Why do these Groovy Tulip Leggings ($11.80) look shockingly familiar?
Oh, that’s why. Of all things to copy from American Apparel, Forever 21 jacks the Afrika High Waist Legging ($34). Oy.
Why do these Groovy Tulip Leggings ($11.80) look shockingly familiar?
Oh, that’s why. Of all things to copy from American Apparel, Forever 21 jacks the Afrika High Waist Legging ($34). Oy.
Ha ha… nice. I also just saw your Huff Post piece on Anna Sui for Target. Very nice, too.
You should check out this piece on Huff Post which I came across while reading yours. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/liz-black/boycott-forever-21_b_147973.html
Also I like your blog name and the fact that it’s a bit controversial… I got chewed out in college by my bff for using the word JAP and am still recovering.
It really annoys me when people complain about cheap imitations. If the imitations are cheap, lower-quality knockoffs (I have some fabulous but dirt cheap and low-quality knockoffs of some to-die-for designer shoes) just what exactly is everyone complaining about? There is no way in hell I could ever afford the $1000 needed to buy the real thing — I am simply not in that financial league — I am more in the $10 league, or really $1. So the designer of the beautiful shoes I’d love to be able to buy (in my dreams) is losing absolutely nothing by my buying the cheap knockoffs. The quality of these knockoffs is such that I nearly didn’t buy them — they are not even leather! But they are the nearest I can get to those divine designer shoes, and I LOVE the shape of them so I did. If I were the designer I’d be happy that poor people like me were able to find those cheap knockoffs, and I wouldn’t be suing anyone.
Were people making high quality knockoffs, perhaps the designer would then have a case. He would be more likely to be losing something in that case. On the other hand, if the high-quality knockoffs were, say, HALF the price of the originals, or a QUARTER of the price, then I personally would think that the designer should control costs a bit better and compete in the free market with the imitators. And if there were such a large difference in price then my first argument applies too: there will be some who can’t afford $1000 but who can afford $250. So the designer is still not actually losing any business.
People should get off F21′s back. They give a lot of pleasure to many who are not able to afford even AA. It is so mean-spirited to try to litigate this sort of thing out of existence. The companies suing F221 etc should spend their money on positive, creative, productive things instead of trying to bring others down. People have been copying stuff for ever. I myself intend to make myself a jacket like the Ornate Puff Sleeve Jacket on bebe.com — the fabulous one in the first picture, which looks like the sample from which the pale imitation featured in the three alternate views shown was manufactured. (Notice the fantastic long sleeves in the first picture. The pictured ‘views’ next to it are clearly not the same jacket. Much shorter sleeves, etc. Not sure if you can read the link or not: http://www.bebe.com/bebe-Ornate-Puff-Sleeve-Jacket/dp/B002BF99Y0?ie=UTF8&asinSearchPageIndex=3&pf_rd_r=0994FBPJH8PE5QTRF1S5&navAsinList=B0026XE794%2CB0029WJPJ4%2CB0029WEF1M%2CB002BF99Y0%2CB0029CU6XI%2CB0028L67CE%2CB001NPG58C%2CB0026XI9KW%2CB0026XI9NY%2CB00265NAL8%2CB002A825KS%2CB0028I63QM%2CB0027QI20K%2CB002APQ9OE%2CB0028I46WK%2CB002AWRUG8%2CB001QP05Y4%2CB0026BR7BQ%2CB001ZD6JLU%2CB0028I67RC&node=698780011&pf_rd_s=search-results&field_browse=698780011&searchSize=20&navAsinListIndex=0&pf_rd_t=101&field_availability=0&id=bebe%20Ornate%20Puff%20Sleeve%20Jacket&searchBinNameList=null&store=core&pf_rd_p=482133391&ref=search_results_4&searchNodeID=698780011&pf_rd_i=698780011&field_launch-date=-1y&searchRank=-custom-rank&searchPage=1&pf_rd_m=A2FMOXN01TSNYY
Depending on the piece that I would considering, I would probably get it at F21. If it was something way too trendy, or for a costume, or something I am only going to wear a few times, F21, definitely. But for something more versatile, a basic, or something that will get worn week in week out, I would go for the real deal.
It think it’s fab. Suck it American Apparel! That’s what they get for charging $40 for leggings. But I don’t feel bad for them because the people who can afford to pay that much for leggings will do so. Forever 21 is aiming for those of us who can’t and won’t. Kudos!
Ugh… gross. You know what’s funny? Urban Outfitters also copied American Apparel.
http://sugarrockcatwalk.blogspot.com/2009/03/dupli-caught-urban-outfitters-vs.html
Coming from a vintage clothing collector perspective, these print leggings were popular in the 80s and can still be found in thrift stores for a dollar. As a small retail business owner, I must say that the American Apparel leggings win over the Forever 21. Why? style? not mine, quality? have not made a physical evaluation, Cost? Well here is the catch. Thrity four dollars is a substantial amount for leggings, particularily something very trendy. That being said, where does the profit go? I, personally, have experienced it. Several AA employees have purchased from me. I buy from them, they buy from me. Win-Win. Forever 21, no. To purchase from local retail is to give back to the community. We ensure that the money benefits our fellow neighbors. F21 sends manufacturing overseas and utilizes a low cost structure that only benefits a few. So, twenty dollars seems like a lot, but in the end, it helps to pay my employees and gives them the spending power to purchase from AA which is in return a win for both of us.
American Apparel does not outsource to other countries and puts the effort fourth into creating a safe, caring environment for their employees. They all receive fair pay, proper health care if requested and the garments are high quality.
Maybe if people saved a little money to buy nice pieces from a caring company instead of a ton of clothing from companies that are treating human beings like machines that would be the route to go.