Kim Kardashian Tackles Fast Fashion Knockoffs

Published on February 22, 2019

If you’ve noticed that fast fashion companies like Missguided and Fashion Nova have a magic ability to recreate celebrity looks seemingly hours after they’re worn, you’re not the only one. Kim Kardashian took to Instagram and Twitter earlier this week to address fast fashion retailers that rip off high-fashion looks to turn a quick profit. The reality tv star and beauty mogul was seen in a scantily clad Theirry Mugler vintage gown at the Hollywood Beauty Awards. Hours later, fast fashion companies like Missguided were selling the dress on Instagram before even creating it.

Kim Vs. Fast Fashion

Kardashian was angered by the seemingly instant recreations of the dress that had been created almost instantaneously. She took to social media to address her feelings toward the companies. “Only two days ago, I was privileged enough to wear a one-of-a-kind vintage Mugler dress and in less than 24 hours it was knocked off and thrown up on a site – but it’s not for sale. You have to sign up for a waitlist because the dress hasn’t even been made to sell yet,” Kardashian-West wrote on Instagram and Twitter.

She also wrote that she was devastated—devastated—to see that looks created exclusively for her had been knocked off on fast fashion sites so quickly. It may be true that these sites do pose a financial threat to fashion designers that get ripped off. However, there are probably worse things to keep yourself up at night over. “I’ve watched these companies profit off my husband’s work for years and now that it’s also affecting designers who have been so generous to give me access to their beautiful works, I can no longer sit silent,” said Kardashian-West on social media. You tell them, Kim!

Legal Matters

It didn’t stop at simply calling the companies out on social media. Kim Kardashian has reportedly filed a lawsuit against Missguided. The fast fashion site is one of the companies guilty of ripping off designs she’s been seen wearing. The lawsuit alleges that the company has been using her likeness to sell clothing on its website. It’s also been using her photo and name on its and social media pages to do side by side comparisons. The lawsuit also points out that Kardashian-West is not the only victim of this type of situation. Companies like Fashion Nova frequently use pictures of popular celebrities to make a quick buck by recreating their clothing. The products that are being ripped off generally don’t contain any labels. That way, they’re at risk of falling victim to identical replicas floating around the web for cheap.

The Lawsuit

Kardashian-West is currently suing Missguided for damages upward of $10 million. The damages are over the replicated clothing and use of her likeness to generate buzz on social media. The company has not commented on the lawsuit. Kardashian-West’s lawyer, Michael Kump, alleges that the companies have been wrongfully using her celebrity status to make more money.

It may not impact the average person much to see Kim Kardashian win a lawsuit against a clothing company. However, fast fashion does pose an increasingly alarming threat to the waste crisis in the world. Companies like H&M were sitting on piles of unused clothing that valued $4 billion last year. It’s pretty terrifying to think about what companies like Fashion Nova—which have an even higher turnover rate—must be doing to landfills (and closet floors) around the world.

Julia Sachs is a former Managing Editor at Grit Daily. She covers technology, social media and disinformation. She is based in Utah and before the pandemic she liked to travel.

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