Adventures in Copyright: Star Light

Jul 31, 2008 @ 10:04am

ysl topshop star necklace aic.jpg Sometimes we see an adventure in copying and wonder, after our usual head shaking, why, if someone took the time to rip something off, they didn't do it better and faster.

Like this Topshop star necklace sent in by reader MaryAnn - it's a descendent of YSL's, but why are they making it now? We've already seen it around Meredith Melling Burke and Anne Slowey's necks so you'd look plain silly wearing a copy six months after everyone else wore the original. (They might not be your everyone, but they're ours).

More importantly, if Topshop can manufacture and sell red plastic stars for $24, why couldn't they throw in some different colored stars? Blue, purple and silver can't be too much harder to make than red, right? And then they'd have a legit rip off instead of a half-hearted watered-down version.

In related star necklace news, Faran found a real YSL one in a thrift shop in the East Village. We'd like to be happy for her, but we're way too jealous.

posted by guest

Jul 31, 2008 10:17AM

Sorry but all I can think of whenever I see this necklace is how much it would hurt if you ever moved your neck.

posted by guest

Jul 31, 2008 10:22AM

i like the topshop one way more. that whole generation of ysl star necklaces is just unwearable outside a certain circle. i know many on this board like to think that NY is the only place that exists, but, well, it's not.

posted by guest

Jul 31, 2008 10:26AM

Why are you all such jerks. Why can't the masses enjoy the style of the few? And I don't even understand why you think that you are that elevated. We all understand that the styles originate at the top and trickle down. While I think fake designer items and imitation logos are silly, I don't see a problem with someone emulating a style they enjoy.

posted by guest

Jul 31, 2008 10:32AM

Guest Number 2! Snippy snippy. Who said anything about New York being the only place that exists. Quit drinking Haterade and enjoy the fun that is the comment board.

posted by guest

Jul 31, 2008 10:36AM

Agree completely, knock-offs are depressing! That's why I can never wrap my head around your DIY projects, (prada earrings, sergio drip shoes, dries cuff etc.)... isn't that maybe a little hypocritical? I get that your main problem is the retail aspect of it - profiting off of someone else's design- but surely the act itself of copying is part of the problem? In general you turn your nose at wearing any type of knock-off rather than the original... except when it's your own ... ?

posted by guest

Jul 31, 2008 10:37AM

I hate them both.

What circle does that make me?

posted by guest

Jul 31, 2008 10:38AM

Topshop were obv trying to put their own spin on the YSL design by keeping it mono-coloured instead of multi-coloured.
Red was a bad choice of colour and a gold look chain would have been far nicer.
Either way, it's a horrible neckpiece!

posted by sarajane

Jul 31, 2008 10:39AM

It is a really late and inaccurate rip off but if the Topshop necklace stands alone it is pretty cute.

posted by guest

Jul 31, 2008 10:48AM

You guys took the time to rip off the paint dripping shoes.. those were ugly but yet you went one step further and bought the materials and then copied the look.. somethings in life that make you go hmmmmmmm

posted by hommenivore

Jul 31, 2008 10:49AM

Well, let's get crucial:

Top-tier designers routinely knock off small, independent, and no-name designers, who themselves are basically just taking inspiration from and making clothing for their artfag friends and outlandish, nothing-to-lose acquaintances, who are basically the people that get made fun of for not taking a shower or being "hideous" or whatever.

The whole idea of there being a trickle-down from a top tier to the next lower—in one direction—is an illusion. The truth is that it's a cycle, with certain parts of the cycle hidden. The poor, eccentric, street kids are essentially reacting to their own idea of what's going on in high fashion or in passé music or passé film, reinterpreting it as their means allow. Those reinterpretations are cycled "upward" through independent designers and then to "top-tier" designers. Part of the cycle that's the most visible is the movement of trends from high fashion to the mainstream. Because it is so blatant, it's easier to spot and consequently easier to blog about.

So give the Fashionista gurls a break. It's like you people have never heard of serialized journalism.

posted by guest

Jul 31, 2008 10:50AM

Yeah but the High Street takes inspiration from the designers and as guest 10:26AM said designs trickle up and down. Surely its better they are just taking inspiration and producing something which reflects a certain trend or style rather than trying to create an exact copy which would just be an inferior version of the original. I don’t think its right when the high street produces a direct copy’s of designer’s work but producing something, which reflects a certain trend, or style that is present on the catwalk is what the high street does and brings it to the masses in their own way.

posted by guest

Jul 31, 2008 11:01AM

Who cares about the TopShop copy? I am SO much more interested in hearing about Faran's find! What thrift shop was it? Please post pictures!

posted by guest

Jul 31, 2008 11:24AM

This Adventures in Copyrights knockoff seems more to show how ridiculously marked-up (about 4000.00) the YSL version is more than the uncreativity or unethical behaviour of the Topshop designers.

posted by guest

Jul 31, 2008 12:28PM

http://fashionista.com/cgi-bin/mt/mt-search.cgi?IncludeBlogs=6&search=ysl+fred+flare&searchsubmit.x=0&searchsubmit.y=0&searchsubmit=submit

What? The red stars are just soooo much more hideous than your crappy ysl "inspired" cheap ice-cream charm necklace? People in glass houses...

posted by guest

Jul 31, 2008 12:57PM

@ 4 - how was that snippy? cripes.

anytime anyone on here says "people would never wear *insert weird article of clothing* where i live," they get HOSED by this board who all cry "well you don't live in NY! you don't understand!"

and considering the whole "maybe not YOUR everyone wears the YSL, but OURS does" comment in the article, just pointing out that a world exists outside of NY is hardly snippy.

posted by la petite fashionista

Jul 31, 2008 1:01PM

why on earth would someone donate their YSL star necklace to a thrift store? i would have gladlyyy taken it off their hands!

posted by guest

Jul 31, 2008 1:13PM

I second guest #12...if it is the most recent star necklace, i would guess tokio or one of the consignments on 11th? But still, I have a hard time thinking of a scenario in which a person would get rid of that necklace...guessing it is a star necklace from a previous collection? Congrats, Faran, either way!

posted by guest

Jul 31, 2008 2:18PM

This is the kind of copy that easily passes the sniff test... it's probably inspired by the original, but no one would ever mistake one for the other, it has distinct differences, and really is just a riff on the same idea, and is infinitely more wearable.

I am confused that fashionista criticizes things that are clearly rip-offs, direct/exact copies, for being direct/exact copies and not even trying to be a little different, but then when something is not an exact copy, you say that it should be more similar? At least try to be consistent.

posted by guest

Jul 31, 2008 2:51PM

i actually did the ice cream necklace in a little bit different way and all i get are compliments so unless you've got something worthwhile to share on this site, you should just go away. why can't we go back to the days when people who appreciated this blog dominated it?

posted by guest

Jul 31, 2008 4:05PM

the whole 'last-season' pretentiousness is so ridiculous,
the idea is still a good one so why not produce a cute ysl-inspired necklace?

posted by guest

Jul 31, 2008 4:26PM

I am not a fan of this TopShop. They seem to rip SO MANY of the major designers off! Boo.

posted by Julia

Jul 31, 2008 5:27PM

#1: "Sorry but all I can think of whenever I see this necklace is how much it would hurt if you ever moved your neck."
I laughed so hard. I second this. I'm personally more of a scarf/basic tiffany's girl myself.

Really, I see no problem with this. Its not a copy-copy, its just using the idea as a basis. Not like that friggin ugly orangy copy of the Marc (http://fashionista.com/2008/07/adventures_in_copyright_cant_r.php#comments). Now that was a ripoff.

And number 21, Topshop is great. I wish we had one in my tiny corner of the world. Esp. one that carries Kate's line.

posted by guest

Jul 31, 2008 6:32PM

Sorry girls but Girlprops did the star necklace way before YSL had one
http://www.girlprops.com/RetailScience/page2/item/10277

posted by guest

Jul 31, 2008 7:19PM

Express carries the same necklace but it has all black stars

posted by cassie

Jul 31, 2008 7:21PM

you just never know what you will find at a secondhand shop, perhaps a black quilted Chanel grand shopping tote?!

posted by guest

Aug 01, 2008 1:12PM

I think Topshop did the stars in red so that they would be more appealing to the masses and mainstream (safer than using several bold colors that only a few would rock) and perhaps to distance themselves from the original. It would have been nice to see one with the same colors and materials, but in smaller and/or varying sizes of stars.

P.S. Yves Saint Laurent found inspiration in street/city style, so it shouldn't hurt that it was the other way around--although it was a pretty lame attempt by Topshop.

V. Alexandra de F. Szoenyi
ALEXTHEARTISTE

http://peepthepop.blogspot.com
www.alextheartiste.com

posted by guest

Aug 06, 2008 12:12AM

"but why are they making it now? We've already seen it around Meredith Melling Burke and Anne Slowey's necks so you'd look plain silly wearing a copy six months after everyone else wore the original. (They might not be your everyone, but they're ours)."

Because the buyer likes it. To me this one of the stupidest and childish statements I have ever heard on this site. I personally think this necklace is ugly (original and copy), but what does time have to do with whether or not someone likes something. I think it can say a lot if even after the trend has passed the item is still liked.