ON INTEGRITY

I AM A DESIGNER. I DRAW OR HAND-MAKE EVERY PROTOTYPE BEFORE CREATING SAMPLES AND PRODUCING INVENTORY. I TAKE MY IDEAS FROM LIFE: FROM THE WISH TO WEAR A HAT IN A WINDY CITY, FROM THE NEED TO BLOCK THE SUN FROM MY EYES, FROM TRADITIONAL DRESS OF THE WORLD'S CULTURES, FROM THE WISH TO CREATE LINES AND SHAPES, FROM FINE ART.

SOME BRANDS ARE RUN BY BUSINESS PEOPLE WHO 'BORROW' IDEAS FROM REAL DESIGNERS. THESE COMPANIES GO ON PINTEREST AND INSTAGRAM, AND SOMETIMES GO SO FAR AS BUYING AN ITEM FROM ANOTHER BRAND IN ORDER TO POACH A DESIGN. THESE PRACTICES ARE UNETHICAL AND DAMAGING TO REAL DESIGNERS AND THEIR BRANDS.

TRENDS HAPPEN BECAUSE WE INSPIRE EACH OTHER, BUT THIS IS DIFFERENT THAN SIMPLY COPYING OTHER BRANDS. FAST-FASHION AND INVESTMENT BACKED BUSINESSES ARE MAJOR CULPRITS – BUT EVEN SMALL BUSINESSES ARE GUILTY OF STEALING IDEAS FROM OTHER DESIGNERS.

IN A FREE MARKET, I TOTALLY UNDERSTAND WHY THERE ARE FAST-FASHION BRANDS KNOCKING OFF DESIGNERS IN ORDER TO MAKE INEXPENSIVE VERSIONS OF CUTE THINGS. IN THIS CASE, COMPANIES ARE CAPITALIZING ON THE CONSUMER'S WISH FOR A DEAL, AND WHO DOESN'T WANT A DEAL?

BUT ON THE CONSUMER END, WE ALL HAVE THRIFT STORES AND SECOND HAND CLOTHING AS GREAT ALTERNATIVES TO BUYING CHEAP KNOCKOFFS. HELLO $10.00 FAUX FUR COAT! 

STILL, TO MAKE MATTERS WORSE, THERE ARE SMALL BRANDS 'BORROWING' DESIGNS FROM OTHER BRANDS AND CONCURRENTLY SELLING AT DESIGNER PRICES. BUT WHAT GOOD IS IT IN TAKING ORIGINAL IDEAS AND MARKETING THEM AS THEIR OWN? CUSTOMERS DON'T GET A DEAL AND DESIGNERS GET RIPPED OFF.

RIGHT NOW, THERE are NEW PRECEDENTS BEING SET IN COURT TO PROTECT DESIGNERS IN FASHION, BUT ORIGINALITY IS VERY HARD TO PROVE. AND BECAUSE THE LAWS ARE SO DIFFICULT TO ENFORCE, WE NEED YOU, THE CONSUMER, TO LEARN THE DIFFERENCE. WE CAN'T STOP COMPANIES FROM COPYING, BUT YOU CAN HELP US CURB THEM THROUGH BUYING WITH INTEGRITY. THIS MIGHT SEEM DIFFICULT AT FIRST, BUT WITH ALL THE TIME WE SPEND ON SOCIAL MEDIA AND IN STORES LOOKING FOR CUTE STUFF TO WEAR, WE CAN TOTALLY KEEP A TALLY AND SUBCONSCIOUSLY LEARN THE DIFFERENCE. LOOK FOR QUALITY MATERIALS, LOOK FOR DISTINCT DESIGNS, LOOK FOR WHERE THE ITEMS ARE MADE.

MY WISH IS FOR EVERYONE WHO WEARS BAGTAZO, OR IS EVEN JUST THINKING ABOUT WEARING BAGTAZO, AND ANYONE WHO WEARS OTHER INDEPENDENT, ORIGINAL BRANDS, TO STAND WITH US TO HELP PROTECT DESIGNERS. DOWN WITH KNOCK OFFS! DOWN WITH FAST-FASHION!

MOTHER NATURE DESERVES BETTER AND WE DESERVE BETTER.

IN SOLIDARITY,
-COCO