Naomi Ludlow | Arts & Entertainment Editor
Flickr User Nrrwvision
Fashion Week has finally made its way back around, giving society the keys to be fashionably fit.
Many designers are showcasing their collections in hopes of impressing the ones watching. Along with these original designs are the ones duplicating it.
“Counterfeit fashion” includes items that pose to be something that they are not, such as the bags some people sell out of their cars. An item trademarked to represent the company it is imitating has subtle differences that aren’t caught by the normal consumer.
For example, someone may be selling a purse that has the same design as a Louis Vuitton purse that is on the market. The seller is saying that it is authentic, but it is not.
Counterfeit fashion is made to deceive the buyer, and according to The Fashion Law, it is becoming a trillion-dollar industry. Counterfeit fashion is an issue because it involves taking money away from designers. Those who buy into counterfeits allow someone to take credit that they don’t deserve. Counterfeit fashion usually targets big brands, but it is important to recognize no matter the size and the money a company is making, posing as something you’re not isn’t a good look.
Many designers are trying to play the game of the fakes and get back what is theirs. In an article written by The Fashion Law, it mentions brands such as Diesel, Dolce & Gabbana and Off-White designing what people might think is fake and selling it in districts where counterfeits are popular. Once people realize the items are real, they resell them for a higher price.
Some HU students feel the pressure from social media to keep up with trends but think it shouldn’t break them financially to do so.
“You can still be fashionable on a budget,” Hampton University student Brea Burnett said. “You don’t have to wear designer to [rock] a fit.”
Fashion is supposed to be about being creative. It is supposed to allow one’s mind to go outside the norms. Trends only last so long, so why buy into it if you can’t afford it?
Counterfeit fashion seems like the easy way to be a part of trends and to show the world that you have something.
In the end, designers lose out.
“I would rather stick to having those authentic pieces than investing in a fake that is essentially stolen,” HU freshman Amira Jones said.
Fashion Week is the time to get inspiration from designers and experience their visions come to life. Society shouldn’t allow those to take from these brands. In order to stop counterfeit fashion, consumers need to call it out and stop purchasing fake items.
The Hampton Script 