Advances in computer know-how -- the ability to "reverse engineer" almost any product -- mean that as soon as a luxury product develops a cachet there will be a band of forgers with the technology and resources to copy it.

CNN: Counterfeiters zoom in on fake Ferraris

"Though I didn't end up becoming an engineer, knowing how to design an engine is interesting to know for my job today, " he suggests.

WSJ: Herve Van Der Straeten's Design World | Designer