Kanye West may be the modern MJ to many when it comes to kicks, but let’s not understate Rihanna‘s influence on fashion, footwear and straight up sales. Knocking it out of the park every time she pairs with PUMA, her Fenty Creepers and Fur Slides have moved in masses and definitely moved the needle in regards to what’s hot on the female footwear tip.
As expected, when something gets hot, fast fashion will follow and they will follow fast. Case in point, or in this case legal case in point, it’s Forever 21 and Topshop who have respectively introduced sneakers and sandals that derive from the popular pairs introduced by Rihanna and PUMA.
Dissected in detail by The Fashion Law and also addressed by Sole Collector, PUMA has recently hit Forever 21 with a design patent, trade dress and copyright infringement lawsuit. In addition, they’ve recently claimed victory over Topshop as preliminary injunction has been placed on the fast fashion retailer to stop selling knock-off Fenty product.
While there are many takeaways or opinions to be made on this lawsuit, perhaps the most interesting is just how fast fast fashion is. PUMA stated that Forver 21 has copied many of their shoes and that “although the Bow Slide was only released this month, [Forever 21] is already offering copies of it on its website.” That’s Jimmy Johns fast.
An obvious advantage of fast fashion for the consumer is that it offers the ability to obtain similar steeze worthy designs from the higher cost competitors at an easier access in regards to price and often availability. Just the same, some consumers could say their cool cred is getting hurt with knockoffs watering down the market.
Where the designer labels get hurt is that fast fashion retailers are often placed and positioned right by the same boutiques and upscale department stores that designer brands place their original designs in — an easy opportunity to cop a knock off with little time or chase. In addition, in many ways fast fashion companies are stealing the design work and effort that’s personal to the creative and paid for by the company.
Some could say it’s a bit of a Robin Hood approach in regards to taking expensive designs from the big money companies and giving similar product to the people at a lesser cost, but if the fast fashion houses are raking in hoards of cash all the same then who really is the big money company and how will creativity be paid for?
Take a look at the sneaker releases from both parties below and let us know in the comments if you think fast fashion is good or bad for design business and sneaker culture.
