Steal this Look : A Look Inside Forever 21

[chloehandbags]

The whole thing turns my stomach, especially the hypocrisy of it all. Isn't there a commandment that says Thou Shalt Not Steal?

Yes and how can they claim to be 'deeply Christian' if everyone in L.A.'s Korean community 'has a story about being screwed by them' and they treat their workers like slaves?

Ugh!

 

[I_killed_couture]

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

Its been the opposite for me. I've actually had more cheap clothes come from H&M that 21. I put them both in the same category and shop there if I need an outfit for a day/on a budget.

People with common sense can differentiate a pair of jeans from f21 and a pair from say Neimans. You get what you pay for and I know that much walking in both stores. But this article is a great read and will reflect whether or not I decide to continue shopping at f21 in the future.

 

[chloehandbags]

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.

Even at the expense of workers' basic human rights?

I have no problem with people who can genuinely only afford to buy a few items of super-cheap clothing buying it. But I think there is, undeniably, something very distasteful in seeing fairly well-off looking people buying armfuls of sweatshop-made clothing, every week and when they are asked why they are buying so much, them saying; 'Because it's so cheap.'.

 

[chloehandbags]

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.

Actually, something that is priced at $20 at H&M probably only cost H&M around 50 cents to buy from the manufacturer (if that!).

I saw a news item, about a year ago, that showed a shoe that cost £1 to buy wholesale (from a Chinese manufacturer) and had a retail price of £40+.

The rest is taken up with shipping half way around the world (surprisingly cheap in monetry terms, but ruinous for the environment, of course) and massive mark-up.

 

[Fabulyss]

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.

Um, isn't that some form of discrimination?

 

[morgan38]

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.

Do you feel better buying something for $2,000 that probably cost $100 dollars to make?

 

[morgan38]

Even at the expense of workers' basic human rights?

I did an internship in Shenzhen a while ago, and you're kidding yourself if you actually think a higher price tag automatically equates to better working conditions.

 

[chessmess]

i work here...
i must say its the most unorganized, horribly stressful enviroment ive ever had the displeasure of working in
last shift i had to clean a back section, and i literally pulled a MOUNTAIN of clothes from under racks and just put them all on hangers all night....

 

[dior_couture1245]

Do you feel better buying something for $2,000 that probably cost $100 dollars to make?

Not particularly.

 

[seanutbutter]

Isn't there a commandment that says Thou Shalt Not Steal?

Yes, but I assure you, it's not directed towards Forever 21. It's more along the lines of not stealing people.

 

[seanutbutter]

last shift i had to clean a back section, and i literally pulled a MOUNTAIN of clothes from under racks and just put them all on hangers all night....

Isn't that how most stores are? The clothes aren't going to hang themselves up, you know.

 

[kahlilg]

they create an idea in people's heads that it is ok to look cheap.

clarification please. for some people it's all that they can afford. besides, it's not what you wear. it's how you wear it.

 

[cinechrome]

For a capitalist society, you should prob be applauding Forever 21. Most people that shop there aren't aware of designer knockoffs anyhow. It's just trendy and something they can afford. It's like Walmart; people need it. I disagree with some of it's practices and am not a customer. But, seriously everyone is greedy and everyone steals.

 

[cinechrome]

Yes and how can they claim to be 'deeply Christian' if everyone in L.A.'s Korean community 'has a story about being screwed by them' and they treat their workers like slaves?

Ugh!

I feel that whenever the word christianity is attached, people suddenly assume a holier-than-thou attitude. Look, people are people. Get over it. Is it more okay for a criminal to screw people because he isn't religious?

 

[MUXU]

i rather buy vintage thrifts and second hand garments that still look well off than buy too common, too cheap quality, too trendy garments from stores like these.
and trust me, you can actually find alot of thrifts that reflect the current new york, milan and paris runway trends. especially during recent years with the whole nostalgic attitude.

i dont get the whole "matching cheaply priced clothes with something more expensive". does it even serve a purpose other than just mentally knowing you are wearing both cheap and pricey? i dont even think about what was the price of the garment when i put an outfit together in the morning.

i guess everyone has their own little 'thing' when it comes to fashion. for me, exclusivity is a big deal to me. i rarely garments from popular mid-market stores like top shop, zara, h&m and such and even cheaper stores like primark. i only buy the basics. i rather find one-offs at thrift stores.
looking at a long rack of the same garment makes me sick sometimes.

and i also find it stupid to think, going to popular "mall" stores like these is a treasure hunt because as soon as you find a "treasure" and wear it, you see 3 other girls wearing the exact same garment on the street.

as bad as these copy cats are, i guess designers also have to step up in terms of designing garments that are more unique and innovative. not just a basic baby doll dress with a well established (and not copyrighted) peter pan collar and puff sleeves with lace hems. come on! they are designers for goodness sake, change it up a bit! it's so easy to just copy a simple blazer with some sort of star print on it.

 

[Madhuri]

i dont get the whole "matching cheaply priced clothes with something more expensive". does it even serve a purpose other than just mentally knowing you are wearing both cheap and pricey? i dont even think about what was the price of the garment when i put an outfit together in the morning.

I hate how people thinks this makes them so cool or "original". It's like "I can afford Prada but I'm going wear a Forever 21 shirt with it. Aren't I edgy and different?"

 

[L0VE]

Well how do you think designers all end up doing the same trend =)?! I'm sure it's not just by chance. Forever 21 can just duplicate the trends better but most places copy in a subtle way. They get invited to the shows so that they can go back and duplicate the trends. Dupont does the same thing with paint on the car. They go to Oscar de la Renta and then look at the clothing coming down the runway and make paint to go with it. It's how fashion and business mix.

 

[L0VE]

I hate how people thinks this makes them so cool or "original". It's like "I can afford Prada but I'm going wear a Forever 21 shirt with it. Aren't I edgy and different?"

Well matching up cheap TO pricey is smart. You're getting the trend not the item. And maybe someone wants a chanel clutch but can't get the whole outfit. Most models do that because they get the designer stuff for free and can only afford forever21 or just like the fact that it's cheap and chic. I shop at forever21 and it's not because I can't afford designer stuff, it's because it's very chic clothing and I love a good deal. I love smart shopping. I also don't even think when I'm mixing designer with forever21. They're just an outfit I am putting together.

 

[L0VE]

Do you feel better buying something for $2,000 that probably cost $100 dollars to make?

Thank you. Designers also make stuff in China!! It's practically the same stuff. I must say some designers can not even compare and have an amazing talent. Stick with made in Italy and products like shoes. But some, you're better off paying $20 bucks at f21 than $2000.

 

[L0VE]

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.

Anyone with "money" (or a brain) knows that you go designer for the pieces that will last you a life time, not a season. And saving money is better than blowing it on a $5000 bag that's out of season soon. Not everyone from old money does this but the ones from new money blow it (more often but not ALL. I shop smart and it's ignorance to think that more money means quality. Some designers are left who make quality clothing, but some are just not up to par and are overpriced.