While I agree with tons of this (the stickiness of IP in fashion, the need-it-know feeling that we are all conditioned for), I’m not sure I can write off dupes.
A friend at Substack Totally Recommend did a round up of pants similar to High Sport pants and wrote; “To label them as "dupes" is even debatable. The silhouette has stood the test of time. These are the iconic Mia Wallace pants from Pulp Fiction that I would fawn over at Express. They bring to mind fond memories of my grandmother; I'm certain they were her sole wardrobe staple. So when I say "dupe," I'm not referring to a direct knockoff, but rather pants of a similar style that come closest to capturing the essence of what a $900 pant might offer.”
It’s one thing for Zara to see something on the runway and blatantly copy it then sell it at super low prices. It’s another thing for multiple sources to sell a silhouette and then have consumers claim that the lesser priced ones are “dupes.” The concept of a dupe is that you can get a high $$ look for less than that but often it’s a common silhouette that we cannot pin the origins of unto one designer.
Actually I am reminded of your great roundup recent of how lots of purses harken back to Hermes. Are they dupes? Some on TikTok may say so.
Thank you so much for this! So here’s what I think. I think we should stop using the word dupe. That word alone is responsible for a lot of regretful purchases. We have to I think stop looking for dupes — it’s a false proposition. There’s nothing wrong with buying flare pants because we crave them. And there’s nothing about them that’s intrinsically ownable, to your point. But why do we have to suggest that they are an exact duplicate at an inexpensive price — which is using the term dupe does. They are flare pants. The lie of dupe culture is that you’re going to get the exact same thing as something you have fallen in love with. It can make you feel really disappointed when you own it. With those Hermes options — I was doing what I propose, which is figuring out the feeling you want to feel. The brands I suggested all had great materials and intrinsic thoughtfulness and could give you some of the feelings you would feel. Versus — here’s a Birkin dupe.
Totally agree! You were not putting forth dupes, I acknowledge that deeply.
What I think of is the adage of “nothing new under the sun.” Let’s say you want some kick flare pants (or top handle leather) and you begin googling; you may land on the DONNI version first and assuming everyone else is duping those. The danger of duping lies in the blatant knock offs. For example with the High Sport pants; the Old Navy version feels like a bad dupe where they took a design and copied it. The DONNI version feels to me like they are simply embodying the same feeling. Which ultimately is a metaphor for style in general perhaps.
When I fell in love with the Khaite Benny belt, I couldn’t imagine spending $500 on a belt (also what would my husband say!). I began the search for a dupe only to be really disappointed with everything I found. What I needed to do (as you suggested) was realize I wanted a great statement belt. Ultimately I saved up and bought the Khaite and love it. I could, genuinely, discuss the nuisance of duping all day so thanks for this.
just to add: i think the reason donni etc are called dupes conversationally (donni ain't cheap either, but yes more accessible!) is because it is the high sports that got everyone in a tizzy first - at least i think that's how most people experienced it. the kick flare stretch yoga pant thing did not appear to be trending like crazy until influencers starting peddling the high sports. but i agree with everything you're saying above.
Completely agree! And the High Sport is one example- albeit an interesting one because is there IP around their style? But, to your point, are most of the look-a-likes an attempt to dupe HS; probably yes.
And you know Everlane etc. observed High Sport and made one and bought search terms like High Sport etc. And I know I am so corny but that HS designer is someone’s daughter. Like I can’t help feeling a little “how dare they” because of that. Versus say “this is how capitalism works.”
I agree! I actually get quite aggressive about crediting things and when I can’t find the origin of some thing, I’m less likely to use it because I want to make sure credit is given words due. The creative part of our brains deserve credit!
One thing not considered about dupes is sizing. For some people, a dupe is the only option that might fit you even if you do have the means and desire to purchase the original.
Feb 13·edited Feb 13Liked by Hey Mrs. Solomon on Style
Wow! This was a thought provoking article - thank you for writing it:
I wonder if instead of labeling dupes as the devil, we could instead point a finger towards the heightened consumer mentality, which makes us want to "buy buy buy" without pausing to think about why we want this item, whether it will get wear, and if is made with quality materials and sustainable production methods?
Luxury fashion can be incredibly exclusive and, at times, elitist. I appreciate you creating a separate section to address this and to provide the disclaimer that you are not judging those who purchase dupes for financial reasons. I believe that everyone should get to experience fashion equally and if there is a specific style or design that someone has fallen in love with, I want that person to be able to participate in the joy of wearing that style and this is where dupes play a great role, in my opinion.
I wanted to call out that I loved your idea to dig deeper to identify the reasons why you love an item. For me, it is less about that specific style and more about that little detail. I think we should all do this exercise when considering buying a dupe, because it may be possible to find an alternative, quality item at a lower price point that still has the ~vibes of the original item you were looking for. Maybe if we all did more of this, fashion brands wouldn't feel like dupes were that profitable and instead they'd invest resources in creating new styles inspired by the original (and not exact copies of the original).
Thank you for this thoughtful response. You raise so many good points. It’s such a chicken and egg. I blame companies that make fast fashion dupes because the instinct to acquire is there … if companies didn’t create these low priced dupes that fulfilled this desire, we wouldn’t get that reward of always finding the dupe — which feeds the cycle. Most of all so agree with fashion’s elitism. At the highest level, but often mid-level too.
I was thinking recently about how lots of Zara shoppers probably don’t even realize that Zara is knocking off a designer item. I like what you said about experiencing fashion equally.
This is such a big point! Most people don't keep up with luxury fashion. I know I've purchased things in the past only to later realize it was a dupe – and I'm saying this as someone who does keep up with these things.
A funny but related anecdote – I have a silver Bao Bao crossbody that I wore to dinner. The very sweet waitress asked me if it was from Amazon. She looked a bit disappointed when I told her it wasn't, it was from "a Japanese brand called Issey Miyake." Pretty sure she thought my bag was the dupe lol
this is so great, and totally LOL-ing at the snackwells cookies! I JUST posted a different take on 'dupes'--looking at how 'luxury' fashion rips off street culture etc. The dupe game goes both ways!
I'm internet ancient so to me "dupe" = knockoff, or 'inspired by' and for the most part, with clothes it's almost impossible to establish any IP around designs when it comes to what could be considered functional aspects (logos and prints might be easier to protect; garment cuts, silhouettes, fastenings i.e. the things that make up their aesthetic appeal to us? absolute nightmare)
The thing with dupes or 'inspired by"-type designs is..... that's how trends work, and it's how fashion works, and has done so ever since the days of women taking pictures of 'the latest designs from Paris' to their local dressmaker in London or Prince Edward Island or whatever (even Jackie Kennedy had to buy what were effectively licensed American copies - aka officially-endorsed dupes! -of French designs because she was a First Lady and couldn't be seen to be unpatriotic). Fast fashion gives a different, toxic dimension to this process but the actual basics of what is happening is still more or less the same (expensive thing getting copied) . That said, sometimes the dupe is better than the thing it's 'inspired by', though this is not going to be true of anything from Shein or Amazon.
Also designer stuff doesn't always = original ideas (I remember stories of how some designers in the 00s used to buy vintage dresses for 'research' only to put carbon copies of them on the runway). Marc Jacobs' iconic grunge collection was basically duping the cheap clothes that young people in the early 90s thrifted, only he made them in silk and put them on supermodels and it was still controversial and original of him to bring that stuff to the high fashion sphere at all.
So interesting and so thoughtful. Thank you. One thing I will say is that Mark Jacobs recontextualizing grunge in that way was a big idea. Love it or hate it. It was an idea and it took some balls!
oh absolutely - like I said at the end, the originality lay in him bringing those clothes into a high fashion setting! But he also had something of a rep for 1:1 copies of the odd vintage piece (aka dupe) in the 00s, like one that went public was this: https://www.thelocal.se/20080219/10043
He's one of my favourite designers and I'm not knocking his body of work or his legacy, it's just that in fashion, I think the very way trends work often renders the question of dupes a fuzzy area and ultimately it's down to what works for the individual. I mean, people used to say 90s-00s Marni was copying/a dupe of Prada's 1950s look - both are expensive high fashion labels, but having owned pieces from both, I actually prefer and wear my vintage Marni pieces more often because the fabrics are easily on par with if not better than the Prada ones from the same era and the way Marni cuts things is more comfortable for me (I don't agree that it was a dupe btw). Which is the reverse of what happened with your Alice & Olivia number, it's not always a price point thing.
I have a solid career (decades in the making) that allow me small luxuries. It most certainly does not allow for $900 pants and a ROW wardrobe. Forgive me, but all clothes are dupes. Clothing is not original. And to suggest that dupes are the devil are discounting 99% of Americans who happily buy stuff at Costco, Walmart, Target or wherever, because their economic situation requires it. I applaud anyone who contently buys within their means, dupes be damned.
Oh wow, what an interesting perspective. I don't happen to agree, especially that "all clothes are dupes" or "clothing is not original" but I do get where you're coming from and appreciate your point of view.
Feb 13·edited Feb 13Liked by Hey Mrs. Solomon on Style
But what if the 'dupe' is in much better quality than the original? My reference here goes to the Valentino ROCKSTUD CAGED PUMP - which I bought for exactly all the reasons that you Rachel and all you other ladies commenting this post have mentioned ...but was then indescribably disappointed with. They felt so cheap. The leather was so thin that it got scratches and scuffs just by looking at the shoes. Complete disaster at a relatively high price. Unfortunately, not all original design by a high-end brand is worth the money. I never even investigated back then whether any dupe existed on the market, but I’m sure any other brand would have done a better job than Valentino.
I felt this immediately about the Alaia fishnet flats! I was so disappointed that the patent leather trim and strap looks so bumpy and not well stitched (even if it was) and the hardware felt so ... not luxurious! As soon as it came out of the box I knew!
I think that's just a different issue -- not all high priced items are great! All the more reason to start looking at quality -- versus looking for a copy of a high end item.
i feel like some designers/companies are hoping to fool us - as to their higher price being an index of their quality. I have certainly lusted after designer items that I learned were poorly thought out regarding actual wearability and durability. that's an expensive pill to swallow!
I’ve always been highly critical of dupes, especially when creators on TikTok are trying to peddle Amazon “dupes” that are clearly a rip off of an original design and horrible quality. Dupe culture creates a culture of overconsumption, when people could just opt to buy less and more intentionally.
I definitely consume too much and am learning. Felt important to share — there is an emptiness after buying a dupe and not to get corny but especially a pang when wearing
It's interesting as a "bothsideism" I once was a designer of cotton knit clothing for women. I understand the art. But I also understand the depth of a "purse" specially when things are not basic or classic. But trends. If it's a very trendy color, shape etc I wouldn't mind a Zara version. Like trying to find a silver Stella looking pant "dupe" to give me the look but not the expense since I won't have the chance to wear it lots. I wouldn't want to invest proportionally. High Sports pant? Spanx has been making a very similar look for ages.
Look at Irene Kim's latest post. She uses her own stuff to recreate NYFW looks very credibly.
I respect art as a designer. But... I do IMHO need a reality check of opportunity/lifestyle/po$$ibilities/
This is such an interesting topic, with so many adjacent rabbit holes to investigate (class, wealth, taste, capitalism). Thank you for starting the conversation, Rachel!
I have trouble with fast fashion dupes for obvious reasons (fast fashion is evil in every way), and I also struggle with designers duping/copying each other's work. I know that sometimes it's more about the zeitgeist and I'm sure it's challenging to be truly original (what is originality, anyway?), but it's frustrating how much blatant copying there is in fashion, on all levels of it.
So true … direct, blatant copying of something clearly original or just picking off something that’s hot and buying the search terms. There’s this machine set up to feed cravings and it’s scary.
agree - a great dupe is an oxymoron … nothing (i think) annoys me more than someone suggesting a fast-fashion piece is a dupe for the designer piece … the key difference is ‘designer’ … often the offense of fast fashion is the absence of any creative talent involved in the process (of creating a thing) …. it’s usually people employed for their i.t. skills - they know how to mine data to find what’s popular then their production crew works out how to (cheaply) manufacturer … if we don’t support artists/creatives we will end up in a very sad place i think … where will originality and all the great ideas come from? … certainly not from people who merely know how to copy … with no original thought, process or message …
i acknowledge size issues can force some away from designer/small brand pieces, but that’s a whole other issue for another discussion - but remains a fair argument for why some are forced to buy fast fashion… and like you, many years ago i fell victim of a dupe type mentality given my access to availability in my location … it never felt good and was never worn … t x x x
You might want to check out Aja Barber, who has written eloquently and extensively on Patreon on affordability and fast fashion and also on plus-size dressing. She doesn’t focus on very high end designers (but she loves Dries & buys men’s) more on small brand, slow fashion, and resale. She argues that there are many alternatives to fast fashion, and effectively dismantles the “it’s all (one) can afford” argument.
YEP, 100%. The lack of size range is an element I hadn't thought of that really sucks. So often individuals who deserve to feel amazing are denied access to exactly what they need to feel amazing. You're right, a whole issue unto itself.
sort of related, i’m planning a clothing swap at my home with 10-12 people soon. (trying to find good homes for stuff i haven’t been able to sell). last time i did this i ended up with a truckload of crap i was forced to donate. not sustainable, probably ended up in a landfill which i obv hate. has anyone been at an event that was organized well? i’m considering a “carry in, carry out” policy. beyond that, not sure how to keep it manageable and sustainable…?
Feel like you did this in a Live once with your friend that you do vintage shopping with but I think o need a refresher course. Like if ai want to find a specific Prada piece or Fendi purse a
Came for the comments, and I have to say I don't have a tonne to add, because many fascinating trains of thought have emerged! I can only add that my personal aversion to dupes might have come from a childhood of seeing designer creations and luxury brands as something to aspire to when I became "successful" (whatever that meant). I think that's why I tend to be suspicious of anything labelled as. a dupe because they never have the halo of the "original", and I must stress that this is not entirely based on logic. A friend of mine recommended cheap dupes of Lululemon's Align leggings to me and it's not like Lululemon needs me to depend them (they're giants and problematic in their own way) but I still found it uncomfortable giving money to some unknown vendor on Amazon to buy a dupe. I'm definitely a romantic when it comes to "originals" and privileged enough to not have to resort to buying dupes (eg Lululemon's sizing was not inclusive for the longest time!).
It’s really interesting to me… There are so many different reasons why people don’t do dupes — whether you view it as something you’re doing for some sort of bigger, ethical reason or something you’re doing for yourself or something you’re doing for the original designer.
While I agree with tons of this (the stickiness of IP in fashion, the need-it-know feeling that we are all conditioned for), I’m not sure I can write off dupes.
A friend at Substack Totally Recommend did a round up of pants similar to High Sport pants and wrote; “To label them as "dupes" is even debatable. The silhouette has stood the test of time. These are the iconic Mia Wallace pants from Pulp Fiction that I would fawn over at Express. They bring to mind fond memories of my grandmother; I'm certain they were her sole wardrobe staple. So when I say "dupe," I'm not referring to a direct knockoff, but rather pants of a similar style that come closest to capturing the essence of what a $900 pant might offer.”
It’s one thing for Zara to see something on the runway and blatantly copy it then sell it at super low prices. It’s another thing for multiple sources to sell a silhouette and then have consumers claim that the lesser priced ones are “dupes.” The concept of a dupe is that you can get a high $$ look for less than that but often it’s a common silhouette that we cannot pin the origins of unto one designer.
Actually I am reminded of your great roundup recent of how lots of purses harken back to Hermes. Are they dupes? Some on TikTok may say so.
Thank you so much for this! So here’s what I think. I think we should stop using the word dupe. That word alone is responsible for a lot of regretful purchases. We have to I think stop looking for dupes — it’s a false proposition. There’s nothing wrong with buying flare pants because we crave them. And there’s nothing about them that’s intrinsically ownable, to your point. But why do we have to suggest that they are an exact duplicate at an inexpensive price — which is using the term dupe does. They are flare pants. The lie of dupe culture is that you’re going to get the exact same thing as something you have fallen in love with. It can make you feel really disappointed when you own it. With those Hermes options — I was doing what I propose, which is figuring out the feeling you want to feel. The brands I suggested all had great materials and intrinsic thoughtfulness and could give you some of the feelings you would feel. Versus — here’s a Birkin dupe.
Totally agree! You were not putting forth dupes, I acknowledge that deeply.
What I think of is the adage of “nothing new under the sun.” Let’s say you want some kick flare pants (or top handle leather) and you begin googling; you may land on the DONNI version first and assuming everyone else is duping those. The danger of duping lies in the blatant knock offs. For example with the High Sport pants; the Old Navy version feels like a bad dupe where they took a design and copied it. The DONNI version feels to me like they are simply embodying the same feeling. Which ultimately is a metaphor for style in general perhaps.
When I fell in love with the Khaite Benny belt, I couldn’t imagine spending $500 on a belt (also what would my husband say!). I began the search for a dupe only to be really disappointed with everything I found. What I needed to do (as you suggested) was realize I wanted a great statement belt. Ultimately I saved up and bought the Khaite and love it. I could, genuinely, discuss the nuisance of duping all day so thanks for this.
Yes! (and I bet that Khaite is very satisfying!)
Worth every penny 😉
just to add: i think the reason donni etc are called dupes conversationally (donni ain't cheap either, but yes more accessible!) is because it is the high sports that got everyone in a tizzy first - at least i think that's how most people experienced it. the kick flare stretch yoga pant thing did not appear to be trending like crazy until influencers starting peddling the high sports. but i agree with everything you're saying above.
Completely agree! And the High Sport is one example- albeit an interesting one because is there IP around their style? But, to your point, are most of the look-a-likes an attempt to dupe HS; probably yes.
And you know Everlane etc. observed High Sport and made one and bought search terms like High Sport etc. And I know I am so corny but that HS designer is someone’s daughter. Like I can’t help feeling a little “how dare they” because of that. Versus say “this is how capitalism works.”
I agree! I actually get quite aggressive about crediting things and when I can’t find the origin of some thing, I’m less likely to use it because I want to make sure credit is given words due. The creative part of our brains deserve credit!
One thing not considered about dupes is sizing. For some people, a dupe is the only option that might fit you even if you do have the means and desire to purchase the original.
Great point.
Came here to say this!
Wow! This was a thought provoking article - thank you for writing it:
I wonder if instead of labeling dupes as the devil, we could instead point a finger towards the heightened consumer mentality, which makes us want to "buy buy buy" without pausing to think about why we want this item, whether it will get wear, and if is made with quality materials and sustainable production methods?
Luxury fashion can be incredibly exclusive and, at times, elitist. I appreciate you creating a separate section to address this and to provide the disclaimer that you are not judging those who purchase dupes for financial reasons. I believe that everyone should get to experience fashion equally and if there is a specific style or design that someone has fallen in love with, I want that person to be able to participate in the joy of wearing that style and this is where dupes play a great role, in my opinion.
I wanted to call out that I loved your idea to dig deeper to identify the reasons why you love an item. For me, it is less about that specific style and more about that little detail. I think we should all do this exercise when considering buying a dupe, because it may be possible to find an alternative, quality item at a lower price point that still has the ~vibes of the original item you were looking for. Maybe if we all did more of this, fashion brands wouldn't feel like dupes were that profitable and instead they'd invest resources in creating new styles inspired by the original (and not exact copies of the original).
Thank you for this thoughtful response. You raise so many good points. It’s such a chicken and egg. I blame companies that make fast fashion dupes because the instinct to acquire is there … if companies didn’t create these low priced dupes that fulfilled this desire, we wouldn’t get that reward of always finding the dupe — which feeds the cycle. Most of all so agree with fashion’s elitism. At the highest level, but often mid-level too.
I was thinking recently about how lots of Zara shoppers probably don’t even realize that Zara is knocking off a designer item. I like what you said about experiencing fashion equally.
So true!!
This is such a big point! Most people don't keep up with luxury fashion. I know I've purchased things in the past only to later realize it was a dupe – and I'm saying this as someone who does keep up with these things.
A funny but related anecdote – I have a silver Bao Bao crossbody that I wore to dinner. The very sweet waitress asked me if it was from Amazon. She looked a bit disappointed when I told her it wasn't, it was from "a Japanese brand called Issey Miyake." Pretty sure she thought my bag was the dupe lol
Ha!! Yes! The same thing happened on a reality tv show I watch recently where one girl had an Alexander Wang and another a dupe off Amazon. Oye!!
this is so great, and totally LOL-ing at the snackwells cookies! I JUST posted a different take on 'dupes'--looking at how 'luxury' fashion rips off street culture etc. The dupe game goes both ways!
Oh how interesting! Want to read!
I'm internet ancient so to me "dupe" = knockoff, or 'inspired by' and for the most part, with clothes it's almost impossible to establish any IP around designs when it comes to what could be considered functional aspects (logos and prints might be easier to protect; garment cuts, silhouettes, fastenings i.e. the things that make up their aesthetic appeal to us? absolute nightmare)
The thing with dupes or 'inspired by"-type designs is..... that's how trends work, and it's how fashion works, and has done so ever since the days of women taking pictures of 'the latest designs from Paris' to their local dressmaker in London or Prince Edward Island or whatever (even Jackie Kennedy had to buy what were effectively licensed American copies - aka officially-endorsed dupes! -of French designs because she was a First Lady and couldn't be seen to be unpatriotic). Fast fashion gives a different, toxic dimension to this process but the actual basics of what is happening is still more or less the same (expensive thing getting copied) . That said, sometimes the dupe is better than the thing it's 'inspired by', though this is not going to be true of anything from Shein or Amazon.
Also designer stuff doesn't always = original ideas (I remember stories of how some designers in the 00s used to buy vintage dresses for 'research' only to put carbon copies of them on the runway). Marc Jacobs' iconic grunge collection was basically duping the cheap clothes that young people in the early 90s thrifted, only he made them in silk and put them on supermodels and it was still controversial and original of him to bring that stuff to the high fashion sphere at all.
So interesting and so thoughtful. Thank you. One thing I will say is that Mark Jacobs recontextualizing grunge in that way was a big idea. Love it or hate it. It was an idea and it took some balls!
oh absolutely - like I said at the end, the originality lay in him bringing those clothes into a high fashion setting! But he also had something of a rep for 1:1 copies of the odd vintage piece (aka dupe) in the 00s, like one that went public was this: https://www.thelocal.se/20080219/10043
He's one of my favourite designers and I'm not knocking his body of work or his legacy, it's just that in fashion, I think the very way trends work often renders the question of dupes a fuzzy area and ultimately it's down to what works for the individual. I mean, people used to say 90s-00s Marni was copying/a dupe of Prada's 1950s look - both are expensive high fashion labels, but having owned pieces from both, I actually prefer and wear my vintage Marni pieces more often because the fabrics are easily on par with if not better than the Prada ones from the same era and the way Marni cuts things is more comfortable for me (I don't agree that it was a dupe btw). Which is the reverse of what happened with your Alice & Olivia number, it's not always a price point thing.
Yes, so true!
I have a solid career (decades in the making) that allow me small luxuries. It most certainly does not allow for $900 pants and a ROW wardrobe. Forgive me, but all clothes are dupes. Clothing is not original. And to suggest that dupes are the devil are discounting 99% of Americans who happily buy stuff at Costco, Walmart, Target or wherever, because their economic situation requires it. I applaud anyone who contently buys within their means, dupes be damned.
Oh wow, what an interesting perspective. I don't happen to agree, especially that "all clothes are dupes" or "clothing is not original" but I do get where you're coming from and appreciate your point of view.
But what if the 'dupe' is in much better quality than the original? My reference here goes to the Valentino ROCKSTUD CAGED PUMP - which I bought for exactly all the reasons that you Rachel and all you other ladies commenting this post have mentioned ...but was then indescribably disappointed with. They felt so cheap. The leather was so thin that it got scratches and scuffs just by looking at the shoes. Complete disaster at a relatively high price. Unfortunately, not all original design by a high-end brand is worth the money. I never even investigated back then whether any dupe existed on the market, but I’m sure any other brand would have done a better job than Valentino.
I felt this immediately about the Alaia fishnet flats! I was so disappointed that the patent leather trim and strap looks so bumpy and not well stitched (even if it was) and the hardware felt so ... not luxurious! As soon as it came out of the box I knew!
Me too -- the Alaia studded flat is so good. And I bought the fishnet and it was like a completely different thing. Felt awful on, too. Bumpy inside.
Yes!
I think that's just a different issue -- not all high priced items are great! All the more reason to start looking at quality -- versus looking for a copy of a high end item.
i feel like some designers/companies are hoping to fool us - as to their higher price being an index of their quality. I have certainly lusted after designer items that I learned were poorly thought out regarding actual wearability and durability. that's an expensive pill to swallow!
I wish it was much more one to one - price equals quality. Higher price = better quality 🙃
That would make it more understandable -- but still keep quality unavailable to most.
That's true too.
YES. I suggest reading Wildflower by Aurora James. It is a great book on many levels and made me really think about fast fashion.
Thank you for reading & for the rec!
Yes! Wildflower was a perspective shift for me as well. Highly recommend.
I’ve always been highly critical of dupes, especially when creators on TikTok are trying to peddle Amazon “dupes” that are clearly a rip off of an original design and horrible quality. Dupe culture creates a culture of overconsumption, when people could just opt to buy less and more intentionally.
I definitely consume too much and am learning. Felt important to share — there is an emptiness after buying a dupe and not to get corny but especially a pang when wearing
a copy of a creative person’s idea.
It's interesting as a "bothsideism" I once was a designer of cotton knit clothing for women. I understand the art. But I also understand the depth of a "purse" specially when things are not basic or classic. But trends. If it's a very trendy color, shape etc I wouldn't mind a Zara version. Like trying to find a silver Stella looking pant "dupe" to give me the look but not the expense since I won't have the chance to wear it lots. I wouldn't want to invest proportionally. High Sports pant? Spanx has been making a very similar look for ages.
Look at Irene Kim's latest post. She uses her own stuff to recreate NYFW looks very credibly.
I respect art as a designer. But... I do IMHO need a reality check of opportunity/lifestyle/po$$ibilities/
I completely agree! I'd rather stop with all the fast fashion purchases, which really add up, and get the real deal.
This is such an interesting topic, with so many adjacent rabbit holes to investigate (class, wealth, taste, capitalism). Thank you for starting the conversation, Rachel!
I have trouble with fast fashion dupes for obvious reasons (fast fashion is evil in every way), and I also struggle with designers duping/copying each other's work. I know that sometimes it's more about the zeitgeist and I'm sure it's challenging to be truly original (what is originality, anyway?), but it's frustrating how much blatant copying there is in fashion, on all levels of it.
So true … direct, blatant copying of something clearly original or just picking off something that’s hot and buying the search terms. There’s this machine set up to feed cravings and it’s scary.
agree - a great dupe is an oxymoron … nothing (i think) annoys me more than someone suggesting a fast-fashion piece is a dupe for the designer piece … the key difference is ‘designer’ … often the offense of fast fashion is the absence of any creative talent involved in the process (of creating a thing) …. it’s usually people employed for their i.t. skills - they know how to mine data to find what’s popular then their production crew works out how to (cheaply) manufacturer … if we don’t support artists/creatives we will end up in a very sad place i think … where will originality and all the great ideas come from? … certainly not from people who merely know how to copy … with no original thought, process or message …
i acknowledge size issues can force some away from designer/small brand pieces, but that’s a whole other issue for another discussion - but remains a fair argument for why some are forced to buy fast fashion… and like you, many years ago i fell victim of a dupe type mentality given my access to availability in my location … it never felt good and was never worn … t x x x
You might want to check out Aja Barber, who has written eloquently and extensively on Patreon on affordability and fast fashion and also on plus-size dressing. She doesn’t focus on very high end designers (but she loves Dries & buys men’s) more on small brand, slow fashion, and resale. She argues that there are many alternatives to fast fashion, and effectively dismantles the “it’s all (one) can afford” argument.
Wow, really? Sounds like a great read …
YEP, 100%. The lack of size range is an element I hadn't thought of that really sucks. So often individuals who deserve to feel amazing are denied access to exactly what they need to feel amazing. You're right, a whole issue unto itself.
sort of related, i’m planning a clothing swap at my home with 10-12 people soon. (trying to find good homes for stuff i haven’t been able to sell). last time i did this i ended up with a truckload of crap i was forced to donate. not sustainable, probably ended up in a landfill which i obv hate. has anyone been at an event that was organized well? i’m considering a “carry in, carry out” policy. beyond that, not sure how to keep it manageable and sustainable…?
That is genius … I need to think about this; I want to do one too.
I’d love you to give tips for hpw you search and save for specific pieces. What sites you use most and why. Which aren’t so good for this and why …
Ok will share that!! Might be best as a live - but will share
Feel like you did this in a Live once with your friend that you do vintage shopping with but I think o need a refresher course. Like if ai want to find a specific Prada piece or Fendi purse a
Came for the comments, and I have to say I don't have a tonne to add, because many fascinating trains of thought have emerged! I can only add that my personal aversion to dupes might have come from a childhood of seeing designer creations and luxury brands as something to aspire to when I became "successful" (whatever that meant). I think that's why I tend to be suspicious of anything labelled as. a dupe because they never have the halo of the "original", and I must stress that this is not entirely based on logic. A friend of mine recommended cheap dupes of Lululemon's Align leggings to me and it's not like Lululemon needs me to depend them (they're giants and problematic in their own way) but I still found it uncomfortable giving money to some unknown vendor on Amazon to buy a dupe. I'm definitely a romantic when it comes to "originals" and privileged enough to not have to resort to buying dupes (eg Lululemon's sizing was not inclusive for the longest time!).
It’s really interesting to me… There are so many different reasons why people don’t do dupes — whether you view it as something you’re doing for some sort of bigger, ethical reason or something you’re doing for yourself or something you’re doing for the original designer.