Halston We Have A Prada

A Look Behind the Curtain of a Copy Cat Runway

When paying extreme amounts of money for designer clothing, wouldn't one want to know they are paying for something that is relatively unique and self-expressive? Lately that doesn't always seem to be the case.

In recent seasons, as the Fall & Winter, Spring & Summer lines roll out something rather correlative is to be noticed. After comparing many outfits from many designers, it is fairly easy to recognize that some are almost too similar. Searching through countless outfits, you may also find countless familiarities. Granted however, most designers use many of the same resources for calculating their next season move. Unfortunately this does not only concern the clothing, but also the shows themselves. There are a few particular designers who set the bar much higher than others. The expectations of the buyers and the consumers are then also heightened.

Anyone attending these dramatic, international shows want to see something equally or more extravagant and intriguing than the previous, and this also goes for the designers in-store operations. Understandably, but regretably many designers use similar tactics to evoke their customers interest and desire to buy.

The photo examples to the left and below illustrate how similar the garments can be. Below the silk blue Versace has a very familiar look to the silk mauve Alberta Ferretti, not only in fit but also the colour tone. Also below, the curved Prada pump and the curved pump from Dsquared has a parallel concept.

So for all of you self-proclaimed fashionistas out there, if you're looking for a "sui generis" look, your best bet is to come up with something completely out -of-the-box. But if you're content and loyal to a specific designer or brand, than continue buying what they're showing.