Why it’s worth investing in authentic design rather than fakes

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I have a confession: years ago, when I was a lot less clued up about design and its value, I bought a replica of Ludwig Mies van der Rohe’s famous ‘Barcelona’ chair. I’d admired it for ages and couldn’t see the problem with ordering a £300 fake when a £6,700 authentic one was out of my reach. Then it arrived, and I realised the error of my ways. The webbing was made from ugly nylon, the upholstery looked more like plastic than leather, and it was so wobbly that it proved almost impossible to sit on.

It’s a mistake I’ll never repeat, but I know just how easy it is to give in to the temptation of what looks at first glance like a bargain. And there are so many fakes out there: type the name of any iconic design into Google’s ‘Shopping’ search and most of the results will likely be knock-offs, couched in language like ‘inspired by’ or ‘in the style of’ to get around copyright laws. They’re often accompanied by biographies of the designer, and in many cases display photos of the original rather than the replica. In fact some of the descriptions I came across while researching this post were so misleading that it would be almost impossible for anyone without a good knowledge of design to tell what’s what.

So, in a world awash with copies, why shell out for authenticity? To find out, I’ve teamed up with Nest.co.uk – an independent retailer with a fantastic collection of furniture, lighting and home accessories, where you can be assured you’re buying the genuine article.

Firstly, every designer, from the 20th-century greats to lesser-known talents at the start of their careers, deserves to have their work honoured. The most enduring pieces are the result of years of research, development and refinement, and to my mind creativity and innovation should always be celebrated rather than cheapened by forgeries.

What’s more, as my cautionary tale demonstrates, the lower price tag means much lower quality. There’s no way manufacturers of fakes can cut costs to such an extent without using poorer materials and techniques, and even though you’ll spend less in the short term, you’ll probably end up replacing whatever you’ve bought within a year or two. Authentic pieces, on the other hand, are timeless investments: they’ll last for decades to come, and hold or even increase in value. And you never know where, how or under what environmental and labour conditions the knock-offs have been made.

Delving a bit deeper into the topic, I’ve taken a look at a few of the most often-copied pieces from Nest.co.uk’s range below, exploring the stories, craftsmanship and ideas that make them so special. For each, I’ve also rounded up some more accessible alternatives that are available for a similar price to the forgeries, showing that it’s possible to invest in authentic design no matter what your budget.

Harry Bertoia’s chairs

I’m starting with two personal favourites that I have in my own home (shown here): the ‘Diamond’ chair and matching side chair, created for Knoll by Italian-American artist Harry Bertoia in the early 1950s. He came up with their flowing, lattice-like grid while playing around with a piece of wire and it was extremely innovative for its day, when most chairs were made from rigid wood. They became an instant hit but proved to be Bertoia’s only furniture designs, as he soon turned his attention to sculpture and public works.

Bertoia’s chairs have been in continuous production ever since their launch and the intricate techniques involved mean they start at around £750. Knock-off versions can be picked up for as little as £150 but most are instantly given away by their lack of angle-cut grid wires and overlapping prongs. So, if you like the open, wire-frame look but your budget won’t stretch to the real deal, take a look at these authentic alternatives rather than being tempted by a fake:

1. HAY’s ‘HEE’ dining chair, £148.50, and lounge chair, £182.75 | 2. Menu’s ‘WM String’ dining chair, £176, and lounge chair, £200 | 3. Vitra’s ‘DKR Eames Wire’ chair, £318.75

Poul Henningsen’s ‘PH5’ lamp

Danish designer Poul Henningsen began collaborating with lighting manufacturer Louis Poulsen in 1925 and created numerous lamps over the course of his career, but his 1958 ‘PH5’ pendant is perhaps the most famous. It’s said he was inspired by his mother’s dislike of harsh incandescent bulbs and set about devising a flattering, glare-free light. To do so, he surrounded the bulb with five separate aluminium shades that disperse the light in every direction, and curved them to ensure no visible transition in brightness. He also hid a blue reflector and a red cone within the heart of the lamp, neutralising the yellowish tint of the bulb and producing a warm, natural glow.

The ‘PH5’ is worth every penny of its £685 price tag, but if you can’t stretch that far there are plenty of more affordable yet no less iconic pendant lamps on the market. Here are just a few examples, all available for around the same price as a fake ‘PH5’:

1. &Tradition’s ‘Copenhagen’ pendant, from £157.25 | 2. Verner Panton’s ‘Flowerpot’ pendant, from £174.25 | 3. Gubi’s ‘Semi’ pendant, from £192

Charles and Ray Eames’ lounge chair

Mid-century modern greats Charles and Ray Eames modelled their leather and moulded-plywood lounge chair on traditional English club chairs. It was originally created for a friend of the couple, the film director Billy Wilder, and they spent several years honing the design to ensure the perfect balance of elegance and comfort. It’s said that when Charles Eames invited film producer Julian Blaustein to test out a prototype while reading scripts, he soon fell asleep – much to Blaustein’s embarrassment and Eames’ delight.

The chair was officially introduced to the world on American TV programme The Home Show in 1956 and has been made by Vitra ever since. The complicated process involves 47 different steps, from gluing and pressing multiple layers of veneer to hand-cutting and stitching the leather, so it’s easy to see why prices start at £4,500. It’s also easy to see why so many people buy knock-offs, which cost anything from £400 to £1,000, but the quality just isn’t there. If you’re looking for a statement lounge chair for that kind of price, how about one of these instead?

1. Cuero Design’s ‘Butterfly’ chair, from £400 for a canvas version or £860 for a leather one | 2. Carl Hansen & Søn’s MG501 ‘Cuba’ chair, from £587 | 3. NORR11’s ‘Elephant’ chair, from £999.20

Achille Castiglioni’s ‘Arco’ floor lamp

Italian designer Achille Castiglioni was known for combining a playful aesthetic with practical solutions to common problems – an approach that’s exemplified by his ‘Arco’ floor lamp, created in 1962 with his brother Pier Giacomo. It was intended as a freestanding alternative to overhead lights and Castiglioni took his inspiration from streetlamps, which can project light a considerable distance away from their base. The resulting design has an adjustable aluminium shade on a sweeping arch-shaped arm, balanced by solid Carrara marble. It weighs around 65kg and isn’t easy to move so, in typically inventive fashion, Castiglioni incorporated a hole within the base to allow two people to carry it using a broom handle.

At £1,710, the ‘Arco’ is one of the most copied lamps of all time, but replicas are generally easy to spot due to their lack of precision and imitation marble. So, instead of spending a few hundred pounds on a flimsy fake, why not buy one of these authentic alternatives?

1. Marset’s ‘Funiculí’ floor lamp, £191.20 | 2. Anglepoise’s ‘Type 75’ floor lamp, £225 | 3. Fritz Hansen’s ‘Caravaggio Read’ floor lamp, £361

Hans J. Wegner’s CH24 ‘Wishbone’ chair

Another favourite of mine, the CH24 ‘Wishbone’ chair was conceived in 1949 and has since become an icon of Scandinavian design. One of five chairs created for Carl Hansen & Søn by legendary Danish modernist designer Hans J. Wegner, it’s instantly recognisable thanks to its Y-shaped back and woven seat.

The £440+ price tag of a true ‘Wishbone’ is more than justified by the craftsmanship involved in its production, which is largely done by hand at Carl Hansen’s workshop on the island of Funen and involves 120m of natural paper cord. Copies range from £150 to £250, but they’re made from cheaper synthetic cord and generally feature glued sections of wood rather than one steam-bent curve; many also sport thick layers of paint or varnish to hide their clumsy construction. If you’re looking for an elegant wooden chair for a lower budget, these authentic designs make much better investments:

1. HAY’s ‘J104’ chair, £175 | 2. &Tradition’s ‘Pavilion’ chair, from £225.25 | 3. Ferm Living’s ‘Herman’ chair, £239

George Nelson’s ‘Bubble’ lamps

Often referred to as a ‘founding father’ of modernism, American designer George Nelson created his ‘Bubble’ series in 1947 to illuminate his new office. He was inspired by a newspaper photograph showing ship sails being sprayed with a resinous lacquer for protection in storage, and within days he had tracked down the spray’s manufacturer and developed his first prototype.

The resulting design consists of a spherical metal cage covered in lacquer and a thin layer of plastic, creating a translucent ‘skin’ that emits a soft glow. Authentic versions start at £441 and are timeless investments. But if you want a beautifully shaped pendant that produces diffused light and don’t have that much money to spend, I’d recommend one of the below rather than wasting £100-200 on a knock-off ‘Bubble’:

1. Muuto’s ‘Fluid’ pendant, from £155 | 2. Artemide ‘Castore’ suspension lamp, from £172 | 3. New Works’ ‘Lantern’ pendant, from £179

You can find a wide range of authentic designs at Nest.co.uk – there’s something to suit all budgets, and they ship to more than 100 countries. And I’d love to know your thoughts on this topic. Have you ever bought a fake, and if so did you regret it? And which iconic pieces are at the top of your wish list?

Bertoia chair images and final ‘Bubble’ lamp image by Abi Dare; all other photography via Nest.co.uk