
As the buyer for a women's clothing boutique, I constantly find myself trying to be creative with designer looks for less. You know, you want the $2100 look of the
Chloé Silverado bag but with more of a $150 price tag. Would you rather spend mega bucks for the real deal, or save your cash but end up with a fake? It's a tricky subject, but
Radar Online posted an interesting article last month about the consummate consumer desire to get more for less.
The bureaucratic regulations governing copyright laws in America are old, confusing, and (most of all!) boring, but to sum up, as long as you don't slap a
Pucci tag on your Pucci look-a-like scarf, you're in the clear. So what does this mean for consumers?
There has been some backlash from the privileged few who can afford to buy designer originals, and to tell you the truth, I can see their point. If I had the cash flow to buy my very own pair of
Jimmy Choo pumps any time I felt the urge, I might be annoyed that the girl behind the counter at Starbucks was sporting a knockoff pair of her own, but at a fraction of the price. I can see how luxury items gain their appeal by being just that - a rare treat, meant for only a few lucky consumers.
On the other hand, why should the rich and/or famous have all the fun? Isn't imitation the highest form of flattery? If
Balenciaga makes a great looking
bag, why shouldn't we all be able to afford some manifestation of it?
What do you think? Are knockoffs devaluing designer brands, or do they simply make luxury items more accessible to the everyday shopper?