Lululemon's signature Scuba Sweatshirt, right, and a similar activewear item sold at U.S. wholesale retailer Costco. Captured from Costco and Lululemon websites

A sweatshirt with two stitched lines on the shoulders and thumb holes on the sleeves — these are signature design elements of Lululemon's Scuba Sweatshirt, often referred to as the "Chanel of yoga wear."

In Korea, the product typically retails for between 140,000 and 180,000 won ($105 to $135). While it may be too expensive for casual activewear, an alternative has emerged: a nearly identical sweatshirt sold at a major discount retailer in the U.S. for just 30,000 won. The key difference? The absence of Lululemon's omega logo.

The trend of finding dupes, which started among Generation Z consumers in the U.S., has now reached Korea. Short for "duplicate," dupe refers to affordable alternatives to high-end products.

Once limited to clothing, shoes and beauty products, the trend has expanded into household items like tumblers and vacuum cleaners. These products mimic the design and functionality of originals but come at significantly lower prices, making them particularly popular among younger consumers who prioritize value for money.

Unlike traditional counterfeit goods that directly copy logos and trademarks from luxury brands like Chanel, Louis Vuitton, or Gucci, dupes are not exact replicas.

Instead, they focus on capturing the overall aesthetic of premium products, often marketed with descriptions such as "Lululemon-style hoodie" or "Cartier-inspired watch." Since dupe manufacturers do not invest in original design development, they can sell their products at a fraction of the cost.

The Attico boots, left, worn by aespa's Winter at the airport, and the pair purchased by Park Soo-yeon from Temu. The Temu version is currently sold out. Captured from The Attico website and courtesy of Park Soo-yeon

Dupes gain traction in Korea

Park Soo-yeon, a 23-year-old university student, recently purchased a pair of fold-over boots resembling those worn by Winter from the K-pop group aespa. The original version, produced by Italian luxury brand The Attico, costs around 1.3 million won. However, Park found a nearly identical pair on the online shopping platform Temu for just 10,000 won.

"Whenever I see a luxury item I like, I instinctively think, 'Should I check Temu?'" she said. "Since these items don't have logos, I don't feel like I'm wearing counterfeits."

The fashion industry's shift away from conspicuous branding has reinforced this mindset, making it harder to distinguish originals from lookalikes.

Seen are posts reviewing the Wirkin Bag and watches known as dupes for Cartier, on Instagram. Captured from Instagram

Consumers no longer hide dupes

Dupe buyers are no longer shy about their purchases. In late 2023, Walmart in the U.S. introduced the Wirkin Bag, a handbag that closely resembled Hermes' iconic Birkin Bag, which typically sells for over 10 million won.

Priced at just over 100,000 won, the Wirkin Bag quickly sold out. Social media platforms are now flooded with reviews of the product, with users openly discussing and endorsing dupes.

The Washington Post described the trend as a cultural shift, noting that not long ago, the goal of buying a counterfeit was to pass it off as the real thing, but thanks to influencers, the stigma around dupes has disappeared.

Instead of hiding their purchases, consumers now take pride in finding affordable, high-quality alternatives.

Fashion columnist Park Se-jin attributes the trend to changing values in the fashion industry. "There has always been a market for imitation fashion, but with the rise of social media, the emphasis has shifted from looking stylish to having fun with fashion," Park said.

For young consumers, particularly those in their 20s who are price-conscious yet eager to stay on trend, dupes have become a symbol of smart spending. Social media is filled with content recommending inexpensive alternatives to luxury cosmetics.

University student Lim Se-yoon, 22, recalled a viral review saying, "For the price of a single pair of authentic Ugg boots, I could buy five dupe versions in different colors." She said, "I resonate with that. I prefer to spend on affordable dupes that offer good quality."

Ji Min-joo, 22, proudly identifies as a person who buys dupes. She purchased glasses resembling high-end designs from Italian luxury brand Miu Miu and Korean eyewear label Gentle Monster for just 30,000 to 40,000 won.

"Every trending item worn by influencers and celebrities is a luxury product," she said. "I look for alternatives that create a similar vibe but come at a price I can afford."

Hermes bags, left, and bags from a Korean fashion brand. Despite the added eye design, the resemblance to the Hermes bag design is striking. Courtesy of the Supreme Court

Legal concerns, future of dupes

Despite the growing popularity of dupes, the legality of design replication remains a gray area. A notable legal dispute arose in 2020 when a domestic fashion brand released bags resembling Hermes' Birkin and Kelly bags, but with added cartoonish eyeballs.

The Supreme Court ruled that the company had engaged in unfair competition by exploiting Hermes' design achievements.

Lee Jae-kyung, a professor at Konkuk University and legal advisor for the Korean Fashion Designers Association, said, "Based on past cases, dupes could be considered a violation of the Unfair Competition Prevention Act, which prohibits businesses from unfairly benefiting from others' intellectual property."

However, Lee said that luxury brands seem to be taking a wait-and-see approach, as aggressive legal action could harm their image among young consumers.

The fast-paced nature of fashion trends and the complexities of design registration also play a role.

Fashion columnist Park So-hyun said that mainstream department store brands typically release around 200 styles per season, making design registration impractical. "Each design registration costs around 500,000 won, and since many styles are only sold for a single season, brands rarely go through the registration process," Park said.

"As the economy struggles, people seem to be less concerned about respecting original designs," she added. "While the dupe trend can be fun, we should be mindful of its implications and how it reshapes consumer culture."

This article from the Hankook Ilbo, the sister publication of The Korea Times, is translated by generative AI and edited by The Korea Times.