It’s that time again when we ask ourselves; is it inspiration or is it duplication? When it comes to the crunch, is there such thing as ‘originality’ left or can everything be traced back to way back when? In an industry where the demand for originality is high, some brands are finding it challenging to create new innovative ideas that will in turn bring more revenue and profits to their brand. But this doesn’t only occur in the fashion industry, it can be found among almost every industry there is.
This is where the problem lies; where is the line between inspiration and duplication? Picture this, imagine you create an authentic idea and then get called out for being a copycat within the industry because a designer two decades ago created something similar. Even though we were told this countless times as youngsters, it really is an unfair world. However, that is only one side to this controversy, what about when you’re copied? Imagine you create an authentic idea and then have some fast fashion chain or designer completely rip off your idea and, in some cases, have it become more successful than yours. What happens then?
Zara has nailed the aspect of not being first, but being fast. Theres a reason why the co-founder of Zara is the fourth richest man in the world, yes, the fourth. As much as I love to name and shame, they've really strategised a way to successfully steal ideas and reap the rewards. Earlier this year I wrote about Zara copying just a couple of some of fashions most loved brands, like Chanel and Miu Miu. The fact that this topic is still very much relevant today shows us that Zara is still facing (more like creating) this problem nearly a year down the line. However, it doesn't stop there. They have been sued and called out, but is Zara as the copycat it is the biggest issue about them? No. The fact that they are the sole essence of what a fast fashion brand is and why we should not invest in fast fashion is what makes them the bottom of the chain.
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| (ABOVE) Image from Zara A/W 2016 Campaign |
Zara has nailed the aspect of not being first, but being fast. Theres a reason why the co-founder of Zara is the fourth richest man in the world, yes, the fourth. As much as I love to name and shame, they've really strategised a way to successfully steal ideas and reap the rewards. Earlier this year I wrote about Zara copying just a couple of some of fashions most loved brands, like Chanel and Miu Miu. The fact that this topic is still very much relevant today shows us that Zara is still facing (more like creating) this problem nearly a year down the line. However, it doesn't stop there. They have been sued and called out, but is Zara as the copycat it is the biggest issue about them? No. The fact that they are the sole essence of what a fast fashion brand is and why we should not invest in fast fashion is what makes them the bottom of the chain.
In recent years, there have been a handful of people who have had the courage to call out these copycats. A few of these to name include Tony Liu and Lindsey Schuyler, from DIET PRADA, and Marie Roure, from Fashion Copycats. DIET PRADA gained a significant amount of attention in October, being recognised by professionals like Naomi Campbell, Ricardo Tisci and Alessandro Michelle. It was even called “a must follow for fashion lovers” by WWD. However, once again, a problem arises. DIET PRADA has been criticised countless times for calling out copycats that, erm, are not exactly copying. Again, where is the line between inspiration and duplication?
A memorable example was Liu stating Christian Siriano copied a memorable yellow dress from Raf Simons’ debut at Christian Dior in F/W 2012. It wasn’t long before Liu was called out by his followers stating that the dresses were too different and it was a reach on his behalf. When you compare the two, you clearly see that the silhouettes, neckline and fit are all different and the only “copy” here is the shade of the dresses. Does using the same shade as a designer from half a decade ago make you a copycat? In my opinion (which is always subject to change), no.
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| Posted on Instagram. Caption: @n21_official was on a @prada styling spree this season! |
Then we move onto the even bigger issue, fast fashion houses copying designers straight-off-the-runway. We’re aware the whole See-Now, Buy-Now phenomenon that came into play last year with some luxury brands. Whilst this has so many positives, such as sales rapidly growing and staying at a high, it also shares a great deal of negatives. The high demand for products in a short space of time means that products need to be made faster than usual, and therefore might not always be made to the same standard as it was before. Brands including Burberry, Tom Ford and Tommy Hilfiger revealed their first shoppable runway shows towards the end of last year, which enabled customers to buy their pieces immediately after they debuted on the catwalk. This led to some questioning, as to whether ‘See Now, Buy Now’ shows are indeed driving sales or doing the exact opposite (but thats for another time).
Therefore, where is the line between inspiration and duplication? When there are bigger issues happening in the industry, like Kaia Gerber being nominated for Model of the Year when she hasn’t even been a model for a whole year (can I get a uhh-uhh for nepotism), why should our attention be focused on copycats when there are bigger issues out there? Diversity, underage models overworked, nepotism, exploitation and ED’s; the list goes on.
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