Tags
Alexander McQueen, Carven, Copying, Copyright, counterfiet, Gucci, Guess, H&M, Kock off, Louboutin, Miu Miu, Prada, Snooki, Steve Madden, trademark, YSL
“Imitation is the best form of flattery!”
Apparently not, considering the number of brands involved in legal battles with each other over copying issues. In the recent past there was the Louboutin and YSL case( I side with YSL on this one), now currently Gucci has taken Guess to task for “flattering” them a little too much.
Before the moral police are up in arms, let me clarify that I am against blatantly knocking off products especially like the case above where Guess sneakily tries to create a similar logo which is borderline trademark infringement so am pretty sure Gucci will trump this one. But let’s look at the big picture here, have you wondered why the fashion industry does not have as much copyright protection unlike say electronics or pharmaceuticals? Here’s something to chew on – The virtues of copying(Not to be confused with counterfeit please) 🙂
H&M(left) loves Carven a little too much 😉
1. Deny it all you want but copying is one of the reasons, fashion is available to everyone across the board.( It’s no secret, every one does it- from other designers, from vintage, from their own archives) If not it would be restricted to only those who can afford the Chanels and Guccis of the world.Snooki pays “tribute” to McQueen. I don’t even have to tell you which is which here.
2. Designers and brands know they are going to be copied all the time and this pushes them to up the ante and innovate products that are more unique and difficult to copy. 
Steve Madden (right) does a version of the Miu Miu shoe
3. Trends turn over faster. Once a style hits the masses, the “fashion innovators” dont want to stick with it and immediately find something else to obsess over. Think about it! 
4. We would have no Zara and H&M and that would be a real shame! 🙂
I know every time people see a knock- off of a designer(take any of the examples above) there’s a huge debate on how it takes away from the reputation and sales of the original brand. Well, some one asked Tom Ford exactly the same question and he simply said “The person who buys the knock off isn’t our customer.” I have to agree with him. I feel well established designers dont hurt as much from their high street counter parts ripping them off, it’s only up and coming designers(like the ones on Etsy) who might have real issues when they fall victims to this age old practice 😦 Btw if you haven’t already judged me by this point, let me add that if I could afford the original I would buy it in a blink!(smiles weakly):)
