London suggestions 3

I think more went wrong with latest London post, than comments being switched off.

A comment from an Andrea, gave me a lot to think about. I wrote about the teenager's craving for fake brand handbags, as opposed to my looking for craft galleries. I was ironic, and now I need to clarify that I am not ok with copying design. The only fake thing I have ever owned, was a gift from a friend some ten years ago. As a joke he bought me a Rolex covered with diamonds, a souvenir from Bangkok, I was very happy about it. The fake gold worn off in one evening and we had a good laugh.

I think originality is worth it's price. But in my teenager's world brands are everything and for her school friends a fake brand is like a brand in itself, the original Gucci is so totally out of reach for them. What I find most hard is the sad look of all the kids who wear brand uniforms, to fit the approved style at their different schools. It takes a lot of self esteem to go your own way and the pressure is high.

The teenager and I think differently about many things: shopping, consumption, sustainable living etc. My job is to tell her, the best that I can, my values. I hope that she and her friends will be, with age, proud and courageous women who make their own handbags.

And I'll try to make it more clear when I'm ironic from now on. And think I'll leave the teenager out of this blog.