Louis Vuitton. Hermes. Gucci. These high-end designer brands can be seen worn by students of WHS on any given day. While some of these accessories are legit, many of them are a result of the new popular trend: dupes. 

Rather than spending thousands of dollars on designer jewelry and clothing, people have found ways to compensate for their expensive costs by purchasing replicas for a fraction of the price. The popularization of dupes (slang for duplicates) can be credited to multiple social media platforms, but TikTok is the primary resource for those in search of realistic fakes.

 For women, a majority of dupes are regarding jewelry. Common ones among students at WHS are the Van Cleef necklaces ($1,000-$5,000), Cartier rings ($1,400-$3,600) and Hermes bracelets ($650-$3,600). With the right amount of research, a durable and authentic-looking copy can be found online for as low as $10. 

Junior Cate Curry said, “I loved the Cartier ring, but it was over a thousand dollars. I knew if I was going to ever wear one, I would have to buy a dupe.” When asked how she felt about the product, Curry stated, “It is exactly like my mom’s ring. There is a slight difference in color, but it is barely noticeable. For only $13, it was completely worth it.” 

Curry and many others were able to find their dupes on Amazon, with a majority receiving their package within days of purchase. Although dupes are popularized mainly with respect to women’s fashion, men’s brands have begun to catch on as well. 

As shoe brands such as Yeezy and Jordan remain all the rage, that does not mean everyone can afford them. A single pair of shoes from either brand can range from approximately $100-$400. With most students working minimum wage jobs at $13 an hour, these prices are simply unaffordable. 

Fortunately, sites such as Etsy and Amazon offer hundreds of alternatives with similar appearances. Junior Max Mitchell stated, “The new Jordan’s coming out are sick. I think dupes are important because there is no way my parents would let me buy them. It’s like the next best thing.” 

Affordability is a major concern for students as many hold low-paying jobs and their parents no longer fund their shopping. However, dupes have allowed students to keep up with the latest fashion trends without hurting their pockets. 

As replicas are perfected by multiple competing brands all for low prices, it was no surprise that this alternate method became extremely popular.