Bethenny Frankel has issued a stark warning to her followers – urging them to buy knockoffs instead of the real, expensive designer items.
The Skinnygirl mogul, who owns a plethora of Hermès and Chanel bags herself, shared her thoughts in a new video posted to TikTok this week, where she boasts more than 1.8 million followers.
She began the clip by explaining that she was giving everyone permission to wear knockoffs.
‘Why? Because I think that the luxury brand space has reached the point of exploitation,’ Frankel began.
‘Exploiting the insecurities of women where they’re gonna feel whole or secure if they can flex a shopping bag that contains something that costs $50, maximum to make, that costs tens of thousands of dollars,’ she said.
The former Real Housewives of New York star stated that this was just insane, and compared it to what’s happening right now in the makeup industry.
Frankel noted that nowadays, many drugstore beauty brands are making dupes of some of the popular products from high-end brands that might be found in Sephora, which is something that’s been normalized.
But she noted that in the fashion industry, it’s not the same, as people typically look down upon dupes or knockoffs.
‘There are some brands that are expensive but haven’t gone off the total deep end, like for example, I think Valentino does a good job,’ Frankel said.
‘I can afford anything I want, and I’ve gotten to the point where some of the crazy, insane, expensive pieces I know it’s an insult to everyone’s intelligence and I won’t let you do that,’ the BStrong founder continued.
She urged people to buy what they want and wear what they like with pride.
Frankel said that she wore brands like Vince Camuto and Steve Madden, and even showed viewers a pair of beige braided sandals she had bought that were dupes of a pair by designer Bottega Veneta.
‘A brand that increases their prices from $5,000 to $10,000 in a matter of years when the bag costs $50 to make, all bets are off with you wanting to wear any knockoff you want,’ the former reality star said.
‘Because they’re taking advantage of you and they’re insulting your intelligence, as a consumer and a woman.’
In the comments section of her video, many agreed with her take on the current state of designer items, lamenting that they were just too expensive.
‘I sold all my designer bags. Over all of it,’ one person wrote.
Another agreed, ‘Oh I’ve been on this. The second I could really afford the real thing I invested in stocks and bought the fakes.’
‘Noooo it has become unaffordable. A handbag is equal to a rent,’ someone else typed.
Others even complained about the wear and tear of their real designer items.
‘My LV $2500 purse handles started peeling in 8months. I’ve had TJ Max bags last years,’ one user admitted.
Another claimed, ‘The edges of my Gucci Marmont mini bag is already peeling off. the bag is not even that old and I only wear it on the weekend… Such a bad quality.’
Frankel’s video comes just weeks after she was denied entry to the Chanel store in Chicago.
She came to the store in casual clothing but a a security guard allegedly wouldn’t let her enter because she didn’t have an ‘appointment.’
‘”Hello? Do you have an appointment?”‘ she recalled the man saying, and she compared him to the hulking Lurch from the Addams Family films.
‘I’m like, “No, I don’t have an appointment. I have a credit card. I have a bag of Garrett’s popcorn, a basic b**** purse. Am I not allowed to come in at 3:54 on a Tuesday?” Evidently not,’ she said.
She later went back dressed in head-to-toe Chanel and was allowed in, but promptly left without even taking a look at anything.
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