| With the rise in popularity of Japanese Korean dramas | | | | something from a knock-off sweat shop. Most of |
| in recent years, the spillover effect of such popularity | | | | these shops are only concerned with quantity so it is |
| to Japanese and Korean fashion is evident. As the | | | | not surprising that some pieces might be wet or has a |
| Japan Korean peninsulas are two big powerhouse of | | | | weird smell (due to the sweat shop conditions) |
| Asian fashion, the latter is usually represented by these | | | | because they do not have the budget or need for |
| two styles. In fact, Japanese fashion was the first | | | | 'quality control'. |
| wave of craze and it is evidently dwindling and being | | | | #3 - Printing errors on the clothing designs, clothing label |
| replaced by Korean fashion. | | | | or clothing tag |
| Women's fashion is a lucrative business. With Korean | | | | If there are spelling errors, it is highly likely to be a |
| fashion gaining popularity, knock-off manufacturers | | | | knock-off as they do not have the budget for 'quality |
| want a share of the Korean pie too. Especially since | | | | control' and most of the time, the manufacturers may |
| such pieces do not come cheap in an effort to | | | | not even know what they are printing hence they are |
| compensate Korean designers for their originality in | | | | unable to spot the error. |
| designing Korean clothes. | | | | #4 - Buying Korean fashion pieces from website |
| When buying Korean clothing, watch out for these | | | | ending with '.cn' |
| tell-tale signs the clothes you bought is a knock-off. | | | | If you are based outside of Korea or do not know the |
| #1 - Non Koreans modeling Korean fashion pieces | | | | language, it can be a daunting task to purchase |
| Clothing sold online have to be modeled as that is they | | | | Korean fashion online as most Korean websites are in |
| only way you can see and buy them. If the clothes are | | | | Korean. However, with the rise of internet and online |
| modeled by Chinese model, you should be aware that | | | | shopping, there are lots of websites in English that sells |
| the source of origin of their clothing is most probably | | | | Korean fashion. If the website ends with a '.cn', it is |
| from China/Taiwan or Hong Kong and most of these | | | | highly likely that the piece you bought is a knock-off. |
| designs are knock-offs. From experience (I do shop | | | | #5 - Look at the price and think rational |
| online a lot and from everywhere), the clothing I've | | | | If the prices seem too good to be true, then most likely |
| received from these places are usually made from | | | | it is the case. Knock-offs compete with the real stuff |
| low grade material or poor workmanship and most of | | | | by the price. Since the quality can't be better, the sole |
| the time they look nowhere near the pretty pictures. | | | | advantage they have is in pricing as their cost of |
| #2 - When your clothes arrive wet or comes with a | | | | production is lower. Do not hold your expectations too |
| weird smell | | | | high if you are prepared to buy knock-offs though, |
| When your highly-anticipated fashion pieces reach you | | | | since it is a fraction of the price, the quality will be |
| in wet condition or comes with a weird smell, your gut | | | | discounted too. |
| feeling is probably right - you have just got yourself | | | | |