Why I Believe that Replica Clothing is Okay to Wear.

There is a very negative and down-putting connotation when you hear the word “fake,” “replica,” “counterfeit,” “knockoff,” or even “fufu.” This can apply to anything; jewelry, cars, electronics, or in this case, sneakers and clothes. You name it, somebody is trying to replicate it. So let’s dive deeper into this “replica” conversation. Now, do not get mixed up. Wearing and selling replica clothing are two different topics. We are going to cover wearing them.

Replica clothing has been around for a long time. Why do people wear it? Because they want to impress? Because they want to look good? Because they want to feel good about themselves? These are all legitimate reasons that people wear replica clothing. Most people buy replica clothing that falls under the “streetwear” category. People often look at their favorite hip-hop artist, businessman, or movie producer and appreciate the outfit they are sporting. But when they go to look to purchase this clothing, it can cost upwards of $10,000! People like clothing, but do not like the price tag that comes with it. This is when people resort to replica clothing. They feel better about themselves when wearing something that someone else thinks is very expensive.

Replicas are mostly created in China, with some factories in Russia and Germany. These factories are the same factories that the real luxury clothing is made in. This allows for the replicas to be high quality. Although this practice is deemed illegal, thousands do it every day. People want clothes! There are many communities that teach how to order replicas from sites like Taobao, Weidian, and DHGate. these communities include r/FashionReps, r/RepSneakers, and r/QualityReps. While shipping can be expensive, replica clothing is normally significantly cheaper than the real thing. Many people have massive collections of replica sneakers or clothing, and you would never even know if you saw them in public sporting fake shoes. So why does streetwear and fashion media make it out to be such a big deal?

One of the main arguments that these fashion gurus’ use is that; “it’s taking money and business away from the original producer.” In reality, how much are they losing? These companies charge thousands of dollars for clothes simply because it has a red box on it. Most of the time, these fashion Einsteins can’t even tell fake from real. Chinese factories can create this same items for so much cheaper, and sometimes better quality! Why does it matter to people what other people are wearing? If the clothes you wear make you happy, buy whatever you want! If you feel confident in a fufu Supreme Box logo, buy all your heart desires.

It takes a certain type of person to call out someone in public and embarrass them because they suspect they are wearing a fake pair of Travis Scott Jordan 1s. It also takes a certain type of person to sell of fakes as real, which is what many people do on apps such as Goat, Grailed, and StockX. With replicas becoming better and better, who knows. Even you might possess a piece of fake clothing.