Fashion Copying: STORE/BRAND

by: Alyssa del Rosario

 There are positive and negative affects when it comes to fashion copying/knock-offs.  Well- known retailers, such as Zara, Forever 21, H&M, have the authority to profit from other designers.  In reference to my personal experience, I have been to Zara for a few times and I have noticed a lot of knock-offs in their stores.  I oftentimes wonder why the original designer is not taking action on this situation.  At the same time, I though about how this will benefit people that can afford this.  Fashion is an everyday thing where many influencers are everywhere.  Although, this seems wrong in different ways, this can also benefit others.  Look-alikes in retail stores are being sold for a much cheaper price, which can help people afford clothing styles that celebrities wore.  In an article, “The Copycat Economy,” written by Helena Pike, she stated, “The fact that near-identical copies of luxury fashion designs are available on the high street dilutes luxury labels’’ brand equity and makes their products less desirable.”  She is implying that customers are more drawn and tempted to by a particular clothing choice at a much cheaper price.  In this case, there is a negative effect that pertains to this.  Loss of sales affects the designer due to the knock-offs of different clothing styles.  “When the design is copied, it signals to the market that this is going to be a trend, and even more copies are produced.” (Pike)  Sometimes customers would buy particular clothing because they see it as a necessity.   Majority of the time, customers are more beneficial in the fashion industry because designers learn along the way to understand what is needed or not needed. 

There are many different kinds of retail stores that would copy and make look-alikes to sell to customers.  I decided to narrow down my focus to Urban Outfitters.  Although I did not shop there before, I have read and heard stories about how they would take stolen products to make it their own.  Urban Outfitters is a popular trendy store that attracts different types of customers.  They are known for ripping off famous designers for their works to use as “inspirations.”  In an article, “Urban Outfitters Continues Their Grand Tradition Of Ripping Off Designers,” written by Jason Linkins, he states, “The bad news is retailers like Urban Outfitters are straight up stealing the fruits of their labor.”  Following this quote, there was a story on this article discussing how Urban Outfitters stole an idea off a jewelry designer that created a pendant with the state of New York and its heart that is cut out.  In reference from the same article, “Koerner’s pendant is called” I Heart New York,” and Urban Outfitters line is called “I Heart Destination Neclaces.” (Linkins)  Urban Outfitters has copied many other businesses, whether they are big or small, the retail stores find a way to redesign the whole concept that was created by the designer.  This type of business shows that it is a “normal” thing to do when different retail stores would follow the same rule that copying is a “good thing.”

Stay tuned for the next blog post, where I will be discussing Patent Protection and Copyright!!😄 

Works Cited:

Linkins, Jason. “Urban Outfitters Continues Their Grand Tradition Of Ripping Off Designers.” Huffington

Post, HuffPost, 26 May 2011,

www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/05/26/urban-outfitters-steal_n_867604.htm 

Pike, Helena. “The Copycat Economy.” The Business of Fashion, 14 Mar. 2016,

www.businessoffashion.com/community/voices/discussions/what-is-the-real-cost-of-copycats/fashions-copycat-economy

Picture: 

https://www.retailgazette.co.uk/blog/2017/11/urban-outfitters-posts-record-sales-in-third-quarter/