In the never-ending world of knockoffs, imitations, and hype-driven fashion brands, the dupe (short for duplicates) trend has become a big deal for South African fashion retailers, and sure enough, consumers are head over heels for this trend.
Giant retailers like Mr. Price are best known for being front-runners in offering good alternatives to sought-after products, especially in the footwear section.
Dupes are hella budget-friendly alternatives to premium or bougie products, but they don’t usually copy those trademarked logos or specific details, so they’re in some way legal. Meanwhile, a counterfeit, or “fake,” is a total poser. It directly copies trademarked logos and all those legitimate details to front as if it’s the real product.
Most in-hype products, such as your LV bag, Gucci loafers, and Air Jordan sneakers, have a certain appeal due to their exceptional craftsmanship and limited production, and people still hold a strong desire to own them. For example, Air Jordans and some Dunks are released in such small quantities that they usually sell out in the blink of an eye.
So then, what are the alternatives to getting your hands on something similar and rocking the same style without breaking the bank? That’s where dupes come in! And most consumers have jumped on this trend to achieve high-fashion looks without breaking the bank. Also, South African retailers are not sleeping on this fixation; they keep serving up those affordable options, feeding our insatiable desire to stay on trend without crushing our pockets.
Social platforms like TikTok are the MVPs, keeping the dupe trend booming and the style game strong. Users on the platform are constantly plugging their followers with those cheaper and more affordable options.
So picture this: I’m just mindlessly scrolling through TikTok, and then BOOM! I come across this post, and at first glance, these are definitely Salehe Crocs…but then, to my surprise, I find out they’re dupes of a similar style, suggested by@vaviswartz.
So without further ado, here are some of the OMG-worthy dupes you can cop:
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