How China’s designer 'dupes' are enticing frugal shoppers away from labels

The meteoric rise of "dupes" are the latest threat facing global retail giants who can’t seem to figure out what Chinese shoppers want. Photo: stocksnap.io

Near-facsimiles of some of the world’s most popular fashion staples, from Lululemon Athletica Inc’s yoga tights to Hermes International SCA’s handbags, are appearing in closets across China for a fraction of the price.

Known in Chinese as "pingti” – and Gen Z shopping parlance as "dupes”, their popularity reflects a backlash against brands among formerly label-loving Chinese shoppers.