The High Cost of Cheap: Forever 21 Faces Copyright Infringement Claim from Designer

Every Picture Tells a Story, Feral Childe’s print above and Forever 21’s on the bottom.

Can you tell the difference between these two prints? That’s because they are almost identical. Low cost fashion trend retailer Forever 21 is under scrutiny for allegedly coping the print (the one in pink) from designer Feral Childe, an small Eco-label that is 100% made in the USA. In the eyes of many, the Feral Childe brand stands for doing things right in fashion and changing the way consumers think about their own social responsibility. Not to mention it is actually made in America–a vanishing breed. The print on the bottom in black and white (see photo above) looks substantially similar to Feral Childe’s original design.  Personally, I’m sad to see this.  Sure we all like the look for less, but is it necessary to make such an exact replica and sell if for cheap? And how is it made so cheaply? Well of course, by outsourcing to countries outside the US with cheap labor.

Forever 21 says it trusts their suppliers to come to them with clean hands and original designs.  But clearly, that may not be the case here.  Social activist group Change.org is raising a petition to demand that Forever 21 take responsibility and compensate Childe. According to their website, ” We demand that Forever21 cooperate with the Feral Childe designers to determine fair compensation for their work, the future of the “Teepees” print, and how to distribute the profit has already made from copying the “Teepees” print.” To join the outcry, sign the Change.org petition by signing here.

We all want to look great and not pay high-end prices, but there’s a fine line between imitation and a replica.  What do you think readers? Do you think Forever 21 will be held accountable? The bigger issue is, does the trade of manufacturing cheap goods justify knocking off someone else’s good work, made at a higher cost in an American factory?