Quick Counterfeit

Fashion is an amazing art form and the truly talented designers manufacture the most beautiful concoctions. However, copyrighting and trademarking one's work can be very difficult, as I learned from a guest speaker during my last semester in school. Because of the many loopholes around copyrighted and trademarked clothing, companies like Forever21 can exist and thrive. The downside to this counterfeit madness is that when a corrupt company like Forever21 produces a knock-off, they can potentially interfere with sales of the real/original garment. The end result: a struggling designer loses their money, credibility, and following because Forever 21 produced and sold a counterfeit item for a whole lot less money!

I have personally seen and heard too many stories like this and as a part of the apparel industry, it deeply saddens me that a clothing company will undercut another clothing company in order to produce counterfeits to turn a profit. The thing that lit a fire under my ass this time is when I was shopping online. I always check out Forever21's website to see who they may be knocking-off and what I may recognize from another designer or company, but I found an exact replica while browsing their site today! The dresses in the image above are from two different companies (Forever21 and ArdenB). One is $29.80 while the other is $78. At the same time, one is made much better than the other and was released a few weeks prior to the other's release today (that's how fast creating a mass-released fake can be). The dress on the left is polyester, rayon, and spandex while the dress on the right is polyester, nylon, and spandex.

To the naked eye, many consumers would not know the difference between these two garments, which is where a store like Forever21 will lure you in. You can pay less for a cheaply made garment that will last about five minutes, or you can invest your money in something manufactured much better that will last through many seasons! I created this website for frugal shoppers looking for quality clothing. You can afford to look great while shopping at Forever21, but at what cost? You may think you are saving a whole lot of cash, but in the long run, you may be contributing to a local designer losing their money, credibility, and following at a local boutique, which may potentially lead to the designer or the owner of the boutique losing their business!

Which dress is the original? How do you feel about Forever21 and their counterfeit business? Do you mind purchasing their poorly made clothes? Tell me how you feel and I will tell you which is the knock-off!

*Images: Forever21.com

ArdenB.com