Younger consumers proudly stoop to dupes
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It’s bad news for designers and apparel companies pushing their brands: dupe mania is likely to continue.
That’s according to The Fashion Law blog analysis of data that suggests “(d)upes may be more in-demand than ever” as “consumers are searching for ‘dupes’ – a term that is being used to refer to lookalikes of hot-selling products sans brands’ well-known trademarks and counterfeits alike – with increased frequency,” the blog reported.
The social media site Reddit recently revealed that from 2022 to 2023 it saw a 50% rise in views within online chat communities seeking dupes, “a clear nod to the fact that consumer interest in dupes is not waning following a surge in demand for affordable copycat products in recent years,” the blog wrote.
It cited “a shift in mindset among younger consumers who have made it socially acceptable to buy and flaunt replicas” as one possible reason. In the past shopping for imitations was “done on the sly,” according to the blog.
