the obsession with dupes, fakes, and counterfeits

[@lonewizzy]

I feel like dupes are in or out based on the economy. If the economy is great, a dupe means you can't afford designer items. If the economy is tanking, dupes mean you're resourceful.

[@annikatyler1296]

you are so right!

[@qryptid]

💯 nailed it imo

[@jyon7168]

just to add, i feel like with the inception of social media, there is now a lot more exposure and FORCED transparency with brands. Most of the public perception is now honestly aware that brands (aka billion dollar conglomerates) do not do a lot of morally good things, are performative in much of what they show the public, and are very “cooperate”. The illusion of the *integrity* of the brand has faded. All of this has lowered brand loyalty by a ton imo. and just going back to one of Mina’s past videos, clothing quality nowadays has been lowered everywhere, on both high end and low end. Nowadays people are more interested in the aesthetic of the brand (replication or otherwise), not because they actually believe the brand has integrity or utmost quality. We’ve essentially stopped idolizing them as much. So if you can get the similar look (esp one thats only a short trend, not a staple classic) then who cares about the source? because the people/cooperations from the source are not that great anyways. the “honor” in owning an authentic from these people has lessened considerably.

[@Kereru]

Partly true, there are also periods (like now) when overt luxury is just generally more in fashion. I came of age in the 2008 recession, when the economy REALLY tanked, and it suddenly became extremely unfashionable and tasteless to be flashing obvious luxury labels, whether they were dupes or not.

[@SnowflakeValley]

Dude, that's such a perfect way to put it. ❤

[@FionaAlison444]

As an Australian I wish I could make Middle school Mina feel better by letting her know that there's no such thing as a fake ugg. In Australia all sheepskin boots are called ugg, it's just a generic term for that style of boot. But a US company trademarked the word and now sells "uggs" in the US and overseas for a bunch of money while falsely claiming to be the original. The US "ugg" company has also tried to sue Australian manufacturers for using the word ugg to describe their products, even though that word and the boot style has been used in Australia for nearly 100 years. So hold your head up high, you didn't have fake uggs in middle school! (:

[@AKbaby89]

But I'm pretty sure they weren't real sheepskin

[@saram404]

Same in my country but we never use the word ugg. Also we don't see those as going out shoes, shoes like those are generally for home or running errands. I would argue you mightve even been made fun of for wearing them to school a few years ago but tbf one time I forgot to take my shoes and had to wear clogs the whole day and not a single person in the school gave a f. So you mightve not been made fun off but you'd definitely be embarrassed about wearing home shoes at school.

[@l0verofallthings]

The company that trademarked the word “ugg” was the original Ugg company and is also Australian. I think it’s fair that the US has stricter trademark laws because people spend heaps of money thinking they’re buying the real thing when it’s just ripping off the original brand. And this is coming from an Australian

[@FionaAlison444]

@@l0verofallthings Google it. The ugg company is American. Sure, started by an Australian but he started the company in the USA. He didn't invent Uggs, he trademarked a word that was in common usage already in Aistralia and then marketed it to Americans like his brand was somehow the original. And tried to stop other companies in Australia using the term "ugg". TLDR: some guy in America started selling shoes and called them Uggs like he owned the word.

[@lovepilie]

I have never understood why people like some "celebrities" just because... they are rich. How is that a human quality at all?

[@cloudsinmykoffie]

Maybe the escapism that common people experience while watching these rich people? Nice to dream of a very easy life when you're struggling in yours. Just my thought, though.

[@koala5992]

Yeah very shocking to hear that someone in korea can get cancelled for having fake designer stuff, what if she accidently bought a fake from a reseller who scammed her?

[@maverickbull1909]

Are you an American? You don’t sound like it. Maybe that’s why you don’t understand. Americans worship money over everything. Over god, over health, over community, over life itself. Therefore, of course they worship and adore the rich. Why? Because they dream of being them. They buy dupes of the clothes the rich wear to feel like they’re closer to them. Consumerism. Americans are born and bred to consume. Through consuming, they hope to fill the void in themselves that used to be filled by relationships, community, self worth and all the other things they sacrificed for money. They hope to self-actualisé by using money to buy their way into eternal happiness. It’s the nature of capitalism and America is the capitalist dream. It’s all a ruse tho. As fake as the knock offs they chase.

[@intrusive-th0t]

@@cloudsinmykoffieyou could just read fiction instead of worshipping some of the worst people on the planet

[@mrsgingernoisette]

Some of them want to be abused- by companies.

[@FrederickGautier]

The obsession with Mina covering literally anything

[@CrisOnTheInternet]

Fr

[@devernikki]

Omg Yes! 100% Mina is amazing!

[@xavierharris4036]

Who?

[@Lavinia44]

something about the way she scripts her videos and talks. it's just good

[@aces9905]

shes truly the best

[@cacommencebien]

Ι remember hearing a very rich woman say that she only bought dupe handbags from Turkey and only carried them because "if someone saw me holding a Fendi bag, they'd immediately think it's authentic anyway". Which is crazy because she had the money to buy an authentic one, yet still carried a dupe because NO ONE WOULD EVER DOUBT IT

[@duchessedeberne3909]

And also for fear of robbers

[@maverickbull1909]

Well, yes. Kim kardashian even commented on the fact she wears all fake jewelry. Why? Cuzz she was ROBBED for flaunting her real stuff. The thing about good knock offs is that if you carry them with confidence and it’s well made, no one will notice. If I was rich I would much rather have a nice $500 knockoff than the $5000 original. I’d rather spend my money on more important things. At the end of the day it’s just a bag.

[@danielamato5168]

for the same reason, theres no point in someone like me buying a gucci or any other brand knockoff, nobody would believe its real

[@happynealltdpolly]

@@danielamato5168yeah exactly, I recently saw a very good deal on versace shoes for like 190$, it was like a official private sample sale. And then i thought nobody believe me they’re real, i always complain that i’m broke lol

[@qwmx]

Not crazy. You have a dupe so the robber steals your dupe, you have a legit one which you keep to yourself to admire, use, whatever, or take with you to high security areas or places where you know where you won't be robbed.

[@lilac841]

I think there is definitely a line in ethics for buying dupes from a multimillion-dollar brand compared to a tiny company with like 3 or 5 employees. I don't work in fashion, but I've had brands steal my art and print it on various products, and the frustration is immeasurable. Especially when I see they are making thousands of dollars off of it when I usually made nothing.

[@sapphic.flower]

Yes exactly. I don’t care about dupes of brands like Gucci and Coach, especially because what’s mostly being copied is the image of wealth rather than design and it arguably makes fashion more accessible because it shouldn’t be reserved for the wealthy/comfortable. But I’ve seen and follow artists whose designs or illustrations get stolen by some shady b0t-ran site and it’s so upsetting, especially when their works are hand made and ethical. Lirika Matoshi’s strawberry dress for example, like it’s completely disrespecting the artistry.

[@BeneathFullMoon]

dupes =/= fakes or stolen designs. dupes are supposed to look similar but built from scratch, not completely the same. the goal is just to sell an item close enough that ppl who can't afford the expensive item will have some kind of a substitute. fakes try to pass as something original and trick people. stealing designs also has nothing to do with dupes.

[@lilac841]

@@BeneathFullMoon People who are intentionally making dupes know where they are getting it from. And if it is from an individual artist/ micro brand, I think that is unethical both on the manufacturer's part and those who are knowingly looking to get a dupe with the understanding it's stolen. It's one thing for it to be an unintentional accident, it's another for it to be on purpose. I don't think you are owed their designs just because you can't afford them. My wardrobe consists of cheap basics I wear every day, a few pieces I found at craft fairs or thrifts, and 2 designer pieces I saved up for. You aren't going to go naked if you can't have designer clothes. We aren't entitled to their work, especially not small artists.

[@E42545]

@@BeneathFullMoon how intentionally obtuse do you have to be to try and argue that dupes have zero to do with stealing designs? Literally by definition a “duplicate” is intended to mimic another item to a significant degree. If it was different enough to not be an attempt at mimicry, why would anyone want it as a substitute?? Make it make sense lmfao

[@maverickbull1909]

@@E42545but what they said wasn’t actually wrong. A dupe is not a fake. It’s not a 1:1. I guess in a perfect world no one would take inspiration from any higher priced item, but we live far from a perfect world. If your jacket is $300 and I love it but only have $100 then I’m going to buy the dupe that’s similar for $100. That’s capitalism. I personally think dupes are ok as long as you switch it up enough to make it different from the original. Perfect copies are wrong but like I said… it is what it is. I have one knockoff that’s a perfect 1:1. I paid $350 and the original was from Louis Vuitton and costs $7000. It’s not something I plan on making a habit of but in this case I’m definitely happy. I feel bad for small businesses but that’s capitalism’s fault, not mine.

[@fiammettaferuglio8197]

the fact that someone needs to apologise for wearing fake designer is insane.

[@mwv1217]

I buy real designer and I don't see the point in buying a fake just to say that you have a fake or pass it off as something real. What's the point in buying a fake designer item when you can buy something in your price range and have it be a better option than a fake designer piece that will break or not look right

[@schonlingg.wunderbar2985]

@mwv1217 Well, some poeple buy cloth, because they like how they look, not because they want to brag about how much they paid.

[@cloudsinmykoffie]

​@@mwv1217 For Song Ji-a's particular case, it's probably because she was/wanted to be part of the socialite group, and after the show she became a public figure and people had high expectations etc.

[@DylonsBBGorl]

@@mwv1217 It's because of people like you lol. Some people just like the way that it looks without wanting to pay a month's rent for it.

[@winkcloud]

@@cloudsinmykoffieThat's... not true at all. I watched her KZbin channel long before she went on that show, and Jia simply liked the look of these products that were readily available. You have to understand that it wasn't at all the same shopping landscape-there was a story of when she was young and she saw something she felt was pretty at a stall with her school friends. It was fake designer, sure, but that didn't matter to her. Dispatch released a piece vetting all of her stuff, and the girl can afford real designer. She doesn't go out, she's so painfully shy that she has so few close friends even now. It wasn't about being a "socialite," she was literally just a girl who liked pretty things, real or not. Anyways, she uploads videos again. Dispatch's exposé made the country feel bad for her while she was taking her break.

[@kabeom]

the obsession with watching minas content despite not always being interested in the topic

[@gremlita]

you're the realest

[@honeyartstudios]

Relatable. I didnt think Id care until I sat down willing to listen. Hearing her visual essays feels like Im being drawn back out of isolation.

[@mei8837]

so real

[@eleisatrujillo3398]

❤😊 yeah 👍 whatever she's going to say or do, I'm definitely going to watch it anyway 😅 maybe twice!

[@eleisatrujillo3398]

❤​@@gremlitaBTW I love the fit today it's giving me a little corporate corpse bride in a great way 🎉 love you!

[@dirtydove]

I think it's so sad that ppl find you attractive/ like you because they think you're rich. Plus, being a "gold spoon" should not be aspirational. It's an impossible aspiration because to be a gold spoon, you have to be from an ultra family.

[@maverickbull1909]

It is sad but it’s also been happening since forever. Everyone wants to be rich, privileged, beautiful, and handed everything. Peasants in Europe dreamt of being princes and princesses. People now dream of the same thing. Why? Because if you’re that then your life is a dream, a fantasy, and a beautiful anomaly. No real pain, no real struggle, no real problems. I wish for the same things. Do I idolize these loser celebs of today? No. They’re completely messed up. But if I had their lives I would be doing SO much more and be so happy. I wouldn’t be running around on social media, I’d be seeing the world, eating exotic foods, studying foreign secrets and so much more. But since I’m just a middle class American I’m trapped working and watching luckier people live the life I want through a screen for the rest of my life. Now THATS sad

[@shanel4294]

Yeah the most you can do is make your kids the gold spoons, once your born your born unless you get adopted I guess

[@newvouz]

the people who cancelled song jia for wearing fakes of brands wouldn't last a day here in south america lmao

[@shadowfluffylion8291]

Vdd? Aquí las falsificaciones son el pan de cada día lol

[@wellingtonfeliciano6620]

Folks are all about buying original designer stuff until a pair of shoes costs 2 minimum salaries. Perfumes and clothes are just as expensive. I might be exaggerating a bit, but a pair of nikes may cost half a salary and a chanel fragrance quite close to a whole salary.

[@j_go.]

I've seen videos of women in Vietnam that live and farm alone and wear a lot of designer knock off clothes. It's interesting because they are not trying to convince anyone that the clothes are expensive, authentic designer pieces. They just like the patterns and logos... and patterns made out of logos. Imagine enjoying clothes just for yourself? Seems so pure.

[@sideshowmob]

a lot of knock offs are made in vietnan too, so they might have easy acess to them too

[@giselletorres4156]

This I've also noticed in Mexican paisa fashion with the knockoff Gucci shirts and Snapbacks, although I will say from my own relatives it's the "look expensive/status symbol" part of it.

[@weird-guy]

That´s common in my eu country, a lot of old people still shop at the weekly fairy instead at the mall, gipsies sell the clothes there and old people don´t have a clue about the brands that the clothes are trying to copy.

[@mai-xo5cs]

I've noticed this too. It's so neat to come across groups of people who aren't tuned or aware (or don't care) what society considers status symbols. I try my best to detach myself from society's standards, but at the end of the day it's impossible for me. For them to simply wear it because they appreciate the patterns is interesting.

[@dialmstyle]

Yes, imagine that! Wearing whatever and being unbothered! 😁

[@469ka37]

As what I consider an average consumer, I honestly am never looking for "dupes" or to follow a trend, I just see something I like and buy it with zero notion of whether it's a dupe or not. I'm definitely a vibes buyer.

[@helenaap2042]

Most consumers don’t know what they want, this is one of the reasons a lot of marketing strategies work

[@qwmx]

I'm an average consumer. The clothes I want have to be of good quality, of a specific style. Unfortunately, what I want use to be the standard of pre-2010s and it's not luxury in 2020s.

[@giselletorres4156]

Also nobody in the alt community wants overpriced basics like lululemon or Chanel/Dior lookalikes. Heck even the overpriced gentrified alt fashion bands like dollskill have some character. Although that will never compare to the diy anti-consumerist aspect of alt fashion.

[@dianalufuko]

Same here 🙌🏽

[@태이씨]

It's so frustrating to shop for clothes these days. I just walk into the store in a mall, see all identical overpriced poor quality "trendy" things and walk right out. Like I just want a good black turtleneck under $100, not a Ferrari! If only I had good thrift stores where I'm living... 😭

[@Me-vn3gz]

have you tried depop? it’s a bit pricier than thrifting irl, but i also live in a fashion desert lol

[@DieAlteistwiederda]

My fave turtleneck is from Uniqlo. I've always had the issue that the arms were too short even though I'm only 5'5. Theirs have a great length all around, wash really well and are comfortable. Uniqlo has great basics in my opinion and I've never had anything that disappointed me

[@Shadeadder]

I feel like even just finding closet basics is hard because clothing/fashion sphere is so hyper-trendy now.

[@maverickbull1909]

Omg yes. I went to several thrift stores in Nashville and I was literally finding so much synthetic crap. Can’t even find real stuff in a thrift store! And when I DID find some good silks or whatever they were so much money. I’m like… I could just buy a brand new silk item rather than this shirt from 50 years ago for the same price… bye

[@pensivesoprano1637]

ThredUp (or other online thrift stores) might be a great option! It brings the best of thrifting to you if there is nothing where you live.

[@thegillmachine]

I always find it funny when they refer to items that are similar in style to each other as “dupes” on tiktok. Like no that’s not a “dupe” these are just four different brands producing cream cable knit sweaters

[@samaraisnt]

and the materials will be like “this silk blend cableknit sweater is the same as this rib knit 100% merino wool sweater!” like sis are you blind?? They’re not even for the same season! I lowkey feel like all they go by is color and general cut…from far away…squinting. Giving credence to the blind thing again. 😂

[@snowpawzvideos]

@@samaraisnt I think they do it so they can compare it to the societally attractive brand. It’s all about the brand & what’s trendy. Like the Stanley Cups. The cup & its purpose wasn’t what was important, it was the brand & its general appearance within an “aesthetic”. To have a dupe would be to say “hey I know this brand, I’m trendy, I’m up to date, look at this affordable dupe I got of this trendy thing, I’m relevant!”

[@tangerinetangerine4400]

You omitted a very important part of the discussion. Some "dupes" are of better quality than the original design. Which is very embarrassing for the luxury brands that like to pretend that their prices reflect the quality. They do not. (Look for blind tests) It is obvious that luxury brands such as Chanel and LV increase their prices but lower the quality of their products. This has been going on for decades. Be smart and buy a good quality product that you need, preferably second hand or support a unique small business. And only what you need and will actually use. Also remember that luxury brands are advertising to the middle class that is striving for higher social status. We are being duped by luxury brands and not by the dupes. ❤

[@greenluxi]

Or of comparable quality and much lower in price. Another aspect is it’s a trendier item, so like something so stylized that it will not be in fashion within a year or so it just makes sense to go cheaper. It’s been very frustrating now that I have tiny bit of adult money to find that there is serious lack of quality products in these luxury brands. You have to damn near become an expert to figure what is of quality and not with these brands, the name and the price point are no longer clear indicators of quality. So many well meaning consumers have tried to break away from fast fashion but ended up wasting money that they barely had on a product that’s supposed to be good quality but wasn’t, and they still blame consumers for hedging their bets with fast fashion. If you want us to invest maybe there needs to be some sort of universal standard for what qualifies as luxury, right now it’s giving scam.

[@oximoron613]

This was my thought during the video. There's a difference between people who want to imitate a specific luxury look verses someone refusing to buy overpriced garbage with a famous logo slapped on it. If you're someone into fashion like Mina I'm sure you see more of the first, but for a lot of people the "luxury" they're exposed to is just as poorly made as the dupes. When that article talked about the Selene skirt, all I could think was "holy shit, $350 is way more than I could afford for a single skirt!" Most people aren't looking for $350 dupes of $2600 skirts, they're looking for $20 dupes of the $350. And why should they save up for the $350 if it's not good quality either?

[@Jhddtukbdd87542]

Yeah all the ‘dupes’ I bought on temu and Amazon are better quality than the designer items, and don’t have a visible logo! I hate wearing logos. My mom always bought us logo free quality clothing as kids, even when we begged for coach or uggs like our friends had. She said that a classic silhouette and clean look are a good bet, and logos don’t indicate wealth anyway.

[@baronessdebadassiere2289]

@@Jhddtukbdd87542Facts.

[@NoelleTakestheSky]

Sometimes something that feels lower quality is higher quality, but a lot of people can't tell that. 3mm silk feels very fragile compared to poly chiffon, and that 3mm silk will cost more. Ask someone who doesn't know better which is higher quality, and they'll go for the piece that feels sturdier to the touch, but isn't. Blind tests are almost always the average person with much less experience with higher quality fabrics who don't know better.

[@alxndria1]

I think some of this dupe culture also comes from the fact that more money does not equal better quality, more and more often these days as all levels of manufacturers are really cutting costs when it comes to production. I feel like shopping isn’t fun anymore because I have to research every single thing, and often the most brand name version of an item is not at all worth the asking price. I’ve been shopping for a new sofa for over a year and it’s bleak out here!

[@picahudsoniaunflocked5426]

If you live near a decent industrial art school, a lot of students who are 3rd-4th year have excellent work at bargain prices.

[@hardyorange]

^^^this!! There's a yt shorts creator on here (apologies for not remembering her name) who has an "is it worth it?" series where she looks at not only cheaper clothes but also brands that sell their items for $100+/$500+/$1,000+. It is SHOCKING seeing her compare two garments from the same store selling for the same price and demonstrate how one is already visibly degrading before it's even left the store because of all the specific ways the manufacturer cut corners on it vs the higher quality garment. Even worse, she'll compare an item that is allegedly the same, but the one she has is just one year older and is of noticeably better quality than the new one in a store even after a year of being worn. She'll provide evidence that this "same" item is now being made with lower quality fabric, is missing structural linings, has less reinforced buttons, etc. BUT it's being sold for the same or HIGHER price compared to the one she bought! Personally, I want to start investing in better quality clothes that will last longer and are made by companies that fairly compensate the workers who make them, but it's so hard to find stuff that is 1) actually good quality and 2) has a traceable manufacturing process.

[@samaraisnt]

ugh yes sis you said it. shopping is not fun! buying one thing feels like i need a PhD in design, and be a pro at sleuthing to spot any lies/omissions/errors…like girl i just want a T-shirt, not a JOB!

[@ioncekilledamanwithmyshoe]

Shopping shouldn’t necessarily be fun and everyone should be researching things they buy.

[@yahayra7679]

Yes! We fell in love with a sofa at Macys but 3k! We went to 5 other casual furniture stores, even a liquidation store and all similar sofas were the same price but lower quality! We ended up deciding to splurge on the Macy couch bc at least it was nice quality but we were shocked at the lack of price range despite range of quality 😅

[@professionalpainthuffer]

FYI that tote bag in the beginning of the vid is just another take (probably a worse one) on the LL Bean canvas tote, which is a fantastic bag that'll last forever for half the price in a bunch of colors.

[@Noracharlesss]

Thank you, I was aghast.

[@poniesandproteins]

I have one of the smaller LL Bean canvas totes that I use pretty heavily as a grocery bag, and I've had it since 2005 and it still looks new. They truly were (/are?) meant to last.

[@jessie551]

I bought one after someone recommended them in a video comment in lue of the $120 bag. 😂 I LOVE it. It came super fast, I can tell that its very high quality, and I got my initials and a little sprig of lavendar embroidered on it. I plan on having it and using it for the rest of my life. 🥰 (Also it was only about $30 lol) it has tons of pockets on the inside and a pocket on the outside. (Emily's does not) I float between sites for my job, so it is essentially a purse and backpack for me.

[@moondoggie92]

​@@poniesandproteins Thank you for this input! I've been looking for a longer lasting grocery tote. Def gonna check out LL Bean!

[@maryeckel9682]

A lot of the reason this stuff passes is that these old brands get forgotten or categorized as "grandparent stores."

[@ginnya4246]

I think what bothers me most about clothing quality is that there are many stores that try to make people think their clothes are high quality by making a higher price point but then sell you really low quality clothes, like they're basically the same quality as clothes you could get for 15 dollars, but they cost 100. (I know this can be a labor thing but sometimes it doesn't feel like it)

[@theflamingpopsicle19]

The idea of dupes just makes me think about how much of a hold Amazon has on us and how their “dupes” of smaller business items might eventually put those small businesses out of business by producing lower quality items that look the same. (This has already happened many times) It’s just a different version of what Shein does to artists and creators, but no one bats an eye and would rather buy from Amazon because it’s cheaper and if you have Prime, there is no shipping cost. I would absolutely love to hear your take on this and what might be in store for us as a society should we continue down the road Amazon is paving for us.

[@electr.cdreammachine]

Yeah nah when people insistently differentiate between (the majority of) Amazon storefronts and shein/temu/wish I always wonder if its racism or patriotism or both

[@tri-angel]

I looked up the TIGI hair wax stick and found at least TWELVE "brands" trying to sell knockoffs😭

[@S3lkie-Gutz]

I've always hated it, I've seen so much stolen art on amazon and nobody really gives a shite. I was looking at microscopes and lab supplies on amazon and the amount of knockoffs there were made me feel uneasy. It happens on sites like etsy too, I've personally seen so many drop-shipping etsy shops copy indigenous artists beadwork and sell it at a cheaper price. They're absolutely shameless about it too as they don't alter any of the product photos or anything.

[@lininrabbit]

@@electr.cdreammachine If I see the same item from Amazon and Shein, I'll just buy from Shein because the price is lower. I myself am in the global trading business and import lighting from Asia. And a lot of items sold by different platform are made by the same factory. I'm always amazed how English-speaking world consider Shein and Temu be the evil antagonist while still buy from Amazon. They are not that different in terms of quality or ethic, except Amazon is a lot richer. Amazon basics are even worse, they steal from smaller brand but almost no one is talking about it.

[@samaraisnt]

@whodeservestolivetho or ignorance. “But they sell your data! and they don’t treat sellers well! and their worker’s conditions are appalling! They don’t even have unions!” Like girl, have you been asleep ??? you’re describing Amazon literally to a T. 😪

[@DireDandelion]

I think people need to learn there's a difference between "I want that" and "I'm glad that exists"... because this still-expensive, knock-off/faux conspicuous consumption is insane.

[@HadridarMatramen]

Yes! And also "I want that/it'd be nice to have that" does not equal "I need to have it right now, if ever". I have clothes that I have wanted for years, but know that I will never buy, and that are also above my skill level to sew for myself. And is my quality of life or depression made worse by not having those clothes? Absolutely not! Because here's the thing - something else will come along, that I ALSO want, and that I CAN afford to get, that will give me just as much happiness as the unobtainable piece of clothing would! As for this over-consumption... Holy fudge, yes! I was appalled when she said that the quality of the item doesn't matter to people, because they're only planning on wearing it once, maaaaaybe twice. Why... Why would you buy a whole new outfit that you only plan to wear once??? Why not just... mix and match what you already have, or buy a new... idk, scarf of belt or something to spruce up an already existing outfit??? That is just... A new level of wasteful, especially as we SEE the mountains of trash from the fast fashion industry! I get buying an outfit for a special occasion, but I always try to think about what I can use it for afterwards too...! I won't buy an outfit that I can't imagine myself ever wearing again...????

[@SilverDragonJay]

25:50 on this note of "a lot of these people aren't buying dups in person; they can't feel the garments." As already pointed out earlier in the video: a lot of these dups take photos from the original. Photos which are often not representative of what you are actually getting, see Bernadette Banner's scientific roast of her duped renaissance dress and Safiya Nygaard's video where she bought five of the same dress. In each of those cases, the resulting garments could be thought of as "dupes" but in order to keep the price low they cut corners wherever possible, and as a result the final product had far worse fabric and lacked core features of the original (a corseted bodice, lining, etc), yet they used the _picture_ (or videos) that showcased the original garment. Its reasons like this that I simply refuse to buy clothes online, and, if I were too, I would only buy from reputable sellers. There is simply no way of knowing what you're going to get from an online seller when even the photos and videos can be faked. You can't fake the feel of clothing in your hand or the sight of how it sits on your body. I recently went to my local JCPenny with the intent on trying on clothes I wouldn't normally wear, and let me tell you: I was pleasantly surprised with how a little off the shoulder dress sat on me. It was one of those dresses that looks amazing on the mannequins and models, one that I was expecting to look terrible once I had it on, but surprise surprise I actually liked it. In exchange, there were other dresses that I said 'nope' to before I even had the zipper all the way on. People need to shop in person more often, not only is it good for your local economy (because JCPenny employs locals to manage their stores) its also good for you to be able to see how clothes fit and feel. Its also nice to shop at a store where the default assumption isn't that I'm a shoplifter just because I wanted to try a dress on. I can just walk right on into the changing room, not like at walmart where I need some employee to count my garments before and after.

[@giannabaltazar]

this might be a long shot but i’d love for you to talk about the trad wife “aesthetic” being popularized on tiktok (ie through emily mariko, nara smith, etc). love your videos

[@cloudsinmykoffie]

I second this!

[@cv5162]

Yes!! I third this!

[@JoelMiller2609]

4th this!!!

[@yanavav]

On IG she touched on wanting to talk to about it but is worried about the commenters she'd get. For reference, the trad community is notorious for blasting people and being defensive over their rather problematic lifestyles. I would also love to hear her talk about it but its iffy and could invited people who are ignorant and associated with far right ideologies.

[@natashakrieger866]

If you’re interested I’d suggest the Shanspeare videos on them!

[@moonbyeol9130]

Afaik about Jia - she was on TV and a specialist checked her stuff. Out of ~4k designer items Jia had less than 10 were fake. And all of them were gifted to her.

[@TheEireika]

I've seen it unraveling in real time in fragrance community. 5 years ago you wouldn't be caught dead wearing perfumes "inspired by", now they are all the range. But who is to blame when perfume brands treat their products like fat fashion, cutting releases short, building FOMO and artificial scarity?

[@snailart14]

I mean perfume is interesting too because the quality actually does matter but you can still make amazing perfume for not too expensive - like realistically no bottle of perfume really needs to cost more than $50-$100 it's the whole diminishing returns thing, really at the point there are no secret ingredients that are magically more expensive beyond that price it's just branding

[@solarprogeny6736]

There's really nothing wrong with fakes and dupes. Copyright laws only protect the already rich.

[@alisonmercer5946]

​@@snailart14i love this body spray from body shop moringa. IM addicted to it. I dont know what to Compare it to like is this what MORINGA really smells like. I am loving geurlain aqua allegoria flora salvagia mY sister had. few and when I smelled it i was like omg its itz like it smells like real flowers! like sitting next to a field of wildflowers when im picking bluberriez. And that is how they described it when ichecked them out online lol. I bought one from one of those cheaper reselersfor 70 bucks canadian. I ve been reading so much trying to figure out by readin about them.andi think im goNna have tO try them on . Not gonna figure itout by reading. I know i would love a rose perfume thats just pure rose not just one of the notes, all of the rose perfumes ive read about have all kinds of other stuff if i can get a pure rose i can just mix it with my other perfume. I remember one perfume that i loved as much as i love my new ones bennefit called something about sophia but its long been discontinued. I wonder if there is anything like it because i want it

[@RedFlyingFox007]

People can't see perfume so being "caught with a dupe" isn't that much of a thing

[@AthalieM]

@@snailart14 are there ridiculous markups on designer fragrances? yes, especially since their economies of scale are greater therefore driving down the cost per producing one unit. but I wouldn't necessarily apply that logic to much smaller niche fragrance companies

[@CrisOnTheInternet]

I care about quality, but that doesn't mean that buying original will guarantee it.

[@maryeckel9682]

Sadly true

[@guyaaa]

Exactly, I agree with you.. and also just because something has a high price doesn't automatically mean that they have good quality or they will last more. I once bought a good quality pair of jeans and they lasted me 4 months before they literally worn out and broke on my thighs 😅 whereas I still have a cheap pair of jeans with a similar composition that I've bought five years ago and I still wear those regularly 😅

[@weird-guy]

My brother brought some levi´s jeans and they didn´t last long as i was surprise since everyone raves about levis jeans and i always had h&m,primark ect clothing🤣

[@CrisOnTheInternet]

@@weird-guy well my dad swore Levi's is top notch, I don't want to break it to him lol.

[@lonelywife7468]

That's why people should care about material and craftsmanship rather than a brand name.

[@jessedarlin]

I sometimes wonder if I was famous, how a stylist would want to dress me based on my body type. I get so overwhelmed by the costs of designer brands and I tend to dress more conservatively due to body image issues and dealing with scoliosis. Fashion sometimes feels like something so out of reach for me. I wish people weren’t so snobbish about what’s “good” to wear and what brands people wear.

[@maverickbull1909]

Hmmm well there’s your problem. You’re never going to change all 8 billion of us. Change yourself. Fashion and trends may not be accessible to all but good style is. Good style is based on you and your unique expression of self. No one can tell you how to dress for YOU. And it’s noones responsibility to approve of you. You’re waiting for everyone on the planet to say you can dress this way and that you look good. Stylish ppl do what they want and don’t care because it’s what THEY want to do. Until you figure out who you are and what you want to wear, you’ll continue to dress basic and boring. For me, i don’t care what the trends are. Idc what’s happening in the catwalk. Im a 1:1. A completely unique and special individual and when I get dressed my goal is to look like no one else because I’m the only orignal out of 8 billion rn.

[@happynealltdpolly]

I feel your pain! I have a very bad case of scoliosis and it took me years to figure out how can i make this distorted body look trendy.

[@jessedarlin]

@@happynealltdpolly it’s one of those things where I know very little people will see my body shape, but see it and deal with daily. I’m also the only person I know who has scoliosis so I have nobody I can discuss it with 🫠

[@jessedarlin]

@@happynealltdpolly one of those things where other people may not be able to see it, but I certainly can.

[@MS-ij8ud]

if it makes you feel better, the people you see in real life are almost never part of these circles / drama. even if a post shaming one style has millions of likes, that is a miniscule fraction of the world. I used to be like you but I said you only live once and I want to be happy so I got into fashion, and I have gotten more compliments than I could imagine (I imagined 0 so lol) pro tip start with some investment pieces in basic items you can style with most of your clothes and slowly build from there

[@BlueSeaBox]

I feel that this particularly applies with shoes- in my experience of. ‘alternative’ footwear (see goth, punk or big ridiculous stiletto platform shoes) it is ALWAYS better to get the more expensive one with good material and construction. The cheap one will fall apart in max 6 months.

[@keirahazlewood4223]

Spend money on things that separate you from the floor - shoes, chairs and beds

[@samaraisnt]

which brands exactly? I hear even the $$$ ones fall apart. Like demonias and other platforms, the glue will just come off. Which shoes are you referring to that don’t have these problems? Also i’m vegan not ever buying leather. When people mean “good” shoes they usually just mean leather and for me and a lot of alt people that’s non-negotiable.

[@grimmsfairytales2224]

​@@samaraisntsolovair/gripfast has a vegan section for boots. They were the original manufacturers for doc martins and the quality is amazing. They also sell sole replacements you can buy to have your shoes resoled after you wear them down overtime. I don't have any reccomendations for something like a demonia platform though

[@samssyrandall5408]

I feel like a lot of people justify dupes of big brands because so many big brands with $500 shirts also use sweat shop labour just like the dupe would. personally as a "plus size" person dupes seems to put out bigger size ranges too. I don't think I've ever bought a dupe though based on my style being not the norm and the fact I have a little bit of sewing knowledge, I guess you could say I make my own dupes but I don't ever sell them and I just want something in my style that fits my body for once

[@naurrr]

Selkie's owner has no right to talk about artists livelihood now that they've proudly used stolen art for their Valentine's collection. can't wait until they go bankrupt.

[@suu1998]

yup her designs aren't even that unique. she's so lazy she had to steal art for the prints

[@turtlewurtle10]

I was going to say, it’s so rich hearing her complain about dupes when she’s ripping off the work of other artists through the use of AI. I’ve always wanted a Selkie dress and would have gladly paid more knowing that they were putting out original work, but now I will not ever be buying a Selkie dress, and if I do, it would be secondhand. I’m so disappointed too because it’s hard to find brands that are reminiscent of pink frilly Gunne Sax dresses

[@E42545]

@@turtlewurtle10if this is helpful- this style of dress is generally REALLY easy to construct, so if you live in an area where you can find a seamstress that does custom garments (many do and just don’t advertise it) you can get one custom made to your body for a very competitive to selkie budget. Then you have not only a perfectly fitted well made and ethically made dress, but have basically total creative control over fabric too 🥰 -a seamstress lol

[@turtlewurtle10]

@@E42545 ooh, thanks for the advice! I did manage to find a Gunne Sax dress pattern for a project I’ll be working on my grandma with, but I’m glad to know that it hopefully shouldn’t be too hard

[@gremlita]

oh this tea is hot... honestly haven't looked too deeply into AI (it scares me) but starting to think i should because it's inevitably intersecting with fashion

[@esnasty]

TikTok shop feels like a scam, I'm so glad someone else said it first

[@misssabina235]

The two times ive bought on tiktok my account got slapped with fraud and had to get new cards. Not trying for a third😂

[@tabruc4186]

We had an instructor come in the other day who bought a kind of business shoe tennis shoe mix he got off tiktok, so it was comfortable but the top was still business like. I think that there are legitimate things to buy off tiktok, but I don't know how much is integrated in the tiktok shop itself to say whether that is legit or not

[@myownheroisonlyme5721]

Thank you especially for pointing out content creation. Takes more time and effort than most viewers know.

[@fkm8718]

I agree with everything said here about dupes ultimately being lackluster and not worth it. But I also struggle with the idea of an "investment piece." I adore the strawberry dress that went viral a few years back, so I saved up to buy one. Then I gained 100 lbs. I bought this expensive, beautiful, well made dress that I can no longer fit in. It doesn't feel like an investment piece. It feels like I wasted my money, by no fault of the dress itself. Because of that experience, I'm now hesitant to buy any expensive or luxury clothing for fear that my body will change and the money will be wasted. The same goes for shopping exclusively in person. I'd LOVE to only shop in person and not have to do the guessing game of what quality garments online will be. But so few places even offer plus sized clothing to begin with, and many places keep their plus sized options exclusively online. Feels like I can't win.

[@Jhddtukbdd87542]

Measuring tape was my best investment in online shopping for plus sized clothing. If you know your true measurements,it can take a bit of worry away from the buying process. So many plus size pieces ARE NOT plus size if you look at the size chart itself. And designer brands are the worst at size inclusivity 😢

[@OTHisLOVEforEVER]

This is why I feel like the investment pieces that make the most sense are bags and shoes, my weight changed quite a lot over the last couple of years so I would not spend a lot of money of a piece of clothing as I can’t guarantee I can be wearing it for years to come.

[@NoelleTakestheSky]

Here's what you do when you buy online: If in doubt, go up a size. Then learn to tailor your own clothing. Yes, it takes time to learn, but it also takes time to earn money to keep replacing things. If you bought that dress because it was trendy, that was a waste. If you bought it because you genuinely liked it, then you can keep it as motivation to lose the weight, you can have it remade into something else, you can sell it to put the money toward something else, or you can gift it and bring a smile to someone's face. That wouldn't be a waste.

[@torrencewaespe3409]

I've been wanting the strawberry dress for years, but my size fluctuates so much and so often that it wouldn't be worth it. There are times that my size large pants are falling down my hips and times that the xxl fit perfectly. Not even just same sizes in different brands, I mean the exact same pants that have been in my drawers forever. I want so badly to save up for nice pieces and pretty dresses. But anything without adjustable sizing just isn't worth the money. I can't spend hundreds of dollars on a dress I could maybe wear a month or two out of the year before it gets pushed to the back of the closet again.

[@kamichan127]

Online def has more options for plus size ! I can't even count how many shops say to to online for extended sizing

[@katarzynad6945]

I just want to add one take. I am a fashion student and an intern in a luxury sampling and production studio, we work with Burberry, Ahluwalia etc but also small designers. Every time there's a dupe coming out, those brands don't loose out. Their selling tactics are based on exclusivity and they know how to deal with this. The brands that lose out are the small designers who will either not pay their employees or go bankrupt. Or the machinists - people who make those clothes with their own two hands and have to live on the minimum wage. The brand can just increase the margin or use their marketing to solve this, but the small ones always suffer the most.

[@seabreeze4559]

what does sampling and production DO?

[@Noracharlesss]

I first encountered the “dupe” concept through makeup, where I think it makes a ton of sense. Like, if you have a ton of lipsticks, you want to know if a new one you’re eyeing is indistinguishable from one you already have or a formula you like better. There are only so many shades of red. I’m also fascinated by the negatively connoted “knockoff” morphing into the neutral “dupe.”

[@emmaw2634]

Jacqueline Kennedy's approved Chanel dupes , so she was 'wearing American' as they were replicated in NY always fascinated me

[@Jhddtukbdd87542]

She was a girls girl, didn’t shame women for emulating her fashion on a budget ❤

[@seabreeze4559]

@@Jhddtukbdd87542 had MM finished off so she didn't leave with her husband. That is NOT a girl's girl.

[@khaliaward1771]

I know that this is something that probably no one wants to hear, but please please please give learning how to sew a chance. It took me about like a month to get the general hang of it. I’m not the best seamstress in the world let alone even average but learning how to thrift flip clothing myself has been so helpful. Not only can I say i made it myself but it’s one of a kind. You save so much money while not consistently giving into consumerism.

[@PokhrajRoy.]

Mina’s outfit is giving ‘Poor Things’ and I’m here for it 👏🏽

[@태이씨]

My thoughts exactly!

[@PleasantRevolt]

Her shoulder look is so fun!

[@sksksks7533]

i looove the structured shoulder, its so artistic and historic

[@bellsandthreads9938]

100%!! Love it!

[@reginaj6038]

I want to dupe that shoulder design. (for personal use only)

[@dyeitbluu]

what's interesting too is there feels like there's a world of difference between fashion duping and makeup duping - the two seem to come from two completely different mindsets, perhaps because there tends to be a much narrower difference in quality between 'premium' and normal makeup, or because so much makeup is all made in the same lab anyway.

[@hannahcraig6763]

There's also just less of a world of potential in makeup. There's billions of possibilities in making a skirt: color, patterns, cut, fabric choice, etc. If you're duping something like a lipstick it usually just means the dupe as the same color and consistency. It would be silly to say someone "owns" a particular shade of red, versus "owning" a particular colored pattern and texture in a skirt.

[@NoelleTakestheSky]

I've bought high-end makeup as well as dupes, and have found that the dupes wear off a lot faster than the higher end ones. I tend to keep my higher-end palettes for when I need a look to last all day of through heavy wear (dance and makeup aren't friends), and use dupes when I need it to last a few hours. The initial look may be the same, but they don't wear the same.

[@dyeitbluu]

@@NoelleTakestheSky it can super depend! No dupe has ever matched a Pat McGrath palette for me, the quality is unimaginably good, but back in the liquid matte lipstick days colourpop was blowing every other more expensive brand out of the water. I feel like it's less reliably guaranteed to be worse than with clothing/fashion

[@Kaeinlya]

Another key factor is that unlike clothing, there's really no such thing as a vintage or second hand market for makeup. (Not ones that you plan on using anyway. There are some beautiful compacts people buy as display and collectors pieces) Once a lipstick line goes out of production, that's it. The remaining stock expires in a few years, and dupes are the only option. And in these cases there's every chance the dupe will cost as much or even more than the original.

[@ElocinLuna]

I personally find it insane that there are dupes of leggings. It’s leggings, there’s not much to really innovate. The picture you showed on the screen looks like every athletic legging I’ve ever seen in stores. I have a pair of regular black leggings from Target that I’ve had for years. So to me it’s not even a quality thing. I feel like you’re JUST paying for the brand, not for a unique and innovative product. Again, they’re just leggings. I don’t think you can dupe those, unless you have a very unique design but I can’t fathom how you would make plain leggings super unique enough for there to be dupes

[@idontneedaname318]

that's def it for some of these. some items of clothing are truly just overpriced beyond reason, regardless of superior quality. there's no way a basic one-tone pair of leggings should be $100

[@zkkitty2436]

@@idontneedaname318at least, not without explicit reassurance and proof that the garment workers are making a living wage. From what I know lulu lemon isn’t an ethical brand, there’s no reason they should be pricing their products that high

[@hannahsage8707]

I have to disagree with you there, my target leggings do not have the same quality as my lululemon ones, the fabric is not nearly as soft yet supportive and the seam shape is unique to lululemon (besides the dupes) but I do typically prefer to buy second hand on Facebook or from consignment shops, and even used, the quality is still great! But I know not everyone cares about stuff like that and wears leggings to lounge vs working out or running, I have different pairs for different activities haha 😊

[@iamanti8367]

​@@hannahsage8707i think you misunderstood the original comment. they aren't saying that there's no quality difference between Lululemon and Target, but there's barely any design difference in such basic piece of clothing, so there's no point in buying it just because it's marked as "Lululemon dupe" if you're not buying original ones in the first place. because while og Lululemon might have a better quality, their dupe definitely doesn't, so in the end what's the difference between that dupe and Target? calling a pair of basic straight blue jeans with no identifiable designs a "*insert brand name* dupe" would be insane, because it is and it's just a marketing tactic.

[@jasminecorvic9519]

I had a very similar recent experience. I decided to shop in a department store for high quality t-shirts. I was looking for something that had a nice logo, or design on the front. All they had was just plain t-shirts, and when I checked the price tags ($80+). I thought it's not even worth spending $80 on a literal plain tshirt when I can get this from somewhere else. Especially when the materials are the same!!

[@lilhonor5425]

I was talking with my gf about this attitude out there that if you want something you are entitled to have it. I understand promoting alternatives to expensive items but I think this trend of people pushing cheap low quality rip offs especially if they receive a commission from it is just gross in my opinion. I think the dupe culture also contributes to people being nasty to small businesses about their pricing.

[@sapphic.flower]

People should still treat their dupes as an investment. The fact people want a design bad enough to get a dupe but not enough to want it to last is basically admission to trend hopping and buying something only because it’s in your budget. Like that sounds like a privilege to me..

[@sideshowmob]

Investments have a return, people should treat them as disposable money

[@sapphic.flower]

@@sideshowmob ?? Investment as in "I'm investing money into this piece so I can make the most out of it". Not like a bank investment

[@NoelleTakestheSky]

@@sideshowmob If you buy and treat something like an investment, you'll get ahead. I bought a pair of boots in September 2022,, and I've taken care of them. Treated them with proper leather polish, etc, and will be getting them resoled for $20 next week. I paid $120 for those boots up front, and $10 for the polish I'm still using. I bought them two years ago. A good friend of mine bought the same boots a few weeks after I did, and she didn't treat them well. She had your mindset--buy them and waste them. Well, they lasted her not even one winter before she had to replace them. She complained about what crap shoes they were for falling apart so fast. Um...it's 2024 and mine are still good, just getting new soles. The boots she replaced this with, she's already replaced again. Since September 2022, after the cost of the new soles, I'm looking at $150 to keep my feet covered in leather. She's at well over $300. So my INVESTMENT in my boots has put me $150 ahead of her. Your mindset is why you are very obviously poor, but you don't see it, and probably see nice things as an entitlement because you see them as so worthless that they should be treated like shit and thrown away.

[@NoelleTakestheSky]

@@sapphic.flower You're not making the most of what you don't take care of, and when you take care of and mend things, you get financially ahead.

[@sapphic.flower]

@JuicyUTTP can you source? What is the screenshot from?

[@suno8911]

Fun fact: in 1965, Yves Saint Laurent’s “Mondrian Collection” became so popular and widely copied that YSL put out his own sewing pattern with Vogue. Although he ended up disliking the collection over time, it solidified the blocked shift dress one of the most iconic in fashion history. That’s the ironic nature of art and culture. Zara made its billions off the back of designer clothes, and their motto was always, “affordable dupes of unaffordable designers”. In every field of art, there’s been a swing effect over the centuries between prizing innovation//originality and tradition/continuity. So, at different points in history copying others has been considered both threatening thievery and flattering, good practice. Famous painters like Leonardo da Vinci (together with his apprentices) would produce one or two copies for patrons, and also make lesser dupes they could sell cheap. Such is the case of the Mona Lisa(s). The issue in modern times is how social media turns such organic creative cycles into a hysterical war. Let us all sit and watch -dupe and real stuff in hand- for the show to end.

[@NoelleTakestheSky]

DaVinvi and his apprentices made less detailed copies of their own designs.

[@lalacheorry]

when I saw the title I immediately thought of song jia from love island and when u mentioned it I got so excited 😭😭 in south korea its a super big thing to look expensive of high class and if you don't actually have authentic designer you're not considered a high class or rich person. I think the main reason why so many knetz got so mad at her was cuz she apparently wore her fake designer (i dont remember if it was simply knock offs or counterfeit) of those brands in posts that were sponsored by that same brand 💀 but yeah, it was a crazy controversy

[@thisorthat629]

normaly, high fashion brands lend influencers items for sponsored posts. or some brand, if just a single item and you're a customer, will gift it to you. this way they have full control. tbf idk if sk's teams handle things differently. but this seems more like a knetz gone wild situation, unless there is hard proof eg brands sueing. edit this was just ir sponsored posts showing fake items.

[@teadrinker214]

i feel like dupes are an extension of devaluing artists work more generally. people resell work on redbubble, and even etsy has become more drop-shipping and less genuine sellers. artists need to be paid in our society, and yet we do everything we can not to, because of the ways capitalism hurts us all. i remember when lirika matoshi's strawberry dress was going viral and suddenly there were 200 dupes for a 300 dollar dress. ive made clothing entirely by hand, and that shit is hard!! it takes a long time and never looks as good as you want it to! and then to hear people talk about dupes for a matoshi sweater made entirely by hand made me so angry, because i knit by hand, and to compensate my work appropriately would be to charge more than for her sweaters! the erasure of the work makes us treat clothing as a commodity first, and workers as disposable.

[@yanavav]

Droppshipping is the worst and it bothers me how many people on IG boast about getting so much wealth from it but never consider the harm it does on people laboring, artists, and climate. It's not talked enough about.

[@NoelleTakestheSky]

Art is devalued thanks to how many people think that everyone is entitled to the labor of artists for free.

[@mandarinadreux9572]

@@NoelleTakestheSky yeah it definitely is. A little personal story of mine i can add here: I'm very good at drawing and I've always been drawing everywhere. So people at school knew I was good at it. So they often approached me and would be like "hey can you draw x or y for me" or "you should totally draw z" expecting me to just do it and give it to them for free! I was offended because 1) i have my own ideas and 2) it's a lot of work! and 3) my art is personal. Yeah, from a very young age, it was ingrained to me that other people feel entitled to your skills if you're good at something artsy.

[@lily8122]

I have learned that I love shopping in person. After the pandemic was over I just stopped buying clothes online because I can’t be sure of the quality. Shopping in person and learning how to sew and even making some of my own patterns for the clothing I make has caused me to really develop my own sense of style and really value good quality clothing and natural fibers. I can’t make more than three or four really good quality pieces myself per year just because of time constraints and my perfectionism but I do enjoy the process, I always look unique whenever I wear my own clothes, and I always get compliments. A personally think I prefer clothing that doesn’t have a logo on it, regardless of quality. It feels like I’m wearing an ad. I really like your videos Mina, you always have such interesting things to say, and always make me think more about what I should value in clothing and more.

[@rebecky5ever]

Wearing name brand fashion is dying so quickly. Fast fashion and consumerism is making people focus on recreating a look more than wearing the name tag that set the look going *btw im not saying stealing someone's design is okay, I'm just saying if a sinple black crop top is in style people are more inclined to buy it from the bargain bin instead of Versace

[@rockyraaacoon]

I think the big factor for consumers considering dupes is that what some small businesses make aren’t even high quality e,g selkie dresses, so besides the labor what would encourage someone to pay $200 versus $20 for a polyester dress produced by both sides?

[@meredithmorgan6923]

I feel like telling a small designer “yeah but I wouldn’t have bought your original design anyway” is telling the fashion designer that their creative work should be free, and the only value is in the physical fabrication of an item. The consumer habitually degrades individual artists in favor of corporations. We are not entitled to other people’s work, including artists. This is part of labor rights.

[@jrtg1990]

As a designer, I pride myself in the fact that I now started sewing my own clothing and even bags. I feel original and confident because I can defend my shiits. Sewing should be taught in schools again all over the world.

[@Aggron9988]

29:50 reminds me of when I went clothes shopping last year, I never buy clothes online but saw a sweater I liked the look of because it was sort of long & flowy, but it was I think 100$ on sale? I really wanted it and considered going to a physical store location sometime to see if they had it (forget what store it was), but when I went to a thrift store to get some cotton shirts for summer (most of my clothes at the time were inherited & made of polyester, still have them but they aren’t great for warm weather >_>), I found a different sweater that was also long & flowy, and I found that after I bought it I wasn’t that interested in the original one I looked at anymore since the one I got at the thrift store hit the points I liked so much about it.

[@Nobody-s824]

Duping luxury brands, who cares. Duping small creators, immoral

[@magicknight13]

Exactly, this sums it up the best

[@mariarincon4624]

As someone who shops second hand, finding pieces that mean something to me that I can use in multiple combinations influences my creativity with fashion, controls my spending and appreciation for rare finds. I literally roll my eyes when I find shein at the thrift store because theyre poor quality and only good for one look. fast fashion is unsustainable and boring imo, like yes I can afford fast fashion just like thrifting but it is meaningful to me? no.

[@mariarincon4624]

im also very obsessed with fashion, I create crochet pieces and everytime I gift them to someone they also see the time and effort I put into said piece. How can I be a creator and not be aware of the passion that goes into the creation?

[@jazzisbadatnames]

Thrifting is also good for the environment 💚 makes me feel better than buying something from what is basically slave labour.

[@maverickbull1909]

Agreed. For me, fast fashion is a no due to the environment. I care about the earth and so I can’t buy things that will be thrown away and aren’t meant to last. Have I ever shopped FF? A few times, but at Zara I buy the higher quality items I know i will wear for years. Ultimately, I don’t want to ever go outside and see someone who looks like me and I never have. People who shop trends on fast fashion are conformist mainstream clones and it’s just really gross.

[@NoelleTakestheSky]

@@jazzisbadatnames My favorite local thrift shops donates their profits to community organizations that help women.

[@NoelleTakestheSky]

Agreed. People dressing according to trends do't give a rat's ass about what they're buying, just how they think others perceived them. They're brainless lemmings who usually feel self-conscious and like shit since they know what they're wearing doesn't look good. If they'd fuck the trends, buy fewer nicer pieces that reflect how they want to display themselves to the world regardless of the trends, then they'd feel better, their clothing would mean more, they'd save money, and they'd do the environment a favor.

[@PokhrajRoy.]

2:11 This is the most Indian parent coded behaviour. “Greek Food? Hey, I make that exact thing at home and it costs less.” “What a waste this bag is. I know a local market that sells a huge bag for half the price.”

[@fvwoicgwii]

goes same for East Asian parents aha

[@solarprogeny6736]

Just sounds like good advice and habits

[@irregularstuff5290]

And honestly? They would be right. Maybe if you want to specifically support influencer who is trying to look wealthy already you can buy if for this price, but if you need a tote bag - nearby shops sound much better (and cheaper, plus it's easier to check quality in person)

[@capricontrerasde-blasis9286]

I just wanna say I so appreciate you and your channel. I see all the research and hard work you put into your videos. It shows greatly. Thanks so much for making this so fun to learn about in an accessible way.

[@elizabethtangora4353]

When I was younger I would usually buy a dupe with the idea that I could see if I actually wore and enjoyed the dupe before I went and spent a ton of money on the real thing. But eventually I learned that testing out the cheapest version of something is the worst way to see if you like it or not. Now I figure, save your money for that 1 thing you love instead of 10 things you wish were something else.

[@NoelleTakestheSky]

When you do this, it makes you appreciate what you have more. I own significantly fewer pieces of clothing than most people, and I'm happier for it. I don't buy 10 cheap-as-shit pieces, then bitch that they're falling apart but are all I can afford. I'll buy one nicer piece that lasts, and then mend it and make it last, and end up ahead for it. The number of times I've been complimented and asked if I have my clothes custom made because I'll mend and tweak them to be perfect for me...I've lost track. Yeah, it takes a little time to sew a button back on, but it takes more time to earn the money to buy another piece of shit from Shein. The American mindset of quantity over quality is stupid and needs to stop. No trend looks as good on a person as something they've taken care of that's classic and that they've tweaked to fit them perfectly. You chase trends to make up for lacking classic style.

[@rituchib1914]

You present some great points. I personally don't have the financial resources to buy high end clothes. My lifestyle doesn't demand it either. There's no point in wearing a luxury brand for me. I personally don't feel the need to support them. I don't feel better after wearing them. I definitely don't want unwanted attention when I walk on the road. I'm more than happy to buy mid-range clothes that can last ~10 years.

[@lilligibson2321]

I feel like this topic can be closely tied with thrifting having a resurgence in the same way dupes have. I think saving money is on the rise, but mainly because of the trendy nature of it. Doing things “cheaply” isn’t as frowned upon as it was in the past.

[@cartomancycarmen]

Random answer to how do you get rid of tote bags 2:22 : I roll mine up and match them to every purse I own, that way I have a bag in case I need one (shoes, umbrella, groceries, etc). I neatly roll them up and place at the bottom of my bag it matches that way I don’t notice it but also have it when I need one. It also helps keep the shape of said bag and reduces clutter in my studio apt❣️

[@giovanninasuluh]

Stealing copyrighted stuff: photos, fabric prints, etc: BAD Being inspired by something and able to make a less expensive version: Meh. Being bound up by the idea you "need" designer whatsits or you're not good enough: Please understand you're worth more than any designer anything.

[@megslowvsyew]

I love this video! My opinion: I buy “dupes” for things that I feel like I need (like similarly formulated makeup, shampoo, etc.) because I want to save money. For things that are not “necessities”, I save money to purchase the original. A lot of time, I end up changing my mind on wanting those original products anyway.

[@NoelleTakestheSky]

This is a good mindset. When it's to do with hygiene, taking care of your health shouldn't be based on affording to not have your hair dry and break. Saving for originals of luxuries...the new times I did that, by the time I have the cash in hand (cash, not debit card), I realized I wanted the cash more. Now, the way I go about it is I'll hunt the secondary market, for years sometimes, for those items for prices I can justify. If I still want it after a year of searching, it becomes a game, and I won't let the market defeat me. I'll search! Been searching for seven years for one coat, but I will find it. I found the cream one a few months ago. My wardrobe is very small compared to most people, but I love every single piece for the effort that has gone into acquiring them.

[@sid3115]

Yeah i got so pissed about not being able to afford quality clothing items, so I just learned how to sew. It’s so easy too. Yes, it takes some time, but now I always have perfectly tailored morning, and could possibly turn this into a business if I really wanted to. I highly recommend starting this hobby if you haven’t

[@maritje4225]

If that pink jacket in the thumbnail is the product I’m thinking of, then I can tell you it’s amazing! I was on exchange in the US, and didn’t bring enough warm clothes so I bought that jacket in brown to wear under my sweaters and the quality is great! It’s beautifully fitted, has thumb holes (although I have long arms so I don’t use them), zippered pockets on the outside, and pockets on the inside too! I wish I’d bought another one while I was in the US!

[@Andy-ne5qi]

Its so evil to me that massive luxury brands steal designs from small artists and designers and from cultures to then make them exclusive and super expensive. Its also evil when fast fashion does this to small businesses and small designers and artists

[@Cantseemuch]

My perception is that the underlying problem is that most people simply don’t know what an item has to cost to cover good materials, a livable wage and corresponding costs. Fast fashion has altered our perception of prices so much that 300 for a bag or a pair of pants seems astronomical while that’s what it would cost realistically. I do have the hope that there is a shift towards better quality items, but the mindset of getting as much stuff as possible for as little money as possible is still very strong. I often talk to older people about this and the most common answer to why they had so high quality items is that they simply had less of them. We forget that. Our parents or grandparents weren’t that much richer, they had less expenses.

[@Eloraurora]

I'd add that many older clothing pieces were constructed to be as alteration-friendly as possible. Things like extra-wide seam allowances at the back of a pair of pants, or a long tab on a gathered skirt's waistband, so that the garments could grow with their owners.

[@Cantseemuch]

@@Eloraurora yes! I own a few well made vintage garments and all have at least 2,5 cm / 1 inch seam allowances or more. Even old sewing books recommend reshaping seam allowances instead of clipping as they recommend today for exactly that reason. „to allow for later alterations add xx seam allowance at that seam“ and so on.

[@lininrabbit]

But custom clothing did not cost as much back then either. My grandparents used to own a tailoring shop. I remember office ladies used to come and could spend a small fraction of their salary to buy a dress that was tailored to their body. Nowadays it would take a big chunk of your paycheck (at least mine).

[@lidu6363]

I would be more surprised by the Korean reality TV star being cancelled IF I hadn't recently watched a K-drama where they made a huge plot point out of the rival trying to make the main heroine look bad by wearing a higher-quality fake than her, and the heroine one-upping her with getting a hold of the genuine thing 🙊

[@emijunkai]

What's the name of the drama?

[@BEOM6YU]

@@emijunkaimarry my husband

[@valeriedefarias]

I used to shop online too much so cut it down I unregistered my credit card from all apps and sites. So now I can add things to the cart but I have to enter my info to actually buy anything and that makes me take a second look at what I’m trying to buy and often end up not buying anything

[@mally6101]

I don't mind the concept of a dupe (not a counterfeit), but I would encourage people to ask themselves why they want dupes at all. Do you already own something similar that works just fine? Do you have access to maybe owning less but choosing higher quality (not necessarily designer) items? Most of the time dupes encourage us to buy more things we don't need, and that is something I think shouldn't be promoted in general. Especially cheaply made things.

[@renataltpv]

loved this video! i think the other point to mention is that a lot of luxury big house brands use worse material and their quality has gone downhill and they use a lot of cheap material but have the label. their jewellery (like the bottega drop earrings which have so many dupes now) is just costume jewellery and has no re sale value if you take it to a jewellers who actually look at the material. i wanted these chanel pearl earrings when i was younger and i was pretty shocked to find out the pearls were just resin plastic but the price was so high. i don't really buy dupes and prefer to look for vintage designer bags secondhand from japan, which is a more painstaking process but much more worthwhile in the long run and helps give a second life to these items.

[@nataliejanine4611]

the youtube channel called aini made a video about people being obsessed with luxury and talks about thatt girl being cancelled for wearing fake designer! super interesting, not too related to what you're talking about in this video but this is the second time I've heard about this situation despite never having heard of this show before-- there's some really interesting details to the situation of her "cancellation"

[@grimmsfairytales2224]

I see some dupes in the alt community coming out of company boycotting. A lot of people rightfully dont want to shop at dollzkill or other websites so they look for smaller shops with similar designs and share the wealth so to speak. Sometimes the "dupe" ends up being the original that the bigger website stole from. I know in a lot of other spaces its not about that but i appreciate when it happens the way it does in alt fashion sometimes

[@ilyily96]

The fuggs/uggs trauma and that book series😭😭😭 literally my childhood!

[@laura.zier.]

I have been using Rent the Runways monthly membership for three years now and absolutely love it. It allows me to wear, and try out, different designers and wear quality clothing items. I am also able to rent super trendy pieces then I can send back. I can also purchase high quality pieces that are discounted because they are previously worn. Just something to consider. Love you Mina!

[@gaphic]

an especially insidious consequence of dupes is people learning to assume that photos are always misleading. i have seen SO many instagram comments on brands like selkie, bitching about how their products are overpriced because 'they're going to look like shit in real life'

[@kali_page]

I find myself watching your videos as if you are Attenborough, showing me a whole world of people, trends, brands, etc who I have never or slightly heard of. A lot of the topics are adjacent to those I am interested in but your reference points are largely unknown to me and it reminds me that the internet is a huge place and can be unique to each user

[@Belbecat]

My issue is that I used to do it, try save up for something nice and that I really want but the way things sell out or just are no longer stocked after the season is over has left me with so many pieces of clothing on my phone that will forever haunt me for not getting but the brands were all small boutiques I used to walk past so not famous enough to find online and it drives me nuts. After years of buying things that were similar or just panic buying stuff I like but were cheaper quality though I agree I wish I had just kept my money, either way I didn't need any of it tbh.

[@PaolaEnergya]

Get well soon Mina! Loved your essay, very well researched as usual. Fashion is such a complex subject and we as consumers have a lot of learning to do, especially with regards to cheap and disposable garments. When I obsess about an item of clothing I write it in my phone notes with its description, date, price and link to the shop. I then go about my life and completely forget I was lusting after a dress/skirt/coat etc. It's quite liberating! Of course every so often I buy new stuff but there's less compulsion this way. Just wanted to share!

[@KyleGuffey]

The way you transported me with a Clique series references - they were published as I was starting middle school and (gasp) had just moved to the county the books are based on. Anyway, they’re accurate! Think this vid is a perfect supplement to the Shein & sweater vids as we all navigate this very online time

[@hannahcraig6763]

Bro I am the least Massie person who ever lived and I was OBSESSED with those books at 11. Can we get a 40 minute video essay from Mina on the Clique and all those other trashy YA series from the 2000s and why they died out 🥲

[@Trassel242]

I don’t mind dupes of huge luxury brands, but I hate seeing dupes or rip-offs of small brands and indie designers and artists. The worst thing is seeing brands like Dollskill unashamedly ripping off random small artists whose designs they like, while making their rip-off much worse than the original that inspired it. Currently I’m on the look for a pair of glasses that’ll at least vaguely resemble what Tom Hiddleston wears in Crimson Peak, as the whole “vaguely vampiric turn-of-the-century gentleman in black” is the look I’m after. Sadly I cannot work glass or metal by myself, so I can’t just make these glasses on my own. If anyone knows any recommendations for where to find this, I’m all ears. I hate being poor yet wanting to buy stuff that’s made by people who were paid a decent wage and had good working conditions, let alone supporting small independent designers and makers. Add to that the fact that it’s hard to find any masc-styled more historically inspired goth style clothes these days, especially if you’re trying to avoid synthetic fabrics (sensory issues).

[@ph5.484]

have you looked much into ouji fashion? it's a masculine counterpart to lolita fashion and often has a gothic slant. the youtuber lou graves has some videos out there about creating ouji outfits on a budget, and even has stuff about finding clothes for the style without plastic in them because of his plastic allergy.

[@NoelleTakestheSky]

Here's what you do: See the hunt as a game. I've been on the hunt for a specific jacket in two colors when I moved to this house in early 2017, in cream and black.. I found a black one for $300, which I could pay, but I know it's out there for less. A few months ago, I found the cream one for $45. Do you have any idea how thrilled I was to finally win the hunt?! And still am! I'll have that coat probably until I die. The thrill wasn't just in getting it, but in finding it used for a price I could justify. My wardrobe is much, much smaller than most people's, and I'm far from poor these days. Every piece has one of two stories--either I decided to buy from a company that pays its workers properly, or, if it's a mass produced item I like, then it took time and effort to find on the secondary market for a good price I could justify. I don't do dupes, but have moral issues with the working conditions of a lot of factories. My Tori Burch and Marc Jacobs and Kate Spade purses were all secondary market, and have all taken incredible beatings and still look good because good leather looks netter with beatings and being polished. None cost me over $50, despite all being real. It's so thrilling to find an auction that ends right at the perfect time for no one to one watching. Auctions ending around noon on Christmas always end low since no one remembers. And be willing to send lowball offers. I've sold some of my things for lowball offers because I didn't pay much and it's nice to make someone else's day, and sometimes my offers are accepted. The process of finding something, even if it takes years, makes every piece matter more. You'll find those glasses. Watch eBay and Mercari and Posh and FB Marketplace. Make a quick look-over of those sites something you do while laying in bed at night. I have a few searches I'll spend 15 minutes on as a wind-down before sleep. It will take a while, but I'm telling you, it'll make your heart sing when the wait and the search pays off.

[@NoelleTakestheSky]

@@ph5.484 I don't think it's so much a plastic allergy as it is plastic rubbing against skin is irritating. Poly is plastic. It's awful. Poly sensitivity is not uncommon. I wish people would stop buying poly. Ouji fashion is amazing. If I wasn't so stuck on 1940s/1950's fashion (I look like a trad wife, though am a satanist, which is fun), ouji would be my go-to. I think in some ways, there's something more feminine about ouji than lolita, I think because it doesn't look like it's trying so hard and is more comfortable being what it is, and I love that. And there are few things more masculine than men comfortable wearing it. I love it.

[@pizzadogma]

@@NoelleTakestheSkyno one cares bro

[@cristinam8600]

I gasped at this beautiful top -- the structure of the shoulders and sleeves! Literally something Morticia Addams herself would have designed.

[@twinklybones8952]

haven’t thought about the clique books in agessss omg what a throwback lol. luckily i went to a low income school so no one made fun of anyone for having fake Uggs, but we did notice when someone had real ones!

[@kagitsune]

Regarding the stolen pictures on Amazon storefronts, that's not a dupe or even a counterfeit, that's straight up fraud. And Amazon will do nothing about it, because they get a cut of every sale, legal or no.

[@sur_un_nuage]

i didn’t watch single’s inferno but i watched this other show she was on and she was honestly just so cute and lovely the entire time i had no idea about her supposed rich background that people supposedly loved her for so i couldn’t really understand the controversy like i understand the dupes situation and that people can be upset about that but i couldn’t understand that people were disappointed that she wasn’t as rich as they thought she was, the conversation about dupes is something that it’s hard for me to talk about to be honest there are a lot of nuances but you talked about it very well.

[@TheRedDivaTv]

I feel that luxury brands control how much they charge for an item, but we consumers take back some of that control because we can buy a dupe or even a fake, pay pennies on the dollar of a real one and still strut around town making people think that it's the real thing without ever paying those insane prices. The consumer controls their own wallet and the luxury companies have to wait for people to spend their money on their brand. It's not just luxury brands competing against each others for the top selling items of a particular seasonal collection, they also have to compete with all the fake ones too!

[@luislozano6073]

"How dare the commoners want to dress like the rich people my design is focused on?"

[@luislozano6073]

Oh no an influencer i vented fruits!!!

[@luislozano6073]

The problem with fast fashion is very different from dupping. They interject a lot, but they are different issues

[@NoelleTakestheSky]

If even poor people don't want to dress like poor people, then why to people with more money want to dress like poor people? This constant trend-chasing shames poor people.

[@SebastianSeanCrow]

18:45 I follow people who sell their own creations on TikTok shop so I’d buy from them

[@amandaness6]

Loved the take on fakes. I recently watched a Hannah Poston video on “shopping less” like Mina mentioned at the end here and I think it’s such a good plan to avoid excessive spending but also that mindless scrolling.

[@dearlittleheart]

Singles Inferno is so good. Jia is making a comeback now no more fakes.

[@kimmyava3445]

Whenever im reading for a class i imagine Mina as the narrator and it tricks my brain into paying attention. In Mina we trust 🙏🏼

[@alexandrareilly174]

Hi Mina, I chose my masters thesis topic based on your insightful videos! Thank you

[@JuliaS-tb3vn]

Woah what great timing for this video! I just started researching for my design diploma and the topic is original-copy-fakes-dupes etc. Thank you! Great video as always

[@abunlover]

100% agree that a lot of people don't understand "true quality". I have had this discussion with a friend who is all about being environmentally friendly but supports "dupes" because big brands use the same poor practices and even factories and have started using the same cheaper materials. But there is nuance in that. Like how every grocery store in-house brand has a version of Coke or Dr. Pepper but they're not identical even thought they're often made by the same manufacturer because of protected recipes. The same manufacturer doesn't mean the products are identical. A fast fashion company is still going to buy cheaper fabric than the more expensive brand, are going to use thinner fabrics with cheaper weaving; aren't going to line clothing (I have a thrifted Shein blazer that doesn't have a lining and the internal flaps aren't tacked down), aren't going to use better stitches that take more time. For a business study abroad in college, I visited a family-run fabric manufacturer in Italy, there are so many steps in the supply chain where corners can be and are cut and I really truly believe the loss of transparency into all the steps of making clothing has warped the average consumers sense of "quality". I cringe anytime I see an influencer say a piece from their Shein haul is "good quality". It's only good quality because our standards have been lowered so much.

[@vivilovr]

the way i kinda fell off with all the -core videos but you just have a way of presenting and talking about things, even though i could just feel myself already so over yet another -core video, that is just so engaging and intelligent in a friendly and approachable manner

[@piplupz1586]

I think you conflate the artists themselves and companies that work for a little, but also like, I do too and that complicates this issue lol

[@ajlorentz]

I listen to almost all KZbin videos without watching but Mina’s are so well made and produced that I have to watch.

[@brittanyg6796]

As someone who grew up without money, I learned to create my own dupes. Recently I feel in love with a Zimmermann dress, but they don't sell my size so I just made it myself. Highly recommend!

[@riyazuo]

19:30 lmfao 😭i almost choked on my drink. That delivery was perfect

[@vcheekv]

If only ethical production was the actual focus of the "problem" of dupes. How many brands, luxury or not, are actually ethical themselves? We all live in a classist capitalistic consumer driven society, where your average consumer wants luxury, but isn't willing or able to pay. Not to mention, the arguably bigger problem, that many brands are not willing to pay for ethical production. Seems like most consumers, regardless of their income, do not pay attention either way. That is what is truly sad imo. Personally, I thrift or consume as little as possible because of this conundrum. Even so-called ethical brands can fake it. I also suggest "fake shopping" when I'm in the mood too mindlessly scroll shop. Fill the cart and do not buy. If you really need/ want it, you'll be able to buy it one way or another. It's just stuff, and most of us have enough as it is. Lets be real.

[@snowpawzvideos]

Fake shopping is what should be trending atm TikTok videos of ppl just showing off what’s in their carts

[@DraydenJoson]

I use the HIDUPZ as a work bag and have had no issues. It's a comfortable bag, has lots of room, and doesn't lose its shape. That being said, I also take care of all my bags and don't carry water bottles, pens, keys, or anything that could damage the interior.

[@arcbrush]

As people become more and more fashion conscious, dups are a must have. Corporations and creators have shown they're not ready to deal with a big market, still going for a small rich audience, when there's such a big demand. So dupes are the norm now. Those designers should have a low cost version for normal people, maybe then dupes won't matter as much.

[@demolitiontyler9563]

there's nothing wrong with buying a dupe of a big brand like prada, chanel etc. there's been controversy around a lot of these expensive brands for actually having bad products that break easily, not paying workers, esentially it's made in sweatshops. the only thing i have an issue with is brands copying small indie brands, like shein has stolen designs from independent creators.