Critics of Hand Tooled Leather?

I was given a gift certificate to Nordstrom, and I bought myself an expensive beautiful Brahmin purse which was on sale for half price. The purse is made of hand tooled leather, and the design looks like mock crocodile skin. It is specially done by the artists at Brahmin, and it is quite realistic. I've been scorned and ridiculed for having a purse that looks like crocodile, and when I tell them it is made to look that way by artists, I am told that it is unethical for leather artists to be making something that looks like endangered animals. This happens at least once a day by someone. Yesterday I was told that I should give the crocodile his skin back, and today I was told that I was lucky they didn't have a can of red spray paint. So I am wondering, do you think it is unethical for leather artists to make goods that look like crocodile skin? Am I hurting the cause of an endangered animals by using this purse?