Date Presented

Spring 4-2026

Document Type

Thesis

First Advisor

Dr. Stefan Nicovich

Second Advisor

Mr. Frank Whitehouse

Third Advisor

Dr. Elizabeth Sharrett

Abstract

With the rise of technology and innovation in the 21st century, the luxury market, more specifically the luxury handbag market, is shifting due to a rise of counterfeit products. These counterfeits are no longer cheap knockoffs that are simple to tell they are fake, but rather are high quality “superfakes”. Superfakes give consumers access to the luxury appearance and persona without the full cost, which is where the appeal lies. This challenges leaders of the luxury handbag market, such as Chanel, Gucci, and Goyard, as it negatively affects their exclusivity, authenticity, and brand value. Since resale and counterfeits blur the line between what is real and what is fake, should consumers today support counterfeit luxury bags? And why are these consumers so inclined to purchase them? The normalization of these counterfeit bags weakens exclusivity and authenticity for the brand, which in turn forces them to adjust their strategies within the realm of pricing, branding, and authentication. This shift ultimately changes the value of genuine luxury goods drastically. The stakes of this are significant. If counterfeit bags become more widely accepted than they already are, luxury brands will lose their sense of exclusivity, which is what makes them so sought after in the first place and is central to their identity as a brand. At the same time, consumers will start to prioritize appearance over authenticity, diminishing the role that luxury bags have as status symbols. Counterfeits do not simply imitate luxury brands, they are actively reshaping how consumers perceive them. To better understand this, this project looks at both consumer behavior and the response from brands such as Chanel, Goyard, and Gucci. By having a focus on something that has both symbolic meaning and economic value, this research will explore how authenticity, status, and value are presented in a market that is increasingly defined and overcome by imitation.

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