Copying Is Fashionable

There are few things as ephemeral as fashion. Collections are seasonal so they last just for the season: Autumn-Winter and Spring-Summer. In the case of counterfeiters, however, time has never been a restriction. Six months are sufficient to counterfeit, manufacture and commercialize goods.

Some attribute those imitations to the fact that the fashion industry reflects trends. Thus, it wouldn't be surprising if different catwalks staged similar designs. It is also commonly believed that fashion stands for inspiration and its effects should not be deemed as imitations but as mutual "influences". Finally, pragmatists acknowledge imitation as a resource to make available an haute couture design for mass consumption. Yet, the truth is that imitation is a fact.