Let’s be real, those Bottega Venetas are investment pieces. Like, *serious* investment pieces. Seven grand for a tote? Honey, that’s a down payment on a car! So, what’s a girl (or guy, no judgement here) to do? Find a dupe, duh!
Now, the key here is “dupe,” not “fake.” We’re not talking about dodgy back-alley deals and sticky-looking “Bottega” logos. We’re talking about finding something that captures that same *aesthetic*, that same feeling, without trying to pass itself off as the real deal. Think “inspired by” rather than “counterfeit.”
Mango, bless their stylish little hearts, seems to be stepping up their game. I saw those “Woven Bag Braided Leather Bag” and the “Structured Shopper Leather Shopper Bag” pop up and thought, “Okay, Mango, I see you.” Are they *exactly* the same? No. Does the quality compare to hand-woven Italian leather? Probably not. But at £149.99 and £79.99 respectively, they’re a heck of a lot more palatable than seven THOUSAND.
And honestly, let’s be real-real, most people aren’t gonna know the difference. Like, Aunt Mildred who still thinks “influencer” is a disease? She’s definitely not clocking the difference in the weave. And even your fashion-savvy friends will probably just think, “Oh, cool bag!” unless they’re, like, examining it with a magnifying glass.
Plus, (and this is my personal opinion, so, you know, take it with a grain of salt) sometimes dupes are just… more practical. I mean, would *you* actually want to take a £7,000 bag to the grocery store? Imagine spilling milk on it! I’d have a heart attack. A Mango dupe? Spill away! (Okay, maybe not spill, but you get the point).
The article also mentioned the “cassette bag” and “by jodie bag” and yeah, those are super popular for the dupe scene. You can find all kinds of padded, woven-ish, similar looking bags online. Just be smart about it! Read reviews, check the materials, and don’t expect it to last a lifetime.
