The Activist

Issue date: 10/29/07 Section: Arts and Entertainment

Media Credit: Cindy Miller

I recently walked into a Coach boutique to browse the new merchandise. There were key chains for $35 and tiny wallets you could barely fit a driver's license in for $200. All I could think the entire time I walked around was that I could get this off a corner stand downtown for 20 bucks. That's the lure of the knockoff: it looks the same, but you can buy it and still be able to pay your rent.

The Council of Fashion Designers of America, however, cannot stand that the $1,000 dress someone designs can be remade and sold at a department store for a fraction (albeit a huge fraction) of the price. To correct this infringement upon their hard work, the council introduced a bill to Congress that, if passed, would patent or copyright original clothing by designers. If the bill is passed, companies and manufacturers would be prosecuted for producing replicas of high-end clothing and selling them at chain stores for a cheaper price.

Unfortunately the problem with this bill is the murky water between what is considered an exact copy of a clothing item and what is considered an item that was simply "inspired" by another designer. The council also cannot produce any evidence that knockoffs are damaging designers' sales. I'm sure we all agree that there are enough people buying $1,500 Prada bags and $450 Manolo Blahnik shoes that revenue will keep the mansions paid for and the yachts afloat.

New Yorker magazine explains how knockoff items are actually helping the fashion industry: "In fashion, it's copying that serves this function, bringing about 'induced obsolescence'. Copying enables designs and style to move quickly from early adopters to the masses. And since no one cool wants to keep wearing something after everybody else is wearing it, the copying of designs helps fuel the incessant demand for something new."

I understand the frustration; it's like staying up until 5 a.m. to finish a research paper only to have your roommate swipe it while you're asleep and take credit for it. And some of these items aren't just similar to more expensive styles; they are exact copies.

For example, while browsing a fashion magazine, I spotted a giveaway contest for a $750 sweater. Later, I walked into a popular clothing store inside the mall, and what was the first thing I saw on one of the many display tables? The exact same sweater, in four different colors, selling for $22.80.

Continued...

Page 1 of 2 next >

Article Tools