I have to agree with Anna here. Some of the examples of F21's ripoffs shown in the article are pretty egregious. I think the article's author makes a very good point too in mentioning how European stores like H&M and Zara do not make exact copies of designer items but rather make things with a similar overall look. There's a huge difference between a Chanel-esque jacket and an exact copy of an actual Chanel jacket. The problem is that F21 appears to be making *exact copies* of designer items, including such copyrighted items as fabric patterns.
Questions of legality aside, I'd also argue that it *does* in fact matter to high end designers whether or not there are low-end knockoffs of their items. In general, a real Chanel is going to be high-quality fabric, impeccably tailored, and made with a great deal of care. A fake one is most likely going to be poor quality, cheap fabric, etc. Usually it's obvious that it's a fake, but nevertheless the designer and the design house most certainly would not want their name or logo associated with something so poorly and cheaply made. I'd argue that fakes dilute the reputation of a brand for high quality, attention to detail, etc. I also think it's rather disrespectful of the designer as an artist, although I highly doubt that a company like F21 cares about that.
I *do* think that in most cases the consumer is blameless here. I'd guess that most people walking into F21 have no idea that the dress they are buying is an exact replica of a designer dress, and just want it because it is pretty, or trendy, or whatever.
