The Frock Doc

29 Comments

• Suz replied 10 years ago

  Interesting indeed! I guess you'd have to touch them both to know for sure. How about doing a little research for us?  ;-)  But only if there are free deliveries and returns, of course! 

• lyn* replied 10 years ago

  Unfortunately, the Anthro dress was a 2010 model :(

• annagybe replied 10 years ago

  Considering Forever 21 copies everything I wouldn't be surprised.

• Adelfa replied 10 years ago

  That is hilarious, thanks for sharing!

• Deborah replied 10 years ago

  Angie I'm sure would know more about this but I have a friend in the industry and she said that many clothes are purchased and then have the various stores slap their labels on them so there are times when you can be buying the same thing at different price points. Of course seeing the dresses in person is where you are able to discern any difference.

• lyn* replied 10 years ago

  @ Deborah - that's what my dad says too (my aunt works in the industry in HK); so I wonder if it's a case of that - the Anthro dress went down to $39.99 at one point.

• Diana replied 10 years ago

  Yeah, it could be that F21 ripped off the Anthro dress, or that they are the same dress from the same factory with different labels.  My wedding dress was around $250 from Macy's (Adrianna Papell brand) but I found something that looked almost identical in the Ruche wedding collection for almost twice the price.  It was the same fabric composition, color, measurements, everything.  I think I actually asked about it here and the only thing we could find that was different besides the price was like one seam.  Since Ruche doesn't disclose the brand names on their site, I never did find out if it was the exact same dress.

• dizzys replied 10 years ago

  This is fascinating.

• replied 10 years ago

  I read a news article recently about Forever 21 currently dealing with over 50 cases of copyright infringement, so it's not surprising to see another similar design.  I'm not really familiar with Anthropologie's range, but I know the quality of Forever 21 can range from horrendous to pretty good for the price - it can be a case of getting what you pay for.

  I think it's a gorgeous dress by the way!

• Irene replied 10 years ago

  Forever 21 has a tendency to copy. I like many of their stuff anyways. I've seen that dress IRL and it looked okeysh.

  Do they fit your small frame though? I went to try on several dresses there a couple of weeks ago and the SMALL was too big on me. And I believe I'm larger than you!

• cheryle (Dianthus) replied 10 years ago

  I bought a Michael Kors skirt a few years ago and saw the exact skirt at Winners with a different label.  I checked and it was the same fabric too.  I read about the manufacturers making an item and then selling it to a variety of designers.  It doesn't feel quite right as a consumer.

• kkards replied 10 years ago

  many fast fashion stores are not actually designing; but copying, and they are selling at much lower retails, because they use less expensive fabrics, and cut out many of the subtle sewing details that effect fit and/or how a garment lays. 

• Archer replied 10 years ago

  I have done the same by ordering a very cheap jacket from Korea just because it was the exact colour I wanted for one particular event.  It was EXACTLY the same as one I have bought from Zara, including the lining.  THe only difference was in how it had been sized.  The Zara one was not expensive but I think it was around $100 AUD. The Korean one on ebay was about $7.00 - no kidding.

• lyn* replied 10 years ago

  @ Stephabee - The Anthropologie world has given this dress fairly good ratings, and it doesn't really adhere to the F21 model - it actually is 39" long! HAHA.

  @ Irene - I'm not actually that small :P I usually take a small or a medium at F21.

  @ Dianthus - doesn't that make you feel icky inside? :(

  @ Archer - I will have to look harder at my Zara stuff!!

• Jules replied 10 years ago

  I once saw the exact same shirts, only in different patterns, for sale at the same time at both Reitmans and Cleo, 2-3 stores apart in the mall. Of course, it was cheaper at Reitmans, making it hard for me to consider the one I liked better at Cleo.

• lyn* replied 10 years ago

  BAH. None at my Forever 21.

• T-Rex replied 10 years ago

  If the Anthro dess is a 2010 model, then it could be a case of copycatting *or* F21 may have purchased the leftover stock of the original dress. No way to tell from the photos, unfortunately. 

• lyn* replied 10 years ago

  Is satisfying my curiosity worth $34? :p

• Keix replied 10 years ago

  I've tried on that Anthropologie dress, although my memory is fuzzy. The quality seemed decent; I was tempted but didn't have anywhere to wear it. It was made by Weston Wear, which is an outside brand that isn't Anthro-exclusive. It ran small--I fit best in the S rather than the XS, and I was a solid 0/2 dress size at the time.

  I think it's worth satisfying your curiosity! I'm tempted once more, at that price point.

• rosee replied 10 years ago

  I bought 2 chocolate peasant skirts years ago in different sizes about one year apart -- one was from Laura and was about $90, the other bought a year later was from Ricki's and about $40.  I gave the first skirt to my aunt and got it back from her to compare the skirts and better look at the labels.  Identical skirt in different sizes.  And get this -- the tags (on the lower side seam of the skirt) were identical and showed that the fabric content and the factory number were the same, only the name on the label at the back waist was different.  Factories often sell products to different companies who then "mark" the brand with their own label.  The producer is the same, the retailer is different.

• annagybe replied 10 years ago

  I just found this

  http://wendybrandes.com/blog/2.....e-amusing/

• rosee replied 10 years ago

  Good read Annagybe.

  It's interesting that Anthropologie is suing F21 for ripping off their designs when for years they themselves (and Urban Outfitters) have been ripping off independent designers (often those who sell on Etsy).  I don't want to run off on a tangent with this thread, but if you google it, the info will come.

• lyn* replied 10 years ago

  @ KL - Thanks! I'm definitely not a 0/2 :p

  @ Rosee - isn't that interesting? I've looked at some Laura stuff, and man it's way too big for me - totally outsized there; I've found that with some Ricki's stuff too (wonder if this is happening?)

  @ Anna - Whoa, cool link! I found a "Cartier" necklace there the other day and my friend and I had a good laugh about it.

• Hil replied 10 years ago

  Case in point... I once commented on a new skirt a friend was wearing and she said it was some cheap little thing from Mr Price (which is apparently similar to Forever 21 as per Angie).

  I happened to be at the shopping mall that afternoon and I saw the exact skirt at Truworths (which Angie said is similar to Banana Republic).

  I was curious as to why my friend would say it was a Mr Price skirt if it wasn't so I wandered over to Mr P across the walkway out of curiosity and there it was - three times cheaper!!! 

• lyn* replied 10 years ago

  Mr. Price wins agaiN!!! :)

  I think the name of that store is so adorbs!

• T-Rex replied 10 years ago

  I think it's $34 worth of cute.

• Thistle replied 10 years ago

  I am going to concur with the others. it is one of two things:

  #1. Same vendor, made it in a different color, and sold it to F21. In this case, if the fabrications are similar, it is a steal.

  #2. F21 knew it was a rip off and used it anyway. I think changing the color is all you need to make it "your own". Not a lawyer, but I remember something like this from my law class back in the day. Even if they had a claim, probably not worth Anthro's time as their dress was sold 3 years ago.  In this case, you are probably getting what you pay for.

  Anna's link is very interesting!

• rachylou replied 10 years ago

  It's worse, because I saw two dresses very similar to those in Target yesterday.

• Archer replied 10 years ago

  The plot thickens...........think T-Rex has nailed a suspect and F21also suspect.......Mmmmm  Is this just another case of, never leaving a retail stone unturned?