Original vs Knockoffs

As much as I'm sad about the summer being over, I'm very excited that Fashion Week's about to start! You'll be amazed how fast what you see on the runway will be knocked off and availble in mall stores, according to NY Times, faster than the originals are being put on the market!

Simonia Fashions is one of many companies that makes less expensive clothes inspired by other designers’ runway looks, for trendy stores like Forever 21 and retail behemoths like Macy’s and Bloomingdale’s.

A Tory Burch original.

Blue Plate Showroom in New York City.

The cut or details of a garment cannot be copyrighted under existing law, although logos and original prints can be protected.

Left, Tory Burch Ready-to-Wear Fall/Winter 2007. Right, front and back of Blue Plate Fashion company pamphlet.

Left, a dress from the Versace Spring/Summer '07 collection, which retailed for $1,685 when it was offered by Neiman Marcus this spring. On the right from Bebe, which sells their most expensive comparable dress for about $130. Forever 21 also sold a similar dress later in the summer.

(Source: nytimes.com)