Michael Kors "copies" other designers?

[vintagefinds]

MK gets called out for this a lot, but frankly I've seen more blatant copies from others. Rebecca Minkoff, I'm looking at you. I don't see a lot of similarities in some of those examples. For instance, the Selma looks much more like the old Coach Candace than it does the Prada tote. Overall, I think MK is a good brand with good quality.

 

[Mariapia]

while I have mixed feelings about a lot of his bags i do have to say he's incredibly intelligent with what he's done here, doing something I dont think anyone has done on this scale before. He created his label which generally speaking can be considered a luxury line. What he then did was offer premier bag styles at much more afforable prices, not so cheap that they could just be considered knock offs but just expensive enough that people purchasing them could feel like they were buying a luxury item. It really is quite genius and I don't fault him for doing it, sometimes you just like the style of the bag and it has nothing to do with the fact that it's made by hermes or saint laurent or gucci so why pay $3000 for a bag that you can get from michael kors for $200 that is the same style and still considered a designer bag.
the trade off of course is it's costing him artistic integrity and probably guranteed that his own label won't be around for generations but i'm sure his great grandkids would much prefer a trust fund with $50 million over having a clothing label to run.

Jorrdanlewiss, I agree with you from beginning to end!

 

[averagejoe]

while I have mixed feelings about a lot of his bags i do have to say he's incredibly intelligent with what he's done here, doing something I dont think anyone has done on this scale before. He created his label which generally speaking can be considered a luxury line. What he then did was offer premier bag styles at much more afforable prices, not so cheap that they could just be considered knock offs but just expensive enough that people purchasing them could feel like they were buying a luxury item. It really is quite genius and I don't fault him for doing it, sometimes you just like the style of the bag and it has nothing to do with the fact that it's made by hermes or saint laurent or gucci so why pay $3000 for a bag that you can get from michael kors for $200 that is the same style and still considered a designer bag.
the trade off of course is it's costing him artistic integrity and probably guranteed that his own label won't be around for generations but i'm sure his great grandkids would much prefer a trust fund with $50 million over having a clothing label to run.

Coach, Marc by Marc Jacobs, Kate Spade, and Tory Burch are other big players in the same market, so Michael Kors isn't the creative genius behind offering designer goods at more reasonable prices. Most brands have had similar lines like Versus by Versace, D&G by Dolce & Gabbana, R.E.D. Valentino, and See by Chloe which have existed for years as well.

Michael Kors does confuse his clients a bit. The bags that we are talking about on this thread are from Michael by Michael Kors. His namesake Michael Kors line sells handbags at premium prices (between $1000-$2000), so he also sells his merchandise at higher price points. Unlike Marc by Marc Jacobs which makes a visible distinction between it and the higher-end Marc Jacobs line, Michael by Michael Kors uses only the Michael Kors logo on its products so people don't know that what they bought was actually Michael by Michael Kors.

 

[averagejoe]

Now specifically calling a brand/designer out like this smacks of a witch hunt and like I said to begin with...

I think it's odd.

Here, where we have a love affair with the handbag. I don't mind talking about bags we don't like, but this?

I don't think this is a witch hunt as much as it is drawing attention to the fact that Michael Kors has become one of the most successful and rich designers of our time by selling copies of other designers.

Surely designers borrow ideas from each other from time to time, but some of Kor's designs are too close to their counterparts. I've seen brands copy the LV aesthetic, but using the same coloured monogram as well as light tan leather trim? That is way too close. And for a brand that earns so much money, one would expect the Michael Kors brand to have more unique designs. But instead, you see copies of other designers lining his store shelves.

And now he makes more money than Coco Chanel would've ever made in her lifetime, even though he used some of her designs to propel him to this success.

 

[songofthesea]

I definitely knew you weren't calling me out; I always value your opinions and feedback. I just didn't understand what you were saying. I wasn't sure if you were saying that all talk of MK should be in the sub-forum. I probably wasn't clear!!

All that being said, I recently walked by one of his stores and saw the new bags that to me look like knock offs of bbags. I hate to say it. Once in a while he comes out with a great bag IMHO. The one I recently got is in the luggage color which I love and was looking for a bag in that color, but, I do see how close he comes to making things "almost". So, no worries; I just didn't understand what you were saying!!




______

I guess I am the odd one here - I've been noticing handbags for at least 35 years and there has not been a time when bags have not looked like other bags at some point in time. They can be different material, expensive vs cheap, with hardware or without it - but at some point they can look like another. I'm also into the history of the bag, and you go back to 16th century dynasty China, they've got bags, and darned if they don't look like what we call a classic hobo today, some of them. Some of them are beaded and ornate and how did the American Native Indian copy that design?

Who is copying who?

I have NEVER cared for Michael Kors and I think it's darned funny that so many of you didn't know who he was until he suddenly got on everyone's radar - the 'it' bag for the Coach set. Kors has been around since 1981, for heaven's sake.

Now specifically calling a brand/designer out like this smacks ofa witch hunt and like I said to begin with...

I think it's odd.

Here, where we have a love affair with the handbag. I don't mind talking about bags we don't like, but this?

Thanks for letting me have an opinion, too. I'll go back to my little BVette world...[/QUOTE]

 

[WillstarveforLV]

But with Michael Kors, it's just not with the copying of the bags, he is doing the same with jewellery (Cartier, Hermes) and clothes too - it's like now he copies everything with everyone. I think once you get other designers calling him out on it directly like Roberto Cavalli, Dolce & Gabbana and now the latest Missoni (with a twitter call-out and with a pic of his Missoni
wanna-be clothes) I think that he has just crossed the line one too many times...

 

[averagejoe]

But with Michael Kors, it's just not with the copying of the bags, he is doing the same with jewellery (Cartier, Hermes) and clothes too - it's like now he copies everything with everyone. I think once you get other designers calling him out on it directly like Roberto Cavalli, Dolce & Gabbana and now the latest Missoni (with a twitter call-out and with a pic of his Missoni
wanna-be clothes) I think that he has just crossed the line one too many times...

I agree. His watches copy Rolex and Cartier a lot.

 

[Murphy47]

I agree. His watches copy Rolex and Cartier a lot.

And are made by Fossil.

 

[Roku]

I think I would call this "scotch taping." As in, Scotch magic tape is the brand of magic tape made by 3M, but when we say "scotch tape" it is not necessarily regarding that brand, it could be any brand, or even a generic brand, but we mean the slim magic tape that is the width of a finger that people put on their office desks. Same thing with xerox, kleenex, etc.

He's commmodotized many of the luxury designs into the mainstream market. Meaning, the mainstream market would not have been introduced to that design if it weren't for MK.

An example is the word 'Madonna.' As a child, I thought that name belonged the blonde singer/performer/actress. The name was taken from Mary, as we all know, but when someone says "Madonna" you think 'Like a Virgin,' not Pieta. Madonna the singer has scotch-taped the term 'Madonna.'

Similarly, MK has scotch-taped many of the higher-scale designer items so that they become popular. Honestly, I also think from a premier brand perspective it does them a favor too. Once someone really gets into MK they will learn that it was actually inspired from a model "x" from brand "x" and I do think it can be a good recruitment tool for the higher end brands.

From a perception management perspective, anyway.

And I wrote about this very similar thing, oddly enough, in a Dior thread here.

Addundum: I realize now after reading this, that maybe the whole point of the luxury bit is the exclusive bit, and so I can't assume it is always a good thing that something is commodotized into mainstream... but for safety reasons I think the watch thing works quite well.

 

[Roku]

Yes, and Christian Louboutin was one of the victims...

http://www.nydailynews.com/life-style/fashion/jessica-simpson-accused-copying-christian-louboutin-evangel-sandals-similar-article-1.1056647

And I really hate Jessica Simpson, for many reasons besides the fact she has no talent in creating her own designs (the only talent Jessica has these days is going on all fours on some guy). This is why I hate it when celebs become designers, they have no originality. I will never support them.

Left: Christian Louboutin | Right: Jessica Simpson.

OK, I don't really see the 20 percent deviation here. Wow, that is scary.
(20 percent as in the % difference in design required to be protected from design copy litigation)

 

[Jewels24]

MK is NOT designer. It's a brand name bag, similar to Guess. The point is to offer the "look" of a premier designer bag at a price the average person can afford.

While this is great for people who love the style, I personally do not appreciate it. My reason is not because there are people walking around with a copycat of my bag for thousands less, but rather with the design poaching itself. I consider premier designer bags, (Chanel, Hermes) to be works of art from their design to their construction. Of course designers/artists are inspired by each other, and of course there will be a market for "inspired" items; but what MK does is just regurgitate other designers' art and slaps the tackiest, most conspicuous logo on it.

MK shoes are the worst example of this awful and horrible logo placement. Even if I like the shoes, the logo makes it impossible for me to consider purchasing. Walk around with a 3 inch MK on the side of my boot?! Ummm no thanks.

MK is about profit over substance, making a mockery of other true designers.

 

[Leafspark]

MK is NOT designer. It's a brand name bag, similar to Guess. The point is to offer the "look" of a premier designer bag at a price the average person can afford.

While this is great for people who love the style, I personally do not appreciate it. My reason is not because there are people walking around with a copycat of my bag for thousands less, but rather with the design poaching itself. I consider premier designer bags, (Chanel, Hermes) to be works of art from their design to their construction. Of course designers/artists are inspired by each other, and of course there will be a market for "inspired" items; but what MK does is just regurgitate other designers' art and slaps the tackiest, most conspicuous logo on it.

MK shoes are the worst example of this awful and horrible logo placement. Even if I like the shoes, the logo makes it impossible for me to consider purchasing. Walk around with a 3 inch MK on the side of my boot?! Ummm no thanks.

MK is about profit over substance, making a mockery of other true designers.

Jewels24 -- great point! (And hello from a fellow BC gal!)

I have only one item by Michael Kors -- the Avra snakeskin pump which I got on sale from The September (fabulous online store, btw -- and Canadian, yay!). However, I must admit that I was hesitant to purchase it because I was never comfortable with how Michael Kors tries too hard to elevate his brand as on par with premier designers when it is clearly not. In fact, I decided to get the Avra pumps because yes, they are beautiful -- but I was really wishing that they weren't by Michael Kors, if that makes sense... Thank goodness the gaudy logo is on the sole and nowhere else.

Here's a gripe that I'd like to share, about something I'm sure many of you already know about. Michael Kors shoes are made in China. However, that in itself is not the issue, for there are some quality items out there by other brands that are manufactured in China. But my peeve is that Michael Kors wants to hide this fact. The brand does not indicate anywhere on the shoes or the packaging that they are Made in China -- EXCEPT on a stamp on the most inconspicuous location, deep on the inside of the vamp -- somewhere nobody would see unless he/she were looking really hard.

And here's what's worse: Michael Kors has the daring to stamp "VERO CUOIO" on the sole. Yes, it's true that the sole is made of real leather -- I'm not disputing that. But in addition to literally meaning "genuine leather," the "VERO CUOIO" stamp has the added connotation that the shoes are crafted in Italy -- so putting this Italian stamp on is not exactly a lie, but a terribly misleading intimation of a false concept.

The vast majority of my shoes are made in Italy, but I do have a few made in China, such as my Keen sandals for casual street wear. I have no issue with the fact that certain items of mine are made in China.

But Michael Kors, please call a spade a spade -- if your products are made in China, make that transparent (at least brands like Coach do). Hiding that fact just reinforces the perception that the Michael Kors brand is overestimating its place in the designer market. Is Michael Kors ashamed of something?

I guess all I'm arguing for is that brands be sincere and open about the products they are offering. Thanks for letting me vent about this seemingly petty thing.

 

[gail13]

It seems to me that women who aren't usually knowledgeable in handbag designers or who are just starting to build a collection are drawn to MK. I don't think I've ever heard the MK brand talk about quality or design esthetic.....and I think the prices are quite high for what you get. I see MK on the arms of the masses. But I also think Kate Spade and Rebecca Minkoff do the same thing. I personally want nothing to do with any of those brands. As soon as I see teen agers everywhere carrying these bags, it kills it for me. I went to a warehouse sale for RM last summer just to see what they had, and it was full of young girls-not women....the bags were 50% off but I just couldn't love them even at that price. Some people want bags and shoes that everyone else has, I am not one of them.

Is MK a smart marketer-yes but he is not trying to appeal to those of us who want a more limited edition product. I find it funny that MK used to be on Project Runway talking about having a 'unique point of view'. Yet there he sat every week in a black t shirt probably thinking about knocking off LV with a canvas coated tote.

 

[gail13]

MK is NOT designer. It's a brand name bag, similar to Guess. The point is to offer the "look" of a premier designer bag at a price the average person can afford.

While this is great for people who love the style, I personally do not appreciate it. My reason is not because there are people walking around with a copycat of my bag for thousands less, but rather with the design poaching itself. I consider premier designer bags, (Chanel, Hermes) to be works of art from their design to their construction. Of course designers/artists are inspired by each other, and of course there will be a market for "inspired" items; but what MK does is just regurgitate other designers' art and slaps the tackiest, most conspicuous logo on it.

MK shoes are the worst example of this awful and horrible logo placement. Even if I like the shoes, the logo makes it impossible for me to consider purchasing. Walk around with a 3 inch MK on the side of my boot?! Ummm no thanks.

MK is about profit over substance, making a mockery of other true designers.

Totally agree and Tory Burch is doing the same thing with that huge logo.

 

[lenarmc]

I was recently listening to a segment on NPR about luxury goods. Basically, by the time the bags, clothes, shoes, etc. get to you, the individual parts have all come from different countries. The leather may be from Italy while hardware may be from China, and the cotton from the U.S. Then the individual pieces are sewn in France, for example.
Just food for thought for those who have an issue with MK stamping goods with Made in Italy.