If you’ve spent any time on Facebook or Instagram recently, we’re sure you’ve seen the ads for those low-cost fast-fashion items that just seem too good to be true.
Whether it’s a pair of platform sneakers for €10.99, or a handbag for just €7, more often than not these products are knock-offs of independent designers who have worked hard to produce their items.
Sites like AliExpress have saturated the market with cheap products that manufacture low-quality replicas of the real deal.
“Bolstered by stolen images, aggressive ads, and images of certificates from places like PayPal, the sites regularly sucker consumers into buying clothing straight from China - and it often bears little resemblance to the pictures they saw online” said a report from Buzzfeed.
“If and when the garments finally arrive, shoppers say they’re frequently small enough to fit children, their color is off, and they are made from flimsy materials,” the report adds. “Sometimes they smell like chemicals. And, customer service, typically located in China, is barely reachable, especially when it comes to returns and refunds.”
But, more importantly, mass produced knock offs like these impact the business of small independent designers whose unique ideas are being stolen.
Here at ISLA we recently came across one of our pieces being replicated and sold on the site AliExpress; one of our all-time favourite items, the Pussy Grabs Back Dickini in collaboration with Namilia.
Out of curiosity we decided to order the “dickini” and see how the quality compared to the real deal. The photos speak for themselves really, and you can clearly see the difference in quality between the knock off, and the authentic item.
Remember, next time you see a deal that’s too good to be true, it probably is. So, if you want the real deal, you don’t need to go far, buy the authentic and original Pussy Grabs Back Dickini in-store or online at ISLA.
Whether it’s a pair of platform sneakers for €10.99, or a handbag for just €7, more often than not these products are knock-offs of independent designers who have worked hard to produce their items.
Sites like AliExpress have saturated the market with cheap products that manufacture low-quality replicas of the real deal.
“Bolstered by stolen images, aggressive ads, and images of certificates from places like PayPal, the sites regularly sucker consumers into buying clothing straight from China - and it often bears little resemblance to the pictures they saw online” said a report from Buzzfeed.
“If and when the garments finally arrive, shoppers say they’re frequently small enough to fit children, their color is off, and they are made from flimsy materials,” the report adds. “Sometimes they smell like chemicals. And, customer service, typically located in China, is barely reachable, especially when it comes to returns and refunds.”
But, more importantly, mass produced knock offs like these impact the business of small independent designers whose unique ideas are being stolen.
Here at ISLA we recently came across one of our pieces being replicated and sold on the site AliExpress; one of our all-time favourite items, the Pussy Grabs Back Dickini in collaboration with Namilia.
Out of curiosity we decided to order the “dickini” and see how the quality compared to the real deal. The photos speak for themselves really, and you can clearly see the difference in quality between the knock off, and the authentic item.
Remember, next time you see a deal that’s too good to be true, it probably is. So, if you want the real deal, you don’t need to go far, buy the authentic and original Pussy Grabs Back Dickini in-store or online at ISLA.