A reader just sent us an email with the subject line: “Copyright Copycat F21 at it again.”

Boy, was she right.

Usually, in an Adventures in Copyright item, we’ll list one or two things that the copiers did to make it a little less obvious that they’re taking someone else’s design, but, well…if there’s some glaring difference we’re missing, kindly let us know.

The best we’ve got is that Forever 21 has put their dress on a model, and the BCBG is on a mannequin.

And we believe that’s what one would call “blatant”.

—AMANDA JEAN BOYLE

We’ve made it abundantly clear that we love Montauk and Mr. Mickey.

And this Sunday the 5th, the two shall come together for the Paper mag editor’s second annual Celebrity Sidewalk Sale at Screaming Mimi’s.

The shindig is co-hosted by Peter Davis, Charlotte Ronson, and Emma Snowdon-Jones and will feature loads of merch from people like Catherine Malandrino, Julia Frakes, and Lynn Yaeger.

Plus, the money goes to charity:water which builds freshwater wells in developing countries. We actually had no idea that it only takes about $5000 to give water to a whole village for 20 years!

So shop away, friends. We just wish we were going to be out east too. But ‘tis wedding season and we’re off to another one in Ann Arbor come Friday.

I’m 99% sure that’s Miranda Kerr on the left.

But I’m only half way through my coffee and three hours deep into a move from Brooklyn into Manhattan and I could be wrong. So we’ll start with a yes.

Is she even allowed to model other lingerie? For a department store? Even if she’s best friends with Elle MacPherson and actually only wears her bras in real life because they’re a million times better than Victoria’s Secret? VS has pretty iron clad contracts for their girls. Want to walk Givenchy? Fine. Want to model in another catalog? Absolutely not.

And if it’s not her, way to go Bloomingdale’s for finding the only other human being in the world who looks like that.

Meanwhile this looks just like Cat McNeil, but it’s not, is it? The url even reads, “PseudoCat.” I might need another cup of coffee.

Sølve Sundsbø shot the wonderful “Points a la Ligne” for Numéro last year in May.

We loved the Norwegian photographer’s eerie and sexy spread featuring a pancaked Edita Vilkeviciute’s body covered in various shadowed patterns.

Seems for the editorial’s one year anniversary Allure Korea and photographer Lee Kyung Ryul did a little more than pay homage to Sundsbø’s work in their May 2009 issue. In some of the shosts the model, Han Jin, is actually wearing clothing (unlike Edita) and they went beyond the strict geometric patterns that Sundsbø used, but it’s still unquestionably similar to the photos from “la Ligne”.

Okay, so plenty of fashion photographers have taken inspiration from any number of photographers from Avedon to Penn and so many other talents - and that’s great. But this comparison is beyond simple inspiration and comes pretty darn soon after the original shoot. Sundsbø presented a unique image that Kyung Ryul recreated nearly identically. The heights of creativity reached in contemporary fashion photography is awe-inspiring and that’s why an original perspective will just always be more interesting.

—AMANDA JEAN BOYLE

The YSL Tribute sandals are a pair of shoes we have long longed to have in our closets.

The Tribs have been reincarnated several times by YSL—a pump, a sandal, a slingback, an ankle boot. The good folks over at Pollini obviously decided that they, too, should take a stab at reinterpreting the shoe.

The weaving of the leather straps on the toe of the sandal, the platform, and the ankle strap of this version available on Shirise for $760 have been almost exactly replicated.

The Pollini shoe was originally $515 at Shopbop, but is now on sale for $360.50. Perhaps they realized people would rather shell out another $200 for the real deal instead of a copy. Because adding some wood does not a new shoe make.

—MELISSA ELLIOTT

We’ve had our eyes on these Michael Kors sandals.

The stretchy straps guarantee a comfortable fit, the patent leather heels add some needed shine and the zippers, just a bit of rock ‘n roll—the perfect SS09 combination for a very reasonable $130.

Especially reasonable when you take into account Aldo’s knock-offs which forego stretch nylon and patent leather in favor of three stitched leather straps and a pointier matte black heel for $90.

Meanwhile, both remind us of these zippered Sergio Rossi’s. They’re now on sale for $536 and soon to be found at Zara in neon green, we’re sure.

—MELISSA ELLIOTT

In case you were wondering why a designer is bothered when a company rips off their designs, take the example of this ring from Dior Joaillerie.

On their website, they have a pretty cool video showing the four month process to craft one of their rings.

So when Fred Flare puts up their Crystal Flowerette Ring (which we imagine didn’t take quite so long to manufacture), they’re stealing Dior’s creativity without ever having worked through the creative process.

Yet again, this isn’t to say that we don’t wear and love mass-produced pieces. Of course we do. We just try to avoid the exact replicas.

—AMANDA JEAN BOYLE

Ed. note/warning: This is an Adventures in Copyright post. If reading it will cause you to wish death upon us, please jump to the next post! xxB

Remember this Marc by Marc dress?

Yes, SS06 was a long time ago, but it was all over the press again after model Heather Bratton’s tragic death. (She wore it on the runway and it was the image accompanying almost every news story.) And now it’s back.

When we saw the dress at right on Nordstrom’s site (it’s sold out now) we thought it was actually the same dress. We thought it was weird that Marc was bringing the old print back after so long, but kind of cute because it really is such a great pattern and we really did love the dress.

But it’s actually by DKNY. Guess they didn’t feel the need to change the swirls of the roses, the size, the color scheme, the fabric, the price point etc.

They changed the sleeves though, that was nice.

—MELISSA ELLIOTT

When large companies rip-off small designer’s work, we get irritated.

There’s something tragic about watered down design - like watered down beer - ew.

Post-Chris Kane, someone sent us another disturbing Topshop rip-off. That Alexander Wang dress? The black stretch mesh sheath with thick, detailed embroidery? Topshop’s taken it upon themselves to bring the exact same thing, not an interpretation, to the masses.

Wang’s expertly coiled embroidery, extra-long sleeves, fun thumb-loop, and back zipper have been replaced with a far less innovative diamond-patterned embroidery, short sleeves and a plain sheer back.

Just this weekend we dubbed it the new “dress that won’t die.” It’s been everywhere - Kanye’s girlfriend wore it in Paris, Missy Rader wore it in Wang’s lookbook, in editorials featuring everyone from Eniko Mihalik to Liu Wenn - which means that everyone on Topshop’s design staff is ultra-aware of it.

The Wang original is for sale at Opening Ceremony for $955, while the Topshop version is going for $90.

The thing is, no one has to buy the $1000 version. Most people can’t. But instead of buying a copycat, why not admire the original and honor the designer’s work by not encouraging mass reproductions and rip-offs?

—MELISSA ELLIOTT

Regardless of where you stand on the the habits of mass retailers ripping off designers, you have to admit that it’s pretty fucked up for Topshop to take a designer they sponsor - a championed, beloved, we might even say genius designer - and copy his clothes.

Especially when you consider the stake Sir Philip Green has in Christopher Kane. His store doesn’t just fund Kane’s runway shows, provide a venue and almost bottomless financial backing, they’ve also recruited the Scottish designer to create his own collection for Topshop.

Which is, in fact, the best way to offer his talent to the customer who appreciates it, but can’t drop five grand on a cocktail dress.

Obviously, Topshop lacks the time and money to make the dress as detailed as Kane’s SS09 collection. But if your eyes are able to discern that the dress on the left is, indeed, a color called lavender, there is no way you can deny that it desperately wants to mirror the look on the right.

And, well, you know how that makes us feel.

We’re usually drooling over Christian Louboutin’s killer pumps, but the Spring 09 Adona have had our hearts beating fast since we laid eyes on their first incarnation on Phillip Lim’s runway.

Surprising to learn ASOS and Pour La Victoire are also big fans - they’ve gone ahead and knocked off the darling shoe. The Louboutins are going for $1,265 while ASOS black version’s sell for around $45 and Pour La Victoire’s for $225 on Shopbop. With the drastic price cut comes a downsized top ruffle - a shame since the brashness of the original made us love it so much in the first place. It’s like the shoe itself is embarrassed over its identity theft and is trying not to be noticed.

The fact that Jessica Simpson has anything to do with making shoes still makes us want to rip our hair out and shout obscenities. And we think it’s safe to assume that it always will.

So when a dear reader sent us this beyond blatant rip off the pop-turned-country singer’s company did of this banded and beautiful Sergio Rossi pair, we went to the dark place. They play that “nothing but a t-shirt on” song on a constant loop there. We don’t recommend visiting.

What’s all the more infuriating is that Jess probably owns the designer pair in every shade they produced. Why can’t she just leave at least one area of commerce well enough alone?

Alber Elbaz re-appropriated the classic pearl necklace for his Spring 09 show, bejeweling his girls with chandelier shapes.

The jewels were so beautiful, in fact, that Forever 21 was “inspired” to delve into their good old bag of blatant knock-off tricks — a reader noticed after spotting the Lanvin collar in an Elle editorial.

Maybe the mega-chain thought the addition of a plastic rhinestone or two would hide the fact that they stole the essential shape and drape of Alber’s design? But we’re pretty sure it doesn’t make up for the “pearls” and cheap glue used in production.

We don’t know about you, but we’d prefer our jewelry to last past Memorial Day.

—CARSON GRIFFITH

Dear Intermix,

We love you. We spent almost an hour in your store yesterday trying to find the perfect dress to wear to a very important wedding and we’ve narrowed it down to three. So don’t worry, we’ll be back.

But we do have a merchandising question. When one rack looks like this: black Balmain jacket, Balmain jeans, ripped-off Balmain jacket by a brand called Marley and the next rack looks like this: white Balmain jacket, leather Balmain pants and white ripped-off Balmain jacket again by Marley, what exactly are you going for?

Because as a customer (probably your target customer, less the desired clothing budget), we’re torn. It’d be hard to drop $5,000 on a jacket when you see something for $400 a mere foot away. But on the other hand, no one wants to buy the $400 version because the quality looks on par with Forever 21 when it’s sitting next to actual Balmain.

Do tell. Did we miss a retail secret along the way?

xo
F

Dear Fashionista,

The moment I saw this shirt I saw Alber. That rough handed sketch with dramatized eyelashes and heart-shaped lips scream Lanvin. The tee is called “The Crying Hearts,” because I’m sure there are Lanvin lovers everywhere crying their hearts out over this horrendous Forever 21 knock-off.

Long live Lanvin!

xoxo,
Madison

A reader sent us an outraged email this weekend.

She’s shocked and appalled at these pretty ballsy Stella McCartney knock-offs. The mesh basket sandals are this season’s hit and Bebe made sure their imitation hit floors in time for summer.

They’ve included three separate sections of mesh and the elastic heel band (which actually looks painfully uncomfortable in patent leather). And they’ve matched the heel height at 4 1/2 inches, placing both on angular platforms.

What’s different? Bebe thought they’d one up Stella and make their platform gold, which takes the shoe from sexy to tacky (a word we never use, but deem necessary on this occasion) in half a step.

— CARSON GRIFFITH

Sometimes, you love a pair of shoes so much that regardless of their age, seeing them ripped off feels like a slap in the face.

See: Prada sandals circa 2003.

They’re one of our favorites - we loved the navy blue silk encrusted with chunky green rocks. But somehow, when this brand called Vive (we saw it in a store window) turns the navy blue into leather with contrast stitching, adds a heel and leaves off a few rocks - not because they lack the Prada label - they lose their charm.

They managed the t-strap, the perfect shade and size of stone, but they’re just not the same.

So even though it’d be tough to find the Pradas without devoting the summer to scouring consignment stores, we’ll pass on Vive’s try. Thanks though.

— CARSON GRIFFITH

If we were as clever and cute and charming as Seth Meyers and a team of SNL writers, we’d launch into a “Really?” tirade pointed at Target’s PR right now.

At a party the other night, someone told us we were the Rip-off police; we get at least ten emails per day alerting us to various knock-offs; lawsuits (Anna Sui, DVF) have been brought after reading our Adventures in Copyrights and today, or yesterday actually, Target’s PR sent us an email.

It says:

Hi Britt,

Hope you had a great weekend! Recently, stars like Beyonce and Rihanna have been sporting the Balmain military look which has had fashionistas everywhere dying to replicate the style! Now, Target has the answer with the Go International Line Bandleader Vest which is perfectly pared-down chic to pull of[f] this trend at an affordable price.

The email comes with pictures of Beyonce and Rihanna wearing actual Balmain next to pictures of Target’s sleeveless copy. We’d ignored the vest because it’s not an exact copy and it’s been written up everywhere, but companies sending us their rip-offs is too weird to ignore.

Really publicists?

A reader just sent us the link to this Steve Madden bag and our stomach kind of dropped.

We expect him to copy the Fendis, Givenchys and Christian Louboutins, but as always, it’s so much more painful to watch a small, independent designer get ripped off.

Alexander Wang launched bags less than two years ago, just a few styles, all slouchy, all zippered, all made from incredibly soft leather and all at relatively reasonable prices (around $700). Steve Madden’s sold bags forever, all plastic and all shiny and not always rip-offs - the handbag ‘designers’ obviously lack the shoe ‘designers’ budget (because they do go out and buy loads of Chloe and Chanel and Louboutin shoes, rip them up and rebuild them to make the copies spot on).

But someone in that department loved Alex’s Brenda Zip bag so much, they went and made their own and called it the B-Zipcross. Then they threw in a copy of Alex’s model-loved Donna Hobo just for good measure.

Sometimes, Steve really pisses us off.

Thakoon’s prints are dear to any fashion lover’s heart - so it took about a half a second for Teen Vogue super intern Elana to spot these Lauren Moffat rip-offs at Barneys this morning.

The co-op brand took the navy, forest green and white striped pattern from Thakoon’s Spring Summer 08 collection and threw them on a couple of different pieces including a billowy dress and knee-length skirt.

Everything about the prints are the same from the varying width of the stripes to the color blocking - as Elana so eloquently put it, “holy Thakoon rip-off, Batman!”

Did Lauren wait a few seasons hoping no one would notice?