It questioned whether Gen Z’s love of dupes was a problem for luxury brands. I The examples used were the viral dupes for a Bottega Veneta bag and a pair of Celine sunglasses. The question then was whether or not this would hurt those brands. If Gen Z goes with the less expensive alternative, is that a concern? I’m going to guess not so much.
The weight of this is placed on Gen Z because so many of the dupes are viral on TikTok. But truthfully, it is not just that demographic using the app to search for deals nor is this phenomenon new.
Years ago, there was a show on the style network called The Look for Less. The host demonstrated, as you might guess how to achieve a designer look with an outfit for a total cost of $150. Fashion magazines had/have a splurge or save section, where they showed the designer item compared to the less expensive alternative. The idea that people may want to know know how to save money but still look great is not new. The difference is that we can learn how others are doing it on a much larger scale.
Dupes fulfill a different space in the fashion market than do luxury brands. Who is choosing to buy dupes, when, and why? My guess is that people are choosing to buy the dupe when they can either not afford the “real” thing or when they don’t place enough value on it to spend that amount.
I think it would be rash to say they dupes are destroying luxury sales, because they are meeting different consumer needs. Luxury brands have to hone in on who they want to reach and what that group truly wants. And from there, focus on meeting those needs. Alternatively, they could invest in research that leads people to buy dupes, even when they have the money for the alternative. The brand could this use this information to shift their product strategy. And maybe, just maybe, this could lead to more creativity along the way.
Here’s that article I referenced:
Maguire, L. (April 10, 2023). Gen Z loves dupes. Is this bad news for luxury fashion brands? Vogue Business. https://www.voguebusiness.com/fashion/gen-z-loves-dupes-is-this-bad-news-for-luxury-fashion-brands?
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