Jessica Simpson is under fire following a plagiarism accusation of her latest Evangela shoes, which bear a strong resemblance to Christian Louboutin’s Stratata heels.
It might be a world full of colors, but the fashion world does have a gray zone in which we can find felines and copycats — those who inspire as opposed to those who imitate. But sometimes you can’t tell them apart, because in this industry one can play both roles.
Take singer-turned-designer Jessica Simpson, who is dubbed an inspiring fashion icon. Who would think someone like her would rip off other designers’ work? This Hollywood darling is under fire following a plagiarism accusation of her latest Evangela shoes, which bear a strong resemblance to Christian Louboutin’s Stratata heels (What do you think? http://bit.ly/ItFkah). This, sadly, is not the first time. Five years ago, Simpson was accused of copying Rafe Totengco’s Rivington handbag (You can spot the similarities here: http://bit.ly/IFppow).
The list of plagiarism battles in the fashion industry is long. Ivanka Trump was once challenged by Derek Lam for her Caddie wedges. The famous Kate Middleton’s wedding gown by Sarah Burton was said to have copied the one worn by another royal, Isabella Orsini, two years earlier. Then who can forget the Louboutin vs. Yves Saint Laurent court saga over red sole shoes? We can still witness that legal fight between Gucci and Guess over the interlocking “G” pattern.
Where does this lead? The gray zone, where inspiration and plagiarism are separated with a blurred line. Yes, in this industry, there’s nothing really new. Designers refer to one another, make some tweaks here and there and voila: A trend is created and this is what makes fashion exist. In fact, fashion weeks are events where the industry’s players gather to get inspiration from others — or, for some, to plagiarize what they think could sell in the market. If you enter fast-fashion stores like Zara, H&M or Topshop, you’ll see clothes that are copies of what you’ve seen at fashion weeks.
That’s why, apart from the logo or trademark part, intellectual property protection is a bit impractical in this industry. Why? Intellectual property protection is somehow counterproductive to the idea of creating trends. According to Johanna Blakley, deputy director of Norman Lear Center at the University of Southern California, apparel is considered too utilitarian to copyright, and what an academic considers plagiarism, fashion designers view as inspiration. As long as this ambiguity persists, we are likely to continue see battles among fashion designers.
In Indonesia, however, copycats shouldn’t worry. This country is an exception in this kind of saga. Indonesian designers are fairly generous in the copy-paste case. Famous designer Anne Avantie is one example. Just a few days after the media published her kebaya creations from a fashion show, you could already find their copies in places like Tanah Abang market and even luxurious boutiques.
Copycats work fast. But Anne doesn’t resent it. “If I can inspire many people, I’m just happy. If copying my works means a way for them to earn a living, then at least I know I’ve shared my talent and luck with others,” Anne said after her book launch in Jakarta recently.
On similar grounds, TV presenter Daniel Mananta, who designs Indonesian-flavored T-shirts under his label “DAMN!” (a shortening of his name), thinks copycats actually make his works more famous.
“When I saw many clones of my T-shirts, I just smiled. It means a free promotional campaign for me, because it has actually brought them to people’s attention,” he said. “Sooner or later, people would be curious enough to find the original versions.”
Daniel and Anne’s responses are somewhat in the same positive tone like that of famous Pakistani designer duo Sana Safinaz, whose works are said to have inspired Valentino after they appeared in Vogue India. But while some people were annoyed with the resemblance, Safinaz Munir, as quoted by Times of India, simply said, “I found it very flattering and then amusing when people started calling us to ask whether we had started working for Valentino.”
Perhaps it’s just a matter of Asian characteristics — friendly and forgiving. Or maybe, for some designers, plagiarism is something they cannot fight, so the best or easiest way to deal with it is by taking the whole thing as a tribute. Who doesn’t love to be the source of inspiration?
In the meantime, it seems like plagiarism and inspiration walk hand-in-hand in the fashion industry. Both help the industry stay alive. What about those low-end counterfeiters of Louis Vuitton, Gucci, Fendi, etc. — who are the real criminals? They surely are our main concern, but some say even they play a role in the creation of global trends.
http://www.thejakartaglobe.com/lifelived/fashion-confusion-plagiarism-or-inspiration/515179
Take singer-turned-designer Jessica Simpson, who is dubbed an inspiring fashion icon. Who would think someone like her would rip off other designers’ work? This Hollywood darling is under fire following a plagiarism accusation of her latest Evangela shoes, which bear a strong resemblance to Christian Louboutin’s Stratata heels (What do you think? http://bit.ly/ItFkah). This, sadly, is not the first time. Five years ago, Simpson was accused of copying Rafe Totengco’s Rivington handbag (You can spot the similarities here: http://bit.ly/IFppow).
The list of plagiarism battles in the fashion industry is long. Ivanka Trump was once challenged by Derek Lam for her Caddie wedges. The famous Kate Middleton’s wedding gown by Sarah Burton was said to have copied the one worn by another royal, Isabella Orsini, two years earlier. Then who can forget the Louboutin vs. Yves Saint Laurent court saga over red sole shoes? We can still witness that legal fight between Gucci and Guess over the interlocking “G” pattern.
Where does this lead? The gray zone, where inspiration and plagiarism are separated with a blurred line. Yes, in this industry, there’s nothing really new. Designers refer to one another, make some tweaks here and there and voila: A trend is created and this is what makes fashion exist. In fact, fashion weeks are events where the industry’s players gather to get inspiration from others — or, for some, to plagiarize what they think could sell in the market. If you enter fast-fashion stores like Zara, H&M or Topshop, you’ll see clothes that are copies of what you’ve seen at fashion weeks.
That’s why, apart from the logo or trademark part, intellectual property protection is a bit impractical in this industry. Why? Intellectual property protection is somehow counterproductive to the idea of creating trends. According to Johanna Blakley, deputy director of Norman Lear Center at the University of Southern California, apparel is considered too utilitarian to copyright, and what an academic considers plagiarism, fashion designers view as inspiration. As long as this ambiguity persists, we are likely to continue see battles among fashion designers.
In Indonesia, however, copycats shouldn’t worry. This country is an exception in this kind of saga. Indonesian designers are fairly generous in the copy-paste case. Famous designer Anne Avantie is one example. Just a few days after the media published her kebaya creations from a fashion show, you could already find their copies in places like Tanah Abang market and even luxurious boutiques.
Copycats work fast. But Anne doesn’t resent it. “If I can inspire many people, I’m just happy. If copying my works means a way for them to earn a living, then at least I know I’ve shared my talent and luck with others,” Anne said after her book launch in Jakarta recently.
On similar grounds, TV presenter Daniel Mananta, who designs Indonesian-flavored T-shirts under his label “DAMN!” (a shortening of his name), thinks copycats actually make his works more famous.
“When I saw many clones of my T-shirts, I just smiled. It means a free promotional campaign for me, because it has actually brought them to people’s attention,” he said. “Sooner or later, people would be curious enough to find the original versions.”
Daniel and Anne’s responses are somewhat in the same positive tone like that of famous Pakistani designer duo Sana Safinaz, whose works are said to have inspired Valentino after they appeared in Vogue India. But while some people were annoyed with the resemblance, Safinaz Munir, as quoted by Times of India, simply said, “I found it very flattering and then amusing when people started calling us to ask whether we had started working for Valentino.”
Perhaps it’s just a matter of Asian characteristics — friendly and forgiving. Or maybe, for some designers, plagiarism is something they cannot fight, so the best or easiest way to deal with it is by taking the whole thing as a tribute. Who doesn’t love to be the source of inspiration?
In the meantime, it seems like plagiarism and inspiration walk hand-in-hand in the fashion industry. Both help the industry stay alive. What about those low-end counterfeiters of Louis Vuitton, Gucci, Fendi, etc. — who are the real criminals? They surely are our main concern, but some say even they play a role in the creation of global trends.
http://www.thejakartaglobe.com/lifelived/fashion-confusion-plagiarism-or-inspiration/515179
RSS Feed
