Realness in fashion has become a rare commodity. It seems like there are so many ways that retailers try to sell image to consumers, and that consumers in turn try to trick the world. Spanx will suck you in and smooth you out so that clingy dress won’t reveal a beer gut. On eBay, you’ll see promises of authenticity on goods that look like they could be sold out of the back of a pickup. Plastic surgery and photoshopping in magazines have become so common among celebrities and models that enhancement-free cleavage starts to look a little like “two of these things are not like the others.”

An open-air market in Turkey for counterfeit goods. (Maricela/Picasaweb.com)

Fakery is omnipresent and things are rarely what they seem. But when image is king, does it matter if it’s real?

We believe there is inherent value in being genuine and knowing you’ve earned the image you present. Now more than ever, there is moral courage in accepting what you have and living within your means without pretending to be something you’re not.

However, if that’s not enough, there are now also very good ethical reasons to treasure authenticity.

In this issue, we examine the social and environmental costs to faux, whether it’s a fake watch or a fake fur coat.

Some designers are getting tough on counterfeiting and taking the battle to the courtroom. Madison has the full report on the companies that have had enough.

If your know anyone who believes that buying a “Goach” bag or a Gucci design from Canal Street is harmless, forward them this article about the ways these fakes are manufactured and exported all over the world. The truth makes it hard to look at that pretense to luxury the same way again.

And guest contributor Elizabeth Suda, a bag designer from New York, writes from Laos about her experience learning traditional weaving techniques from a master artisan. It’s a story that makes you realize how important it is to preserve a place for heritage in a world being taken over by synthetics.

Also, as a sidenote, EthicalStyle.com will be publishing new issues twice monthly from here on out. Check back in two weeks for new content and, as always, head to the blog if you can’t wait until then.