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FEATURED ARTICLES           Thursday, September 09, 2010                                Email to a Friend

Fashion’s Insincere Flattery

Erica Cupido

On a recent trip to New York, my friends and I had distinctly different destinations in mind. While I prepared to take on Museum Mile, my friends agreed to explore what the city’s famous flagships and shopping strips had to offer: Macy’s, Bloomingdale’s and even Canal Street came up on their tentative itinerary. It was obvious that they were about to see designer lines, followed by their knock off counterparts.

Designer imitations are nothing new in the fashion industry. New York-based fashion blog Fashionista.com regularly posts ‘Adventures in Copyright’, pairing original items with their consumer copies. Fashion magazines have always featured budget-friendly ways to achieve runway-inspired looks. Yet the issue of imitation in fashion continues to spark debate between designers, manufacturers and shoppers. Viewpoints continue to clash between those who love to shop and those who find imitation to be an insulting attempt at flattery. As students, we might share a dream to someday be able to afford those coveted items, but what we don’t necessarily share are similar points of view. Let’s talk fashion.

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The Budget-Conscious Dresser:

Looking great at a reasonable price is the ultimate concern for the Budget-Conscious. You think items that are clearly inspired by the likes of Prada or Burberry are an instant way to update a wardrobe. Knock-off bags or shoes help elevate a look while keeping it on trend. Plus, there’s no need to worry when the must-have item fades into the back of the closet, because it served its purpose for the time being. While not necessarily being able to recognize the designer influence in a piece, the Budget-Conscious Dresser imagines he or she being flattered by the fact that a certain manufacturer made a re-incarnation of his or her creative vision accessible to the masses.

Another way that the Budget-Conscious Dresser gets his or her fix is by shopping from capsule collections or collaborations such as those with Target or H&M. These collections are separate from the imitation debate because they are used to sell prominent designers’ limited edition lines at major retailers. Thakoon Panichgul, Roberto Cavalli and Proenza Schouler have each had tremendous success with their collections for Target or H&M. While the Budget-Conscious might not intentionally seek out designer names, the combination of style and satisfactory pricing are what add up in your closet.

The High Fashion Fan:

You know that Steve Madden’s black leather gladiator heels were imitation Dior and not just “the ones Carrie wore in the Sex and the City movie”. It’s not about shopping or wearing designer clothes for you - its about the knowledge that comes with understanding who inspired the details that you see on clothing from Zara or Forever21. The High Fashion Fan would rather wait until the day he or she can afford to purchase a luxury handbag, than carry one with the label stitched on backwards. Knock offs sacrifice the quality of the item as well as the workmanship. High Fashion Fans would side with the designers, who continue to fight to bring attention to the issue of imitation. Current Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) President, Diane Von Furstenburg, has been advocating extending copyright laws to include fashion. While author and journalist Dana Thomas, described knock offs as one of the factors that led to the decline of the luxury goods industry, in her 2007 book Deluxe. Knock offs are to be avoided when updating your wardrobe, until the day you can have the satisfaction of owning the real thing.

The Window Shopper:

Isn’t this what fashion is all about? Fashion to the Window Shopper is about recycling ideas in order to make them appear new again. Seeing an item from a distance, he or she has little reaction to the concept of fast fashion coming from high fashion sources. Designers are constantly being inspired by elements around them, but what depends is just how much of that idea is recognizable in the finished product. Therefore being truly original in fashion is almost an unattainable feat, and the Window Shopper might be quick to remind others of that.

Copyright and fashion will continue to be a contentious issue that affects various aspects of the industry. Where consumers may benefit, designers may be disadvantaged. Ultimately, as students and consumers, we are all trying to develop our individual style. But keep in mind, if you’re going to rip someone off, there’s no guarantee that they’ll be flattered.

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