I’m currently obsessed with so many things. My head is a mess of ideas and my stomach a turmoil in capital letters. My mind can go from dwelling on unimportant matters like a certain pair of shoes at H&M;, to then torture me with life-changing events like my move from Belgium. My time is filled by a tight schedule that aims to fit writing, blogging, the selling of my clothes and much more alongside wanting to watch the second season of Six Feet Under, or aimlessly reflecting on the need for a long holiday.
I had a hectic weekend, slightly disappointing as it hardly felt chilled or comforting. Only Sunday evening made some sense with a delicious dinner. So, in order to focus on positives, I will only talk about a blouse. That’s it, I’m still going on about my Zara blouse, the one with the cats. The look right below is the one for the relaxed Sunday dinner.
The next picture is what I wore on Friday night. I’ve been heavily inspired by retro loving bloggers Retrochick and Penny Dreadful, and after wondering how the combination of waves in my hair and red lips would work I finally took the plunge.
So yes, the blouse has been worn, a lot, and now it’s resting but will probably make a lot of appearances towards Spring.
It’s heavily inspired in Miu Miu last year’s collection. I love the term “inspired”. I love it less when it means “copying”, but the lines between the two terms become easily blurred. Zara does tend to go for the “inspiration” side of things most of the time, but other brands, such as Forever 21, have forged a reputation of unashamed copycats. For examples of this controversy see here and here.
Miu Miu is so colourful, so forward and coveted that lookalikes are bound to appear everywhere this Spring.
While designers sue other brands, scandals arise and insults are exchanged, consumers are in the middle of everything, making choices and supporting either side. To those with more money buying the original designer item is an easy task. How about the rest of us?
While it’s clear there is no justification to support fakes or knock-offs, can we be to blame for wanting fabulous-looking clothes at a smaller price tag? Is this the future of the industry? Copying in a more or less subtle way to satisfy the needs of the masses? Maybe when certain brands get sued, the profits they are making are uncountable times bigger that is worth the fines they receive?
I could go on raising questions on this, excuse the pun, questionable practice. I will simply direct you to this post by blogger Garance, brought to my attention by the lovely Heather Fonseca. Garance has a very strong and defined idea towards clear fakes and suspicious lookalikes.
What are your thoughts on this topic? Is there anything as “inspired” as copying? Should any item reminiscent of another be banned?
Pictures: Fashion Limbo, Miu Miu via Vogue.com
fashionlimbo 
Really great points I love it that you're getting lots of wear from your zara blouse really that's what you should be doing. Too many times people will wear things once, I can't imagine the size and state of some people's wardrobe that post a new outfit every single day with out any duplicate items.As for the debate about inspiration, I think there is a difference between straight up copying and being inspired by something. Inspiration can inspire you to go and out and create something that draws upon aspects from the original. However, in today's world inspiration can often mean copying.I think the high street retailers will always copy the high end designers because there is a demand for it. They sell the items and make a shed load of money. The thing is a high street retailer can have an item that they've seen on the catwalk made up and in the stores well before the actual designer piece hits the stores. I think they'll keep paying the fines as long as they're making the money.Blog:http://www.arashmazinani.comTwitter:@arashmazinani
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Thanks for a lovely and lengthy response Arash. I really think is a question of money-making here. Certain practices are worth the price. On the other hand consumers will want what they see on the catwalk even if they can't afford it. And, as you point out, a key element is the fact that high street retailers will have their "inspired" or copied items in stores long before the original designer pieces appear in their own boutiques.
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when are you coming?? we should check my wardrobe together 🙂 first of all you look gorgeous in red. :))
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Well, because us normal people will never be able to shell out the cash to buy "real" designer stuff (not that I'd want to, it feels ridiculous to spend so much money on something so trivial), I think it's great we get to look the part – BUT CHEAP! What designers do is create trends, create fashion, dictate the highstreet stores on what will be "in" next year and what will be popular. It seems only natural that the highstreet follows suit and goes along with the lines set out by popular runway collections. Copying something down to a T is sort of tacky if you ask me, especially if it is a statement piece. But being inspired by runway collections, like Zara with the Miu Miu thing is A OK in my book. H&M; has these beautiful croptops for spring, one is with birds printed allover (miu miu), the other is with a print of an atomic bomb exploding (I think, Christopher Kane). I want one of each.Besides, much of the runwaycollection's merit is based on the styling and the "look" that is being put together by the designer, not the individual pieces. So copying a piece here or there isn't the end of the world.
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and I love your retro hair and make up, and the ways you've styled the blouse!
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I love that you're including more shots of your self. You have great style and are very photogenic. I can't stand blatant copying/knockoffs: to me that's like plagiarizing a great text. Inspiration however is how fashion works and how trends are created.
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@Neslie, we need to go shopping whenever I'm there, shopping and lunch ;)@Annebeth have just taken note of those two H&M; tops you talk about hehehehe. I have to agree with a lot of what you say, designer prices are uberly ridiculous and somewhat crazy, and it ends up being elitist, which for me is a tragedy.@Laura, I am soooo not photogenic 😛 thanks for commenting though and making me blush 😉
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The blouse is GORGEOUS. And I know what you mean, shops likie Forever 21 and *ahem* River Island (it had top be said) are just copy cats, and their copies look a little cheap. Nesha,http://thebuttonowl.co.uk/
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Exactly, that's what I am looking forward to :))
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This is such a fascinating issue and I really wish that I had more of a clear stance on it. On one hand I want very much to always be behind the idea of clothing as artistry and that that is devalued in a way by knock offs but I also know that I want to have artistic pieces myself and that means buying either knock offs or inspirations pieces….xoxo ~ Courtneyhttp://sartorialsidelines.blogspot.com
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@Nesha, thanks for your thoughts, the problem with cheaper copies is that the quality tends to be poor. However do the pricey originals follow the quality/price balance?@Courtney same dilemma here: I want stand-out designs, beautiful creations but cannot afford anything high-end, the sad reality.
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Great points to bring up. I agree that it is a fine line between inspiration and copying. I think when something looks identical to the original, especially when the original has been photographed a lot or is very unique, then it feels a little weird to buy it. If an item is made well and it is using the same colors or design idea, then I think it's great to get a cheaper version. As long as you enjoy wearing it, that's all that matters.
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Fashion will always trickle down, ALWAYS. There will always be pieces inspired by other pieces – there will never be a day where the rich people wear one thing and the rest wear something else for each season! If you can afford the big stuff, get it, if you can't then don't. I'm a big believer of wearing what you like. I like you zara top! If I had seen it, I think I would have taken it home
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Those shoes are crazy cool!http://www.hsquaredfashion.blogspot.com
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I think you look stunning with the waves and red lips combo. As for inspiration v copying. I despise straight out copies designers spend alot of time developing designs and i think its wrong to make obvious copies. Inspiration is one thing but forever 21's are just outright copies. Yay i can comment now 🙂
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Firstly I know exactly how you feel having a constantly busy mind, my mind is so full of things at the moment from 'needing' a pair of loafers to my ever increasing debt or needing to get a dentist appointment, I really struggle to sleep at night because I have too much going on.Secondly I love your little cat blouse, and the red lipstick and wavey hair, it all really suits you.Lastly, I don't really pay much attention to designer brands (although I know that's what 'inspires' the highstreet) so I don't really have an opinion on the matter.I hope you have a more restful stress free week sweetie xxxhttp://my-favourite-fashion.blogspot.com/
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Thanks Jaclyin, Eli, H2, Fuyume and Victoria for your comments and lovely support!!!
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In relation to the first paragraph, um get out of my head?!If I had any more thoughts milling around up there my head would explode. Stuff I need to do, stuff I need to organize, stuff Id like to do, how Im going to get the funding to actually do any of the stuff… etc. Ah the great'inspired' debate rattles on. While I understand how it can be frustrating for the high end designers to see all their designs ripped off on the high street, the quality difference is always obvious and since the better half of the population will never be able to afford those prices, I vote they get on over it. (and make some rip off mui mui shoes for me in a hurry)
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Thanks for commenting J! I'm just going nits trying to organise my time, but my brain is disorganised and running in so many different directions… it just came out as I was writing the first lines of my post…funny how inspiration sometimes comes by just letting your brain fly 😉
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you pull off retro super well. i love the look with the printed shirt.and i think that everyone is a product of the things they like. copies are gonna happen, and fashion always trickles down as someone else said. most people can't afford designer items, so we look to similar items to achieve the designer look we are drawn to, whatever that may be. xxx
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Thanks so much for the shout out! So sweet of you. I feel the way you do. I can't afford the real thing most of the time, so I have to settle for the knock offs. The truth is I only have two real copies, the rest is "inspired by". As a designer I know how much I use other people design as inspiration. It's just a necessity. I try to put my own spin on it, but still…I'm going to check out your favorite retro bloggers by the way. Looks good!Love,Heather http://heathersdesignblog.com/
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