COPYING

As I was checking out my regular blogs the other day, I stumbled upon this post by MiConfesion. At first, I felt a bit surprised by the amount of actual good looking copies that you're able to find on Ebay, and I must admit, that I was a bit frustrated by the endless copying that you see in fashion. But after a while, I also had to admit to myself, that I actually really like the PS1 (from Proenza Schouler), but that I would never, ever spend that much money on a bag - and then this didn't seem as such a bad substitute, for what's actually just a really nice design. But where do you draw the line?

Blue suede bag from Ebay, black satchel from H&M and silver clutch from Gina Tricot

In my days as a... well, a shopper, I've stumbled upon many copies, but usually I find that the faux versions have some differences in the design etc., just so that the companies won't get sued, like Zara did with the Balmain look-alikes. But these last couple of months, it seems that some of the brands are starting to get a little more frisky with their designs, or should I call it, their reproductions of other people's designs. H&M used to be the biggest sinner, but since their "Trend" line became more popular, I feel that they've minimized the copying a lot - instead Gina Tricot seems to have taken their place. I actually find it a bit embarrasing, not only because it's such obvious copying - just look here and here - but also because I find their versions poorly made and uninspiring. I am aware of the fact that the highstreet brands mostly function as cheaper versions of trends, and not as great fashion or design, but I feel that they should be able to play just a bit more, just like H&M has done more and more these last couple of years.

All in all, I find it difficult to take a general stand on the copying issue. There's not one thing on the picture above, that I wouldn't like to own, despite the obvious references, but in the end, I'm pretty sure that they will never end up in my closet. I like buying highstreet versions of trends, but I feel better when that's exactly what it is - versions of trends - and not just copies. In the end, some respect must be given to the original designers, and even though one might say that copying is just a form of flatter, it's a form of flatter that I can't completely agree with.