Guess: The Telfar Knockoff
Telfar’s shopping bags have elevated the brand since 2014 when they were introduced in New York. The bags are made of vegan leather, branded with the signature logo ‘T’ which has been shown and worn by A-list celebrities like Solange, Bella Hadid, Dua Lipa, Selena Gomez and more. Ever since their introduction, the brand has struggled with keeping the shopping bags in stock without selling out immediately. Telfar has previously been targeted by resellers and bots due to the popularity and demand of these bags, reselling them for hundreds more than their retail price. Due to this, they installed a bracket where you could only buy three at a time to minimise exploitation. They have collaborated with brands like Ugg, which made new prints of the shopping bag with a fluffy inside replicating the signature Ugg design. Telfar Clemens, the founder of Telfar, launched the brand in 2005 and due to his grassroots success over the coming years since his launch, has been recognised as a brand that could potentially be recognised as a “Marc Jacobs-esque hype” in fashion. Since 2014, high profiles in fashion (like Oprah, who said in 2020 that the shopping bag was her bag of choice, drastically building demand for Telfar), has recognised the shopping bag as the IT bag of the generation.
Even though it isn’t quite surprising that this happens to many products which are celebrated for its design in fashion, it was a shock to many consumers and fans of Telfar when the news came out - the bag has been replicated and modified by ready-to-wear brand, Guess.
Telfar: The Original Shopping Bag, left, Guess: The ‘Tote’ Bag, right.
Fans of the Telfar brand have spoken out against Guess and their effort towards duping the infamous shopping bag. Many recognise the difference in brand size, with Telfar putting “blood, sweat and tears” into the production of the bag and its design, mentioning that Black fashion designers like Telfar Clemens don’t have the same resources due to their racial identity. More comments include the blatant stealing from a smaller brand as well as the ability to ask for a collaboration.
Since the bags have come out, many fans of the brand have asked what the opinion was from Telfar Clemens and his co-worker Babak Radboy. In turn, they actually knew about the Guess dupe in February who were “not concerned” about the bag. This is not to say that the brand does not prioritise the bag like their other products, he just didn’t see this action as a threat towards the brand, as-well as not bringing it attention.
By the beginning of April, Guess has announced via social media that they would be discontinuing the Tote bag: “Signal Brands, the handbag licensee of Guess, Inc., has voluntarily halted the sale of its G-Logo Totes. Some on social media have compared the totes to Telfar Global’s shopping bags. Signal Brands does not wish to create any impediments to Telfar Global’s success and, as such, has independently decided to stop selling the G-logo totes.”
How did Telfar know not to pay attention?
It was a smart choice for Telfar Clemens to allow their fanbase to discuss and comment on the actions of other brands that try to capitalise off the design and development of Telfars iconic signature bags. If it was a more obscure and less in demand garment, then there would be opportunity for brand intervention, but it was clear that the brand recognised how potentially obvious it was and stayed away from the drama. The fashion industry has become more conscious, not on just the climate (even though, there is questions on how ‘green’ the industry and its fanbase is due to green washing) but also how exploitation works in the system of fashion. From early on, many students of fashion are taught to pull inspiration from current trends to build on futuristic ones, but that has led to many dilemmas where appropriation and stealing grows.
Guess should of asked to collaborative to make such a product identical to Telfar's signature product. “Ripping” the brands product was such a miss-step, that the need to deliver a statement online riddled with ‘independent choice’ into their dismissal of the product as it was too close to the original design of Telfar, showcases their guiltiness into the tote bag and the backlash it had created. This proves that they are accountable and not only clearly see how similar they are but also discloses their clear intentions to copy and paste.
When you are trying to copy from brands who are notorious for its loyal clientele, it’s obvious that it is a bad idea. Not only does it quickly get investigated by the mass audience, but it tarnishes your brand completely. With brands like Guess, who have been worn by models like Kendall Jenner, it is not in their direct interest to mess with their advance to luxury fashion. Telfar has won, without saying anything at all.