Did Saint Laurent Copy This Forever 21 Dress?

We did not see this one coming – Saint Laurent is currently facing accusations of copying, wait for it, Forever 21. Refinery 29 have drawn our attention to a brewing case of copycat after blogger Nicolette Mason pointed out the striking resemblance between a Forever 21 dress from 2013 and a Saint Laurent by Hedi Silmane dress from this season. The dresses are pictured above – the high fashion number is on the left and the high street version is on the right.

Fashion knockoffs are a reality of the industry. Look at the bandage dress. You couldn’t order a drink at a bar for much of the noughties without encountering a bodycon dress. We’re sure that it’s only a matter of weeks before graphic knits in the Bella Freud mould start arriving on the high street. The embellishments of Raf Simon’s first Dior collection dominated slight crop tops for a few seasons. Fast fashion takes its cue from the pricey runway, however for this to happen in reverse is a like a mini switching of the magnetic poles.

In this case, the similarities are very much undeniable. Although there is one vast disparity – the price. The Saint Lauren version would set you just over €3000 and the Forever 21 cost around €20. It’s going to be interesting to see how this one plays out…

In recent years, the case of knockoff controversy arrived on these shores after Karen Millen instigated proceedings against Dunnes Stores. The British high-street shop accused the Irish department chain of copying three of their designs and after lengthy proceedings Dunnes had to pay up tp Karen Millen.

Via Refinery 29