I love the theme you brought up in this video: "Are we buying the design or the brand?" You had me think about how often we value things based on their established/traditional allure, rather than their face value or their "design", in the context of this video. I believe it's mostly due to that framing bias I think it's called, how we frame information based on the way it's presented despite what the information may be. Probably butchering that, but I think it's coherent. Nice video!
Definitely the most interesting conversation about fashion reps I've ever had ( I was stopping the video and replying to what you were saying so yes, it was a conversation!). As you said, the crucial point is the difference between someone who buys a rep because interested in the design of the garment and those who want to buy the luxury product and the status, the meaning connected with the brand. Before the boom of fast fashion, wearing copies of luxury garments has always been a comment fact for medium/low-class people: if you'd seen a pretty dress in a magazine or worn by a celebrity or in a shop window, you'd have bought the fabric and made it by yourself o maybe with a help of a friend, or your dressmaker if you could afford it. That's what my great-grandmother used to do it, what my grandma did and what my mum still does. But the point is that they were trying to recreate the design and the technical feature of the garments, not having a luxury piece. They've never said, "oh, look my new (name of a fashion luxury brand) dress", instead, they were totally open about the fact that it was a copy and no one judges them for wearing a rep. Now, considering that our generation has lost the skills to make homemade clothes, is it bad to pay someone, like the Mexican company you showed, to do it for us?
I feel that reps don't really hurt brand sales due to the fact that people who buy reps were most likely not going to buy that $300 SLP shirt in the first place. If there weren't reps, they would look for some sort of alternative that looks similar, while also not breaking their wallet (fast fashion, thrifting, etc). Additionally, having reps of popular brands could actually help sales for these brands, as many people who buy reps simply don't have the funds for these brands at the moment, but could potentially have those funds later in life. I love SLP and that type of aesthetic, but I'm currently in school and don't have the money to spare. But with replicas, I can experiment with different pieces to find which ones I like or don't like, then later on down the line buy an authentic piece.
I personally love that you are so openminded. I own a pair of jordan 4 OW sail. The reason why they are fake is becaude I LOVE the design but I'm not whilling to pay 800$ or whatever the price is for a pair of shoes. I still payed 200$ for the fake pairs but the reason why is because as I said before is because I love the shoe and can't afford to pay a crazy amount of money for a real pair. So I want to be able to get the look and style of the shoe, because you can't with any other shoe. That is why the argument: 'look for a simular item' or 'find another item' or things like that are bad, because you can't with any other peice than that!
I feel almost like sneakers, like jordans, are in a league of their own when it comes to reps. Because a lot of the scarcity is created by collectors who never wear the sneakers. Thats their prerogative of course they can collect things and do what they want. But theirs going to be people who just want to buy jordans at a reasonable price to wear, and as long as theirs a vacuum like this and a need theres going to be reps and buyers. Its kind of like the war on drugs, I say "kinda" in that you're never really going to be able to stop people from wanting and buying drugs, its more about how you're going to deal with this reality
I worked for some big fashion houses and got $2k+ pieces for free. What I realized is is that sure the quality is great but that stuff is really not special. I have a lot of real designer clothes but still opt for reps for certain things. Especially things like Nike dunks that sell for $300-$1000 where the quality from Nike is not even that great to begin with. If someone asks me if my stuff is real I’ll tell them no. I’m a grown adult, their judgment doesn’t mean shit.
I think reps are only a problem when the person wearing them lie about it and try to flex it. I think if you are trying to accomplish something, if there is an artistic value, then I don’t believe something so surface-level and meaningless as money or reputation should stop you. So as long as there is a valid ends to your means, no one can tell you anything. But ofc, that’s just my opinion. I personally don’t own any reps, but have looked into it as there are some shoes I love the design that I really want to put together in an outfit and I’ve decided that as long as I’m honest whenever the pieces are discussed, then it doesn’t really matter, as a matter of fact, I run into people who run fakes more than I do people who wear real shoes. But aside from the spirit of branding I’d argue the value is the same, so since the value is void and I can make it what I want, I can just wear a rep with no guilt so as long as my enthusiasm and energy is put forth to a feeling that’s true, true to myself.
my take is always, the more people we can earnestly invite into the world of high fashion, the better. There are going to be pieces that are virtually inaccessible. What if you wanted to do a photoshoot, a video, an anything and you vision has a need for this design than you might as well go and get it. But its still a fraught proposal and maybe people will dip their toe into an aesthetic this way but maybe in the end its better to just save up for something special
I agree with you on the most part but I’m not gonna hold it against anyone for lying,, especially when there’s a lot of stigma around wearing replicas.
its really interesting to think about how in a decade or two we may not have any Rick Owens Dunks that are wearable, and reps will be the only ones available
The "waw" at 12:18 scared the shit out of me LMAOOOOO. I'm wearing headphones and I thought someone was behind me. Really batting 1000 with all these videos thank you Christian.
It’s a shame that when we have these conversations we don’t necessarily put all of our focus and talk about how out of control and inflated the market for clothing and shoes are that result in a average consumer to turn to replicated items. I’m sure that everyone wants the original of a product but it’s simply getting nearly impossible to do so, whether that’s from selling out, too high of a price, etc. I believe one day that there will be a glass ceiling to resell markets where the price reaches insanity to where reps are then wildly accepted socially. Yet even if that happens it makes me wonder will that destroy the resell markets pushing corporations/ brands to condemn replicas further than they already do and change how a consumer can obtain their products better. (And that’s a rabbit hole of more questions) In my opinion, save and spend on the original you’ll feel much more whole inside knowing it’s not a fake. At the same time who am i to tell you what to do with your money, everyone should be able to partake in their favorite brands products without outrageous expense, and if that means rocking reps (and of course being honest if you are when asked) do it.
Love the quality video man. Definitely gave me a different perspective on replicas in fashion. Would have loved to see your perspectives on "early" bootlegs, such as Tommy Hilfiger and Gucci fakes in the 90s, the Ari Menthols, and even the Bapestas if you were to consider them bootlegs. Thank you for the content.
I think that would be potentially even more interesting - those 90s bootlegs have taken on a legacy of their own (just look at current day gucci) and theres a lot of people who strictly collect boot leg band merch like fan made grateful dead ts. This retrospective appreciation is kind of why I think an immediate knee jerk dislike of replicas might be missing something interesting
@@BraveNewWear id argue that buying from an independent boutique is more genuine than a brand that rides on that aesthetic but has a premium for the name
4:40 some people also get scammed, like they see the product for like 60% of their price, and they get a fake, but dont really know they got a fake because they still spent a lot of money on it
Majority of folks wear pieces to feel validated and/or to chase the hype . The fact that a item is expensive, makes it inaccessible to many and make them feel superior. That's why ppl get so mad. It has nothing to do with the love for fashion, design or any other bullshit people say. That's why it's a kid game you grow out of.
Loved hearing your take on the subject bro. I can't say I have a great opinion on fashion reps but at least for me personally, I see high ticket or harder to obtain items as a long term or short term goal. Being in love with any certain piece makes me want to work toward owning that item. In a sense a part of the process is the chase. I don't hate on people who wear replica clothing or footwear but I will hate on people who use fake items as a front and trying to hollowly convince others that they are wearing the real deal as some sort of faux status symbol. If they are wearing something for projected status, I think their interests lie more in materialistic representation as opposed to design, history, etc. Theres nothing wrong with that attitude but it is not one that I am a particular fan of. I honestly have a lot of respect for people who can own up to the fact that their items is not real.
As a rep wearer myself i am very forthcoming about that, my intent is not to decieve, rather to wear pieces i love. To me the morality of expensive pieces heavily depend on why they cost so much, in the case of streetwear brands it mainly due to a bloated reselling market that i dont agree with and dont want to paricipate in, so i try and cop retail, if that fails replicas is the second option, i have No sympathy for those Who treat pieces like stocks, to be traded on an exchange instead og being worn, it defeats the purpose in my eyes.
Here's my take on reps: I think reps are respectable, as long as you are completely honest about its unauthenticity AND the product is only available from resell. If you are overly obsessed about it being 1:1, then you are clearly not buying it solely for the sake of design. An example is a pair of Rick Owens Dunks: Rick Owens are not manufacturing the shoes any longer, therefore they are not profiting off the dunks any longer. Moreover, dunks are virtually impossible to find in a pristine quality without any impurities like oxidization, therefore replicas can also act as a sense of immortalization, wherein the design will remain available in its pristine quality (though not from the original brand). Sure, reps are infringement of copyright and they are stealing a design from a brand, but if the company are not selling the product any longer, replicas could as a matter of fact benefit them, as it still acts as advertisement. Admittedly, I own 2 replicas due to them being unobtainable in an official manner. Whenever people ask me how I got the item, I openly state "From Taobao; they're fake.", cause I don't care. I just want the design and that's all.
yep, and people do this with pokemon games now too, how am I going to have the experience of playing a gbc cart of pokemon crystal today? nintendo sure as hell isnt selling any but i can grab a cart off taobao and become nostalgic
Same to me, i have a Originals Ramones and ozweego Raf, but i'm really in love with Raf pieces, but actually is really imposible get some pieces, and the price is really expensive, i buy the penelope hoodie from Taobao cause i'm feel in love with the design, when someone ask me i just Say it was a Rep
My approach if I can’t afford something I think is cool is to try and find the source of inspiration and get that. Couldn’t afford a pair of Margiela replicas, so sought out an original pair of GATs, got for £30 and love them.
Hard to know people's business models but let's be honest most high fashion is a rip off. I wonder if back in the day going to the best suitmaker in town vs the worst is as bad as Uniqlo vs Rick Owens pricing. Like you said low to midpriced items don't get knocked off frequently unless they are unattainable for some reason (like jordans due to Nike limiting their supply). Support small-time designers and anyways you probably can't even get replicas of their pieces which is part of the appeal.
It's a great way to try different cut's and brand's before plunging £1000's into pieces you will never wear, also most people work everyday for 8 to 10 hour's in a hot sweaty office eating fast food lunches at a desk with a very high chance of gathering sweat patches, food drip's, drink splashes and general devastation being caused to your £500 shirt. Personally I went through a rep phase and it introduced me to my favorite designers, because after a while, the logo, the print, or the current hype become completely irrelevant when the pieces are actually affordable, then you start finding out about what brand fit's you best, what cut's make you look better, what shapes accentuate your body's personal qualities more positively, and that's what sucks you in to buying the real thing, "I mean, if the rep look's good on me, just imagine what the legit stuff will look like".
Always love your fresh take on these relatively “touchy” fashion topics within the community. I plan on making a video on a similar topic regarding bootlegs and replications. But yeah I totally agree it really depends on whether you’re purchasing for the design or for the art and direct touch of the artist itself. Very enriching content man 🙏🏻
high fashion is elitist and if it wasn't for the internet high fashion and silhouettes would not be widely available to the public. Most of those who can afford these items come from privilege and wearing expensive brand clothing is a ticket to show wealth and these dynamics are deeply rooted to uphold capitalism and class division. Fashion is a form of art and we must not forget that art is meant for the public.
@@BraveNewWear defintely changed my mind! or at least reaffirmed my preexisting beliefs... fakes will always exist, but the effort and intention that some of these creators have for creating some of these fakes (using your example, the man who fakes rolex watches) will always remain eternal to the art of creation.
thinking about buying a pair of fake rick dunks, and writing fake on them, like the gucci purse, and i think its a neat type thing ive been discussing for while, with my fellow fashion nerds, of making a whole new bootleg aesthetic when it comes to things like that. it came about in a discussion with the homies, my friend introduced me to fashion reps/quality reps, and there was a 50$ rick dunk, i was like "huh that saves me 9,550 dollars". and so i thought, to take it one step further, writing fake on it, and maybe even going as far as to put a seperate symbol on it to make it a obvious bootleg, (ex:putting a bapestar on the side, or sometype of other "swoosh" type symbol) and my friend and i thought it would be a interesting art project. ill give you updates on it if you like, im ordering them next month.
Whenever I'm buying a branded item i take time to consider why I'm willing to pay this price for garment, the construction, the quality, the material, country of manufacture (paying the staff a fair wage) and the uniqueness of the design. I skipped a jw anderson sweater last week cause I found out that despite it being a knit, they chose to make it out of cotton, and I didnt believe a cotton sweater deserved the price I was about to pay, same with a dries can noten jumper I nearly bought, until I realised that they produced it in china, and I didnt want my money to go towards that. When it comes to not being able to afford something branded, I believe best to do it buy an alternative, not a copy but an alternative which gives of a similar aesthetic, the mass ammount of clothes out there means that the majority of things have atleast something similar out there
yeah I think at the end of the day, a lot of these designers and pieces are the product of very unique production. Missoni as an example has years of knit production experience and claims to have techniques and machinery that no brand could imitate
Freps is one of the best subreddit out there. Even other then reps, when I was in a low place, they helped me a lot. One of the best community I have been honored to be a part of.
Looking at your crewneck, was there a specific method to removing the champion logo from the chest? I've wanted to do so but don't want to mess the actual garment.
thats how I bought it tbh (I do like how clean it looks compared to the typical) So my thinking is that Champion does release reverse weave crewnecks without the logo on the chest but I'm not sure if its something they do every season.
There's a handmade custom brand of converse shoes made by a local artist here in the Philippines, but the shoes were like 10k PHP (190 USD) which was way overpriced. I bought a pair of reps for like 1,500 PHP which is like 28 - 29 USD. You can't really tell the difference. I love them and when I am asked if they're real or fake I am not ashamed to tell them they're reps.
Obviously you gotta get your $$$ with shorter videos but I love these longer videos with more in-depth discussion. If I wanted quick fashion content I'd go to tiktok
Sometimes I'm not even sure, shorter videos probably can get more traction but if you watch all of a long video that I post...youtubes gonna give me that cash
Reps are a hobby. I like keeping up with what's out there, what the current design language is. Something I like, I will wear a rep. That allows me to let my taste roam free. I find I lean toward Japanese styles, with the entire world of (rep) fashion in front of me. That teaches me something about myself. I couldn't do all that at full Rick prices, not even close.
4:00 the point of reps were to save money not, and to not buy resell instead of retail prices, i’m pretty sure if all these hype items werent, limited/rare, aj1s wouldn’t be hyped up above some normal vans, like say the aj1 chicago ow, they resell for around 4k. the point of reps are so u don’t got to spend 4k on a shoe that u arent gonna wear because if u do the resell value will go down, so some ppl will pay 4k for a shoe and still get a replica so they can wear the rep and keep the value on the retail, but there’s also ppl who ONLY pay for reps just because they like the design, and either way it’s not like if the person who pays 4k will give that money to NIKE.
My interests in fashion are akin to art collecting. I would rather pay for the real thing instead of a reprint. Though they could fool most of the public, that doesn't ring true to my collection. Everything is numbered, and has a limited run, Rick pieces, Undercover pieces, they all had limited runs. You can go back and do a remake, but it's not the same thing. When I take my shit to pawn stars in 40 years, ChumLee's grandson will give me $20 instead of $0.20
totally understand this take. Limited supply makes certain things more meaningful and I totally understand this counterargument. All that said, please teach me how to collect art
$300 high quality Guidi inspired boots that support local craftspeople??? That's an absolute W in my eyes. You can get looks you like, with high quality, for a good price, while also supporting small businesses and not huge congolemrates. Pretty cool to me. FYI: That's not to say don't buy Guidi! If you can afford it then get them! But this is a great alternative!
I want a brand new dunk. This isn't possible. So I'm gunna buy some Daft Dunks. I own plenty of authentic Ramones, including some special horse leather ones that're the most beautiful sneaker I've ever seen. As long as the materials are high quality, I don't care what they cost. If Dafts were 1000USD, I'd buy them assuming they're perfect in every way. Buying a cheap replica with no passion that'll fall apart and doesn't even look or feel good is a waste of time and resources. If Rick ever does a collab with Nike and remakes the Dunks, I'll get'em. He could definitely do this considering all his recent collabs, he just doesn't want to. And that's fine. It's as simple as that.
I really enjoyed this serious and intellectual discussion about reps. Great point about margiela. I think it depends on the intention of a rep too. Like a repurposed urinal a la Duchamp
Curious what your feelings are on replica street wear sneakers? Kind of a different angle seeing as how the original shoe is incredibly affordable but the resell value is so highly inflated to the point people are paying retail price for replicas.
I mentioned it in another reply - I guess i'll just copy and paste it here who cares? I feel almost like sneakers, like jordans, are in a league of their own when it comes to reps. Because a lot of the scarcity is created by collectors who never wear the sneakers. Thats their prerogative of course they can collect things and do what they want. But theirs going to be people who just want to buy jordans at a reasonable price to wear, and as long as theirs a vacuum like this and a need theres going to be reps and buyers. Its kind of like the war on drugs, I say "kinda" in that you're never really going to be able to stop people from wanting and buying drugs, its more about how you're going to deal with this reality
@@BraveNewWear I think you’re spot on, well mostly, I think a lot of the scarcity is driven by resellers who are hoarding hundreds of pairs purely for resell. Not that I’m knocking that at all but I think it definitely drives the rep market through the roof
Loved the points you brought up about accessibility and buying into the brand vs the actual product. As someone who works in authentication, I've grappled with this subject myself. While I appreciate designers who customize and diy replicas (Dapper Dan, Ava Nirui, Heron Preston, Imran Moosvi), I ultimately don't support fakes because a large amount of the profits goes to organized crime (drugs, sex-trafficking, terrorism, etc.).
This is my opinion from a streetwear/sneaker standpoint: Replica manufacturers have come so far within the past decade, it's insane. Mostly due in part to the boom in reselling; as the reselling market grows, so does the counterfeit market. I don't think any counterfeit goods are okay, but neither are the exorbitant prices people pay resellers, and shady sales tactics brands use. I haven't bought a pair of replica sneakers yet, but I do frequent the r/FashionReps reddit page. I plan on making purchases in March, because that's when a few replica manufacturers plan to release "legit check" batches. Usually manufacturers include small flaws so the shoes cannot be sold as real, but a few manufacturers are going to stop doing that. I can understand why people hold animosity towards fake sneakers, but some people are extremely ignorant. The main people that hate reps are Hypebeasts and Resellers. (I can explain why if you want.) Those are the morons that exclaim things like "fake shoes are for fake people" or believe only poor people purchase reps. A lot of people don't understand that the inflated and ridiculous resale price is not a shoes actual worth. A shoe isn't made from some nonrenewable resource, and most people can actually afford the shoe at retail....it's the resellers that buy up all the product, and brands enable that BS behavior by purposefully releasing a limited stock. My reason for buying reps is that if the brand doesn't want my money for their product, I know someone in China that does. If I could buy the product from the actual brand I would, but I absolutely refuse to line the pockets of some scumbag reseller. Brands like to claim reps hurt their brand integrity, but that "integrity" went out the window the moment they decided to put profit over people. If big name brands want to put a dent in the counterfeit market, they need to take a real stand against botters/resellers and make a better effort to have supply meet the demand. So until they do that, I'll continue to buy the fakes.
Stories sell, to put it simply because the dunks were stopped by Nike, it makes people more attracted to the unattainable. I would argue that if the rick dunks weren’t even stopped by Nike, they wouldn’t be as popular as they are today. Heck I only knew about the rick dunks bc of what Nike did
Really interesting video! However, I think people forget the true price of buying replica products too often. There is no way in which the manufacturers of reps are held accountable for the way they produce with regards to enviornment and work conditions. Of course it is not always that reps are made irresponsibly, and rarely is originals made by saints, but the replica market completely evades any form of accountability or responsibility. Far too often does the discoussion about reps end up being about wether or not somebody should be judged for fake flexin when this is completely inconsequential to the actual problems that the fashion industry is facing.
No doubt, I would say my official official stance is probably save up for the real thing - and another commenter mentioned that some replicas are probably funding terrorist organizations. I imagine similar to how the drug trade often funds terrorists / cartels. Criminal groups will often move in to monopolize black markets where they're ok with taking on the legal risk.
Dude stop the bs so ur telling me go broke for high fashion resellers buy up everything and sell it over ten times the amount and expect us to pay for it if I buy what I can afford and if reps give me the look I want then I'll buy them because no one can force me to overspend on fashion
@@kheeinalexander8846 no, I’m not saying that? I’m saying you should try to buy something thats produced and designed in an ethical manner. You dont have to have high fashion. “Cheaper” clothes can be produced responsibly as well (patagonia, second hand, etc). What you do, is up to you, but everytime you buy fakes/reps, the true costs isn’t the money you pay. Its pollution and increased crime caused by funding an illegal industry with no oversight or accountability at all. My point isn’t shaming anyone or telling anyone what to do. My point is that there are consequences to supporting/buying reps that I believe are more important than the aspects of the rep market that people tend to talk about.
@@someflyingdude6001 and you think that American companies do things in an ethical manner most of America's factories are based in China for low wage incomes and cheap labor just think about it there are warehouses in America for fashion companies but not factories so miss me with the bs 🤣
I started this afternoon looking for replicas of a cool looking wallet I am not willing to fork out 400 USD for, just because I like the pattern. Now I ended up here 😅
Too rarely in conversations about whether replicas are good or bad do I hear about the ethics of it. Most often, the only ethical points revolve around copyright infringement. However, there is evidence that the counterfeit market funds many more illegal trades, such as terrorism, human trafficking, child pornography, etc. Buying replicas seems to me like the closest way of funding them but people think only “Oh I like this but can’t buy it so I guess it’s a replica for me.” There are so many options when you like a design but can’t afford it. There are a lot of brands/independent designers with similar aesthetics, sales, the second-hand market, creating something ourselves, even paying legit companies to produce something similar. I think too often we get stuck on “I want something that looks like THAT” and don’t allow ourselves to explore. If we did, we would be on the same path as Rick Owens replicating [edit: rather reinterpreting] the Nikes.
I think I bought fake Rick Owen drop crotches one time. But they not mainline and from ebay lmao. In hughschool I did buy a cdg x bape shirt and a lv wallet and a Marc Jacob's watch rep. But I agree with the take that it funds bad actors and I guess ya live and learn
a bit late to the party. Id get people for buying the real deal when it comes to luxury goods. But if let's say a person was to buy muks jordan 1 compared to paying a premium for a original jordan 1 then yeah i wouldnt stop em.
Yes, I do enjoy the longer videos. godbless 🙏🏽 also would be interested in a video about ordering a custom pair of tabi boots from that mexican bespoke webiste 👀
I don’t hate fakes. from a pragmatic point of view though; the more people buy fakes, the more that industry is propelled forward. This means an increased risk of running into more fakes in the used marketplace that could pass as authentic. This argument has been made by many.
As a former reseller, I ran into fakes on a regular basis. Sometimes I just didn't expect someone would make a fake of product x and I got burnt. Sometimes I was being lazy and didn't legit check. Truth be told, I discovered this community of high fashion videos while trying to legit check a pair of SLP boots. I didn't make that connection until this comment but I have fashion reps to thank for my whole channel, damn
One reason I disagree with your take is because if you’re buying because of the design, you should pay for it. Branding is easier to do as a designer but if you pay for a very well designed boot/jacket/etc. it’s profits should go towards the designer. Buying fake Nike sneakers I can’t get on the SNKRS app, I don’t feel bad about because it’s artificial hype and overdriven prices.
well I agree with that Jordan, ultimately the 1st thing I have to argue is that a designer or team worked to create something and its wrong to steal their intellectual work. Thats kind of my first problem in full on embracing the idea of fakes
I feel like as long as people don't care about perception then its okay to wear reps. I own a few replica sneakers and a shirt or two. I bought them bc im a poor college student and couldn't ever afford to pay 1 months rent on a single piece of clothing. For me, its all about the design, I don't care if something is hype or not. Yeah I have fake off white converse, but that's because they're the more interesting and appealing chuck taylor to me and are worth having. I was never into vans until they came out with the MoMA collection. That really spoke to me as a creative person so I picked up the suprematist sk8 his.
i feel you I got a Raf simons riot bomber replica that looks really good since it was hand made to looks exactly like the real one and its only off a little on some of the patches but it looks closest to the real thing than other recreations I have seen and yea im not spending $47,000 on the real thing but I love the way the patches are arranged in a collage style on the jacket it looks so unique and amazing and I just wanted to own it without paying a crazy price like that and its weird I usually dont like wearing fakes but this one I feel proud of wearing for some reason it looks that good so I cant judge someone else for wearing replicas esp if the real thing costs an insane amount of money.
i find that the replica process is somewhat artful i've been to china a number of times and these creators pay a lot of attention to getting the details right, working super fast sometimes they work so fast that they create a product that didn't exist in the first place i:e an original creation born from the replication of other pieces
to be honest it’s like, would you get a painting by a famous artist if it was the exact same painting but someone else painted it one for one? personally the artist is as important in what’s being sold as the product itself.
I (kind of, basically) agree, which is in part why I mention Saturn Devouring His Son and the controversy around whether it was actually painted by Goya or painted by one of his students. If its a actual Goya from his Black Painting series, then it has more value and meaning compared to the latter.
tbh - I often take these stances to say "I see some flaws in the common held perspectives of this community" but often like with this video I can't say I'm 100% convinced personally. I think good criticism takes devils advocate types of positions as long as it's observant to the real counter arguments
If you take one browse of fashion reps and repsneakers, you see replica fashion not only supports a large amount of the Chinese economy in certain areas, but it is grown people penmding days and days competign to make the best replicas, not any sort of child labour. I'm not supporting replicas or saying they are right, and I may not be entirely right, however I dont see reps being so bad...
high fashion is unobtainable to lots of people, the culture in general not only street wear are increasing their demand on designer clothing because of the “status” it carries, in my personal opinion i don’t mind replicas at all, unless they’re being used to “flex” on people, people shouldn’t limited their fashion identities to their budgets & replicas allow them to dress how they want to, to a certain extent :)
Hello Christian once again, awesome video. As I follow my own moral and ethical code, I mostly do NOT condone fakes as it undermines the work and talent of several fashion designers, through the amount of effort they had invested over the years into their aesthetic. In my country of Singapore, many locals purchase and flaunt fake products from the likes of Gucci, Goyard, Alexander Mcqueen or Off-White which GENERALLY irks me given how they are unwilling to appreciate the craftsmanship and quality of goods from said designers. Moreover, these locals have a propensity to seek attention from others and appear rich by donning these 'luxury' items when in reality, they originate from middle to low-income backgrounds, thereby appearing snobbish. It is a controversial take, but I believe that eliminating/banning fakes while maintaining the exclusivity of original designer products help to maintain societal hierarchies through exclusivity, thereby motivating people to work harder towards earning a more comfortable income to afford real designer products. Purchasing authentic pieces without feeling buyer's remorse due to a high price tag is no doubt a satisfying feeling. HOWEVER, the aforementioned points do NOT typically apply to the SNEAKER industry, specifically exclusive and LIMITED collaboration sneakers. I am PERFECTLY fine with fakes here simply because the quality of the original does NOT warrant the re-sell price of said sneakers. Moreover, the rampant use of bots to purchase these exclusive (but average quality sneakers) results in unfair competition for sneakerheads who genuinely want to purchase them out of their admiration for the design/celebrity linked to the collaboration (Sacai waffle, Travis Scott, G-Dragon, Sean Wotherspoon, Virgin Abalone). As such, the sneakerheads who 'took an L' and resorted to fakes may be justifiable, given the unfair competition and the absurd re-sell price for average-quality sneakers.
hey, S'porean here too! I completely agree: paying resale for jordans that aren't even real leather is absurd; so is dishing out a few racks on 100% Polyurethane Balenciaga sneakers made in China, Prada nylon bags or even 158 euro on a $5-blank-printed Moncler x Rick Owens hat. However, yes, actually good craftsmanship should be lauded and respected; there are no good Geobasket reps for a reason and it should stay that way. P. S. I had been buying a lot of (authentic) Off-White but each time the quality disappoints me; I decided fakes couldn't do much better so I boycotted the brand
I think the mexican guidis would look bad. The quality of guidi leather and the way they dye it is impeccable. You dont see a lot (if any) cowboy boots that are object dyed, like guidis are. Guidi boots brand new look old and worn, because of the way they are made. Just my two cents. Good video none the less.
as far as shoes go as long as they aren't trying to pass as real im ok with it even thought Im probably gonna steer clear myself. with clothes tho idc unless its something very specific or with logos. like if someone copied a flannel or a denim wash who really cares? with watches so many look so alike that you could have a legit watch that someone might see and think it was a fake if not for the logo on the dial.
i mean, I own an Invicta watch that I got for $35 on amazon, that at least by design looks almost identical to the Submariner. Its not identical, I'm sure the materials and fine details alone would make the rolex stand out side by side, but in terms of the actual design its basically a knock off
I think this was a well thought out video and you deeply explored the idea of what the term replica means. I have conflicting thoughts on reps. One one hand, I don’t care what other people wear so they can do whatever they want. On the other hand, I have an ethical issue with the majority of reps (excluding things like the made to order dunk guy or the mexican boot makers). I think it is valid to assume that the factories producing reps are not subject to the same scrutiny in terms of environmental regulation/human rights as the places producing authentic goods. There is also evidence that some terrorist organizations generate money through the sale of counterfeit goods, fashion included.
The internet’s busiest fashion nerd.
a light to medium 5 on this video
@@BraveNewWear I give it a solid 8
fucking legend
I was a little hesitant when you asked me to sit on the floor with you to talk about shoes, but I wasn’t disappointed in the end.
dont worry I vacuumed before I had guests over
When you get to a point where a piece has reps that arguably surpass the original product for less cost, it's really hard to say no to that
“There is no law which states that a fake cannot surpass the original article” -Shirou Emiya, Fate/Stay Night
People die if they are killed - Shirou Emiya
I love the theme you brought up in this video: "Are we buying the design or the brand?" You had me think about how often we value things based on their established/traditional allure, rather than their face value or their "design", in the context of this video. I believe it's mostly due to that framing bias I think it's called, how we frame information based on the way it's presented despite what the information may be. Probably butchering that, but I think it's coherent. Nice video!
hey that does sound familiar, framing bias, maybe I should look it up. Could totally be something that I've read about in the past and absorbed
Definitely the most interesting conversation about fashion reps I've ever had ( I was stopping the video and replying to what you were saying so yes, it was a conversation!). As you said, the crucial point is the difference between someone who buys a rep because interested in the design of the garment and those who want to buy the luxury product and the status, the meaning connected with the brand. Before the boom of fast fashion, wearing copies of luxury garments has always been a comment fact for medium/low-class people: if you'd seen a pretty dress in a magazine or worn by a celebrity or in a shop window, you'd have bought the fabric and made it by yourself o maybe with a help of a friend, or your dressmaker if you could afford it. That's what my great-grandmother used to do it, what my grandma did and what my mum still does. But the point is that they were trying to recreate the design and the technical feature of the garments, not having a luxury piece. They've never said, "oh, look my new (name of a fashion luxury brand) dress", instead, they were totally open about the fact that it was a copy and no one judges them for wearing a rep.
Now, considering that our generation has lost the skills to make homemade clothes, is it bad to pay someone, like the Mexican company you showed, to do it for us?
I feel that reps don't really hurt brand sales due to the fact that people who buy reps were most likely not going to buy that $300 SLP shirt in the first place. If there weren't reps, they would look for some sort of alternative that looks similar, while also not breaking their wallet (fast fashion, thrifting, etc). Additionally, having reps of popular brands could actually help sales for these brands, as many people who buy reps simply don't have the funds for these brands at the moment, but could potentially have those funds later in life. I love SLP and that type of aesthetic, but I'm currently in school and don't have the money to spare. But with replicas, I can experiment with different pieces to find which ones I like or don't like, then later on down the line buy an authentic piece.
I personally love that you are so openminded. I own a pair of jordan 4 OW sail. The reason why they are fake is becaude I LOVE the design but I'm not whilling to pay 800$ or whatever the price is for a pair of shoes. I still payed 200$ for the fake pairs but the reason why is because as I said before is because I love the shoe and can't afford to pay a crazy amount of money for a real pair. So I want to be able to get the look and style of the shoe, because you can't with any other shoe. That is why the argument: 'look for a simular item' or 'find another item' or things like that are bad, because you can't with any other peice than that!
I feel almost like sneakers, like jordans, are in a league of their own when it comes to reps. Because a lot of the scarcity is created by collectors who never wear the sneakers. Thats their prerogative of course they can collect things and do what they want. But theirs going to be people who just want to buy jordans at a reasonable price to wear, and as long as theirs a vacuum like this and a need theres going to be reps and buyers. Its kind of like the war on drugs, I say "kinda" in that you're never really going to be able to stop people from wanting and buying drugs, its more about how you're going to deal with this reality
I worked for some big fashion houses and got $2k+ pieces for free. What I realized is is that sure the quality is great but that stuff is really not special. I have a lot of real designer clothes but still opt for reps for certain things. Especially things like Nike dunks that sell for $300-$1000 where the quality from Nike is not even that great to begin with. If someone asks me if my stuff is real I’ll tell them no. I’m a grown adult, their judgment doesn’t mean shit.
The consistency of your content is unreal, I really hope you get the numbers you deserve king
👑👑👑👑👑
hopefully youtube will crown me king soon
I think reps are only a problem when the person wearing them lie about it and try to flex it. I think if you are trying to accomplish something, if there is an artistic value, then I don’t believe something so surface-level and meaningless as money or reputation should stop you. So as long as there is a valid ends to your means, no one can tell you anything. But ofc, that’s just my opinion. I personally don’t own any reps, but have looked into it as there are some shoes I love the design that I really want to put together in an outfit and I’ve decided that as long as I’m honest whenever the pieces are discussed, then it doesn’t really matter, as a matter of fact, I run into people who run fakes more than I do people who wear real shoes. But aside from the spirit of branding I’d argue the value is the same, so since the value is void and I can make it what I want, I can just wear a rep with no guilt so as long as my enthusiasm and energy is put forth to a feeling that’s true, true to myself.
my take is always, the more people we can earnestly invite into the world of high fashion, the better. There are going to be pieces that are virtually inaccessible. What if you wanted to do a photoshoot, a video, an anything and you vision has a need for this design than you might as well go and get it. But its still a fraught proposal and maybe people will dip their toe into an aesthetic this way but maybe in the end its better to just save up for something special
I agree with you on the most part but I’m not gonna hold it against anyone for lying,, especially when there’s a lot of stigma around wearing replicas.
its really interesting to think about how in a decade or two we may not have any Rick Owens Dunks that are wearable, and reps will be the only ones available
The "waw" at 12:18 scared the shit out of me LMAOOOOO. I'm wearing headphones and I thought someone was behind me. Really batting 1000 with all these videos thank you Christian.
did not expect Convolk to appear on here lmao
It’s a shame that when we have these conversations we don’t necessarily put all of our focus and talk about how out of control and inflated the market for clothing and shoes are that result in a average consumer to turn to replicated items. I’m sure that everyone wants the original of a product but it’s simply getting nearly impossible to do so, whether that’s from selling out, too high of a price, etc.
I believe one day that there will be a glass ceiling to resell markets where the price reaches insanity to where reps are then wildly accepted socially.
Yet even if that happens it makes me wonder will that destroy the resell markets pushing corporations/ brands to condemn replicas further than they already do and change how a consumer can obtain their products better.
(And that’s a rabbit hole of more questions)
In my opinion, save and spend on the original you’ll feel much more whole inside knowing it’s not a fake.
At the same time who am i to tell you what to do with your money, everyone should be able to partake in their favorite brands products without outrageous expense, and if that means rocking reps (and of course being honest if you are when asked) do it.
Love the quality video man. Definitely gave me a different perspective on replicas in fashion. Would have loved to see your perspectives on "early" bootlegs, such as Tommy Hilfiger and Gucci fakes in the 90s, the Ari Menthols, and even the Bapestas if you were to consider them bootlegs. Thank you for the content.
I think that would be potentially even more interesting - those 90s bootlegs have taken on a legacy of their own (just look at current day gucci) and theres a lot of people who strictly collect boot leg band merch like fan made grateful dead ts. This retrospective appreciation is kind of why I think an immediate knee jerk dislike of replicas might be missing something interesting
Already know this gonna be a banger
im here for your perspectives!! I also wanna add onto that buying hq reps can be a gateway to expanding taste in fashion
It's 2021 and we're all wearing mexican Guidi boots.
now thats the unexpected future I maybe can get behind
Juidi
@@BraveNewWear id argue that buying from an independent boutique is more genuine than a brand that rides on that aesthetic but has a premium for the name
4:40 some people also get scammed, like they see the product for like 60% of their price, and they get a fake, but dont really know they got a fake because they still spent a lot of money on it
This channel is so underrated
start sharing out this vid dude if everyone starts sharing the content I wont be underrated for long
Majority of folks wear pieces to feel validated and/or to chase the hype . The fact that a item is expensive, makes it inaccessible to many and make them feel superior. That's why ppl get so mad. It has nothing to do with the love for fashion, design or any other bullshit people say. That's why it's a kid game you grow out of.
You give such unique outlooks on these topics and your enthusiasm on it is so evident. Loving these vids man...u always keep me engaged
Loved hearing your take on the subject bro. I can't say I have a great opinion on fashion reps but at least for me personally, I see high ticket or harder to obtain items as a long term or short term goal. Being in love with any certain piece makes me want to work toward owning that item. In a sense a part of the process is the chase.
I don't hate on people who wear replica clothing or footwear but I will hate on people who use fake items as a front and trying to hollowly convince others that they are wearing the real deal as some sort of faux status symbol. If they are wearing something for projected status, I think their interests lie more in materialistic representation as opposed to design, history, etc. Theres nothing wrong with that attitude but it is not one that I am a particular fan of.
I honestly have a lot of respect for people who can own up to the fact that their items is not real.
As a rep wearer myself i am very forthcoming about that, my intent is not to decieve, rather to wear pieces i love. To me the morality of expensive pieces heavily depend on why they cost so much, in the case of streetwear brands it mainly due to a bloated reselling market that i dont agree with and dont want to paricipate in, so i try and cop retail, if that fails replicas is the second option, i have No sympathy for those Who treat pieces like stocks, to be traded on an exchange instead og being worn, it defeats the purpose in my eyes.
This should be interesting
hoping it is
Howdy 🤠
@@lordzevallos hey there 🖖🏻😁
@@lordzevallos howdy y'all
Here's my take on reps: I think reps are respectable, as long as you are completely honest about its unauthenticity AND the product is only available from resell. If you are overly obsessed about it being 1:1, then you are clearly not buying it solely for the sake of design.
An example is a pair of Rick Owens Dunks: Rick Owens are not manufacturing the shoes any longer, therefore they are not profiting off the dunks any longer. Moreover, dunks are virtually impossible to find in a pristine quality without any impurities like oxidization, therefore replicas can also act as a sense of immortalization, wherein the design will remain available in its pristine quality (though not from the original brand).
Sure, reps are infringement of copyright and they are stealing a design from a brand, but if the company are not selling the product any longer, replicas could as a matter of fact benefit them, as it still acts as advertisement.
Admittedly, I own 2 replicas due to them being unobtainable in an official manner. Whenever people ask me how I got the item, I openly state "From Taobao; they're fake.", cause I don't care. I just want the design and that's all.
yep, and people do this with pokemon games now too, how am I going to have the experience of playing a gbc cart of pokemon crystal today? nintendo sure as hell isnt selling any but i can grab a cart off taobao and become nostalgic
Same to me, i have a Originals Ramones and ozweego Raf, but i'm really in love with Raf pieces, but actually is really imposible get some pieces, and the price is really expensive, i buy the penelope hoodie from Taobao cause i'm feel in love with the design, when someone ask me i just Say it was a Rep
My approach if I can’t afford something I think is cool is to try and find the source of inspiration and get that. Couldn’t afford a pair of Margiela replicas, so sought out an original pair of GATs, got for £30 and love them.
a replica of a replica in the end. If only those German army dudes could see the sneakers now
You can buy second hand Margiela replica's for cheap tho! I bought mine for 90€ in very good condition!
Hard to know people's business models but let's be honest most high fashion is a rip off. I wonder if back in the day going to the best suitmaker in town vs the worst is as bad as Uniqlo vs Rick Owens pricing. Like you said low to midpriced items don't get knocked off frequently unless they are unattainable for some reason (like jordans due to Nike limiting their supply). Support small-time designers and anyways you probably can't even get replicas of their pieces which is part of the appeal.
It's a great way to try different cut's and brand's before plunging £1000's into pieces you will never wear, also most people work everyday for 8 to 10 hour's in a hot sweaty office eating fast food lunches at a desk with a very high chance of gathering sweat patches, food drip's, drink splashes and general devastation being caused to your £500 shirt. Personally I went through a rep phase and it introduced me to my favorite designers, because after a while, the logo, the print, or the current hype become completely irrelevant when the pieces are actually affordable, then you start finding out about what brand fit's you best, what cut's make you look better, what shapes accentuate your body's personal qualities more positively, and that's what sucks you in to buying the real thing, "I mean, if the rep look's good on me, just imagine what the legit stuff will look like".
This is thoughtful content that I appreciate. The analytics about replicas sits well with me as a consumer.
Always love your fresh take on these relatively “touchy” fashion topics within the community. I plan on making a video on a similar topic regarding bootlegs and replications. But yeah I totally agree it really depends on whether you’re purchasing for the design or for the art and direct touch of the artist itself. Very enriching content man 🙏🏻
Also would love to see you have those boots made and then make a video follow up on that as well. It’d be so unique
high fashion is elitist and if it wasn't for the internet high fashion and silhouettes would not be widely available to the public. Most of those who can afford these items come from privilege and wearing expensive brand clothing is a ticket to show wealth and these dynamics are deeply rooted to uphold capitalism and class division. Fashion is a form of art and we must not forget that art is meant for the public.
This!!
This should be spicy. Interested to hear the take, considering I hate everything about fakes.
Any chance I changed ur mind...kind of maybe?
@@BraveNewWear defintely changed my mind! or at least reaffirmed my preexisting beliefs... fakes will always exist, but the effort and intention that some of these creators have for creating some of these fakes (using your example, the man who fakes rolex watches) will always remain eternal to the art of creation.
thinking about buying a pair of fake rick dunks, and writing fake on them, like the gucci purse, and i think its a neat type thing ive been discussing for while, with my fellow fashion nerds, of making a whole new bootleg aesthetic when it comes to things like that. it came about in a discussion with the homies, my friend introduced me to fashion reps/quality reps, and there was a 50$ rick dunk, i was like "huh that saves me 9,550 dollars". and so i thought, to take it one step further, writing fake on it, and maybe even going as far as to put a seperate symbol on it to make it a obvious bootleg, (ex:putting a bapestar on the side, or sometype of other "swoosh" type symbol) and my friend and i thought it would be a interesting art project. ill give you updates on it if you like, im ordering them next month.
Whenever I'm buying a branded item i take time to consider why I'm willing to pay this price for garment, the construction, the quality, the material, country of manufacture (paying the staff a fair wage) and the uniqueness of the design.
I skipped a jw anderson sweater last week cause I found out that despite it being a knit, they chose to make it out of cotton, and I didnt believe a cotton sweater deserved the price I was about to pay, same with a dries can noten jumper I nearly bought, until I realised that they produced it in china, and I didnt want my money to go towards that.
When it comes to not being able to afford something branded, I believe best to do it buy an alternative, not a copy but an alternative which gives of a similar aesthetic, the mass ammount of clothes out there means that the majority of things have atleast something similar out there
not all of chinas workplaces are immoral
PP archive sole shoes are super hard to make, especially with the pp sole effect.
yeah I think at the end of the day, a lot of these designers and pieces are the product of very unique production. Missoni as an example has years of knit production experience and claims to have techniques and machinery that no brand could imitate
Didn’t expect to see Convolk on here lol
ahhaha same
Freps is one of the best subreddit out there. Even other then reps, when I was in a low place, they helped me a lot. One of the best community I have been honored to be a part of.
What’s frend??
This was definitely a new take on the whole rep conversation
Looking at your crewneck, was there a specific method to removing the champion logo from the chest? I've wanted to do so but don't want to mess the actual garment.
thats how I bought it tbh (I do like how clean it looks compared to the typical) So my thinking is that Champion does release reverse weave crewnecks without the logo on the chest but I'm not sure if its something they do every season.
I came here from keezytv and i really appreciate the research you put into these topics
sick dude glad Keezy sent you over!
got to ask Keezy when he shouted me out tho I didn't see it.
There's a handmade custom brand of converse shoes made by a local artist here in the Philippines, but the shoes were like 10k PHP (190 USD) which was way overpriced. I bought a pair of reps for like 1,500 PHP which is like 28 - 29 USD. You can't really tell the difference. I love them and when I am asked if they're real or fake I am not ashamed to tell them they're reps.
Are people honestly asking if converse shoes are real? FM
Obviously you gotta get your $$$ with shorter videos but I love these longer videos with more in-depth discussion. If I wanted quick fashion content I'd go to tiktok
Sometimes I'm not even sure, shorter videos probably can get more traction but if you watch all of a long video that I post...youtubes gonna give me that cash
Reps are a hobby. I like keeping up with what's out there, what the current design language is. Something I like, I will wear a rep. That allows me to let my taste roam free. I find I lean toward Japanese styles, with the entire world of (rep) fashion in front of me. That teaches me something about myself. I couldn't do all that at full Rick prices, not even close.
4:00 the point of reps were to save money not, and to not buy resell instead of retail prices, i’m pretty sure if all these hype items werent, limited/rare, aj1s wouldn’t be hyped up above some normal vans, like say the aj1 chicago ow, they resell for around 4k. the point of reps are so u don’t got to spend 4k on a shoe that u arent gonna wear because if u do the resell value will go down, so some ppl will pay 4k for a shoe and still get a replica so they can wear the rep and keep the value on the retail, but there’s also ppl who ONLY pay for reps just because they like the design, and either way it’s not like if the person who pays 4k will give that money to NIKE.
2:20 this guys is actually a musician who goes by Convolk he makes good stuff check
him out
My interests in fashion are akin to art collecting. I would rather pay for the real thing instead of a reprint. Though they could fool most of the public, that doesn't ring true to my collection. Everything is numbered, and has a limited run, Rick pieces, Undercover pieces, they all had limited runs. You can go back and do a remake, but it's not the same thing. When I take my shit to pawn stars in 40 years, ChumLee's grandson will give me $20 instead of $0.20
totally understand this take. Limited supply makes certain things more meaningful and I totally understand this counterargument. All that said, please teach me how to collect art
$300 high quality Guidi inspired boots that support local craftspeople??? That's an absolute W in my eyes. You can get looks you like, with high quality, for a good price, while also supporting small businesses and not huge congolemrates. Pretty cool to me.
FYI: That's not to say don't buy Guidi! If you can afford it then get them! But this is a great alternative!
yoo wtf its convolk, lets goo
I want a brand new dunk. This isn't possible. So I'm gunna buy some Daft Dunks. I own plenty of authentic Ramones, including some special horse leather ones that're the most beautiful sneaker I've ever seen.
As long as the materials are high quality, I don't care what they cost. If Dafts were 1000USD, I'd buy them assuming they're perfect in every way. Buying a cheap replica with no passion that'll fall apart and doesn't even look or feel good is a waste of time and resources.
If Rick ever does a collab with Nike and remakes the Dunks, I'll get'em. He could definitely do this considering all his recent collabs, he just doesn't want to. And that's fine.
It's as simple as that.
Shit ngl if that site’s legit I might just order some Mexican Guidis 👀
I MEAN he looks legit, its Miguel Jones - you know his name, you know his reputation, so you gotta know his quality
I really enjoyed this serious and intellectual discussion about reps. Great point about margiela. I think it depends on the intention of a rep too. Like a repurposed urinal a la Duchamp
Duchamp, the original "David" of creating reps, of course!
Homie got a Convolk clip man i love u for that
Curious what your feelings are on replica street wear sneakers? Kind of a different angle seeing as how the original shoe is incredibly affordable but the resell value is so highly inflated to the point people are paying retail price for replicas.
I mentioned it in another reply - I guess i'll just copy and paste it here who cares? I feel almost like sneakers, like jordans, are in a league of their own when it comes to reps. Because a lot of the scarcity is created by collectors who never wear the sneakers. Thats their prerogative of course they can collect things and do what they want. But theirs going to be people who just want to buy jordans at a reasonable price to wear, and as long as theirs a vacuum like this and a need theres going to be reps and buyers. Its kind of like the war on drugs, I say "kinda" in that you're never really going to be able to stop people from wanting and buying drugs, its more about how you're going to deal with this reality
@@BraveNewWear I think you’re spot on, well mostly, I think a lot of the scarcity is driven by resellers who are hoarding hundreds of pairs purely for resell. Not that I’m knocking that at all but I think it definitely drives the rep market through the roof
didnt expect to see convolk in this video LOL
I like his music too. He's underrated.
Loved the points you brought up about accessibility and buying into the brand vs the actual product. As someone who works in authentication, I've grappled with this subject myself.
While I appreciate designers who customize and diy replicas (Dapper Dan, Ava Nirui, Heron Preston, Imran Moosvi), I ultimately don't support fakes because a large amount of the profits goes to organized crime (drugs, sex-trafficking, terrorism, etc.).
^
Lmao the dude who made the unlisted dunk review on fashion reps is call Convolk he's actually a pretty big artist
i hope he doesnt roast me now by creating a critically acclaimed work that points out what an idiot i am
He wanted to buy ricks of me few months ago too lol
Convolk the 🐐
This is my opinion from a streetwear/sneaker standpoint:
Replica manufacturers have come so far within the past decade, it's insane. Mostly due in part to the boom in reselling; as the reselling market grows, so does the counterfeit market. I don't think any counterfeit goods are okay, but neither are the exorbitant prices people pay resellers, and shady sales tactics brands use. I haven't bought a pair of replica sneakers yet, but I do frequent the r/FashionReps reddit page. I plan on making purchases in March, because that's when a few replica manufacturers plan to release "legit check" batches. Usually manufacturers include small flaws so the shoes cannot be sold as real, but a few manufacturers are going to stop doing that. I can understand why people hold animosity towards fake sneakers, but some people are extremely ignorant. The main people that hate reps are Hypebeasts and Resellers. (I can explain why if you want.) Those are the morons that exclaim things like "fake shoes are for fake people" or believe only poor people purchase reps. A lot of people don't understand that the inflated and ridiculous resale price is not a shoes actual worth. A shoe isn't made from some nonrenewable resource, and most people can actually afford the shoe at retail....it's the resellers that buy up all the product, and brands enable that BS behavior by purposefully releasing a limited stock. My reason for buying reps is that if the brand doesn't want my money for their product, I know someone in China that does. If I could buy the product from the actual brand I would, but I absolutely refuse to line the pockets of some scumbag reseller. Brands like to claim reps hurt their brand integrity, but that "integrity" went out the window the moment they decided to put profit over people. If big name brands want to put a dent in the counterfeit market, they need to take a real stand against botters/resellers and make a better effort to have supply meet the demand. So until they do that, I'll continue to buy the fakes.
Stories sell, to put it simply because the dunks were stopped by Nike, it makes people more attracted to the unattainable. I would argue that if the rick dunks weren’t even stopped by Nike, they wouldn’t be as popular as they are today. Heck I only knew about the rick dunks bc of what Nike did
Really interesting video! However, I think people forget the true price of buying replica products too often. There is no way in which the manufacturers of reps are held accountable for the way they produce with regards to enviornment and work conditions. Of course it is not always that reps are made irresponsibly, and rarely is originals made by saints, but the replica market completely evades any form of accountability or responsibility. Far too often does the discoussion about reps end up being about wether or not somebody should be judged for fake flexin when this is completely inconsequential to the actual problems that the fashion industry is facing.
No doubt, I would say my official official stance is probably save up for the real thing - and another commenter mentioned that some replicas are probably funding terrorist organizations. I imagine similar to how the drug trade often funds terrorists / cartels. Criminal groups will often move in to monopolize black markets where they're ok with taking on the legal risk.
Dude stop the bs so ur telling me go broke for high fashion resellers buy up everything and sell it over ten times the amount and expect us to pay for it if I buy what I can afford and if reps give me the look I want then I'll buy them because no one can force me to overspend on fashion
@@kheeinalexander8846 no, I’m not saying that? I’m saying you should try to buy something thats produced and designed in an ethical manner. You dont have to have high fashion. “Cheaper” clothes can be produced responsibly as well (patagonia, second hand, etc). What you do, is up to you, but everytime you buy fakes/reps, the true costs isn’t the money you pay. Its pollution and increased crime caused by funding an illegal industry with no oversight or accountability at all. My point isn’t shaming anyone or telling anyone what to do. My point is that there are consequences to supporting/buying reps that I believe are more important than the aspects of the rep market that people tend to talk about.
@@kheeinalexander8846 Also, fashion resellers who buy up stock, just to flip it for ten times the original price are dicks lmao
@@someflyingdude6001 and you think that American companies do things in an ethical manner most of America's factories are based in China for low wage incomes and cheap labor just think about it there are warehouses in America for fashion companies but not factories so miss me with the bs 🤣
Actually super thought provoking, good content christian
glad to get ur thoughts going friend
something to watch after a long day, very interesting and relaxing discussion Christian!
From what I know now about the fashion industry the most use very low quality material .. facts good vid
I started this afternoon looking for replicas of a cool looking wallet I am not willing to fork out 400 USD for, just because I like the pattern.
Now I ended up here 😅
Too rarely in conversations about whether replicas are good or bad do I hear about the ethics of it. Most often, the only ethical points revolve around copyright infringement. However, there is evidence that the counterfeit market funds many more illegal trades, such as terrorism, human trafficking, child pornography, etc. Buying replicas seems to me like the closest way of funding them but people think only “Oh I like this but can’t buy it so I guess it’s a replica for me.” There are so many options when you like a design but can’t afford it. There are a lot of brands/independent designers with similar aesthetics, sales, the second-hand market, creating something ourselves, even paying legit companies to produce something similar. I think too often we get stuck on “I want something that looks like THAT” and don’t allow ourselves to explore. If we did, we would be on the same path as Rick Owens replicating [edit: rather reinterpreting] the Nikes.
Interesting perspective. Thanks for sharing.
Yeah I fuck with the Warren lotas doing the homage proper but cheap reps are just like fast fashion
I think I bought fake Rick Owen drop crotches one time. But they not mainline and from ebay lmao. In hughschool I did buy a cdg x bape shirt and a lv wallet and a Marc Jacob's watch rep. But I agree with the take that it funds bad actors and I guess ya live and learn
a bit late to the party. Id get people for buying the real deal when it comes to luxury goods. But if let's say a person was to buy muks jordan 1 compared to paying a premium for a original jordan 1 then yeah i wouldnt stop em.
Anyone can cook, doesn’t mean everyone can afford to. I like your POV. Not super into fashion but this is cool, you got a new subscriber.
Yes, I do enjoy the longer videos. godbless 🙏🏽 also would be interested in a video about ordering a custom pair of tabi boots from that mexican bespoke webiste 👀
Wait...🤔...why doesn't Nike make the Dunks anymore...❓❓❓ Because like, they totally should...💯✔
Yo I can’t explain how good it feels to get a notification from you 😭✨
I can’t wait
that feeling when the video goes live 👁👁
god u are so insightful, holy shit, the questions and explorations are so thought provoking about how we even view art. this is an essay man, nice job
I don’t hate fakes. from a pragmatic point of view though; the more people buy fakes, the more that industry is propelled forward. This means an increased risk of running into more fakes in the used marketplace that could pass as authentic. This argument has been made by many.
As a former reseller, I ran into fakes on a regular basis. Sometimes I just didn't expect someone would make a fake of product x and I got burnt. Sometimes I was being lazy and didn't legit check. Truth be told, I discovered this community of high fashion videos while trying to legit check a pair of SLP boots. I didn't make that connection until this comment but I have fashion reps to thank for my whole channel, damn
loved this video christian! :) really enjoyed your take on dunks
Thank u Chris figured someone had to address the elephant in the room about these beloved kicks
One reason I disagree with your take is because if you’re buying because of the design, you should pay for it. Branding is easier to do as a designer but if you pay for a very well designed boot/jacket/etc. it’s profits should go towards the designer. Buying fake Nike sneakers I can’t get on the SNKRS app, I don’t feel bad about because it’s artificial hype and overdriven prices.
well I agree with that Jordan, ultimately the 1st thing I have to argue is that a designer or team worked to create something and its wrong to steal their intellectual work. Thats kind of my first problem in full on embracing the idea of fakes
I feel like as long as people don't care about perception then its okay to wear reps. I own a few replica sneakers and a shirt or two. I bought them bc im a poor college student and couldn't ever afford to pay 1 months rent on a single piece of clothing. For me, its all about the design, I don't care if something is hype or not. Yeah I have fake off white converse, but that's because they're the more interesting and appealing chuck taylor to me and are worth having. I was never into vans until they came out with the MoMA collection. That really spoke to me as a creative person so I picked up the suprematist sk8 his.
BNW- ‘Maybe you guys like it longer’
Me- ‘that’s what she said’ hehe
Thank you christian, love to see the content
happy to provide Kent
Wow, entertaining, informative and well put together. Subscribed.
i feel you I got a Raf simons riot bomber replica that looks really good since it was hand made to looks exactly like the real one and its only off a little on some of the patches but it looks closest to the real thing than other recreations I have seen and yea im not spending $47,000 on the real thing but I love the way the patches are arranged in a collage style on the jacket it looks so unique and amazing and I just wanted to own it without paying a crazy price like that and its weird I usually dont like wearing fakes but this one I feel proud of wearing for some reason it looks that good so I cant judge someone else for wearing replicas esp if the real thing costs an insane amount of money.
i find that the replica process is somewhat artful
i've been to china a number of times and these creators pay a lot of attention to getting the details right, working super fast
sometimes they work so fast that they create a product that didn't exist in the first place i:e an original creation born from the replication of other pieces
to be honest it’s like, would you get a painting by a famous artist if it was the exact same painting but someone else painted it one for one? personally the artist is as important in what’s being sold as the product itself.
I (kind of, basically) agree, which is in part why I mention Saturn Devouring His Son and the controversy around whether it was actually painted by Goya or painted by one of his students. If its a actual Goya from his Black Painting series, then it has more value and meaning compared to the latter.
tbh - I often take these stances to say "I see some flaws in the common held perspectives of this community" but often like with this video I can't say I'm 100% convinced personally. I think good criticism takes devils advocate types of positions as long as it's observant to the real counter arguments
Brave New Wear not gonna lie babe i commented this before i got to the part where you compared it to Goya. great video you covered everything ;)
If you take one browse of fashion reps and repsneakers, you see replica fashion not only supports a large amount of the Chinese economy in certain areas, but it is grown people penmding days and days competign to make the best replicas, not any sort of child labour. I'm not supporting replicas or saying they are right, and I may not be entirely right, however I dont see reps being so bad...
Nah I’m right
Damn, checkmate i guess
high fashion is unobtainable to lots of people, the culture in general not only street wear are increasing their demand on designer clothing because of the “status” it carries, in my personal opinion i don’t mind replicas at all, unless they’re being used to “flex” on people, people shouldn’t limited their fashion identities to their budgets & replicas allow them to dress how they want to, to a certain extent :)
Hello Christian once again, awesome video. As I follow my own moral and ethical code, I mostly do NOT condone fakes as it undermines the work and talent of several fashion designers, through the amount of effort they had invested over the years into their aesthetic. In my country of Singapore, many locals purchase and flaunt fake products from the likes of Gucci, Goyard, Alexander Mcqueen or Off-White which GENERALLY irks me given how they are unwilling to appreciate the craftsmanship and quality of goods from said designers. Moreover, these locals have a propensity to seek attention from others and appear rich by donning these 'luxury' items when in reality, they originate from middle to low-income backgrounds, thereby appearing snobbish. It is a controversial take, but I believe that eliminating/banning fakes while maintaining the exclusivity of original designer products help to maintain societal hierarchies through exclusivity, thereby motivating people to work harder towards earning a more comfortable income to afford real designer products. Purchasing authentic pieces without feeling buyer's remorse due to a high price tag is no doubt a satisfying feeling.
HOWEVER, the aforementioned points do NOT typically apply to the SNEAKER industry, specifically exclusive and LIMITED collaboration sneakers. I am PERFECTLY fine with fakes here simply because the quality of the original does NOT warrant the re-sell price of said sneakers. Moreover, the rampant use of bots to purchase these exclusive (but average quality sneakers) results in unfair competition for sneakerheads who genuinely want to purchase them out of their admiration for the design/celebrity linked to the collaboration (Sacai waffle, Travis Scott, G-Dragon, Sean Wotherspoon, Virgin Abalone). As such, the sneakerheads who 'took an L' and resorted to fakes may be justifiable, given the unfair competition and the absurd re-sell price for average-quality sneakers.
lol virgin abalone
hey, S'porean here too! I completely agree: paying resale for jordans that aren't even real leather is absurd; so is dishing out a few racks on 100% Polyurethane Balenciaga sneakers made in China, Prada nylon bags or even 158 euro on a $5-blank-printed Moncler x Rick Owens hat. However, yes, actually good craftsmanship should be lauded and respected; there are no good Geobasket reps for a reason and it should stay that way.
P. S. I had been buying a lot of (authentic) Off-White but each time the quality disappoints me; I decided fakes couldn't do much better so I boycotted the brand
Hella interesting convo my man, raising some good points.
I think the mexican guidis would look bad.
The quality of guidi leather and the way they dye it is impeccable.
You dont see a lot (if any) cowboy boots that are object dyed, like guidis are.
Guidi boots brand new look old and worn, because of the way they are made.
Just my two cents.
Good video none the less.
Very here for longer videos
the guy that actually made the unlisted video is a famous rapper
Anybody else binge the advanced aesthetic series and now I have nothing to do but wait for a new installments?
Professor is going to check the homework, better get on it
@@serdcvhonojpihogivuc oh wait your right
u givin me idubbbz vibes but the fashion version haha
People wouldn't buy fakes if resellers weren't bleeding the culture.
as far as shoes go as long as they aren't trying to pass as real im ok with it even thought Im probably gonna steer clear myself. with clothes tho idc unless its something very specific or with logos. like if someone copied a flannel or a denim wash who really cares? with watches so many look so alike that you could have a legit watch that someone might see and think it was a fake if not for the logo on the dial.
i mean, I own an Invicta watch that I got for $35 on amazon, that at least by design looks almost identical to the Submariner. Its not identical, I'm sure the materials and fine details alone would make the rolex stand out side by side, but in terms of the actual design its basically a knock off
Please review Cole Buxton jogger
get Cole Buxton to send me a pair and I will
Lmfao that video rep Dunk reviewer is actually a decently famous rapper
Who?
I think this was a well thought out video and you deeply explored the idea of what the term replica means. I have conflicting thoughts on reps. One one hand, I don’t care what other people wear so they can do whatever they want. On the other hand, I have an ethical issue with the majority of reps (excluding things like the made to order dunk guy or the mexican boot makers). I think it is valid to assume that the factories producing reps are not subject to the same scrutiny in terms of environmental regulation/human rights as the places producing authentic goods. There is also evidence that some terrorist organizations generate money through the sale of counterfeit goods, fashion included.
Is the same shit, i'm talking about human rights and regulation
12k babyyyy
also, good vid:)
thank u Liam, glad to be growing the community as always
where do you get the rep ricks