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Sebastian Bugeja-Drinkell is Vacant Space, and his blog is where it's at.

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Let the Customers Call ‘Copy’

My Take on the Bode v Stan Business

I’ve got a little cheeky Op-Ed for you today and it’s my take on the whole Bode v Stan copying shenanigans. For those who don’t know the story, a new brand called Stan, debuted their first Fall 2021 collection. It displayed a range of quilted clothing, inspired by Surf Culture. Almost straight after that, GQ published an article titled Who Owns Quilted Clothing. They then went on to pretty much accuse Stan of copying Bode, a New York label that’s garnered quite the following as of late, due to getting in bed with the right people (PLUS it doesn’t hurt that they’ve also put out some pretty hectic pieces). OFF RIP, I brushed it off as another attempt at ‘cancel culture’.

There are countless brands repurposing quilts and old items to create artisanal and sometimes bespoke pieces. By no means is it a new thing and Bode, however popular, definitely doesn’t own the space.

After a week or so passes, I almost instantly forget about the sitch. That was until… NOTORIOUS cynic, Eugene Rabkin comes through with another CLASSIC Op-Ed piece on BOF titled Is Copying Always Wrong? And, putting my slight disdain for his cynicism aside, I have to say - He was actually right!

I completely agree with Eugene when he states that copying isn’t always wrong. When a new designer comes onto the scene they should have the ability to reference older designers' work and have time to find their own voice. Although the problem I feel, with the Bode v Stan beef wasn’t actually to do with copying of quilted clothing at all, it was more to do with the way it was presented. Stan’s Fall 2021 Menswear lookbook looked similar to Bode’s Spring 2018 menswear showcase. They were both shown in a house, rocking bare feet and just had a similar overall vibe. That wasn’t even what annoyed me though, it was the fact that everyone instantly jumped to try to cancel Stan. The reason it was annoying is because while they’re both similar brands and allegedly one has copied another, they both have similar price points and are catering to two separate customers. Bode appeals to rich east-coast media elites, while Stan opts for the gaudy LA brunch vibe. Obviously people with taste are going to gravitate to their preferred one but, it’s not up to fashion critics to instantly call ‘Copy’, at the end of the day the customers will be the ones to decide.

Letting the customers call ‘Copy’ is something that I feel should be prevalent across the whole industry. (Except, when the Fast Fashion Fuck-Factory intentionally copies independents). But, if someone new to the scene copies someone else a little more established (in an ‘I look up to you’ kind of way), let the customers decide who to buy into. If these no-taste-having folk want to cop copies and blatant rips, let them.

At the end of the day I personally don’t like the Stan brand and what they’ve put out, but that doesn’t mean I’m going to chastise their every move. Critics are allowed to have their say and I have no issue with that, but fashion is a business and the customer will always be the one to decide what’s what. Take Vetements for example. Demna was notorious with copying Margiela’s previous work however, the customer chose to buy into this vision, catapulting the brand to tier 1 status. Another obvious example is Virgil. He’s an OPEN and VOCAL copier but despite how whack critics and oldheads think he is, he has a loyal AF customer base and man, he SELLS! Leave cancel culture and calling ‘Copy’ to customers, they’re the ones buying the shit after all.