tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1338566773986145305.post2401412348014645993..comments2024-03-25T16:29:39.343-04:00Comments on Shoe Daydreams: Knock-offs Are Bad for the SoulPoochiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08167548594949831865noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1338566773986145305.post-23657103516410441932011-08-23T08:09:20.224-04:002011-08-23T08:09:20.224-04:00Fakes are damaging businesses. Simply do a search ...Fakes are damaging businesses. Simply do a search on ebay for anything branded and there are tons of fake cheap tat that is taking business away from established brands! <br /><br />We sell <a href="http://www.bagable.co.uk" rel="nofollow">Kipling bags</a> and even they are being replicated!Chrishttp://www.bagable.co.uknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1338566773986145305.post-51605600988792326222009-11-29T14:06:49.518-05:002009-11-29T14:06:49.518-05:00This is a fantastic post! I have to agree with Jos...This is a fantastic post! I have to agree with Joshephine that all the knock offs and fakes just take the special away from the original. Not to mention the designers who put their soul into creating original designs. I rant about this on my blog alot mainy over Chanel fakes but the shoe thing is really starting to get to me. Fine having 'influenced' high street version but direct knockoffs and fakes are just not acceptable. <br />Claire raised a great point Ive never even considered, but yeah thats something to think about!<br />xPearl Westwoodhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00310931556911601009noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1338566773986145305.post-86973839394412015712009-11-28T16:44:10.556-05:002009-11-28T16:44:10.556-05:00Great post. One of the subcultures I have a foot i...Great post. One of the subcultures I have a foot in has a discussion about knockoffs regularly, and the big question that comes up there is "what about those who can afford the original, but aren't being catered to sizewise?" - people feel that sizeism within the fashion industry sort of balances out the moral scales when it comes to buying knockoffs. Do you agree, or not?<br /><br />I'm on the fence on that, to be honest. I would hate being knocked off or being asked to create knock off images, but I can sympathise with the plight of the ignored customer.Clairehttp://www.illustratorclaire.co.uknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1338566773986145305.post-25690473549742818552009-11-28T06:32:51.976-05:002009-11-28T06:32:51.976-05:00hi, I've only just discovered your blog, and I...hi, I've only just discovered your blog, and I am really enjoying all the posts on this topic - it's a tough one for sure. To add my two cents, I spent my final design project of university this year researching a lot of sociology behind the fashion industry, identity in fashion and fashion retail, and unfortunately Birdie, the research I did disagrees with you. Copies <i>always</i> dilute the original idea - they make the original less powerful, it severs the link between original designer and consumer and doesn't allow the designer to convey the message that they initially intended as powerfully. And from a consumer's perspective, it's no fun having the original pair of, let's say McQueen's, if the girl walking down the street next to you, has the $200 Wittner pair on and you can't tell the difference. You have paid money for an original idea and that is taken away from you. <br /><br />In terms of intellectual property, in fashion there is some hope and I think we should be holding onto that as much as possible. There are many other design professions where IP is practially impossible to police (my profession of Interior Design particularly). Design becomes a part of your life, and the designs you create are a part of your soul (apologies for the mush), and it is gut wrenching to have someone outright copy your idea when you have put in hundreds of hours, and late nights and stiff necks (designers who sketch will know what i'm talking about!) to reach that final outcome. <br /><br />I also think that it is degrading the talent of the "designers" who are working for these high street brands - I'm sure they have far more to offer than copies of others' work, and wouldn't it be so much more exciting if we had so many more styles to choose from. This is all coming from someone who can't afford designer shoes, I never have been, but that is OK with me - I would much prefer to admire them from afar until such time as I have the money to invest in an amazing piece of art, as these original shoes so rightly are.josephinehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11061764812499464229noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1338566773986145305.post-48588408439070691252009-11-27T18:19:21.619-05:002009-11-27T18:19:21.619-05:00Michelle
No problem. I know UO has a real rep fo...Michelle<br /><br />No problem. I know UO has a real rep for knocking off and I have never really shopped there. I do know that UO and Anthro are owned by the same company. I don't know as much about them copying or knocking off smaller companies. I try to keep my eye out there as much as I can so I can recognize the original versus a mass merchandiser copy. I have to admit I know more about shoes than clothes. I would much prefer to buy from the original creator if I can and I know about it. <br /><br />I think that's a part of why I like doing this series. It puts the information out there as you are doing with the fakes. We all can't see and research everything ourselves so I know I rely on the work other bloggers do to help inform my purchasing decisions.Poochiehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08167548594949831865noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1338566773986145305.post-30490987545553597322009-11-27T16:49:33.153-05:002009-11-27T16:49:33.153-05:00I have a question, Poochie, and though I'm sur...I have a question, Poochie, and though I'm sure it'll come out wrong I don't mean it in a snotty or accusing way - but how do you justify buying things from Anthropologie? After all, they're notorious for stealing ideas/copying things from independent designers (along with Urban Outfitters, and they're both owned by the same person), who arguably need the money quite a bit more than the huge names. <br /><br />Personally, as someone who's recently been screwed over by counterfeits, I don't find knock-offs as bad - at least you KNOW you're buying Steve Madden and not McQueen or Prada or whatever. As opposed to finding out you spent $75 on a pair of shoes that are constructed like $25 shoes and then not being able to get your money back. /sighMichellehttp://www.wicked-whimsy.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1338566773986145305.post-77845496816889363792009-11-25T15:12:38.261-05:002009-11-25T15:12:38.261-05:00While I'm not in support of exact copies of de...While I'm not in support of exact copies of designer shoes, I have to disagree on a couple points. First, I don't know of any copies that actually put a designer out of business. Fashion is fast and these shoes come and go quickly. If someone can't afford to buy the designer pair, they don't buy it at all, which doesn't support the business of the designer either. If someone can *truly* afford it, they aren't going to buy the knockoff just because it's way cheaper. The customer base for these companies are completely different, especially when a designer shoe can be 10x the cost of a knockoff. Not to mention, people buy designer shoes for the brand name, status and quality they hope to receive for the high price they are paying, separate from the actual look of the shoe. <br /><br />Also, knockoffs are nothing new, as one of the commenters suggested. It's been going on ever since apparel has been made for the mass market (this NYTimes article "O.K., Knockoffs, This Is War" from 2006 talks about that). It's just more visible now that we have the internet. I remember shoes like Keds and Reeboks being knocked off in the 80s and it's happened to Crocs, Puma, Adidas and plenty of other lower-priced shoes as well. I don't think people should overly glorify the designs of expensive designer shoes. Not all of their ideas are completely original and they often get inspiration from what's around them as much as anyone else. <br /><br />The article also makes a point of how people buy generic Raisin Bran in the store and it doesn't put Raisin Bran out of business - there's room for both.<br /><br />And then you start thinking about the imitation (both subtle and outright) that you see in virtually every facet of life - cars, iPods, movies, books, food, drinks, music, websites, that girl who stole your look in high school - and you realize that imitation isn't just flattery - it's human nature. So, I'm not sure if it can ever be contained. How would it? When it comes to design, people can always technically and legally work around regulations, even if there were some put in place.Jonesynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1338566773986145305.post-27130669101428427692009-11-25T11:37:33.131-05:002009-11-25T11:37:33.131-05:00If anything, knockoffs make the real thing so much...If anything, knockoffs make the real thing so much more valuable. It's like finding gold in a sea of trash.Birdie!https://www.blogger.com/profile/10799663141471344081noreply@blogger.com