your notes on dupe culture are spot on. people often only think about dupe culture in terms of luxury items, but many small creative brands suffer from this as well. Shein for example has copied designs from many small brands and it does cause damage
The complexity of the knock off/dupe situation as it relates to Chanel; it’s hard to not chuckle at a retailer that blindly keeps raising their prices, whilst their resale market is tanking and dupes are proliferating. The Chanel situation is a live action “The Emperoress has No Chanel” and yes, all of the issues you site are valid. But haven’t they done this to themselves? $10k for a bag that was $3k five years ago? Are they paying their workers equal raises to pricing? What is the transparency of cost to raise to $10k? And if the bags are worth it, why aren’t they reselling at the comp price??? So many questions.
The use of the word “dupe” drives me crazy because by using it in place of “fake” or “counterfeit” it makes the practice of buying a knock-off sound more socially acceptable and less…illegal. Using “dupe” to define similar products within a category - not truly dupes at all - encourages a kind of brand idolization, as if there can only be one true quilted handbag and all others are just dupes to varying degree.
I completely agree with you on defining what's a replica/dupe vs a similar item within a broader, generic category. The messy thing about how Fashion deals with the counterfeit issue is that so many designers themselves will knock off other designers, who's got the moral high ground to do the policing? It's a complicated issue for sure that has only gotten worse with the rise of overseas super fakes (the Reddit thread communities around high end handbag dupes are pretty eye opening!)
I'm so excited for the Me + Em expansion! I've been stalking them online for while now, but I hate buying clothes on line, so I haven't bought anything. I'm dying to visit their store in Soho this summer. (Also wish Boden would open a store in the U.S., too.)
Now is so the time for Boden to open!! Seeing a bunch of products in person really does make a difference. Good luck with visiting Me + Em. They have great pieces and are appropriately priced.
I LOVE the Amanu sandals but I have to say- I tried them on in one of my local boutiques last weekend and they KILLED. The foot jewelry is not well placed…sad! I hope they fix for future styles.
I tried the style you have in your collage- the toe ring and the gold hardware strap across the middle of the foot. I have a regular width borderline narrow foot and I found the middle strap to absolutely kill. The way the hardware hits the side of your foot is instantly painful! Hopefully it’s just a me problem as I love the shoes and I think Anita (the designer) is wonderful!
Fun to see Rue de Verneuil mentioned! I randomly came across their store while strolling Paris years ago. They make great bags with so many interesting variations. I’ve purchased a few small totes over the years I’ve used heavily and they feel special yet practical.
I appreciate brands that make distinctive items of high quality that are in a mid range price point. Loeffler randall comes to mind and Clare Vivier for accessories. Skatie swimsuits. Banjanan and Farm Rio for dresses. Tory Burch shoes. I don’t really see dupes of any of these brands in the wild. Maybe some LR ballet flats but the quality is obviously different on the dupes which is easy to notice.
Yes! I love all of these examples. I have a Banjanan dress and love the quality, design and price point. Farm Rio is another great example too. (and love their collab with Adidas! so fresh and cool.) The Loeffler Randall idea brings up the great point of a category. Ballet flats, unless there is an ornament (a la Tory Burch medallion) it is hard to tell one ballet flat from another. But the LR shoes in general have a great POV and unique design that is loved and appreciated by their customer.
Fashion manufacturing that is affordable (China) requires very sizable orders, and we all know the abuses that happen in that system (even if labels care, "good" factories often subcontract to factories that aren't). Indie designers are pretty much SOL, it's too expensive to run a small business this way, and forget trying to source sustainably. The system is broken. Until this gets solved, we are going to see many smaller labels shutter.
your notes on dupe culture are spot on. people often only think about dupe culture in terms of luxury items, but many small creative brands suffer from this as well. Shein for example has copied designs from many small brands and it does cause damage
I really hate seeing independent and small brands ripped off.
The complexity of the knock off/dupe situation as it relates to Chanel; it’s hard to not chuckle at a retailer that blindly keeps raising their prices, whilst their resale market is tanking and dupes are proliferating. The Chanel situation is a live action “The Emperoress has No Chanel” and yes, all of the issues you site are valid. But haven’t they done this to themselves? $10k for a bag that was $3k five years ago? Are they paying their workers equal raises to pricing? What is the transparency of cost to raise to $10k? And if the bags are worth it, why aren’t they reselling at the comp price??? So many questions.
You are right - so many questions. I’m sure costs of materials have gone up, but yes. Are salaries increasing at the same rate???
The use of the word “dupe” drives me crazy because by using it in place of “fake” or “counterfeit” it makes the practice of buying a knock-off sound more socially acceptable and less…illegal. Using “dupe” to define similar products within a category - not truly dupes at all - encourages a kind of brand idolization, as if there can only be one true quilted handbag and all others are just dupes to varying degree.
So true!
I completely agree with you on defining what's a replica/dupe vs a similar item within a broader, generic category. The messy thing about how Fashion deals with the counterfeit issue is that so many designers themselves will knock off other designers, who's got the moral high ground to do the policing? It's a complicated issue for sure that has only gotten worse with the rise of overseas super fakes (the Reddit thread communities around high end handbag dupes are pretty eye opening!)
I want to go dig into these Reddit threads now. Yes!!
I'm so excited for the Me + Em expansion! I've been stalking them online for while now, but I hate buying clothes on line, so I haven't bought anything. I'm dying to visit their store in Soho this summer. (Also wish Boden would open a store in the U.S., too.)
Now is so the time for Boden to open!! Seeing a bunch of products in person really does make a difference. Good luck with visiting Me + Em. They have great pieces and are appropriately priced.
I LOVE the Amanu sandals but I have to say- I tried them on in one of my local boutiques last weekend and they KILLED. The foot jewelry is not well placed…sad! I hope they fix for future styles.
Interesting! Great feedback. High instep? Any additional details that might help? Thanks! xx
I tried the style you have in your collage- the toe ring and the gold hardware strap across the middle of the foot. I have a regular width borderline narrow foot and I found the middle strap to absolutely kill. The way the hardware hits the side of your foot is instantly painful! Hopefully it’s just a me problem as I love the shoes and I think Anita (the designer) is wonderful!
I am not remotely in the field and this was such a great flow and breakdown of fashion happenings. Striped shirt is gorg!!
Thanks! Thrilled you found it enjoyable 😊
Fun to see Rue de Verneuil mentioned! I randomly came across their store while strolling Paris years ago. They make great bags with so many interesting variations. I’ve purchased a few small totes over the years I’ve used heavily and they feel special yet practical.
Fabulous brand! Love that this makes it easier to purchase internationally
I appreciate brands that make distinctive items of high quality that are in a mid range price point. Loeffler randall comes to mind and Clare Vivier for accessories. Skatie swimsuits. Banjanan and Farm Rio for dresses. Tory Burch shoes. I don’t really see dupes of any of these brands in the wild. Maybe some LR ballet flats but the quality is obviously different on the dupes which is easy to notice.
Yes! I love all of these examples. I have a Banjanan dress and love the quality, design and price point. Farm Rio is another great example too. (and love their collab with Adidas! so fresh and cool.) The Loeffler Randall idea brings up the great point of a category. Ballet flats, unless there is an ornament (a la Tory Burch medallion) it is hard to tell one ballet flat from another. But the LR shoes in general have a great POV and unique design that is loved and appreciated by their customer.
i think they are confusing acceptance and acknowledgement (re. dupes).
Fashion manufacturing that is affordable (China) requires very sizable orders, and we all know the abuses that happen in that system (even if labels care, "good" factories often subcontract to factories that aren't). Indie designers are pretty much SOL, it's too expensive to run a small business this way, and forget trying to source sustainably. The system is broken. Until this gets solved, we are going to see many smaller labels shutter.
So true and such an important detail of the equation