Knockoffs in the Fashion Industry
Keeping on top of trends and being “in fashion” has preoccupied men and women throughout history. Average consumers cannot afford to fill their wardrobes with the current styles set by top designers like Armani, Yves Saint Laurent, or Prada; however, they still want to wear clothing that is current and trendy. This is where the knockoff comes into play. Fashion teacher Lauren Michel defines the term knockoff as distinct from counterfeit items, writing, “Counterfeiting is making a copy of someone else’s design, be it a dress or a handbag, and selling it while representing it as the real thing. A knock-off is copying another designer’s style, but not claiming to be the original designer item” (n.p.).
The function of the knockoff is obvious. As people peruse magazines like Vogue, see the designer items celebrities wear, and view the season’s fashion shows, they desire to wear the styles trendsetters are advertising as fashion that is of the moment. The price of a pair of Alexander McQueen shoes is out of reach for most people, but brands like Steve Madden provide styles that are similar to the high-priced original. Knockoffs are initiated almost as soon as the original designers’ models walk the runway. People may not be able to afford the McQueen shoes, but they are happy enough to buy a knockoff by Steve Madden because it is much more affordable while still being on top of the day’s favored trends.
There are many different opinions from legal experts and industry insiders as to the value of knockoffs for designers. Some experts such as Susan Scafidi, the director of Fordham Fashion Law Institute, have very strong words about companies succeeding with strong knockoff sales such as Forever 21, saying, “"Their design is swathed in mystery. . .But it probably looks a bit like a crime scene, with the chalk outline of the garments they're copying" (Riordan n.p.). Opposing opinions exist, however, as to the value of the knockoff to today’s top designers. In a doctoral thesis studying upper-middle-class women who purchased imitation Vuitton bags, MIT Marketing Professor Renee Richardson Gosline found that “within a couple of years, more than half of the women . . . abandoned their counterfeits for authentic items” (Fisman n.p.). In these cases, consumers are coming to the realization that the designer brand is actually of higher quality than the knockoff. They have become more educated about quality of design, and choose to upgrade to the original of their own volition. Harper’s Bazaar has its “Fakes Are Never in Fashion Campaign (FANIF)” and American legislators have tried to initiate the Design Piracy Prohibition Act with the bill H.R. 2196, and though they may impact knockoffs, their greatest effect would be against counterfeits (Wiley n.p.). However, many experts still conclude that there is little danger in the knockoff, because “For top-of-the-line products, imitation isn't merely flattery—it's also good for business” (Fisman n.p.).
In the long run, it is in the best interest of top designers to keep improving and changing trends. There are large groups of consumers that will never be able to afford their luxury items, but there is also a growing desire among the middle and upper middle class to purchase aspirational items from designer collections. Knockoffs will never go away, but the designers who set the trends will have longevity through the innovations they create that become classic styles of the future.
Works Cited
Fisman, Ray. “The Highest Form of Flattery.” Slate 30 May 2011. Web.
Michel, Lauren. “On Teaching Fashion: Counterfeits, Knock-offs, and Plagiarism.” Worn Through 27 Feb. 2009. Web.
Riordan, Staci. “Mean Girls: Knock Off Picking on Forever 21.” Fashion Law Blog 21 Jan. 2011. Web. < http://fashionlaw.foxrothschild.com/tags/knockoff/>
Wiley, Kenya N. “Fashion Crimes: Our Civic Duty to Fight Against Fakes.” Impact 2010. Web.
