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Illustration Callum Abbott

Why this community of streetwear fanatics only purchase fakes

FashionReps is a growing subreddit where fashion fans swap tips and advice on scoring the best knock-off Supreme, Fair, and Nike

In the beginning few moments of a YouTube video titled "Admitting I Own Fakes In-Front of My Fashion Class…", Quentin Caruso, better known as Tripping, does just that. "I'm a sophomore in college and I'm taking a class about fashion, and in that class (we) were talking about fakes and replicas," he explains, calculation that he can "throw up some pictures so you guys know I'm not bullshitting". Asked by his instructor if he knowingly owns any apocryphal pieces, the 19-twelvemonth-sometime confirms the sneakers he's wearing at that very moment – the highly coveted Travis Scott Jordan 1 Lows – are in fact fake. "And how exercise you feel about that," she prompts. "I'chiliad fine with information technology," he wryly confirms.

Caruso is role of a growing customs of fashion-savvy shoppers searching for ways to wait runway ready on a high street budget – and, unlike many dice-difficult hypebeasts, they're willing to ain upward to the fact their luxury garms aren't exactly legitimate. In fact, many have pride in their power to score a bargain, taking to subreddit FashionReps to talk over new releases, fawn over faux Yeezys, and enquire each other for communication on where to pick upward the best knock-off Off-white and Supreme styles.

The forum is a democratised, judgement-free zone in which people share a beloved of high quality replicas or 'reps', where members are friendly and even supportive. They help ane another to find the all-time sellers and sites to purchase from, while discussing discrepancies betwixt retail items and their counterfeit counterparts – from stitching and logos, to details and finishes. Nearly users admit they can't afford head-to-toe designer looks, and at times they even share budgeting tips. "I got into reps cause I didn't have much money and wanted a few squeamish pieces," redditor godsip2 shared in August. "At present I have no money at all 'crusade I'one thousand addicted to ownership reps and can't stop myself."

While a lack of funds and a taste for luxury streetwear is a driving factor for many, for others information technology isn't about the coin at all. "Non to brag, but if I want a Dior coat, I tin get information technology retail," Dennis, 19, tells us. "For the same (amount of) coin I can get 4 reps." Dennis admitted his breaking bespeak came after a shocking moment browsing resale markets where he saw his 'grail shoes' – a pair of Fair Air Jordan 1s – show up for €3000. "I thought 'Fuck this, I'grand never gonna pay that for shoes that originally retailed for €150."

It'south been well-nigh three years since he came across the FashionReps subreddit, which he was initially skeptical of. Yet, since joining he hasn't just sworn off resale products and full-toll retail items, simply also introduced his friends to reps. "A €500 sweater wasn't in their toll range," says Dennis. "When I showed them my reps (compared to) my retail Yeezys, they were instantly sold."

Historically, counterfeit designer items conjure thoughts of poorly imitated handbags on AliExpress, labels that read, 'Fashing BALISG' instead of Balenciaga, and stalls in alleyways, only FashionReps members know where the quality replicas are sold and merits that many knock-offs actually tend to be better fabricated.  "The quality is the same, even ameliorate," Netherlands-based 23-yr-quondam Camiel admits. "I've heard of some Yeezys being meliorate and a lot of loftier-end Louis Vuitton reps existence way improve than retail." He believes that "retail Louis Vuitton quality is non so great…"

FashionReps members buy in bulk, spending hundreds of dollars on 'hauls' that they suspension upwards into smaller packages in hopes of evading customs checks. The risk is part of the thrill, and while some are unlucky and have their packages seized, others rejoice when packages filled with thousands of dollars of 'drip' arrive in the mail.

Camiel cites his favourite find to be a Palace cerise slub-cervix, "which you can't tell autonomously from a existent one – which I take one of," he adds. "The quality is amazing and it's super comfortable to article of clothing, information technology's my favourite (item) I accept gotten so far." But Camiel hasn't always gotten away with his thrifty finds.

"In the get-go, I wouldn't wear an item if it had the tiniest flaw. Later on, I noticed that people know (very) footling virtually brands and which items even exist," he explains. While most people who recognise a rep are likely to ask for the seller or pass on a compliment, Camiel concedes he's been chosen out earlier. "Some high schoolers were at the gym and I was wearing my Nike tech fleece joggers, which accept some noticeable flaws, similar the black stripe existence too short and the cords beingness too short too. They called me out on the logo, which I know is perfect. Bunch of clowns."

For all the people excited about reps, their quality, and believability, there are just equally many people out there looking to spot a fake. YeezyBusta, who recently gained prominence for spotting fakes on civilians and celebrities has over 760,000 followers on Instagram. He's busted the likes of Lil Tjay, Blac Chyna, and Soulja Male child for donning fake Supreme and Yeezys, although his faux-detector has been known to malfunction.

"I got into reps cause I didn't have much money and wanted a few squeamish pieces. Now I accept no money at all 'cause I'm addicted to buying reps and can't stop myself" – godsip2, FashionReps fellow member

In an episode of Complex'southward Full Size Run, hosts tasked the Instagram detective with discerning the difference between fake pairs of shoes from the existent affair. Afterwards being handed a pair of bone-white Yeezy 500s, YeezyBusta exclaims, "Oh these are real!" Closely inspecting the shoe, he notices "The suede is correct…even down to the stitching, the characterization within the shoe looks right to me and the insole is right besides." The host, who finds information technology hard to hide his entertainment, blurts out "They're imitation." Behind his signature black surgical mask, used to hide his identity, YeezyBusta turns bright ruddy.

"I can't take him seriously," Tripping admits. In a reaction video to a VICE documentary on YeezyBusta, the fashion educatee protests his motivation for hunting downward counterfeit items so publicly. "It isn't funny. Does anyone find that funny? To ridicule people online? That isn't something you should be gloating almost."

Some counterfeit items are and then conceivable that they've too slipped past trusted authenticators. The RealReal, one of the world'south leading luxury consignment stores, claims that "every detail nosotros sell is 100% authenticated by an expert." However, just last yr, Forbes contributor, Richard Kentenbaum claimed the retail giant had sold him a false Toile de Jouy Dior Book Tote bag for $3,600. What followed was a swift investigation by CNBC, who, subsequently speaking with a dozen former employees and unsatisfied customers, and obtaining internal company documents, revealed that "many of the items on the site were existence authenticated by copywriters with limited training." and those who are doing this piece of work are finding it increasingly difficult to spot counterfeits. Out of 1,400 reviews online for The RealReal, the top complaints are fake items.

It may come every bit a surprise to learn that this is something FashionReps also stands firmly against. In Dec, the group came together after Depopuser James's Closet was spotted selling counterfeit items. Within a twenty-four hour period, the subreddit had made efforts to liaise with Depop directly and reported the imitation pieces resulting in all the listings being taken down. And this isn't the only time the forum has rallied against people selling fake items moonlighting every bit cheap authentic 'steals'. "People who willingly sell replicas every bit accurate items are the worst," Tripping insists. "Knowing that a replica looks so close to retail and not selling information technology for a lot of profit is challenging for some people."

Conversely, enjoying replicas as they are comes with its ain baggage. Reports indicate that counterfeit fashion is a trillion-dollar industry. "One of the worst stories I read was where they had raided an illegal factory and the children were actually handcuffed to the sewing machines," Ariele Elia, an assistant curator at the Museum at FIT explained in a Circuitous documentary about the flourishing bootleg manufacture.

Way Revolution, a not-for-turn a profit global movement campaigning for the systemic reform of the style industry, notes that there'southward an "urgent lack of transparency." Policy Managing director at Fashion Revolution, Sarah Ditty, told united states that counterfeiting doesn't usually come hand in hand with skilful rights and wages for workers. "Factories making counterfeit items are doing so illegally and so information technology's in their interest to operate completely under the radar and in doing so means we accept no idea who the workers are making these products, what they are being paid, what conditions they're working in, and what sort of poor environmental practices are almost likely happening in these factories."

To them, the moral standpoint is clear: "We would definitely encourage people non to buy fake luxury goods or any other counterfeit items because you're almost guaranteed to be contributing to human being exploitation and environmental degradation." This is an outcome that goes beyond fakes: when y'all look beyond the manufacturing level at the places where fabrics are made, yarns are spun and fibres are grown, fifty-fifty legitimate brands are guilty of obscuring working conditions.

But Tripping insists it's a media smoke-screen. "adidas and Nike were called out for their treatment of workers in the 90s and early on 2000s, and then now every factory in Asia is associated with bad conditions and child labour." Tripping also claims that sellers are in fact increasingly transparent virtually working weather condition, their treatment of employees and factories. "They show what their shop looks similar, I've fifty-fifty asked sellers to testify their shops," he remarked in ane of his videos. "And they've posted videos on the (subreddit)." Ane video posted shows a "elevation quality Yeezy" factory filled with workers. "Actually looks very clean and absurd compared to all of the bad warehouse jobs I used to do hither in the US," Redditor highnnmighty comments.

"That'south like request if I'll e'er go back to my ex, it was a fun fourth dimension but in the stop, you just feel shitted on" – Dennis, on whether or not he will end buying fakes

Central to what makes FashionReps a nifty customs isn't the commonage middle-finger to resale civilisation and hypebeasts or the cyberspace-savvy tips, only the irreverent charm and supportive nature of young people who ultimately just want to look cool, and don't want money to be the reason that they miss out. It's rare, if non impossible, to notice manner spaces that aren't hierarchical, based on wealth, social standing, and nepotism, merely FashionReps manages to practice all of that, and more than. Camiel tells me that recently, the subreddit even banded together to target sellers who began taking college cuts from sales. "I love how we sometimes work together to get something we want."

Confronted with the fact that ownership reps are taking sales away from workers, brands, and designers, Tripping is unfazed. "Once a limited shoe is released, and sold out in seconds, the company has made its profit. The boilerplate cost of manufacturing an Air Hashemite kingdom of jordan 1 is $15-$16. The marking upwardly of that shoe is more than 100 per cent. Nike has no problem with this. If you are wearing a replica of that overpriced shoe (on the resell market), you lot are basically advertising the brand. The culture side of sneakers is banal and fraudulent, replicas are in that location to stir things upward."

When asked if he'd ever surrender replicas and return to buying retail, Dennis scoffed before saying: "That'due south similar asking if I'll e'er go back to my ex, information technology was a fun time simply in the terminate, you just feel shitted on."