Alexander McQueen

This past summer, I got some FANTASTIC Alexander McQueen clutches, the Skull Box and the Knuckle box from my factory rep.  He sent them to me and told me that I should enjoy them for myself as these bags are EXPENSIVE!  So, being cheap, I asked him how come McQueen bags were costing so bloody much?  I also went around the internet and found that NONE of the other major replica handbag sites were selling McQueen.  Gee, now I know why.

I thought I would leave Mr. McQueen be since he was way too expensive and, up until recently, I have not had a lot of people asking about the line. 

Lately, and mostly this September, I have been inundated with requests for Alexander McQueen. Folks, I have to tell you that this line is SUPER DUPER expensive.  It's not my doing.  No, I am not greedily counting all the money I make from this line.  I can honestly say that after all is said and done, due to the high price of these handbags, I am lucky if I get lunch money out of it.

I have put the McQueen bags on the site tonight.  They retail for, umm, are you sitting down?  Good.  $325usd and that includes a new home.. Just kidding!  That only includes shipping to Canada and the US.  Everywhere else is gonna be $20.00 extra for shipping.

So are they worth it?  Well, to be honest:  YES!!  If you want a really modern, contemporary and SUPER hip clutch, this is the bag to get.  No doubt.  I am amazed at how well the replica has been put together. 

I went to the US last weekend SPECIFICALLY to find a boutique that sells McQueen merchandise so that I could compare.  Okay, let me rephrase that.  I went the US last weekend SPECIFICALLY to find a boutique that sells McQueen merchandise, WITH VERY FEW SALES REPS, so that I could compare my replica to the real thing!  There.   Happy?

So here's me, taking in a replica bag, to see the McQueen merchandise.  I checked the following things:

1. Weight of the bag;
2. Closing strength of the clasp;
3. Close resemblance to the skull on real to replica;
4. Crystals versus python skin quality;
5. Quality of whole replica versus real.

This is what I found out.  To me, a bag like the Skull Box clutch needs to weigh about the same as the original bag.  A serious weight discrepancy would look and feel "cheap" to me.  The two clutches weighed the same.  I liked that a lot.  That was a big thing for me.

Next was the clasp.  I need to buy a bag that I know won't cheap me out in the clasp down the road.  Nothing is worse than a broken replica and / or a replica bag that won't close properly!  I hate that.  The clasp on the replica was very good.  Tight but not absurd that you need your husband or two girlfriends to open it.  It was normal and it stayed "clasped" even as I have dropped it to the floor to ensure that it can take some bump and grind.

The replica and the real bag look very much alike. I saw no differences from a distance at all.  I usually can spot something but in this case, I saw nothing.  Even the shape and cut out of the skull in the metal looked the same.  I checked that to be sure since I that too would be important to me. 

To me, the Skull and Knuckle Box with the crystals FAR OUTWEIGHED the embossed python.  Again, I have written this many times but if you want to give the impression that you're carrying a genuine bag, then don't buy replica bags with exotic skins.  In any replica, despite what some sites tell you *more on this in next post* all exotic skins are also replicated.  That means they are simply embossed with the pattern of the animal.  Crocodile is "mock croc", alligator is embossed alligator, python and snake and ostrich are simple embossed as well.  No replica on this planet, NONE, uses real exotic skins.  If you want a genuine looking McQueen clutch, go with the one with the crystals.  The real bag does have Swarovski crystals.  The replica I have DOES NOT.  I don't know why other sites lie about this stuff.  I guess they're hoping that either people buy their BS or that they don't question it. 

Alternatively, if you're like me and don't care about what other people think but dig exotic skins (yet have issues with exotic animals dying for my handbags - don't ask.  I'm complicated like this), then an exotic skin bag is fine.  Now, also keep in mind that only a small percentage of people in this world know the difference between embossed leather and real exotic skin.  Not every Tom, Dick and Harry that you meet will even know. 

This is the one I have in real life and used to compare to the genuine McQueen.

Quality of the whole bag versus the replica is VERY GOOD.  I would not hesitate to get the replica McQueen clutch.  In fact I'd prefer it.  The real bag sets you back about $2,000USD.  Yikes.  For a clutch!  For a bag that you're gonna use ONLY for nights out, not everyday!  Yikes.  Double Yikes. 

All Alexander McQueen clutches are on the site now and retail for, well, umm, *looks down and whispers* $325usd.

Happy Shopping!!