Much like in the world of fashion, designers who find success on Instagram now risk being slapped with instant copies sold on AliExpress, Wayfair, Eternity Modern, and everywhere else under the sun. Take, for instance, Helle Mardahl, the Copenhagen-based glassware brand known for its pastel fantasy-fueled confections. Helle first started noticing copies of her Bon Bon dishes, cups, and glasses on Instagram a few years ago. “It puts pressure on us as a business, since we need to be the loudest, the best, and the most evolved to establish ourselves as the originals protecting the craft, the passion, and the hard work,” she says. “We have a lot of loyal customers writing to us frequently on Instagram, making us aware of copies and expressing their frustration on our behalf. It makes such a big difference to us [to] feel the supportive community around us.”
It’s not easy for independent designers in creative fields to protect their work. Eny Lee Parker also noticed knockoffs of her OO lamp after people started DM’ing her. “I spent so many years investing in this piece,” she says. “I tried speaking with lawyers, but American laws don’t protect objects and 3D designers very well. I decided I would rather focus on my current projects, clients, and future work.”
But the irony of it all is that some people who are participating in dupe culture may not even know it. For example, a quick Google search of Eny’s OO lamp yields more search results filled with retailers selling affordable copies than anything else. Your average shopper who may not be as educated about emerging designers could come across it and purchase it without even knowing its provenance.
Elsewhere, the home industry itself is perpetuating knockoff culture, perhaps unaware of its side effects. It’s become commonplace in the rental and home flipping market. Take, for instance, Ben Gold, founder of Recommended Home Buyers with over five years of experience in remodeling homes, rental property management, and house flipping: “As a real estate investor, I often opt for designer furniture dupes when staging homes for sale or furnishing rental properties,” he says. “They provide an affordable solution to create a luxurious look and feel without breaking the bank.”