Fashion is defined by changes in current trends. In a way, those trends are defined by fashion. One uniquely fashion-forward design quickly turns into a trend among numerous designers. It becomes a staple on every runway and a defining factor in the modern fashion industry. Soon after, the newest trend can be seen in every store window and major mall across the nation. While some people advocate for the legal protection of fashion designs, other argue that the fashion industry benefits from copying. Nevertheless, the cheap imitation of high fashion is evident everywhere, from bazaars to discount retailers. Imitation helps to condense the market, promote brands, offer new innovations and styles, and increase a company’s profits.

The industry benefits from copying because it breeds competition. When counterfeits of a brand exist, the brand has proven itself to be reputable amongst consumers. The advantage is that counterfeits promote the brand by generating merchandise from that brand in the competitive market. At the same time, this process also condenses the market as more customers increasingly develop brand loyalty. Supporting this side of the debate, from a consumer’s point of view, I often witness dozens of people wearing luxury brands, real or not. The point is that the industry benefits from more exposure and advertisement. As of today, there is little evidence proving that counterfeits damage a brand’s image and its reputation among customers. According to Kal Raustiala and Christopher Sprigman, the thought of replication a brand’s design or style is far from harming the industry; rather, the industry views the idea as an essential aspect of further brand promotion.

New innovations and styles are taking over the upcoming year’s fashion trends as customers increase spending in order to be up to date with the current year’s trends. The reasoning is that