Time magazine has an interesting article in the March 28th issue called, "If You've Got it, Flaunt It" which discusses major designers' plans to thwart consumers copying their looks on the cheap.
Karl Lagerfeld is used to being imitated. "Chanel called it flattery," he shrugs. "For me, it's good because it pushes me to things they can't copy." By Chanel, he means Coco, the founder of the label Lagerfeld has headed for 22 years. "They" are spry fashion chains such as Zara and H&M, whose skill at reproducing luxury looks at affordable prices is driving designers to more-difficult-to-emulate extravagance in their ready-to-wear collections. At the recent shows in Milan and Paris, even the most jaded front-row fashionistas leaned forward for a closer look at the swaths of excess. On Chanel's runway, there were tweeds that on closer inspection proved to be feather-light embroidery on tulle; at Dior, there was a flight jacket, loosely inspired by The Aviator, in ruby-red mink trimmed with crocodile, and a trench coat mixing the same exotic materials. "Will we sell the crocodile?" asks Sydney Toledano, Dior's CEO. "Of course. If you are competing based on production and cost, it's tough. If you go with a more unique position, then you can lead. You need to watch the top line, not only the bottom line."
The article goes on to state that the high-end luxury lines are booming, as are the inexpensive lines; it's the middle-priced lines that are in trouble in today's retail economy. For example, the new $4,825 velvet-and-tulle Fendi Spy bag for fall 2005 already has a 100+ strong waitlist.
