For a long time, I thought knock-off designer handbags, clothing, shoes, and accessories were not only morally ok, but also a great way for me to look chic and sophisticated. How wrong I was.
While there are a range of views on the issue of fake designer-wear, I am firm in my belief that knock offs may make you look chic (to the untrained eye who can’t spot a fake in seconds), but there is nothing sophisticated with supporting the plagiarism of countless hours of work and creative energy high class designers put into their collections.
As a writer, I would be horrified if I saw a story I wrote re-printed, either completely or partially, under someone else’s name. And this is for work I maybe spend 10 hours on, at most. Obviously, my horror can’t compare to a designer’s upon seeing their work knocked off, when their product took hundreds of people weeks to make.
The cheap street vendors in New York and the purse parties are bad enough, but what makes me cringe is when reputable stores and designers with the ability to be original decide to take the easy way out and copy.
For instance, this morning, Laura Nelli of Nelle Handbags, a seriously fabulous local handbag and accessories line, tweeted how one bag (and possibly belts) in the new line by Jaye Hersh for Target were ripped off from other designers. For instance, the snakeskin bag:
Jaye Hersh Hollywood Intuition for Target Faux Snakeskin ToteWhile there are a range of views on the issue of fake designer-wear, I am firm in my belief that knock offs may make you look chic (to the untrained eye who can’t spot a fake in seconds), but there is nothing sophisticated with supporting the plagiarism of countless hours of work and creative energy high class designers put into their collections.
As a writer, I would be horrified if I saw a story I wrote re-printed, either completely or partially, under someone else’s name. And this is for work I maybe spend 10 hours on, at most. Obviously, my horror can’t compare to a designer’s upon seeing their work knocked off, when their product took hundreds of people weeks to make.
The cheap street vendors in New York and the purse parties are bad enough, but what makes me cringe is when reputable stores and designers with the ability to be original decide to take the easy way out and copy.
For instance, this morning, Laura Nelli of Nelle Handbags, a seriously fabulous local handbag and accessories line, tweeted how one bag (and possibly belts) in the new line by Jaye Hersh for Target were ripped off from other designers. For instance, the snakeskin bag:
(From StarTribune.com)
"Jenna" Beirn HandbagYou can decide for yourself, but while not an exact replica, it’s close enough that Laura tweeted that Beirn lawyers are addressing the situation.
This has happened before with Target, and while I love my hometown’s local retailer it upsets me that a large store with so many resources allows knock-offs on their shelves. Another example is Steve Madden, who can produce some beautiful original designs, but also takes “inspiration” from designers for a lot of his shoes.
Another reason I find knock-offs worthless is because they are so easy to spot. Just a few weeks ago, I saw a girl walking downtown with a “Chanel” handbag. Too bad for her, the C’s were stamped on and the leather was visibly fraying. Obviously not Chanel. If you can’t fool people with it, why buy it?
While I wish I could afford a Chanel bag right now, I would rather wait and save my money than blow it on a knock-off. They say imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, but when it comes to ripping off designers, I can find other ways to appreciate their work.
What does everyone else think? Do you buy fake? Why?
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