Dupes of cult products like Maison Francis Kurkdjian’s Baccarat Rouge 540 fragrance, Maison Margiela Replica sneakers, Donald Judd furniture and Homme Plissé Issey Miyake pieces are currently in hot demand.

A FEW MONTHS ago I was catching up with a friend over dinner, when she asked me to guess what perfume she was wearing. I told her I could smell jasmine and saffron, and heady notes of cedar. I have a nose for these things, and so with confidence, I declared it was Baccarat Rouge 540, the most popular scent from niche French perfumer Maison Francis Kurkdjian. With a pleased look on her face, she informed me that it wasn’t. In fact, it was a $60 ‘dupe’ she had bought from Chemist Warehouse. 

At 70 ml, the Kurkdjian fragrance will set you back $443, whereas her pharmacy pick up was a generous 105 ml, and a fraction of the price. Curiously, if you search ‘Baccarat Rouge’, Google will bring up results for the dupe – Armaf Club De Nuit Untold For Women – before suggesting the real deal. Of course, knockoffs and counterfeits of popular luxury products are nothing new. The only difference is that now, sporting a dupe is nothing to be ashamed of. If anything, it sends a signal that not only are you stylish – you’re savvy.

Knockoffs – known now as ‘dupes’ (short for duplicate) – are a hot topic of conversation. If you tune into fashion podcasts, or spend time on TikTok, you’ve probably heard the term – it’s here that users and influencers openly flaunt their duped finds. “Dupe culture is fuelled by various factors like social media, influencers and content creators sharing inexpensive alternatives to expensive items,” says Nick Gray, a brand strategist and the founder of Australian retail consultancy firm I Got You. “There’s a community that takes a stand against overpriced products . . . It highlights the evolution in consumer behaviour where value, access and social media play critical roles in decision making.”

@chrisp.md This is hands down the most accurate and best performing “dupe” of MFK baccarat rouge. #baccaratrouge540 #fragrance #perfumetok #recommendation #fypシ ♬ original sound – Chris P., MD

If you came of age in the early 2000s, when walking around with a fake designer bag was considered a faux pas at best, and fashion suicide at worst, you might be wondering what’s changed. In addition to the new buzzword, dupes are often openly marketed as budget-friendly (and separately affiliated to the real thing), unlike a stitch-for-stitch knockoff where “there is a lack of understanding and consumers are deceived”, explains Gray.

It’s also important to acknowledge dupes aren’t always synonymous with fast fashion. While mass online retailers like Temu have been quick to jump on designer furniture trends – its $30 facsimile of the mushroom-shaped Nesso table lamp is all over TikTok – some of the best dupes come from smaller brands with more affordable price tags. 

One TikTok influencer recently compiled a list of affordable alternatives to the Maison Margiela Replica sneaker (modelled after German Army trainers worn by the Bundeswehr in the 1970s), with one option being from a smaller American shoe label who uses calfskin leather and manufactures its shoes in Italy. At a fraction of the Margiela price tag, and using ethically sourced materials, according to Gray, it represents a side of dupe culture that “prioritises value and efficacy over big brand names.” And this isn’t just appealing to budget-conscious shoppers. Consumer data compiled by the Guardian found that while one-third of adults in the US can afford to buy the real deal, many opt for the duped version, citing it as a “great alternative”.

@needforbreed Still can’t believe I paid what I did for those graffiti GATs… #margiela #maisonmargiela #fashion #mensfashion #womensfashion #sneakers #needforbreed #margielagats ♬ Bossa nova that looks good in a cafe(976272) – MiYAMO

Trousers from Homme Plissé Issey Miyake are another popular dupe piece, in this case, the most shared alternative being from fast fashion giants Zara and COS. To achieve their floating yet sculptural pleated form, the Japanese brand uses polyester, a type of thermoplastic that under intense heat and pressure can hold a given shape. Its simple form and readily available fabric has made the pieces easy (and quick) to duplicate, but not every dupe is as good as the original. Taking to online forums to voice their disappointment, some who have purchased pleated pieces from high street retailers have discovered the texture to flatten after one wash. 

Dupe culture has also made its way into other lifestyle categories as well. A new search engine called dupe.com specialises in sourcing duped furniture, particularly of the minimalist and beige variety. It’s the kind of place where Kim Kardashian could have bought her wooden rectangular Donald Judd table and chairs that she gestured to in a now deleted video tour of her SKKN office back in 2022. In March of this year, the Judd Foundation sued Kardashian, claiming she promoted duped pieces as being authentic Judd furniture. 

Kim Kardashian Judd dupe
An outtake from Kim Kardashian’s viral SKKN office tour. Turns out, those were not Donald Judd tables.

Which raises a conundrum not dissimilar to that of the knockoff era: with all sorts of emerging resources that make finding and buying dupes easier and more affordable, where do we draw the line between what’s responsible consumer behaviour, and what’s not? 

Meanwhile, we’re engaging with influencers and content creators directly for dupe recommendations, many of whom play into our fear of missing out by creating review videos to the tune of “run, don’t walk”. Going by how pleased my friend was with her pharmacy find, I’m sure she’ll be running back for her refill, before the rest of the world catches on.

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