Pearls of the World
And to close our jewelry case at Counterfeit Chic, below are a few photos of Alber Elbaz's signature tulle-veiled pearls for Lanvin -- introduced in Spring 2005, declared an instant classic by the fashion powers-that-be, and exhibited downtown at the Museum at FIT while still for sale uptown -- along with the Urban Outfitters' version.
The Lanvin advertisement:
One of the coveted Lanvin necklaces, top, and the Urban Outfitters version:
And a closeup of the faux pearls themselves. Urban Outfitters must keep its legal department working overtime -- note the tranformation of Lanvin's black tulle over white pearls into Urban Outfitters' black lace over white pearls. Who says that copyright law doesn't spur innovation?
That's a wrap!
For more on the history of costume jewelry, check out Carole Tanenbaum's beautifully illustrated and informative Fabulous Fakes. Or, if you prefer something a bit more literary, a true gem never goes out of style -- or out of print.
Comments
That Lanvin ad is so ridiculously gorgeous.
Posted by: eurobrat | June 4, 2006 12:46 PM
Ever tend to like a knockoff better than the real one?
Since aesthetically- I seem to like the Urban one better.
Posted by: Gloria Chang | June 14, 2006 11:19 PM