Fashion North investigates dupe trends and how a generation of copy culture is pushing out luxury fashion.
With a rise in online shopping paired with a cost of living crisis and a generation that idolises influencers and celebrities, it is no surprise that Gen Z loves a dupe. With a quick search of retailers like DH Gate and and Ali Express or a TikTok shop advert, we can all find dupes of our favourite designer items. But what do these dupes mean for the future of high end fashion?
What actually is a dupe?
A dupe is a duplicate- a product that is designed to look and feel like another more luxury item, without being a counterfeit of an exact product, think knock off handbags and replica fragrances. Dupes profit from trending products by offering a cheaper and more accessible alternative for a younger generation.
Most of Gen Z are still students or only starting out in their careers. The average 18-21 year old in the UK earns £441 per week, and 22-29 year olds only slightly ahead with £583 per week according to the “Average Earning by Age and Region report” in the House of Commons library. These earnings don’t even compare to the thousands that the influencers that Gen Z strive to be can make in just one post. Buying a £1000 bag just isn’t within budget for this generation of trend hoppers.
Why are Gen Z buying dupes?
Despite the urge to save money in today’s economic climate, Gen Z also put a lot of value on aesthetics. According to Pion Youth Report, 43% of Gen Z shoppers admit that aesthetics is the main reason they are purchasing from nostalgic brands.
The constant conveyor belt of fashion and beauty trends that Gen Z consume on social media outlets, such as TikTok, makes for a never-ending cycle of needing the next best thing, no matter how much it might cost. Influencer culture massively impacts the trends that Gen Z follow and the products they spend their money on. Elena Gee, 22, said: “I have fake Uggs that I bought because they were popular and looked good on other people on TikTok, but I wanted to see if I’d like them on me before I bought the real ones.” For Elena and most young people, dupes aren’t bought to earn popularity points but to explore their personal style.
She said: “I know loads of people that have fake bags, it’s not really that embarrassing because everyone knows they cost a fortune so they already know they won’t be real anyway.”
Gen Z has a different attitude towards dupes and replicas than millennials. It used to be seen as humiliating to be outed for having a fake bag or off-brand trainers, but this generation are owning the dupes and seeking out websites like DH Gate and TikTok shop to find an inexpensive version of whatever their favourite influencer has.
A lot of Gen Z fashion lovers look to celebrities, such as Chloe, from Geordie Shore, for style inspiration and try to emulate their designer fashion looks.
View this post on Instagram
What does this mean for luxury brands?
Dupe culture creates a dilution of brand identity. Luxury retailers take pride in their exclusivity and spend a lot of money on maintaining their heritage. The more similar and cheaper products flooding the market, the less people see certain luxury brands as exclusive.
Hermes, for example, is a brand that is famously hard to buy from due to price. But when influencers flaunt their extensive collection of iconic Kelly bags on Instagram, it is too easy for Gen Z to go online and find a fake one despite the brands’ efforts to stay exclusive.
Dupes could also ruin the trust that consumers have in luxury brands, if customers unknowingly link a duped item to the real brand, their values and reputation can be tarnished.
Trademark attorney, Matt Sammon, explains the complications of trademark laws for luxury brands around dupes and counterfeit goods.
He said: “To what extent is the consumer buying the product, thinking they’re getting a genuine Louis Vuitton bag, or are they fully aware that it’s a lookalike? Usually, they are, based on the price alone.”
“The law does recognise that customers aren’t confused, and those customers aren’t harming the brand, generally they wouldn’t go out and buy from the brand if it wasn’t for this product. They are aware that they are getting a lookalike that’s not as good quality so because they’re not confused, the law doesn’t prevent them from doing it.”
Gen Z knows that dupes are not the real deal, with 64% of them admitting to using product dupes to save money. Hundreds of young people flaunt their fake goods and dupes over social media, from Jacquemus bags to Celine sunglasses, these hauls are full of designer dupes bought from online stores that they know and embrace are fake.
Matt said: “The difficulty for brands is that there’s just so many of them out there (dupes), especially when it’s on platform, say eBay, it’s not eBay that are selling the products they’re merely providing the platform, they’d (luxury brands) have to go against each and every one of the people selling, and that can be quite expensive.”
View this post on Instagram
How are luxury brands battling Gen Z away from dupes?
Gen Z is currently the age group that all marketers are now trying to reach.
Some brands are homing in on Gen Z and seeing them as the future of luxury fashion, rather than just people that can’t afford luxury. Loewe’s CMO, Charlie Smith has taken a new approach to marketing.
View this post on Instagram
They are putting everything into TikTok, inspiring Gen Z to buy one small luxury purchase at a time in order to build brand love, whether that is a candle for their first flat or a card holder with their first salary from a new job. They know that boomers can afford their products at the moment, but Gen Z will be the next wave of buyers. The brand loyalty that Loewe is striving to build with the younger generation will be a pillar for keeping Gen Z close to luxury and away from dupes.
The future of dupes
Dupes seem to be a trend that will stay especially with Gen Z. While they understand that dupes don’t compare to the real items in terms of craftmanship and quality, the fakes serve their purpose for young people.
Whether we like it or not, Gen Z will shift the perception of luxury fashion, one dupe at a time.
