With the rise of super-fakes flooding the marketplace, imitations are becoming harder to detect - not just with marquee and legacy designer brands, but even those from cult & downtown favorite brands like Khaite, Jil Sander, and The Row.

The pervasiveness of these super-fake bags contribute to a global counterfeit trade estimated in the trillions and worsen environmental issues linked to fast fashion, as well as threatening players in the luxury market like The RealReal, whose reputation and reason for being is built on authenticity.

Working with Mythology, The RealReal sought out to spark conversation about authenticity in fashion and consumer goods with a conceptual retail exhibition that includes actual counterfeit handbags from luxury brands like Dior, Louis Vuitton, Loewe, Telfar, and Hermès “caught” by The RealReal’s Authenticity Team and put them on display in a “storefront” on Canal street in NYC’s Lower Manhattan.

Design Notes & Inspiration:

The RealReal tasked Mythology with creating an exhibition on Canal Street that would serve as a captivating, educational installation that could highlight the prevalence of superfakes. The brief sought to spark conversations about the authenticity of luxury goods, draw attention to the craftsmanship behind real vs. counterfeit items, and illustrate the risks they pose to both consumers and the environment.

To meet people & the culture where they were at with these pursuits, the concept needed to sit at the crossroads of retail, art, and education, aiming to engage the public while raising awareness of the company's commitment to authenticity. As our dialogue with The RealReal deepened, we uncovered a resonant theme: the question of "what’s real?"—It’s a nod to the brand’s namesake while tapping into the broader cultural zeitgeist surrounding fakes, from AI-generated deepfakes to other forms of deception—, making the conversation more relevant than ever.

The resulting concept, with the focus on “superfakes,” was born as an installation of highly convincing counterfeit bags sent to The RealReal being put on display - viewable only from the street - with a closed storefront and a QR code for more information.

U.S. Customs seized $2.7 billion worth of counterfeit goods in 2023 & with the flood of super-fakes in the marketplace, The RealReal has identified and removed 250,000 counterfeit items since its founding in 2011. By inviting both opening party guests & passers-by to “Ask Yourself What is Real” - this exhibition encourages reflection on the nature of authenticity, counterfeiting, and its wide-reaching effects on both the fashion industry and the global economy.

The location of the installation was also tied to the concept – as Canal Street is known for its counterfeit goods, this made it an ideal spot for this installation & on select dates, visitors could trade in counterfeit bags for a chance to win an authentic secondhand bag.

At the closing party, artist Tanner Leatherstein cut up the bags on display & send them to Creative Growth to turn the bags into works of art.

All told, the exhibition was “open” and originally set to run from mid-June through early September, the height of tourist season in NYC, and has recently been extended to run through the month of October to extend the life of the campaign, conversation & buzz around the project.