– I bought this at Tise for NOK 800, but the original bag costs NOK 10,000 in the store. It means that I saved a lot on it, says Thaila Sørensen. The 16-year-old shows off a black imitation leather bag studded with metal rivets. The truth is that the bag is even more expensive, it can cost as much as NOK 25,000. – It’s a Balenciaga. The group of friends at Nydalen upper secondary school say that they get hold of the copy bags through apps such as Wish and Tise. According to a new report from EUIPO, which is the joint trademark and design authority of the EU countries, half of young people in Europe say that it is okay to buy fake goods when the price for the original is too high. – Although many in the same survey say that they are aware that trademark counterfeiting supports criminals, destroys the economy and jobs, they still think it is okay to do it when the price for the original is high, says Trine Nicholson in volgekte.no, which consists by the Norwegian Patent and Trademark Office, the Norwegian Customs and the Ministry of Culture. VELGEKTE.NO: Trine Hvammen Nicholson at velgekte.no works to make consumers aware of choosing the right, and not least real, choice. Photo: PRIVATE One in four young people has deliberately bought a fake product, according to the report. The same figures also apply in Norway, according to volgekte.no. – We buy what is fake because of economics, and to save money. I don’t quite see the point in buying a bag for NOK 10,000, when I can get it cheaper and it’s of good quality, answers Victoria Schau. Not punishable, but unethical – It is not punishable to buy a replica bag as a private person, says Hvammen Nicholson in volgekte.no. Who is behind these pirated copies? – It is often organized criminals who are behind these pirated copies. That is why piracy of designer goods is on the list of the biggest crime threats throughout Europe. She believes that organized criminals use the income from pirated copies for other illegal activities, such as arms sales, drugs and human trafficking. Don’t care about status symbols – Generation Z is known for pointing the finger at the established. This is probably an expression of the same thing. They often think: “Why should I buy a Chanel bag for NOK 50,000-60,000, when I can buy one for NOK 50-60?” THE FASHION EXPERT: Availability and price are decisive for choosing fake goods. That’s what Ida Eritsland says, who is a fashion expert and creates the podcast “Om stil”. She believes that Generation Z is more price conscious now that the krona is low and the world situation is more uncertain than in a long time. – Luxury goods are often very expensive. While the copies are significantly cheaper. It is simply tempting for many to get hold of certain goods in that segment for cheap. – Why do you think fake products are so popular now? – I think the availability, plus the fact that they are confusingly similar to the originals has a lot to say. But also that there is a bit of humor in it. Maybe it’s the zoomer’s way of showing that they don’t care about status symbols, really. It is difficult to weigh what is right and wrong when holding a Dior bag. – The younger generation is very fashion-conscious and at the same time socially engaged, with consideration for the climate and ethics. At the same time, they are an irreverent generation in many ways. They like to play with symbols and established truths. Then precisely fake things or dupes/duplicates as they call it, become a way of playing with the given narrative. Don’t think too much about what the Friends of Nydalen upper secondary school say that they avoid buying clothes that are produced by children. But that they don’t think too much about who makes the bags they carry over their shoulders. – It’s not like I buy a new bag every week. I usually do it twice a year, preferably at the start of school. – What do you buy from knock offs? – I often buy bags. I bought a Dior bag which is actually worth several thousand kroner. And a Stella McCartney bag, which is also fake, for the school year. But I usually buy real clothes. – What did you like about the bag? – I saved money on it, and it is of good quality. Not everything with a logo on it is real. A real bag from Goyard is unlikely to have this price. A fake Gucci wallet. This bag is a replica of Stella McCartney’s Falabella bag. Goyard replicas are popular in the city scene. The bags cost from NOK 20,000.
ttn-69
One in four young people has bought copy goods – news Culture and entertainment
