As I put on my new Costume Dept ¬•$¬£ YSL tee this morning, that they very kindly sent over and bunged on a Chanel-alike tweedy nubby jacket over it, I suddenly thought that I was colliding fashion mockery and fakery together. By and large, we have an admiration for fashion mockery and a condemnation of fashion fakery. That is, we go mad for anything that either sends up or twists iconic fashion branding like, Alex & Chloe's dripping CCs, Brian Lichtenberg's RIP YSL/Balenciaga shoe tee, Slow and Steady Wins the Race canvas IT bags…etc etc… the list goes on. Then with blatant factory-churned fashion fakes, there's immediate disdain and furor for obvious reasons.
The distinction of course is crystal clear. One has some clever/funny/witty purpose behind it and the other is just powered by monetary gain with bad ethics. Still, I wonder whether our love of novelty fashion mockery items is not really because we have an admiration of a great wit (are you wisely stroking your imaginary beard whilst looking at your RIP YSL tee?) but that it brings us closer to the luxury brands that we actually fervently desire, at a fraction of the price, without the guilt associated with buying a fake. Thus the first part of that reason would be the exact same one that propels people to buy fakes and when buying into the mocks, you also inadvertently get the added bonus of some much-loved irony. So, how do you see your bit of fashion mockery if you have bought into it?
Sorry if the pondering is not articulated well. Have been staring at the ¥$£ far too long and can't quite figure out the answer to my own question yet.
A take on the interlocking CC's on a canvas bag that came with the Costume Dept tee…
While fashion mockery isn’t as … well … illegal as fashion fakery, I do think that the conscious/subconscious intent behind buying both types of items is similar. High fashion brands just aren’t accessible to everyone because of their price tags, and people want to get closer to them in any/whatever way possible. I haven’t bought into either – I’d much rather splurge on the real thing, because as my parents remind me, some designer duds may be “ugly” (i.e. the iconic brown/tan LV suitcases which are a favorite in our household) but their quality is far superior to those that are less expensive. So, for me, “designer” is not just about the look or the brand, although both of those elements play a part; it’s also about the quality of the product as well as upholding some sort of moral standards by not buying complete knockoffs.
I don’t know… I don’t actually see any irony in that!
Honestly, the Yen-Dollar-Puond is the only thing I found acceptable and a bit funny. But that said… it’s not my cup of tea =)
http://thefashionsetter.blogspot.com
my dad has a calvin klein-esque tshirt, that has a ‘KC’ logo instead of ‘CK’ with a picture of kermit the frog aka ‘kermit clein’.
he finds it hilarious xx
this is hilarious, im kinda loving the chanel version i’ll be sure to check out their other shirts!
xox.
The Voguette
Well said. For some of us, it’s common sense. But the rest of us need reminding. xo
on some blog the other day people were arguing if buying fake Alex Wang is acceptable or not. I had not heart to tell them that the “originals” are a also a copy of a classic bag that has been around in ages.
huh, chicken/egg… It’s just good old postmodernism and we are all thieves.
I dont like fakes, but often just because it does not have the same quality at all. But I liked the face Chanel Tee on your picture. I had a good fake Chanel purse, that I loved, but when I found out that it was fake (cause I bought it secondhand and was insecure if it was the real deal). I don’t dare to use it anymore, just because it is fake.
my English sounds fake today too, sorry…
I think it’s pretty cool. Have you seen the Eiffel tower one too?
I have been very busy lately so I may have missed it – but did you ever post the answer to which lookbook those clothes were from which you quizzed us on a while back?
You’ve hit a nerve lol. I just discovered that Steve Madden (whom I normally like) just did a knockoff down the near exact details of my Matt Bernson sandals. And the sandals were very unique to begin with…just makes me SO mad!
Hmmm, slippery slope for me…I do dig mockery, though. I guess it’s because I don’t take fashion that seriously. Maybe.
I guess when there is obvious “inspiration” and not blatant, creditless copying, I’m ok with it.
mockery is fine – it’s great actually – i think it takes someone with knowledge about the original and the ability to extract themselves from personal preference for the brand, plus a good dose of humour, to appreciate mockery in its true form – i don’t really see it as feverish desire to be closer to the brand, because brand lovers probably wouldn’t want their beloved brand/logo to be tampered with and would see mockery as illegit and maybe even insulting.
Nothing matters unless you think it matters, fashion-wise. You get to make up your own rules!
I just hope they’re planning to send you the pom-pom leggings!
Great post Susie! Dust brings up an interesting point with his/her chicken and egg analogy. Is anything really original anymore?
I think that mock ups are an affordable way to get closer to a brand as well as by shopping at massive chain brands which produce “inspired” pieces (something I’m guilty of buying into heavily myself). My defense is that It’s tough keeping up with the fickle and ever changing world of fashion on extremely limited funds. Buying inspired high street goods fills the void that thrift shopping cannot fill completely on it’s own.
However, there’s something unsettling about buying a blatant copy sold to pass off as an original no matter how real it looks (speaking from experience). You live in constant fear of being “found out” and feel like somewhat of a fraud yourself.
mockery and fakery to me are total opposites.
fakery is trying to be, most of the time failing miserably.
mockery, however, is adding it’s own twist to someone already fabulous, not in any way trying to be it.
just so you know, you are extremely cool.
and your header…best on the web <33 no lie.
xx
I think it all depends on how you wear it and your sense of irony. If you don’t have that, it’s pretty useless and a tad bit sad.
-Giselle <3<3<3
If fakery is so advanced that it becomes mockery, I’d say it can be acceptable. Practically anything without sense of humor is without spirit and pretentious. And often wearing the real thing like you really mean it is worth a good mockery.
Hello Susie,
I’m a big fan of Mary Ping’s work at Slow And Steady Wins The Race. I don’t buy their pieces because they bring me a step closer to the luxury items that they mock. It is solely the take-the-piss factor (and sometimes a mini headfuck) that has had me hooked. I love and collect them like Saatchi with his “YBAs” because, to me, Slow And Steady Wins The Race is not just a fashion label – it is an ever-evolving conceptual art project and an astute piece of social commentary. A lot of thought has gone into their brand of fashion mockery, more than simply tweaking a well-known logo (NOT mocking your new t-shirt here).
As for real 100% lookalike fakes, I can’t see how I can “inadvertently get the added bonus of some much-loved irony” off them. I’d rather wear a leather-wrapped Natalia Brilli watch that can’t tell time than a fake Rolex. xx
Interesting thought! I personally don’t understand how brands like Alex&Chloe can “mock” registered trademarks without getting sued.
In any case, I completely conceed that a “fakery” and a “mockery” are the essentially same — it’s somebody capitalising on someone else’s idea.
However, we also must acknolwedge that the intent (and marketing) is different. I think the key is being comfortable in admitting that they’re the same before you can argue they’re not! Does that make sense?
Another thing you may wish to include on this interesting line of thought are the “inspirations”.
I own “inspirations” and I call them that because a “fake” masquerades as the genuine article, whereas my rouched black spandex leggings don’t actually pretend to be made by Sass&Bide, they just look identical to the Black Rats leggings.
There are people who buy designer because it’s a status symbol and people who buy designer because they like the designs. It makes me sad that there are people in the world who can’t buy designer when they genuinely like the design and don’t care who designed it because they just can’t afford it (like me!) – why begrudge these people their H&M ripoff?
I think this is also why I am strongly in favour of designer diffusion lines, but now I’m rambling in a whole different direction.
As far as personal ethics are concerned, I offer the contention that while all inherrently similar, I disagree with “fakery” because they’re deceptive, but I generally enjoy “mockery” and “inspirations”.
Goodness I waffled on a lot!
I enjoyed this post, I spend alot of time pondering the same issue.
My humble opinion being…
If one feels the need to define ones style with an enormous obnoxious logo plastered across one’s chest, then so be it; but if you DO, then at least have the decency to buy the real deal.
If you cant afford it, then create your own steeze, buy vintage, Target, Kmart whatever and make it YOURS 🙂 Dont buy into the idea that you are defined by the labels that you wear.
Designers who create “mock’ interpretations of iconic labels are not being clever or ironic, they’re being lazy- and riding off the coat tails of someone’s hard work.
Peace out
xxx
I see a huge difference between inspiration/mockery and fakery. The yen dollar pound tee falls in the former category and is all right with me. There is no YSL tee with currency symbols. Costume Dept. created a NEW design INSPIRED by YSL.
I know the blog post dust is referring to and that’s completely different. The Alexander Wang copy handbag didn’t add anything to the original design. It was a blatant rip off – same hardware, shape, materials, proportion, color etc. It was attempting to pass as the original albeit with lesser quality. “I had not heart to tell them that the “originals” are a also a copy of a classic bag that has been around in ages.” Yeah, the Wang bag is inspired by the Chanel flap and is reminiscent of Sissi Rossi. But you would never mistake his bag for a Chanel, unlike the fake Wang. And I don’t even like Wang…
Excellent post!
I guess I think it’s ok to love AND mock big fashion houses – you might have a favourite philosopher or songwriter who you love love love sometimes, but I’ll bet you don’t agree with everything about them.
Same with the fashion houses. They make your heart pound, they bring you out in goosebumps – but you don’t love every design they put out, every image they back, those slightly immoral lines they sell. But then I don’t believe you can truly love someone or something without wanting it to be perfect. And if we didn’t mock the bad bits or buy into the sweet irony of fashion fakes, we would be doing designers a disservice I think.
Keep them on their toes!
Interesting thoughts. I agree. Even if you can call it “social commentary” or whatever, nobody would be buying a witty riff on the Sean John logo or something that isn’t associated with a lustworthy label to start with.
xxx,
Tiffany