Steal this Look : A Look Inside Forever 21

[nat_attak]

But I think the issue most people have with Forever 21 isn't that they're stealing customers, but that it isn't fair for one person to spend $300 on an authentic designer top and then see someone walking down the street in a knock-off version that they bought for $19.99 at F21. I've seen a lot of very blatant knock-offs at F21 of Marc Jacobs stuff. I think F21 should focus more on making cute clothes that are keeping up with trends, but aren't blatantly ripping them off.

^ i agree. i started shopping at forever 21 about a year or two ago and i'm not embarrassed to own their clothes. i can afford designer clothing sometimes, but i don't think it hurts to mix and match your closet with inexpensive/expensive. i have to say though, i don't agree with them ripping off the textiles and patterns of the brand names. that's just not right and that's not something i would buy from them. as far as quality goes, it's not that bad! people are saying the buttons fly off of those garments all the time but that's not necessary the case. before you buy something, don't you want to check out the quality first? i would buy the ones that are good cotton material and something that would get ruined after the first wash. there quality is pretty much the same as say, urban outfitters anyway! except urbn would charge 50 bucks for a top, as suppose to F21 for 10. i like F21 and i think it has some pretty cute items if you look through their store. you just got to be selective and have an eye for good items i think.

 

[Madhuri]

Is see the pendulum swinging back in favor or higher-priced, better quality, harder-to-get clothing eventually. The whole dressing beneath ones income and mixing high and low has been the rage for a few years now. Stores like F21 have made trends so accessible that EVERYONE is wearing the latest fashions and looking like clones albeit trendy clones. Having something that no one else can afford will probably come back in Vogue.

 

[kimberwyn]

There's a whole lot of snobbery up in here!

The pieces that Marc Jacobs or any of the big designers are doing arent new or innovative or original. They are the leaders of trends, yes, but they are also inspired by many things including past trends. So I don't have a problem with F21 doing a nearly exact knockoff of a Marc Jacobs coat that was an exact knockoff of something produced in the 60s or 70s.

And I kind of agree with Sarah Jessica Parkers saying "fashion isnt a priveledge, its a RIGHT". I think everyone deserves to be able to wear the latest styles that high end designers are creating.

 

[2Nova]

^amen

 

[zzirvingj]

There's a whole lot of snobbery up in here!

The pieces that Marc Jacobs or any of the big designers are doing arent new or innovative or original. They are the leaders of trends, yes, but they are also inspired by many things including past trends. So I don't have a problem with F21 doing a nearly exact knockoff of a Marc Jacobs coat that was an exact knockoff of something produced in the 60s or 70s.

And I kind of agree with Sarah Jessica Parkers saying "fashion isnt a priveledge, its a RIGHT". I think everyone deserves to be able to wear the latest styles that high end designers are creating.

I understand what you are saying but I also feel that there is a difference between being "inspired" and "stealing". You can be inspired and still come up with an original design (original meaning you created the design yourself--I clarify because some people would argue that there's "nothing new under the sun", and therefore nothing original in fashion---I'm not saying that's what *I* believe...I'm just saying.)

As far as everyone deserving to be able to wear the latest styles that high end designers are creating...isn't that what people are already doing (i.e. knockoffs?)?

 

[mark_jakobs]

people aren't lying when they say buttons fly off
i had a button come off on the second wear
and i bought a beautiful skirt that was unhemmed on the bottom and made of very thin and cheap material
but after paying $15 for it i guess they are minor defects i can fix

 

[lalabelle]

All you people against F21, can you explain the difference between this and H&M? Or is it the same to you?

 

[LostInNJ]

This was a good read. I had no idea about the people behind the store. After reading through many of the comments on here, I have to say that stealing is wrong, period. They aren't altering the design, they are copying it, and now getting in trouble for it. Saying that you can't afford the real thing, so it is alright for them to do this so you can have the latest style isn't right either. I am kind of shocked that people feel that they are entitled to certain things in terms of styles of clothing. A line has to be drawn between companies being "inspired' by other designers clothes (H&M/Zara) and re-creating them and blatantly knocking them off (Forever 21).

 

[ysljunkie]

Wow. very good read^
The More You Know huh?
Hey these two had an idea and look what they turned it into. Im NO fan of stealing others work but then again you got to give them a little credit.
The author was a bit of a B though.There's a way to tell a story with out sounding holier than thou. but than again it is radar!
also being inspired and knocking off when it comes to these types of stores in virtually the same. Inspired may not look the same but for me its no different than the knockoff.

 

[jewelbox]

There's a whole lot of snobbery up in here!

The pieces that Marc Jacobs or any of the big designers are doing arent new or innovative or original. They are the leaders of trends, yes, but they are also inspired by many things including past trends. So I don't have a problem with F21 doing a nearly exact knockoff of a Marc Jacobs coat that was an exact knockoff of something produced in the 60s or 70s.

And I kind of agree with Sarah Jessica Parkers saying "fashion isnt a priveledge, its a RIGHT". I think everyone deserves to be able to wear the latest styles that high end designers are creating.

Agreed.

 

[LostInNJ]

Wow. very good read^
The More You Know huh?
Hey these two had an idea and look what they turned it into. Im NO fan of stealing others work but then again you got to give them a little credit.
The author was a bit of a B though.There's a way to tell a story with out sounding holier than thou. but than again it is radar!
also being inspired and knocking off when it comes to these types of stores in virtually the same. Inspired may not look the same but for me its no different than the knockoff.

That's a contradiction, isn't it?...The knockoff would be completely the same, while the inspired item would have elements of the original design, not all of the same details.

 

[dior_couture1245]

All you people against F21, can you explain the difference between this and H&M? Or is it the same to you?

I feel similarly towards H&M. I see less blatant copies of runway looks at H&M than at Forever 21, and I feel that H&M is a little less 'trendy.' However, I'm always so disappointed with the quality of H&M clothes. They always style everything SO perfectly in the ad campaigns...you get to the store, try it on and the fit is totally sh*tty and the quality is horrific. At both H&M and Forever 21, you truly do get what you pay for. You buy something for less than $20...you're going to get something that probably cost at total of $5 to make...which certainly doesn't scream quality.

 

[Street_a_Licious]

personally i think that the whole problem with quality is mostly in the womens wear... i bought some H&M stuff a few years ago and they're still holding up perfectly next to the Lacostes, RLs and Burberrys in my closet.

 

[2Nova]

i've never had any problems w/ quality at H&M but have had some bad quality issues w/ F21 and even Zara

 

[ysljunkie]

That's a contradiction, isn't it?...The knockoff would be completely the same, while the inspired item would have elements of the original design, not all of the same details.

Nevertheless for me the two are the same- H&m being inspired by some one else's inspiration 21 can just claim the same thing-.
Im stubburn about this.

 

[lazypadawan]

F21 is a juniors store and I haven't been 21 in a long time, but I've found some great pieces there. I especially love looking for of-the-moment accessories. The quality of the fabric or workmanship can reflect its cheapo price point but not always. I have accesories I bought there in 2002 or 2003 that are still whole. As for the button issue, I've bought expensive/designer items whose buttons came off easily too.

The designers aren't concerned about teenage girls buying $25 knockoffs instead of their $500 originals. What they're worried about is losing their cachet and exclusivity (the exception would be a brand like Harajuku Lovers, which is somewhat accessible to lower-budgeted, trend-conscious young women). If all of the mall girls are wearing it, why would a wealthy woman buy the real thing?

 

[Fabulyss]

a lot of people can't afford anything more costly than forever 21, even if they wanted to.

I was going to say the same thing! It's easy to say, "uh, it's so cheap - why don't people just save their money for higher quality clothes?" when you can actually afford to do so. In fact, that statement reeks of ignorance.

The interesting thing about Forever 21 is that, while they may rip off designer's work, most customers that shop there are generally unaware of very high end fashion and thus wouldn't even know it was a blatant rip off of Marc Jacobs or Anna Sui. There are exceptions of course, like anyone on this forum (those who are fashion savvy) that may shop there, but for the most part their consumer is the average joe.

 

[Fabulyss]

I forgot to add, just check out the rumor thread...Marc Jacobs recently created a BLATANT COPY of scarf originally made by a local designer. And I mean, EXACT COPY. http://www.thefashionspot.com/forums/f63/marc-jacobs-pirate-65711.html

And if anyone saw his recent documentary, he basically had vintage pieces pinned up on his inspiration board and he subtly reworked & incorporated them into his line.

I think it's a little ridiculous to not hold MJ to the same accusatory standards that everyone seems to be holding F21 to.

 

[SuzannaMars]

Some other ancillary points, away from the ethics of plagiarism but absolutely pertinent to the greater discussion:

-The Internet has made dissemination and reception of information almost immediate, ensuring that images are broadcast almost immediately, allowing the rapid spread of information. Concurrently, the Internet has also made it possible for a store--Forever 21, in this instance--to gauge a demand that previously would have been more frequently a hit-or-miss proposition based on subjective determinants (buyers, someone's teenage daughter, prior history, trend prediction, old-fashioned guesswork). The proliferation of forums, myspace, social shopping networks, and blogs have made the industry well aware of which items have created buzz, thereby eliminating mistakes (and reducing expenditures) and creating a greater profit margin.

-Young people in the 11-18 age demographic have more buying power than ever; consider how Victoria's Secret has covertly rebranded to appeal to this market, esp. in their beauty division. Today's young person is infinitely more sophisticated than the same person 30 years ago. Retailers are keen to capture and retain this market by providing instantaneous gratification to a group with a short attention span and a fickle nature. Sociologically, there is a greater need to conform than in the past, largely due to the Internet but also to the enormous volume of merchandise available through any number of shopping outlets (Remember when Levis and Casual Corner were the only game in town?).

-This is an ever-evolving area of law that is extremely interesting and is still being defined. I recall a similar legal debate in France over scent--I think it was Angel and its many clones. Precedents will be established by individual case.

 

[Star Foreman]

I have actually had to tell aspiring models that Forever 21 clothes are not allowed on my portfolio building shoots because they look tarty. Places like Forever 21 not only hurt the market, they create an idea in people's heads that it is ok to look cheap.