Believe it or not, some people defend the counterfeiting of luxury goods—an unfortunately common practice. Proponents argue that counterfeiting makes in-demand styles accessible to more people, and they shrug off it as not much loss to the big, billion-dollar companies behind the brands.
But the truth is, counterfeiting affects businesses of all sizes—and it does have an unfavorable impact on shoppers. According to the International AntiCounterfeiting Coalition (IACC), “The lost sales and profits that result from this unfair competition translate directly into lower wages and lost jobs, as well as higher prices for consumers.”
Parisian jeweler Marie Lichtenberg has taken on counterfeiting by producing more affordable versions her own iconic lockets. Lichtenberg introduced the Raiz’in collection in 2023, after seeing a wave of poor-quality copies on the market. “Raiz’in is a true ‘counterfeit’—studied, developed, distributed, and loved by us” she tells JCK.
With Raiz’in, Lichtenberg offers jewelry with “the same irreverent style, the same high levels of craftsmanship, made with different materials, to beat the counterfeiters at their own game and ensure that more of you could wear our lockets,” according to the brand’s website.
This week, the 2024 Raiz’in collection was released, just in time for the holiday season and now available from raiz-in.com and the Southern California retailer Maxfield. The new pieces feature an evil eye and sunburst motif, as seen on some of Marie Lichtenberg’s scapular pendants made with 18k gold and precious gemstones. But the Raiz’in scapulars are made of 24k gold–plated brass and enamel, with mother-of-pearl or glitter resin for added sparkle. And their prices start at less than $500 (versus thousands for the Lichtenberg 18k gold originals).
“These are no cheap knockoffs,” says the Raiz’in website. “They are made in France using jewelry expertise and retail at €350–€390, reflecting our attention to detail and uncompromising quality—and they’re also a chance for us to give back.” The company will donate a portion of its profits from the Raiz’in collection to Make-A-Wish France, the organization serving critically ill children.
“Raiz’in is the opportunity for us to reinvent our classics while making them accessible and useful for a good cause,” Lichtenberg says. “Beyond the fun, Raiz’in is useful…. For once, counterfeiting will help fund something other than terrorism or drug trafficking.”
The new line of Raiz’in necklaces comes in six different colors, with three different sizes of pendants. See them all here.
Top: The Raiz’in collection offers budget-friendly “counterfeits” of Marie Lichtenberg’s iconic pieces so more consumers can experience their exquisite charm—and the brand gives some of the proceeds to Make-A-Wish France.
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