China's "Shanzhai" Couture

[person]

"Shanzhai" can be easily defined as fake or counterfeit most notably in fashion ie. fake LV bags, fake Gucci wallets, etc. However, in the last several years, the shanzhai culture has spread to singers and actors (look a likes), computers, cell phones, cars, fast food brands, and even meat (I can't even imagine).

Its easy to dismiss "shanzhai" to just fake stuff but it has become a whole culture embraced by the public not only because of the cheap prices but also because it is a counter culture against large corporations, globalization, and commercialism. Moreover, people look at these "shanzhai" things as amusing and hilarious. A small controversy began a few years ago with a very famous and popular pop star Joey Yung was caught wearing cheap imitations of western designers. Recently, China's top couture designer Guo Pei was caught ripping off designs from Dior, Cavalli, and Valentino.

Moschino vs Guo Pei's dress made for a high profile TV show hosts

Song Zuying in a Guo Pei dress vs Christian Dior Couture

Guo Pei's creation vs Roberto Cavalli

Roberto Cavalli vs Geo Pei's short version of the dress

Guo Pei vs Christian Dior, again

Guo Pei's creation at her own show vs Valentino.

I am extremely dissapointed by these photos surfacing through the Chinese news websites because I think Guo Pei is the best couture designer in China. More pictures to come ...

all pictures are from qq.com

 

[surver]

it's an extremely interesting phenomena happening in china... where fakes are actually no longer 'just' fakes, but take on entirely new lives of their own... sometimes 'better' versions or potentials then the authentic ones... but then, in today's world of cut & paste, who's to say what's original and what's not anymore? everyone is ripping everyone off

 

[MUXU]

as a chinese, i find shanzhai to be ridiculous and shameful but at the same time mildly amusing.
i checked out some of other guo pei's "designs" and my god they are bad. even what she did to that moschino dress is just horrible. well im rather dissapointed she IS the best 'couturier' in china...

i find the whole shanzhai culture is just another way to feed people into thinking they are a million bucks and go on living their pretend million bucks life because they can "afford" these high-end look-a-likes.
going against big corporations or not...it is unfair to the companies that actually spent m/billions of dollars and years of research to develop a final product than just have all that stolen by a small corporation, whom did not spend large sums of money and time on the product.

 

[Peregrina_RZ]

gosh, that's terrible and this shouldn't happend, it takes the prestige out from the brands, but anyway... we all know is bad and who are the really talents.

 

[Mr-Dale]

Oh wow...why aren't these people getting their as$es sued?

 

[gius]

Reminds me of the fashion design cannot be copyright issue ^

Plus these aren't like the store Forever 21
where it's a 100% copy
although these are very close

 

[sethii]

These terrible copies really show how brilliant couture is. The original dresses look weightless and quite magical compared to the fakes.

It's not just embarressing (esp. when they copy a chinese inspired design!) but they are also depriving real talent from exposure they need.

 

[4n98]

it's shameful

 

[hillben_ho]

"Roberto Cavalli vs Geo Pei's short version of the dress"

It's actually Guo Pei's VS Roberto's.
On the right is Liu Wen(one of the hottest asian models at the moment)wearing Roberto Cavalli's work for a photo shoot for a charity event featured in Marie Clair,China.

There have been two Louis Vuitton and Valentino "Shanzhai"coutures too,worn by Liu Yifei,a popular young actress in China.

 

[Urban Stylin]

hmm very interesting its an irony that the cavalli dress seems Asian inspired.

 

[hillben_ho]

hmm very interesting its an irony that the cavalli dress seems Asian inspired.

It is! And never the less,by China traditional art.

QingHuaCi,which means "blue-print porcelain vase"，is the insperation for that dress.

What a shame!

 

[bluedolphin]

shameful!!!!!!!!

 

[whosefault]

interesting and funny.

 

[Journeytofashion]

maybe that defines what globalization is from fashion aspect.
every season, these leading designers seek inspiration from worldwide, even the corner we never heard of. it helps communicating this regional culture to the world.
on the contrary, these regional culture copy, or simulate these result oriented from the culture of their own, like China.

 

[eternitygoddess]

There's a difference between influence&inspiration and blatant plagiarism.

 

[person]

liu yu fei, one of china's upcoming stars (she was in 'kung fu hustle') is the most shameless. she has admitted to wear these shanzhai clothes and continues to do so publicly!

now alot of places such as ABS do copy dresses in the u.s. but celebrities would never wear them in public ...

cqnews.net

real couture, fan bingbing in the real dress, liu yi fei in the fake

cqnews.net

liu yi fei in a fake lv dress i think

yesky.com

163.com

qq.net

 

[Stylephox]

It's interesting how celebrities are willing to wear those copies publicly, you'd think they'd be ashamed to wear fakes...being in the public eye and all. But in this case I don't see how it's different from forever 21, zara, or h&m (or steve madden) and even designers inspiring other designers which has been going on for it seems forever. Or beyond inspiring just blatant copying. Also these copies of couture in particular don't match up to the originals at all. If there were to be lawsuits...the designers would be more productive going after mass-produced stuff imo.

 

[Seeco]

shameful!!!!!!!! Guo Pei is just a ****!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[SGaspar]

Worst than Guo Pei is the people that wears "his" creations.

 

[sethii]

Here she is with her copy.

Got this photo from her website http://guopei.blog.cfw.com.cn/

She also designed official Beijing Olympic outfits for those girls who stand about and smile at the athletes. http://guopei.blog.cfw.com.cn/sp1/guopei/10352422626.shtml