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Shoppers eager for the latest trends may face this dilemma from time to time: Do you fork over the $750 for a designer pair of shoes or settle for the $129 knockoffs? Well, designers are fighting back. They want a law protecting them from piracy. Zac Posen backs the proposed legislation but also thinks imitations are not always such a bad thing. Diane von Furstenberg says “the lack of strong laws in the United States has made it a haven for piracy.”
Which do you choose when given the choice between a knockoff and the real deal? Have your say…
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The Wall
It will be depend on several things. If am in a market for cheap product with just an appearance only. Then, why not buy a cheap one?! It’s a designer’s failed opportunity for not creating a cheap version of a same one to serve that level of market, or my need for that case. Also, if i’m in a market for a high quality product as a gift for someone who care about quality, i will not buy a knockoff product, assuming that a knockoff product has a poorer quality. In general, we are looking at several things here: price, quality, and needs. Fighting against priracy is one thing, but how effective would the fighting be will depend on how well those components in the market being fulfilled.
Many people think chic is only about high-end fashion and end up buying knock-offs. Knock-offs are NEVER ok, both morally and stylistically. What the buyers of knock-offs don’t realize is that by sporting them they are the opposite of chic (i.e. tacky). Chic is about pulling great pieces together and pulling it off. Also, those who are truly chic can spot a fake a mile away. Let’s face it, if you have a full set of “Louis Vuitton” luggage and you’re flying coach, I’m going to guess that your luggage came from the back of a store in Chinatown. Instead, start with a reasonably-priced designer item and work your way up. Example: RL Lauren tote -> Longchamp tote -> Gucci tote. Add a little style with a dress from H&M, go to Century 21 to pick up accessories, and you’ve instantly become chic.
The talented people who create things the rest of us can’t are the ones who move our world forward in every sense. Whether they design clothes, make music or write software, they are entitled to earn a living from their work. Just as in any other profession, the more and better their creations, the more they should be rewarded.
What to do about piracy, especially when the pirates are in another country? Every time a bogus item is caught, tighten the inspections on EVERY package or container from that country just a little more until the honest companies there demand that their own governments crack down on the pirates.
Why pay $300 for Designer Jeans “Made In China”, when the knockoffs, also “Made in China” are$60.00?
If Designers are serious about their ‘image’ and value their labels, they should have the products made at home (US or Europe).
I think that the people who are most inclined to buy designer’s overpriced garments value them as status symbols – and thus will continue to pay the high price even with knockoffs available.
The knockoff industry does not steal customers from the designers. Instead they introduce the products to a new clientel who would simply go without if faced with the steeper prices. I think these designers need to think long and hard about what the American general public is really willing to pay for their goods, because I think they have missed the point of the discussion.
always buy the knockoff!! Why would any sane person pay $750 for a pair of shoes?!?! If designers don’t want folks knocking off their gear then put it out there for a reasonable price!
The problem with this sort of legal protection is that it can lead to stifling creativity and creating a small market of monopolistic bullies. Yes it is wrong to copy a garment exactly in cut and color and try to make a buck off it, but you can’t say “shell gray bubble dresses are mine” or “no one else can ever use a similar print to this in jeans because I thought of it first.” That leads to a world of crazy.
It is a matter of value: If the original designer produces a much better product than the copy, I will tend to go with the original. If the copy is near the quality of the original, it depends on the price difference.
Sometimes the “copies” are actually made in the same factory, and the only difference is the lack of the famous name and a price tag of half or less, then the copy by all means.
While I generally support the concept of intellectual property, the present laws are absurd: The duration of a copyright should be tailored to the type of intellectual property, and related to the amount of time it remains in “print.”
A 100 year copyright might be reasonable for a book which remains in print for decades, but insane for a dress which is made for months.
Ha! What’s next? Copy protection for the design of baked goods? If rich snobs and wannabes want to pay ridiculous prices for uncomfortable clothing, let them. They might think everyone is envious, but we really are just laughing behind their backs at their pretentiousness and gullibility. $750 for something that protects your feet from sharp objects? What a hoot!
You want to know who’s the immoral and dishonest people here? It’s the designers and their labels who rake in a ton of cash for their ridiculously overpriced items, living in luxury while having their products made by ridiculously underpaid Chinese workers who make barely enough to survive.
But anyway, Apkiwa is right :
“I think that the people who are most inclined to buy designers overpriced garments value them as status symbols – and thus will continue to pay the high price even with knockoffs available.”
People who buy knockoffs usually do so because they can’t afford the original anyway, so designers aren’t really losing out either way.
Let all dress in our own vain way.
Let’s face it; designer shoes as well as anything with a designer label are nothing but status symbols. I highly doubt it costs a designer more than a hundred dollars – if even that – to create his 800-dollar shoes. It’s a bit like diamonds. They’re worth so much because they are “rare” although after watching Blood Diamond even that can be disputed. Thus, designers are mainly worried about knock-offs not because the fear they are loosing money to the knock-offs, but rather, they fear their product will become too mainstream and loose it’s unique and limited edition status. A millionaire does not want to be wearing shoes that just anyone can get their hands on.
Let’s get to the heart of the issue. We should not allow clothing and accessories to define us, nor let our bodies be used as billboards. If you wear someone’s name, wear your own. Mom and dad would be so proud!
Fashion recycles designs anyway. Every designer is ripping off one another whether it is current season or 10 years ago (why are spandex leggings back????) and calling it a “modern take”. Why aren’t they suing each other for intellectual or design rights? Words like vintage or classic which I hear every season would never be used.
If the devil wears Prada, then may they also wear Prada knock offs!
And please… somebody give that runway model a sandwich!
Boy, for $750 you should be able to see the shoes right through the box!
hey jilly,
Here’s a thought, maybe you should get yourself a better job….
xoxo
Shoelover
Hey shoelover,
Here’s a thought..maybe you should get yourself a better soul. Shallow, pathetic little twit.
I’m with SemperFi on that one. As for brand names. Dont buy em. At least not in season. If I need a suit for work or something like that then I’ll go to one of the outlet stores where they clear out the stock of previous seasons. Bargins for price and you get the reliability that these brands are supposed to present. Quality for example.
But buying clothes for chilling out and not meeting clients etc I go with the uinbranded stuff you get at the store for a fraction of the price. Chances are they are made at the same factory but just didnt have the label attached. And they look the exact same again except for the label which tends not to be seen on things like Jeans and Shirts etc.
Time was a brand name gave assurances of quality and the like. Now they are staus symbols. If they help me get a client then ok I’ll buy into it. Business is business. Other than that forget about it. Quality has taken a back seat to the bottom line unfortunately. Then again who can blame them. Gotta feed youself first in this day and age.
Well that got preachy. Sorry guys.