Sunday, September 23, 2007
Why knockoffs are good for fashion
Boing Boing: "James Surowiecki (author of the great book The Wisdom of Crowds) has a fantastic, tight little article about copyright and fashion in this week's New Yorker. Fashion designs aren't covered by copyright, and this means that couture designs are knocked off and sold at huge discounts in department stores and shops like H&M within seconds of appearing on the runway. This upsets many designers, but there's plenty of evidence that it's good for the industry as a whole"
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2 comments:
This is an interesting article because while it defends the presence of "knockoffs" it makes the industry sound really cold and designers like a bunch of whiny, mean competitors. I don't like to think of designers as 100 percent profit concerned, but with a consciousness of the art of dressing the public. And I like to think of last year's wardrobe not as obsolete, but of the current season's clothes as something fresh, innovative and wearable, not necessarily better, just different (I would also like to add that H&M has my total support when it comes to knocking-off designs). But it is true that fashion is driven to innovation because of a sense of necessity, a need for something new. It's such a different art in that way with a competitive drive unlike any other, because of its consumerism, I suppose. I wonder what the author might have to say about those knockoffs you see with street vendors in Manhattan or Paris. That is a completely different realm of knockoffs, one with its own little economy linked more with tourism and immigrants than anything else. But I wonder if it would be considered "good" or "bad?"
I am so against knock offs, but not the type at like H/M but more like the exact replicas of clothes that even have the Louis Vuitton or Chanel label on them. I mean does that label make your bag worth more? I believe the main reason why and one would carry couture things are because one you have money and two it makes you feel better. If you can't afford it stick to target or something. You don't have to impress anyone. The no name bag you carry can make just as a huge fashion statement as the $2000 hand bag.
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