they say that imitation is the highest form of flattery but big design houses don`t always agree. the market is full of designer knock off bags, imitations of popular designs and fake bags. there is a certain level of controversy about these items that raise a question should we or should we not?
urban dictionary defines a knock off as “an item that looks exactly like an original product but lacks the expensive designer label and is replaced with a fake one” but how far does the imitation actually go? while some products seem to be completely ripped off to every single detail, others may only imitate the popular design. it`s not uncommon that the best knock off bags (also known as replica bags) are actually made in the same factory by the same seamstress using the same materials.the only thing missing is the label which makes the design worthy. while these fake bags are considered to be illegal, there are design thefts that walk the line between inadmissible and acceptable. we can find these designs basically everywhere, from big retailers like zara, h&m and forever21 to popular online shops. they are not quite the same as the original design but it`s still pretty obvious where the inspiration come from.
since there is no actual copyright protection when it comes to fashion design it became acceptable to produce such knock offs and fake bags. designers every now and then raise their voice towards such imitations, arguing that such products jeopardize their income but how much of that is actually true? majority of population can`t afford luxury items so where`s the harm in buying a fake handbag if you could never afford the original design. the designer sure won`t feel the shortfall of those who weren`t his clients in the first place. and believe me those who can afford such luxury items wouldn`t be caught dead with a fake bag anyway.
a few seasons ago i found a great knock off of “alexa” mulberry bag. i had my eye on that bag ever since i first saw it on one of the fashion blogs. i loved the vintage look and the idea of a briefcase. so i stand there in the middle of the store weighing on reasons whether to buy it or walk away never to look back. i must admit i was in a dilemma. if anyone would ask i`m strictly against fakes of any kind but i couldn`t help loving this bag in spite all arguments. there was no way i would ever buy the original mulberry for the price of what i once paid for a car, so i saw no harm in buying what seemed to be a great alternative. i guess i would buy that bag no matter what the origin of design inspiration was. i justified my purchase with that in mind and never wondered about it again... until today.
photo: polyvore and juan diosdado