Kanye West can finally stop complaining about his fledgling fashion career. The same Yeezy collection that was panned by major fashion critics not only won him a shoe of the year award, but it’s also a hit among consumers. Yeezy Season 1 nearly sold out just days after it became available, despite its high price tag. The line was so popular, in fact, it’s already getting knocked off.
Racked reports that fast fashion retailers are capitalizing on the buzz surrounding Yeezy Season 1 by duplicating the line’s most prominent pieces. Forever 21 is selling distressed sweatshirts in the same colorways, H&M released a similar faded sweater, American Apparel produced the same washed-out tees and Macy’s has an almost identical bomber jacket for sale.
Yeezy/H&M. Image: Racked
It’s hard to say whether these pieces are indeed duplicates as Kanye’s line was so intentionally basic, any clothing staples could be considered a copy. But the design elements of Forever 21’s ripped sweater, for example, are too similar to be coincidental.
Yeezy/Forever 21. Image: Racked
If fast fashion brands are knocking Kanye off, he should consider it a rite of passage. Every high-end designer from Mary Katrantzou to Alexander Wang has grappled with fast fashion replicas of their work. But knowing Kanye, it’s only a matter of time before he name-drops these brands in a rant (or worse, a lawsuit).
[via Racked]
