The Eleventh Commandment: Thou Shall Not Purchase Knock-Offs

We are sure that at this point that you have all heard of the latest in imposture fashion scandals:

Alexander McQueen is suing Steve Madden for ripping off his design, the "Faithful" Bootie.

The Madden knock off is identical in style and shape, with its only differences being the quality of the material and of course, the price tag.

McQueen’s lawyers said it best: “‘In fact, the only design element of the ‘Faithful Bootie’ that Madden did not deliberately copy is the zipper pull that contains the ‘Alexander McQueen’ trademark.’”

This latest situation has sparked a lot of controversy with fashionistas everywhere as the fake and knock off business remains booming without any legal repercussions. Upon further inspection, we have decided that the Madden Bootie is, simply put: a blatant knock off…which got our thoughts rollin’ on the current state of the pseudo-fashion industry…

In recent times New York City has stepped up its game on fining and arresting those creating and selling fake handbags but still, there has yet to be a federal law put in place to prevent clothing designs from being copied.

And the Big Apple’s actions seem outdated and lackluster when compared to countries such as Italy and France, where the business of all things counterfeit is not only illegal for those who produce them, but if caught, consumers themselves may face a fine or even an a little time behind bars.

We here at Cece Feinberg PR find such immoral activities atrocious, perhaps it is easy to justify the purchase of a knock off when comparing it to the exorbitant price of the original, but what many do not seem to be aware of are the serious repercussions that follow each purchase.

For instance: did you know that the profits made from selling these knockoffs often fund terrorist activities and organized crime rings?

And forget that fact that it is both child and slave labor forces that are used to make and transport these items, and remind yourself that it is simply morally incorrect!

There is a difference between being “inspired” or using certain stylish elements, and blatant copying. In this case, Madden is a cheater.

So, should you ever be on a casual stroll and find yourself eyeing the latest knock off it-bag and wondering who would ever know?! …
…We command you to repent and repeat: “We Do Not Cheat Our Way Through Fashion!”

Save A Job & SHOP!

Ok,

Paris Fashion Week is “Fin,” and we here are beside ourselves. We love the shows not matter how big or small! The couture, lights, and the ideas for next season (I’m giddy just writing this) are flooding our thoughts.....

We all dream of one day sitting front row and watching the next “Look” walking just inches from us as we meticulously critique the ensemble but WAKE UP people and get out your Amex, Visa, MasterCard, cash whatever you have because with out us, THERE IS NOTHING!

Ladies, the Industry needs us so yell our battle cry … “Charge It!” ... Even if it's just one piece (granted it would be better if it’s two), but hey, every little bit helps.

Fashion Houses are dropping like flies and magazine publications are following (i.e. Condé Nast closing even more publications). We can stop this …. take stand for your favorite designer (we here are all in love with Karl and the C’s) and DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT!

So with that, have a fabulous weekend and Fashionistas far and wide, lets make this 4th quarter of retail better than ever!

XX
Fashion’s Feingirls

“Photographing a cake can be art” – Irving Penn (1917-2009)

Readers, today is a sad day as we mourn the passing of a true artist, the late, great Irving Penn.
At 92, the man who revolutionized fashion photography in the most simplistic way was found dead in his New York City home.

Penn had a long, celebrated career photographing the famous and fashionable, making a name for himself as a minimalist and championing the art of black and white.

His career began when he joined the ranks at Vogue in 1943, but, as fate seems to work, he stumbled into the job that he would make so famous, accidently. Forgoing his dream to become a painter, he took a position in the magazine’s art department and though staff members discouraged his naturalistic approach, one supervisor encouraged his talent and gave him an assignment.

That assignment became the October 1st, 1943 cover of Vogue; a still-life portrait of a brown leather bag and beige scarf with gloves, oranges and lemons arranged in the shape of a pyramid.
It was the beginning of a lifelong relationship with the magazine and Penn further developed a style that placed models and fashion accessories against clean backdrops. It was a radical departure at a time when most fashion photographers posed their subjects in busy settings that drew attention away from the clothes themselves.

The approach made him a star at the magazine, where his work eventually appeared on as many as 300 pages annually and 150 covers total. He has photographed some of the most influential people of the century, from Pablo Picasso, Marcel Duchamp and Truman Capote, to Lauren Hutton, Linda Evangelista and Nicole Kidman.

Though Penn focused less on fashion photography as he grew older, he never abandoned it, and if there were ever any doubts as to his influence in the world of fashion photography, such disputes were settled by fashion writer Kennedy Fraser in 1992:

“His shots of the Paris couture in 1950 and 1951, are cultural icons. They convey a knowledge of history, composition, and form; a respect for the beauty of women and the expressive quality of dress that has rarely been matched. There’s a feel for the moment that’s almost too intense to bear.”