Vintage has become very popular with the fashion folk, and for good reason! Many vintage designs were ground-breaking and of remarkable quality. But, not all vintage is equal!
During the 1970's and 1980's many design houses took to licensing out their name to other companies. These other companies made products with the designer name on them but they were not of the same quality of the items manufactured under the auspices of the designer.
Sometimes these products are difficult to spot. Take these Lanvin boots pictured. They are clearly marked "Lanvin" and look to be of significantly better quality than counterfeit goods. But, the way that the Lanvin logos are used is not the way they are normally used and they say "Made in Mexico" instead of "Made in France." Surprise, surprise, these are licensed products!!
During the 1970's and 1980's many of the licensed products were only intended for the Latin American market and were never intended to reach the American, East Asian or European markets. But, over time these products travel and wind up in the hands of people all over the world.
When shopping for vintage, be sure to consider whether the products are licensed products. Licensed products are legal but they usually are not of the quality that you would ordinarily expect out of vintage designer items, so make sure to have realistic expectations. But, they can be beautiful, collectable and are the real thing!
Picture courtesy of the ebay seller "highendwarehouse"
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