The Death of Luxury Fashion: Part 2
Interviewing the Insiders: How TikTok Dupes, Tariffs, and China Are Rewriting American Fashion
“How can we blame the human desire for wanting to be seen?”
MUST WATCH INTRO:
How will Trump’s tariffs affect fashion? Will Americans start buying bags directly from Chinese manufacturers? Is the Chinese Government telling the truth? Is fashion dead?
I called up my friend Gina Garcia, founder of Hot Mess Rescue, a mission-driven home decluttering and organization service. and she said exactly what I was thinking: “Let’s interview some experts in the field!”
Gina came over and we podcasted from my wobbly dining room table, interviewing three of her friends—all experts in the fashion world. Despite their different backgrounds, they all shared one core value: buy it nice or buy it twice. Each stylist emphasized the same thing: invest in quality over quantity.
Watch the following three interviews to learn more about the “Death of Luxury:”
Interview with Kirsten and Eddie Prosser, OnQueStyle
What happens to upscale consignment shops if these new rumors are true- if fakes are being made in the same factories, with the same leather, just without the markup? And when they’re this good, will even seasoned authenticators be able to tell?
Gina and I sat down with Kirsten and Eddie Prosser, owners of OnQueStyle, a high-end consignment boutique in Corona Del Mar. If anyone can spot a fake through a cloudy Zoom call, it’s them. I pulled out three bags- a Chanel, a Lanvin, and a Vivienne Westwood. Time to put their skills to the test!
They zeroed in on the fake immediately: the one I picked up on the sidewalk of New York. “Toss it!” they said. The bag was falling apart after just a few years and barely any wears—the strap snapped, the clasp was so fidgety my keys and wallet kept falling out. It’s as fraudulent as they come: dressed professionally but actually a full-blown liability. Every time I wear it, I lose something, my keys, credit cards and boyfriend’s patience who’s sick of me having to request a new Bank of America debit card every month.
Did you know that carrying a counterfeit designer bag in France could lead to arrest? I didn’t either until Kirsten brought this up during our call. Apparently, flashing your knockoff LV duffle in Paris isn’t just tacky- it’s a criminal offense. French law hits hard: fines up to €300,000 and up to three years in prison just for possession. Imagine getting cuffed at Charles de Gaulle because your fake Birkin couldn’t pass customs. Très chic, you embarrassing tourist!
Kirsten warns: leave the replicas at home unless you’re trying to turn your European getaway into a French prison drama. And even if your bag is real, don’t get too comfortable—designer thefts are rampant on trains hopping between countries.
Perhaps the most important takeaway from this interview: Eddie validating that purchasing dupes may contribute to the underground human trafficking ring associated with counterfeit goods.
From the Homeland Security Website:
“The rapid growth of e-commerce has revolutionized the way goods are bought and sold, allowing for counterfeit and pirated goods to flood our borders and penetrate our communities and homes. Illicit goods trafficked to American consumers by e-commerce platforms and online third-party marketplaces threaten public health and safety, as well as national security. This illicit activity impacts American innovation and erodes the competitiveness of U.S. manufacturers and workers.”
“Combating Trafficking in Counterfeit and Pirated Goods,” was prepared by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Office of Strategy, Policy, and Plans. The report uses available data, substantial public input, and other information to develop a deeper understanding of how e-commerce platforms, online third-party marketplaces, and other third-party intermediaries facilitate the importation and sale of massive amounts of counterfeit and pirated goods. The report identifies appropriate administrative, statutory, regulatory, and other actions, including enhanced enforcement measures, modernization of legal and liability frameworks, and best practices for private sector stakeholders. These strong actions can be implemented swiftly to substantially reduce trafficking in counterfeit and pirated goods while promoting a safer America.”
Interview with NYC-Based Stylist Megan Averbuch, Style50
Gina and I hopped on Zoom with NYC-based stylist and sustainable fashion expert Megan Averbuch, who’s gearing up to launch her new venture, Style50, this fall. The brand will spotlight a glaring gap in the industry: the lack of a central hub connecting consumers with high-quality, Made in America fashion. At a time when Americans are running overseas for luxury finds, Megan wants to bring the focus back home.
“Every other country supports their makers. I just think we just don’t support our makers,” she said, applauding Italians and the French for supporting local brands.
Megan believes the tariffs will still affect even “Made in America” brands, who manufacture in the USA but still source some of their fabrics overseas. But beyond the logistics, Megan sees a bigger challenge. “You’ll walk to the farmer’s market and buy a $20 avocado shirt, but you won’t buy a shirt that will last more than three washes.”
She was spot on in her breakdown of why fast fashion never feels quite right. I always thought it was in my head—how I somehow feel 10 pounds heavier in a cheap t-shirt—but apparently, I’m not crazy. Vintage and designer pieces are actually cut to fit the human body more naturally.
“They’re not made with thought,” she said of fast fashion. “They’re made seam to seam. They’re made boxy. They’re made with one pattern.”
In contrast, vintage clothing was designed with real life in mind. “In vintage fashion, you’ll always see that there’s seam allowance. If a woman gets pregnant she should be able to wear the dress throughout pregnancy and take it in after.”
Bring back function and form!
Megan enjoys luxury without the snobbery. “At every price point, there are good bags,” she says, rejecting the “Mean Girls” energy that’s crept into fashion culture. For her, it’s all about “the find,” “the story,” and collecting one-of-a-kind pieces that feel personal.
She knows no one’s overhauling their closet overnight. Instead, she reminds us: “The most sustainable pieces in your closet are the ones you’re wearing over and over.” It’s not just about what you pay—it’s about how often you actually wear it.
Megan’s Favorite Made in America Designers Right Now:
Interview with Gina Garcia of Hot Mess Rescue:
For the first time in my life, I haven’t been in the mood to shop. Clothing is boring me. It doesn’t matter how many cozy Elwood crewnecks pop up on my explore page, I’m not impulsively adding them to cart like I used to. Frankie’s Bikinis 30% off sales aren’t hitting. Maybe I’m getting older. Maybe it’s just a phase. Or maybe I’m still absorbing the advice I received from Gina last October.
Gina Garcia, who also goes by her artist name GinaLLC, took me along with her to a homeless shelter in Santa Monica last October, shadowing her while she organized the shelter’s basement boutique. I watched her methodically transform an overflowing room of clothes into something functional, thoughtful, and accessible- so residents could actually shop with dignity. That day, she gave me a crash course in America’s consumption problem, and I haven’t looked at my closet the same since. Even the homeless shelters in America have too much stuff. We saw it during the California wildfires—people were dropping off bags of unwanted clothes by the truckload, to the point where evacuation centers literally had to ask the public to stop donating. It wasn’t generosity. It was guilt disguised as decluttering.
The bottom line is this: we, as Americans, need to stop spending money on shit we don’t need and start shopping our own closets. Trust me- you have more than you think you do.
Gina is available for bookings in Los Angeles and Orange County.
How Americans Can Save Fashion
Americans, the fashion gods are testing you. Can you resist a $47 “Birkin” that smells like burnt plastic? Can you say no to an influencer with a ring light attachment promoting a discount code for a shirt that won’t last more than three washes?
This is your shot to resurrect fashion. To break the Temu dupe loop and rock your favorite suede jacket that’s somehow survived 40 drunken nights.
If “Made in America” is too pricey, there’s always thrift stores.
The movement to consume less isn’t about minimalism. It’s about meaning.
MAKE FASHION MATTER AGAIN.
And the best way to do that? Wear what you already have.
Follow our fun guests:
Megan Averbuch, Society50
Gina Garcia, Hot Mess Rescue + GinaLLC
Let us know if any of our guests opinions changed your minds on the current TikTok trend. Do you ever plan on saving up for a designer bag? Do you see designer bags as investments? Or are you still tempted by TikTok’s $1000 Birkin promise? Leave a comment below in the no judgement zone.
Wonderful job. In an unrelated matter, but kinda "fashion adjacent," I neatly folded my 2 shirts, 1 hat and one bumper sticker and put them in an Elmo basket with a note and 3 thin stalks of stinky, dying flowers with a note saying "Taking out the trash." I drove to HIH and left the basket in the front seat of her van. I emailed photos to a substack notice from you. Not sure if you received them or not. If you want them, let me know and I'll be happy to text them to you. :)
I love your writing Emilie.
And if I may share my outsider’s perspective: it seems like HIH/Apartment built her brand on the crossover between “pop culture deep dives” and where it intersects with breaking through to the news cycle. (One of the main reasons I “used” to enjoy following her) The past year or so, it seems like much of those pieces were handed off to you or other writers.
Your pieces are what I’ve enjoyed most while she was on the campaign trail, so please keep it up and don’t stop. You do an excellent job here and I look forward to all these articles. They’re entertaining and fascinating.
There are many of us here that appreciate you sharing your truth through all the drama. Thank you. 🙏🏼