Copying is the highest form of flattery

                   Created by: Mihle Ndevu 

                   Edited by: limnandi Zukelwa 

Here in Cape Town places at ' amaChina ' and 'omy friends' stores are saturated with dupes of Maxhosa and many other local designer work, sadly on the 20th of June 2024 thebe magugu had to post a series of images exposing how his designs have been duped.

Photo: screenshot from @thebemagugu 

Instagram story

Photo: screenshot from @thebemagugu 

Instagram story

 Another example of this is Nigerian designer Vicky James she debuted a highly impressive design at the AMVA for @officialasos they called it Veekee James x Asos only to find a multitude of poorly made replicas of her work. In many instances, creatives are met with the say :

"Copying is the highest form of flattery." 

This is the story we so often hear, but is there any truth to it. The myth of flattery, the saying is often used to justify imitation, but it disregards the hard work and originality that goes into creating something.

When it comes to creativity...this is not a foreign thing , and it's also not a happy story as the title may suggest, in my opinion!

Picture this... pouring love, time , energy and hours of research on a project, producing it and only to find all the effort and hard work had been stolen. I've perversely touched on this( the building a closet post ) . The difference here is that copying affects both big and small creatives. Copying steals the livelihood and recognition from designers, large and small. It's disheartening to see someone's effort blatantly replicated.

From a different perspective, acknowledge that people only copy from the best. However, it's important to distinguish between respectful imitation and plagiarism. Respectful imitation involves acknowledging and giving credit to the original creator, while plagiarism is copying someone's work without permission or attribution, which is not considered flattery and is ethically and legally wrong.

The big question here is how we as consumers can potentially stop this from happening. Let's face the fact that no one really would go out of their way to acquire fakes if they could afford the originals 

Purchasing directly from the brand is the best way to show your support, but many people refrain from doing so because of the misconception that local brands are expensive. What we have to bear in mind is that high-quality ethically produced garments are not gonna come at fast fashion prices  

But in hopes not to lose our creativity through counterfeit, we should at least try to support our locals where possible. Have you ever heard the saying "You never know who's watching "We could take that into action, today we all have social media we could make use of that by sharing work by our locals that could help them reach their audience  

Buying is the best way to show your support. Yes, you might not have the funds to buy it at the asking price, but designers often do what you call a clearance sale, and that's one way, don't be afraid to ask for a discount if there is leeway they might assist. 

Avoid the fakes, purchasing a counterfeit shows that there is a market for it, hence making way for more to be produced  

Educate others, talk to friends and family about the importance of supporting local creators, and avoid fakes. Maybe even share this with them it might be of some help 

This might be a long shot, but advocating for copyright protection. Stronger copyright laws can help deter copying, after all, there is nothing wrong with a little activism

By making informed choices and supporting local creators, we can collectively rewrite the narrative. Let's move beyond the flattery myth and invest in the future of our creative industries. Together, we can ensure that originality thrives, not just survives. Imagine the countless hours poured into a design, the late nights fueled by passion, only to see it replicated without credit. When we choose to support local creators, we're not just buying a garment; we're investing in someone's dream. Let's choose authenticity and empower the voices that shape our creative landscape. This fight against copycats might seem like a David and Goliath situation, but every conscious decision we make as consumers strengthens the slingshot. Are you ready to join the fight?