wonders: The Point in China Made Bags (Is There One?).

There is a reason why people maletiers (professional luggage makers) began their craft. Travel has always been a treacherous and bittersweet adventure – more then than now though. The last thing a traveler wants to worry about is a split luggage in the middle of a journey.

That is how investment in a quality luggage began. That is the raison d'être for all maletiers – Louis Vuitton and Goyard to name a couple. However, somewhere along the way, fashion and stylishness crashed right through the front door of the houses and design of the canvas and leather became a factor.

This is also one of the many reasons why I invest in designer bags. Apart from Louis Vuitton and Goyard, other houses like Prada and Hermès begin as ateliers with their reputation built around craftsmanship and quality of their stitching and leather. Therefore, buying their creation and products is investing on quality and peace of mind when using and traveling.

Being in the industry that espouses and purveys fabulousness, I know that certain parts of China are known are for their craft and workmanship. For example, Shanghai is a province that is traditionally synonymous with excellent carpenters and tailors. Wood joints are seamless and done without nails, bolts or screws. Clothes are sewn where the hems and seams are almost invisible. However, most of the rest of modern China is agriculturally, industrially or commercially related. Generally speaking, not much of communist-China is linked with refined handiwork. Therefore, if you ask me, then I’d have to honestly remark that China is neither Italy (for leather) nor France (for couture) in terms of quality workmanship.

This brings us back to the topic of maletiers. Many of the fine designer houses we know have shifted their production to China. This is done for financial reasons of course; labour in China is dirt-cheap. Imagine 2 billion people, of which those aged between 18 and 45 (a conservative bracket) are clamouring to be gainfully employed – being sick and tired of being sick and tired after a day’s back-breaking farm work. Labour is plenteous and cheap.

Unfortunately, unlike established places like Italy and France, where generations of people have learnt their craft and skills have been honed, refined and passed from their parents and child, China’s has a general digital dexterity, relatively speaking, where hands and fingers are no different from toes and soles.

It is precisely for this reason, and more, that I am wondering. Why would anyone, worth their salt in fabulousness purchase a made in China reticule or luggage? These products are crudely made and exhibit conspicuous flaws when compared with their continental counterparts.

Unless, of course, it is as we suspect, the people who choose to purchase those items are genetically deprived of the fabulous gene and therefore, pathetically have none to speak of.

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Houses known to have China-made bags (non-exhaustive):

Furthermore, China is also known as one of the land where counterfeit and replica bags flow. Websites blatantly flaunting sales of counterfeit stuff are rampant. Just try and google the name of a designer bag and the first sites that are listed are those offering replicas and counterfeits – it is quite literally, a web of sadness.

So, would you still want a MADE IN CHINA bag?