STORY:
It’s time to ditch the famous names and wear fake, say some Chinese. A new trend in fake fashion is taking the world’s most populous nation by storm.
GiPhone, HiPhone and Anycoll handsets sell for far less than their genuine counterparts.
Sportswear is also a victim and bargain hunters think the altered logos validate the copycat brands.
[Cui Lai, Student]:
“It’s an imitation, so it’s not a fake and it’s not infringing copyright. Maybe it lacks innovation, but it’s not really bad.”
Although many regard it as piracy, fake fans find the brazen imitations part of the attraction.
[Jin Hui, Student]:
“I think that Shanzhai is an example of China’s skillfulness. I mean think about it, if you can take good products and produce the same thing, that’s a sign of progress.”
But their growing popularity could prove a headache for genuine brands, says Baker and McKenzie lawyer Scott Palmer.
[Scott Palmer, Lawyer]:
“It is possible that these lookalike, these sort of upstarts, can actually become quite famous locally and then, you know, the case would be considerably more difficult.”
Palmer receives a daily stream of foreign client enquiries over Chinese imitations, and foreign governments frequently take China to task over copyright infringement.
But China responds that as a developing country it may take years to root out the problem.
