If imitation is the finest form of flattery, designers globally should be truly humbled. Fake designer wear is rife in almost every country you could happily shop in, and AskBronny would hazard a guess that whilst on holiday, most of us have either purchased, or have seriously considered purchasing, a less than legitimate version of something we desperately wanted, but just couldn’t afford.

You only need to look at the likes of eBay and MonsterMarketplace to see that business is booming for counterfeit couture!

There are some labels that are copied worldwide, and some designers have even claimed to be pleased. One such label stated that the replicas found on the gang members and cool yet poor streetwise kids in the USA demonstrated the power of their brand – so powerful that if you can’t afford the real thing, you are prepared to wear a fake. They have a point.

In the wonderful world of fakes, these are AskBronny's top three!

1. The bag
The designer handbag is, for many, one of the most aspired to and most unattainable designer item. When you are living on beans and trying to look your best, the thought of dropping $3k on a bag is probably a tad too frivolous a concept. Designer bags and purses are readily available, and often so alike to their genuine version that it’s difficult to tell the difference. Which explains their popularity. The United States and many an Asian country have rampant replica industries and walking through popular tourist traps will provide many an opportunity to partake in the purchase of phoney handbags, amongst other things. Sex and the City’s Samantha’s ill fated trip to California highlighted the lure of the fake handbag and beamed the reminder into homes around the world. Unlike poor Samantha’s fake Fendi humiliation, most of us are unlikely to ever step foot in a place like the Playboy mansion, let alone be removed from it due to a fake designer incident! So the risks of sporting a pretty good designer knock off are minimal.

Many fake handbags are such good imitations that most of us would be hard pressed to spot the difference, even after rummaging through the insides of the bag looking for seals of authenticity and internal branding. Brands such as Louis Vuitton have had to establish websites informing their customers how to tell the difference between real and fake. So you can be reassured that unless your friends are incredibly wealthy designer groupies, your replica will probably be considered real.

2. The sunnies
Oh the glorious fake Prada! The knock off Chanel! Legitimate designer sunglasses, although much more affordable than most designer handbags, are still pretty expensive. This makes the fake versions much more attractive, obviously. I have desperately wanted Prada sunnies for a million years, but with my track record of throwing sunnies into beach bags, scratching them with car keys whilst they lie unprotected in my handbag, or sitting on them accidentally, the thought of spending $500 on the ultimate pair only to hear them snap under my ass in the car is too much for me to bear. Apparently if you do fork out that much you tend to take better care of them, but I’m not sure I believe that. I am still lazy. In fact, I was once given a pair of Gucci sunglasses that I am so scared of damaging I rarely take them anywhere. Or if I do, I feel like a total snoot for putting them into a case before I put them away. For these reasons, replica designer sunglasses are everywhere and hallelujah for that! The little circles that look like Chanel Cs from a distance, the shape of a great pair that makes them look like Morrissey, or the tint that makes them look like Chloe, the designer sunnies provide the style without the price tag, or the concern over breakage.

3. The watch
Who doesn’t know someone who owns a fake Rolex? I think we all do. The fake designer watch is probably the most commonly sported item. Some fakes available in New York’s Chinatown are such accurate replicas that they even have a serial number engraved! They cost more than most of us probably want to pay for a fake – around $300USD, but compared to the price of a real one, I suppose it’s quite a bargain. And the beauty of the expensive knock offs is that most people will honestly believe you managed to acquire yourself a Rolex, before turning six hundred, with your own cold hard cash. I know a guy who actually tells people that he inherited his fake Rolex! Another believable story if your friends will never believe that you live on beans, but wear a watch that costs as much as a house deposit.

Fake can be fun, but ultimately the legitimate items are always more fun. (And you get them in nice packaging.) But for most of us, a lot of designer wear is but a distant dream, and if an imitation purse or sunnies is going to lift your spirits and make you feel like a million bucks, there are plenty of places to get your fix.

Although AskBronny does have to be responsible and point out that in the best interests of the fashion industry, fakes are actually damaging to business and illegal, even Paris Hilton was recently “exposed” for wearing fake LV whilst frolicking in the Sydney surf. An LV rep claimed “"I haven't seen the white one, but being who she is there's little chance this isn't an original', but this doesn’t sound like an all-out rumour quashing statement to me. And if it’s good enough for Paris, surely the rest of us can follow suit!