Copycat Caprice: An In-Depth Look

"Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery." While this may be true at the most fundamental level, the idiom was surely invented to appease a bothered soul who needed a little reminder that a copycat can and should be breezily shaken off. How else do we explain the constant infringement on ideas that plague the creative arena specifically, especially in fashion? In a day and age where we have information at our fingertips, where someone thousands of miles away from any fashion capital can browse, research, and shop for just about any latest fad, how do we react? In the overwhelmingly looming virtual world of images, blogs, Tweets, Facebook, and Instagram, how do we decipher the original and unique from merely the loud noise? Does such a notion still even exist?

It's a concept that has been enraging designers for decades. The knockoff industry is one that shamelessly benefits from the creative genius of countless original ideas, so much that it is estimated by the International Chamber of Commerce that by the year 2015, the value of counterfeit goods is said to exceed 1.7 trillion dollars. This exceeds other underworld industries such as human trafficking and weapons smuggling, and rivals even the international trade of illegal drugs.  But it's about more than just the sorry-looking knockoff Gucci handbags and fake plastic Rolex watches.  It's also the cause of thousands of people losing their jobs, mass sweatshop production in inhumane conditions, and deadly consequences in the case of generic medicine and pharmaceuticals. 

Samsung vs. Apple - patent infringement at its finest

In the real world of everyday fashion, it's all around us on a less blatant level. Stores like H&M, Forever21, and Zara have perfected the trade of producing designer-"inspired" pieces, so that the average person can go out and pick up the more affordable version of Valentino's studded ballet slipper at Forever 21, or the trademark Balmain jacket, in a less gilded and glorious version at Zara. Designers seem to have swallowed and accepted that the market is divided, and the clientele who desire quality and elegance beyond the everyday will keep buying real vs. fake Louis Vuitton, authentic Christian Louboutin vs. its red-soled imitation, the actual silk-worm spun Hermes scarf vs. a nylon replica. 

Zara's version of the embellished Balmain jacket

Valentino "inspired" vs...

The real deal Valentino 

In the virtual world, floodgates have been opened for all sorts of imitation. From something as simple as an image not being credited to its rightful owner, to reposts of unoriginal ideas under the guise of a blog have all become mainstream today. Google search allows teachers to check if a paper has been plagiarized word-for-word, but what about everything else in between? In a day and age where anyone can brand themselves a fashionista and give style tips to willing or unwilling audiences, I have a tremendous amount of respect for new ideas and even new channels of information sharing that people have adopted into their own style and method.  Lines are blurred because no one ever has an absolute copyright on subjective notions such as fashion, interior design, or cooking. 

Speaking of cooking. A notable blog sent to me by a dear friend years ago, the Spice Spoon, which shares age-old recipes of ethnic elements similar to my own cooking shared in an aesthetically pleasing and original manner, posted a piece blasting someone who outrightly copied her style using similar photography, geographical/ethnic elements, and recipes to come up with their own "blog". Yes, the Spice Spoon doesn't have a monopoly on cooking from the Middle East or South Asia, but her point? I SEEE YOUU. And you are fooling no one.  If you can't get an original idea, get an original avenue for sharing it. While the rant didn't change anything, it addresses an important point in the world of the creative arts. In a nutshell, make something your own. Following and presenting something already done as your own for public adoration does nothing but crush your own creative boundaries, limited as they may be. And coming to this realization helps me come to the conclusion that true masters of their craft...Christian Louboutin, Coco Chanel (who would probably roll over in her grave if she saw the horrendous fake suits in circulation today), and Donatella Versace, for example, get comfort beyond statements such as "imitation is the sincerest form of flattery". It's because they do what they do for the pure love of their trade, and the exhilirating creative process surrounding it. Surely, the personal gratification of knowing something is customized, tailored, and created according to what is going on in their beautiful minds far surpasses the superficial thrill of an imitator earning a cheap dollar or reveling in the credit of another's original ideas. 

BAM. 'Nuff said. 

Canal Street, NYC: Knockoff Capital of the US of A

Imitation in the creative arena will always exist. Sure, it's great that someone thinks our ideas are so completely amazing that they choose to copy them, whether directly or indirectly. But the world is indeed a small place, and if Hermes can sit by and laugh quietly at the ridiculously lopsided Birkin classic on Canal Street, well then...so can we. 

      Written by Saba Ali - stylist, writer, founder, and sole-proprietor of SBD - Image Consulting. Images by Google Search :)

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