Imitation game theory
Brunch|March 23, 2024
Blurry monograms, stitching shortcuts, uneven seams. Are you buying legit fashion or clever fakes? Here's help
Noor Anand Chawla
Imitation game theory

Muddled-up monograms, stitching shortcuts, fabrics that feel cheap, lining that lies. Fake versions of designer goods pop up in the oddest places. Influencers show them off in HD videos, socialites flaunt them at parties. Bosses claim they got them as presents. Spotting them calls for a trained eye and lots of research. Couturiers Shantanu Mehra and Nikhil Mehra of label Shantanu & Nikhil, and Shehlina Soomro, founder of luxury resale platform Saritoria create a primer for your benefit.

First, some homework.

Hermes, Chanel and Louis Vuitton are some of the most copied labels in the world. There are factories dedicated to producing both cheap and high-quality replicas at a fraction of the price of the hard-to-find originals. Soomro believes that recognising a well-crafted fake is difficult for anyone who isn't familiar with a brand and its back catalogue.

"I've been to supposedly authentic consignment stores in Europe and found fake Chanel bags," she says. She recommends shopping only from trusted sources, especially for secondhand items.

هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة March 23, 2024 من Brunch.

ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 8500 مجلة وصحيفة.

هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة March 23, 2024 من Brunch.

ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 8500 مجلة وصحيفة.

المزيد من القصص من BRUNCH مشاهدة الكل
Hitting the wrong note
Brunch

Hitting the wrong note

Even hitmakers can have epic fails. Here are 10 bands that named themselves in haste, only to repent at leisure

time-read
3 mins  |
May 18, 2024
Before the tea gets cold
Brunch

Before the tea gets cold

Sudhir Patwardhan's paintings show a Mumbai that viewers may find familiar. But look closer. The details tell new tales, trigger universal questions

time-read
2 mins  |
May 18, 2024
Who's the third world now?
Brunch

Who's the third world now?

There was a time when Egypt or Lagos were considered lawless lands. Now one has to be on guard in London and Paris

time-read
2 mins  |
May 18, 2024
Spice routes and detours
Brunch

Spice routes and detours

More and more countries are discovering that packaged Indian spices are contaminated. Back home, they're so convenient and trusted, we didn't think to look closer. It's time to rework this recipe

time-read
3 mins  |
May 18, 2024
A walk to remember
Brunch

A walk to remember

As India celebrates 25 years of Fashion Week, here's your front-row seat to the first edition, in 2000. The models, the designs, the gossip, the backstage drama, and those after-parties!

time-read
5 mins  |
May 18, 2024
Murder, she rewrote
Brunch

Murder, she rewrote

What's better than a woman detective? A team of two. New shows and films are making the most of the partnership, giving crime drama and comedy an edge

time-read
2 mins  |
May 18, 2024
What broth this on?
Brunch

What broth this on?

Hopeless ramentic? Slurp up this guide and order the best bowl, every time

time-read
3 mins  |
May 18, 2024
Unconventional habits
Brunch

Unconventional habits

There's so much more to nuns and convent education than what shows up on screen. Why do the cliches persist?

time-read
2 mins  |
May 18, 2024
Photos or pulp fictions?
Brunch

Photos or pulp fictions?

Gauri Gill's portraits showcase ordinary folks, doing ordinary things, but wearing extraordinary masks. See why the quirky series offers more than what meets the eye

time-read
2 mins  |
May 04, 2024
Hear it from a reliable sauce
Brunch

Hear it from a reliable sauce

Kikkoman launched a dark soya sauce for the Indian market after realising that Indians expect Chinese and pan-Asian dishes to have a rich, dark colour. It mimics the taste profile of the flagship Kikkoman soya but has a different colour.

time-read
3 mins  |
May 04, 2024