About Designer Knock-Offs
Some people call designer knock-offs lookalikes, replicas or reinterpretations. Others call them piracy. Either way, the creation and sale of knock-offs of high-end designs is a multibillion dollar industry, and consumers show no sign of tiring of scoring copied styles on a budget. Does this Spark an idea?
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Types
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While there is a booming industry selling replicas of designer favorites, there are also those fakes that are sold as if they are the real thing. The most affordable and popular designer knock-offs are sold at chain stores, such as H & M and Banana Republic, featuring accessible, modified versions of the styles spotted on catwalks and movie premieres. The most infamous knock-offs are bags, but there are plenty of outfits, shoes, watches and jewelry that are copies of designer originals. There are even designers, such as ABS, that create knock-off versions of formal gowns worn by celebrities on the red carpet. The company Faviana recently banged out a version of a $15,000 Versace gown worn by Penelope Cruz at the Oscars. The price tag was a mere $400.
Features
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The typical features of a designer knock-off are the cuts, patterns and colors offered by the original designer version. The hardware on bags or the fabric on clothing is typically an inexpensive version of the original. Most designer knock-offs do not feature a tag with the original designer's name on it, although the tag may be in a similar color or have the same lettering style as the original.
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Benefits
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The benefit of fashion knock-offs is that a person can sport some serious bling without maxing out a credit card. Bags that retail for thousands of dollars can be had for under a hundred dollars. Another benefit of knock-offs is that they can actually hit the stores sooner than the pieces that inspired them. Finally, some replica producers argue that the lucrative designer knock-off industry keeps an interest in fashion alive.
Misconceptions
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For those who think designer knock-offs are relegated to those who seek out bargains in city alleyways or street markets, think again. Faux is not an underground phenomenon. Replicas and reinterpretations of designer styles are featured magazines such as "Lucky," "US" and "Rolling Stone," and almost every fashion magazine has featured a story about how consumers can recreate a designer look with more affordable separates.
Expert Insight
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There is a lot of discussion, mostly on the part of designers, high-end retailers and fashion magazine editors, over the ethics of purchasing knock-offs. Designers argue that making replica bags is tantamount to copyright infringement. Under current United States law, an entire design cannot be copyrighted, but elements of a designer's creation can be registered as trademarks. Selling exact copies (some with designer labels attached), is against the law, and there has been many an eBay seller or city street vendor that has had inventory snapped up and been taken to court.
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