How the fashion industry deals with issues of intellectual property rights is a murky subject and artists Peggy Noland and Seth Bogart are helping spark a larger conversation about the problem by opening a fake Zara store in Los Angeles.
The fake Zara shop is a pop-up located inside Noland and Bogart's Wacky Wacko boutique. The unsanctioned pop-up of the famous fast fashion retailer sells garments printed with designs stolen from the artists themselves and other indie designers. Each piece is priced at three times the purchase price as a way of protesting against artistic theft and ultimately sparking a larger conversation about intellectual property.
While it may seem strange for artists who have been ripped-off to be selling those very same stolen designs, the pop-up makes an important statement about how difficult it is for designers to fight back against major corporations.
What Makes This Trend Stand Out
- Intellectual-property Protests
- A trend of protesting against artistic theft, as exemplified by the fake Zara pop-up, may encourage more artists to fight back against major corporations infringing on their intellectual-property rights.
- Unsanctioned Pop-ups
- A trend of unsanctioned pop-up shops, like the fake Zara pop-up, may open new channels for artists and businesses to creatively protest against issues they see in their industries.
- Fast-fashion Criticism
- A trend of openly criticizing major fast-fashion companies and their business practices, such as the fake Zara pop-up's sale of stolen designs at exorbitant prices, may help raise public awareness of ethical issues in the fashion industry.
Sectors Adopting This
- Fashion
- The fashion industry may benefit from embracing more ethical practices and strengthening intellectual-property rights, as highlighted by the fake Zara pop-up and the resultant public conversation.
- Art
- The art industry may find new avenues for expressing dissent against widespread intellectual-property theft in pop-culture and fashion, such as through unsanctioned pop-up shops and other creative forms of protest.
- Retail
- The retail industry may need to address concerns around intellectual-property rights and ethical practices, as exemplified by the fake Zara pop-up, in order to maintain legitimacy and trust with consumers.
