Alexander Wang vs Philipp Plein American fashion designer publicly accused Philipp Plein of plagiarism
The fashion parade has just begun, but we already have a burning controversy that’s heating up the atmosphere. It all started last night when the designer Alexander Wang has accused the colleague Philipp Plein had blatantly copied his collection Alexander Wang x H&M in 2014. The prosecution was launched bluntly on Wang’s Instagram profile, who posted a meme-styled video showing the similarities between his show and Plein Sport by Philipp Plein. Hard to disagree. The video, in fact, clearly shows that the similarities between the two chows are many, perhaps too many to be a coincidence. Not only the look inspired by sporstwear and boxing, but also the preparation of the show, which recreates a parkour gym: an obvious reminder of the infamous collection of Alexander Wang in 2014. It is plagiarism? According to the designer obviously yes, while the alleged offender has not yet responded to the accusation. Public opinion seems all sided Alexander Wang, but before closing the case by pointing the finger at Philipp Plein seems fitting to briefly analyze the phenomenon around the German designer in these three points.
To conclude, Philipp Plein is a perfect mass entertainment machine. It gives the public what the public likes and wants to see and wear, with no claim to be innovative or unconventional. As for the dispute with Alexander Wang, the resemblance is undeniable, but does it make sense to still speak of plagiarism in fashion? In a time when all brands tend to align and when collections seem to be composed only of more or less declared quotations, the Alexander Wang controversy leave things as they are. Since this is also a brand like Philipp Plein, well, the "plagiarism" is merely form of appreciation.
