Piracy flatters designer
2005-12-12 08:44
Hong Kong - Louis Vuitton designer Marc Jacobs says knockoffs are the highest form of flattery even though he doesn't approve of pirated luxury goods, a newspaper reported on Saturday.
"Louis Vuitton as a company won't feel good about that (fake goods) ... but as a designer, I feel flattered," Jacobs was quoted as saying in Hong Kong in the South China Morning Post on Saturday.
"I don't approve of that (fakes), but if that inspires other people or companies to do things, it's the highest form of flattery," he said, according to the Post.
Jacobs said even though he's a top designer, he himself is a sloppy dresser.
"I just put on cheap socks and clean underwear," Jacobs reportedly said.
Hong Kong is known for its penchant for luxury goods - both authentic and fake. The neighbouring Chinese city of Shenzhen is also a popular destination for counterfeit luxury items.
Jacobs was in Hong Kong for the opening of a Louis Vuitton store, the Post said.
- AP