LONDON: In a warehouse at London's sprawling Heathrow Airport, a border officer pulls open a cardboard box he suspects contains contraband goods. Bingo — his instincts are rewarded.
The box is packed with beige and black sneakers that to the untrained eye look identical to the limited edition Adidas Yeezy Boost, designed by rap star Kanye West, which sold out within minutes of being released last year and now have a resale value many times their original retail price.
In the past five years, the Border Force, the policing command under Britain's Home Office charged with immigration and customs controls, has seized thousands of consignments at Heathrow alone, valued at around £100 million ($125 million), said Peter Herron, senior officer for specialist operations. "Anything a counterfeiter can counterfeit, they will."
Annual trade in fake products was worth $461 billion in 2013, around 2.5 percent of total global trade, according to Piotr Stryszowski, an economist with the Paris-based Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. The money goes to organized crime, and helps fund terrorism and the trafficking of drugs, people, sex and wildlife, as well as the lavish lifestyles of its kingpins.
"It's the globalized illicit business of the 21st century," says Stryszowski, who laments it's not taken as seriously as other contraband, such as cocaine.
Consumers may see fakes as "fun" and feel clever to buy sunglasses or sneakers that look like the real thing but cost a fraction of the price.
The reality, however, is anything but fun for the workers, many of them children, who toil in appalling, often slave-like conditions in secret factories making fake products for gang bosses who, Stryszowski says, "have no ethics and no respect for the law."
It's this human cost that makes counterfeit goods one of the most insidiously dangerous criminal activities in the world today.
London-based intellectual property lawyer Mary Bagnall describes scenes of horror — children chained to sewing machines; people locked in underground factories in remote corners of China — that characterize an industry so lucrative yet so low-risk that some crime gangs are getting out of the drugs and people-trafficking businesses and into fakes.
"This makes more money for organized crime with less risk for them," she told The Associated Press, describing counterfeiting as part of a "massive global web" of criminality. "It's difficult to communicate to consumers why it is not a victimless crime."
"Consumers are used to the idea of fake handbags and even fashion counterfeits, (which) alone amount to some 2.6 billion pounds ($3.24 billion) worth of lost sales and I think an estimated 40,000 lost jobs annually; and that's just in one industry," she said.
The total annual cost to the European Union's fashion industry is 26 billion euros ($27.5 billion), she said.
Consumers can understand the perils of fake air bags for cars, or fake toys or electrical goods that "could explode in the face of a child," Bagnall said. But the fake goods industry goes much further than that.
"What consumers are probably less aware of is the danger of counterfeits in relation to other products — I'm talking now about pharmaceuticals, I'm talking about cosmetics," she said.
Ingredients found in fake cosmetics include chemicals that can cause disfigurement or worse. Medicines made on the cheap and outside regulation can cause serious health problems.
"We have tested cosmetics and what we've found is that they will be containing ingredients such as cadmium, arsenic, lead, to very dangerous levels. The worst one we found contained cyanide," said Matthew Cridland, trading standards manager for Newport, a city 200 kilometers (125 miles) northwest of London.
The vast majority of fakes, more than 81 percent, come from China and Hong Kong. The biggest victims are in the United States, Italy, France and Switzerland, and include designers and manufacturers of everything from high-end fashion clothing, footwear, jewelry and watches, to cosmetics, perfumes and medicines.
Britain is an important destination for counterfeiters, since its purchasing power is high and its consumers enjoy buying brand-name merchandise. Also, like many markets for fakes, the internet has seen illicit profits grow for organized crime while the risk of detection shrinks.
Matt Cope, head of Digital Technology Policy with Britain's Intellectual Property Office, suggests that undetected volumes of fake merchandise are on the rise.
"With the explosion of online shopping, everybody is very used to ordering from online platforms, and you can order direct from manufacturers, from source countries like China," he said. "It is harder to track a larger number of small parcels than a smaller number of large shipping containers."
Some internet sites clearly sell fake goods at a cheap rate and are easily targeted by trademark owners and their lawyers. Others offer fake goods at close to the legitimate retail price to dupe buyers into believing they are getting the real thing at a discount. Still others, Bagnall said, offer genuine products on a "grey market" that bypasses the brand owner to produce illegal profits.
Online marketplaces strive to keep fakes off their sites to protect their own brand integrity. EBay's global corporate affairs and communications manager Ryan Moore said the company works with "brand owners, retailers and law enforcement agencies to combat bad activity."
Governments, too, are working across borders to reduce, if not eliminate, the manufacture, distribution and sale of counterfeit goods, and to better inform consumers about the crime gangs, criminal operations and human misery it supports. The British government, for instance, stations a fake trade specialist at its Beijing embassy.
Nevertheless, reality prevails.
"It's a vast market and consumers always have an appetite for a bargain," said Cope. "Until they can easily identify whether those goods are genuine or not, it will be very difficult for them to make that choice."
Cope also says some people are going to buy fakes no matter what.
"It's something that will be very difficult to wipe out in its entirety, but we can make a dent," he said.
Fake fashion fuels vast illicit profits, sea of human misery
Fake fashion fuels vast illicit profits, sea of human misery
Shanina Shaik turns heads in Melbourne
DUBAI: Part-Arab model Shanina Shaik turned heads in sculptural bubble dress at the National Gallery of Victoria Gala this weekend in Melbourne, Australia.
The Australia-born model — who is of Saudi, Pakistani and Lithuanian descent — made headlines for her unique dress, which she showed off at the opening of the gallery’s landmark Yayoi Kusama exhibition.
The tartan gown was created by emerging Melbourne-based designer Jarrod Reid. It featured puffed sleeves, eyelets down the front, and what looked like two inflated rings on top of each other at the hem.
The model told Mercedes-Benz in a video clip that the gown was “inspired by Scottish folklore.”
Featuring 200 works and spanning the 80-year career of the iconic Japanese artist, the exhibition includes sculpture, painting, collage, fashion and films, as well as the global premiere of Kusama’s new infinity mirror room artwork titled “My Heart is Filled to the Brim with Sparkling Light.”
The exhibition also includes the Australian debut of “Dancing Pumpkin,” 2020, a five-meter-tall yellow-and-black polka-dotted sculpture.
“Do you mind if I brag?” Wayne Crothers, the NGV’s senior curator of Asian art, told The Guardian in an interview regarding the show’s scale and artworks. While there have been other shows by the artist staged with “about 20 or 30 more works,” this is the biggest ever in terms of scale, the newspaper reported.
The 95-year-old artist is one of the world's most celebrated living creatives — she has her own five-storey gallery in Tokyo and is arguably as recognizable as her work. A giant inflatable sculpture of her was recently perched on the side of Louis Vuitton’s flagship store in Paris.
Shaik told Mercedes-Benz in the sponsored video that she is looking forward to taking her son Zai Adesuyan Matthew, whom she shares with partner Matthew Adesuyan, to the show.
In May, the model took part in her first International Mother’s Day campaign with her toddler, who was born in September 2022.
“Motherhood has changed me in so many ways… it’s definitely created more patience,” Shaik joked in the video campaign that she shared with her 3.4 million followers on Instagram.
“Now that I’m a mother, I would like to say to my mother, ‘I understand.’ I understand the worry, the concern, because you just want to protect your child every day at all costs,” she added.
Dua Lipa shows off Amina Muaddi heels in New York
DUBAI: British pop superstar Dua Lipa showed off heels by Jordanian Romanian footwear designer Amina Muaddi in New York in a look put together by celebrity stylist Jahleel Weaver.
A long-time stylist for Rihanna, who collaborated with Muaddi on a Fenty shoe collection in 2020, Weaver opted for the designer’s Ursina Pump for songstress Lipa.
Lipa showed off the heels during an appearance on “The Late Show With Stephen Colbert” that will air on Sunday night in the US.
The pop star is currently in the middle of the “Radical Optimism Tour,” which kicked off in Singapore in November before she wrapped the Asian leg of the world tour with a show in Seoul, Korea, on Dec. 5.
There are 68 shows already on the schedule and Lipa will next head to Australia in March.
For her part, Muaddi is busy promoting her winter season collection. The designer’s latest collection, titled Drop 24/25, launched in October. In early December, she used Instagram to promote winter-friendly shoes including the Veneda stretch boot, the Anok bootie and the Lila slipper.
Since launching her eponymous footwear line in August 2018, Muaddi has attracted a loyal following of celebrities including Gigi Hadid, Kylie Jenner and Hailey Bieber. Her brand, known for its distinctive footwear, bags and jewelry, has quickly become a favorite among the fashion elite.
Since the launch, Muaddi has enjoyed a series of successful events, notably her collaboration with Rihanna’s Fenty collection. Their partnership earned the Collaborator of the Year award at the 34th FN Achievement Awards in 2020.
A year later, Muaddi’s influence and success were further recognized when she was named one of Women’s Wear Daily and Footwear News’ 50 Most Powerful Women.
Arwa Al-Banawi: ‘I always want women to feel comfortable, cool and confident’
DUBAI: Every young designer today who decides to go it alone with their own label must perfect a sort of solo high-wire act where the only way to look is forward. They must juggle cultural relevance, craft, representation, community and sustainability, and, all the while, create clothes that are not only covetable but actually say something about the world.
Since launching her eponymous label in 2015, Saudi designer Arwa Al-Banawi has navigated these pitfalls with flair and remains one of the Kingdom’s most exciting design talents. Now rebranded as the shorter, chicer, ARWÁ, Al-Banawi is preparing for her second act.
“I always had this in mind,” she says of the pivot, “that after a period of time and after the brand had developed, to make the name shorter and of course more recognizable internationally.” In addition to the new name, there’s a slick new e-commerce site and a collection of day-to-evening separates with permanent appeal, brought to life by a vibrant campaign featuring 70-year-old Swiss model Gabriela Rickli-Gerster.
The Al-Banawi hallmarks are all still there: exceptional tailoring, elegant cuts with a contemporary edge for modest dressing, messages of female empowerment, styling versatility and timeless design. This is not a reinvention but rather a reemergence and refinement of her vision.
“I always want women to feel comfortable, cool and confident, even when they are dressed conservatively — that’s why I love what I do and it has always been one of the main aesthetics of the brand. Especially for me, as an Arab designer who also likes to dress that way, it’s something important to deliver in the offerings.”
Born and raised in Jeddah, Al-Banawi “travelled a lot from a young age,” visiting family and vacationing in Europe – specifically Switzerland and Germany – which she credits as helping to shape the “eclectic East and West style” of her brand. But what put fashion on her radar in the first place?
“I have to say that’s really because of my parents,” she says. “They are very into art and have a beautiful, authentic sense of style…My mom collected Vogue from back in the 80s and still has this insane library of fashion magazines. I grew up naturally learning about all the historical fashion houses and feeling the fabrics in her closet.”
It’s hard not to attach meaning and emotional weight to clothing; what you wear not only reflects who you are and how you carry yourself, but also who you want to be — and no one understands this nuance better than women’s designers like Al-Banawi. Yes, there are feather trims, form-fitting maxi dresses and shimmering kaftans (a nod to her “graceful” mother) but there is also relaxed suiting, belted blazers and a monochrome trench coat with Arabic calligraphy on the lapel (inspired by her father and his love of sharp tailoring). Her approach is thoughtful, with attention to detail — versatile lengths, materials and colors – —that transcend demographics while mirroring the multifaceted and unique perspectives of women navigating the modern world.
“You have to be in touch with your instincts as a creative because it is a very emotional experience,” says Al-Banawi, who lets her autobiography lead. “Inspiration can come from anywhere. For me, the concept is simply to be creative, to have fun. Fashion is really just the medium where I found myself most connected and able to share my story.”
Much of the beauty industry is built on inspiring insecurity in consumers. It is worth billions worldwide and a big chunk of that is spent in the region, where perfectionism and high glamor are revered. Given the ubiquity of anti-ageing propaganda, it’s refreshing — encouraging even — to see Rickli-Gerster in Al-Banawi’s campaign visuals.
“When I hear terms like ‘dress your age’ when women get older…what does that even mean?! I really don’t like that,” Al-Banawi says. “The message with the campaign is to show that confidence has no age limit — it’s something you have to celebrate within yourself. I know how it feels when you put something on and you feel immediately transformed… empowered, strong, beautiful — you feel like you can do anything.”
Running an independent brand today is like being a musician and also owning the record label. To survive, you must be adaptable and incredibly self-aware, knowing that what you are producing is just as much a business as it is a creative project.
“At the beginning, most founders are also the CEO of their company…half-business, half-creative,” says Al-Banawi, adding that her father encouraged her to complete her degree in finance before entering the fashion world full-time. “His way of thinking was that school will not teach you to be creative — that’s already part of you — but it will teach you the skills to perform in the profession that you want. I’m very grateful for that.”
Her education has served her well, with a savvy business model that focuses on sustainable production values and limited supplies of seasonless investment pieces. She currently produces one or two main collections each year and two smaller drops to coincide with Ramadan and the summer season, eschewing the international calendar (like many of her regional peers) in favor of a strategy that complements both her goals and the needs of her customers.
What works in the West isn’t necessarily relevant or reflective of the varied infrastructures or medley of cultures that currently exists across the Arab world. There have been various attempts at regional fashion weeks since the mid-noughties, some with more success than others. But ultimately what these events revealed was that without a healthy backbone — proper programming, guidance from industry leaders and intelligent investment at grassroots level in the nurturing of design communities — they couldn’t gain the trust or support of the designers they intended to serve.
Burak Çakmak, the CEO of Saudi Arabia’s Fashion Commission, is attempting to change the narrative. In June 2021, he spearheaded the launch of the Saudi 100 Brands initiative, an annual, year-long development strategy for emerging local designers, educating them on everything required to grow a brand from the ground up with infrastructural support on Saudi soil. And last year saw the launch of Riyadh Fashion Week, where Al-Banawi showed her latest line.
“At the moment it makes sense for me to present once a year — to show the vibe of the brand, connect with customers and the press — and when I do, it would be in Riyadh,” Al-Banawi says, remarking on how far the country has come in building a credible fashion industry. “The talent has always been there,” she says, “but what the Fashion Commission is doing is incredible and I know more designers will keep coming through every year…like us, they are telling the story of Saudi, its rich culture and heritage, through their brands — we’re all very proud.”
Best and Worst: Saudi influencer, podcaster and entrepreneur Rae Joseph talks fashion and travel
DUBAI: The Saudi influencer, podcaster and entrepreneur discusses style and her favorite destinations.
Best TV show/film you’ve ever seen?
I don’t love anything too dark or too serious. I get too engaged, so if it’s something too heavy or emotional, it can really drag me down. So I avoid things that are intense or too dark. I enjoy shows that take me somewhere different. I love sitcoms like “Friends,” and shows like “Sex and the City.” I also like “Ugly Betty.” People make fun of me for that, but I loved it because it is just a happy show. It was a simple love story, enough to lift you up and keep the storyline going. Other than that, I do not follow a lot of series.
Worst TV show/film you’ve ever seen?
Like I said, I really don’t like dark things. I know it’s some people’s cup of tea, but it’s definitely not mine. I don’t like those.
Best personal style moment so far?
Whenever I feel most in my element and feeling the look. I love vintage. I have my own big collection of vintage pieces, and I love mixing them with modern pieces and with pieces from local brands. I love creating that fusion that I feel truly represents who I am, and kind of shows the possibility of translating different cultures, different realms, different eras, into personal style.
Worst personal style moment?
Let’s say my late teens. Well… maybe from 14 till my early 20s? I was very experimental — to a fault. I look at pictures and I’m, like, ‘What was I doing?’ I experimented with my makeup, with my hair — I dyed my hair so many different colors, so many different styles. But, honestly, as embarrassing as it was, I’m also grateful for that phase, because I feel like I got a lot of things out of my system. It helped me shape my own way of styling and enabled me to explore myself better without having any restrictions.
Best accessory for a little black dress?
Less is more. Adding just one simple piece of jewelry adds so much character. I love that kind of dynamic, and I think it says a lot about a person’s personal style.
Worst accessory for a little black dress?
Just over-accessorizing. You want to keep it chic — elevated and refined. You don’t want to overwhelm the look. You allow the dress to shine, and when the dress shines, you shine as well. When you don’t overcrowd the look, you wear the outfit, the outfit doesn’t wear you.
Best fashion trend of 2024?
I’m not really a trends person. I’m aware of them, but I don’t necessarily implement them in my personal style. But, I really enjoy that it’s heading away from loud, in-your-face fashion — the prints, the logos, all that busy style — and people are now opting for a more sophisticated, understated look. Simpler looks allow you to show your taste better, in my opinion. I think Gen Z are a big part of that change. They are dressing more true to themselves. They see fashion as a way of personal expression, as opposed to just following what trends are out there.
Worst fashion trend of 2024?
The worst thing is when you see people lost in their outfits, and you can tell it’s really them following whatever they read, whatever they saw on someone else, rather than personally expressing themselves.
Best advice you’ve ever been given?
With everyone having access to everyone’s life and what everyone’s doing with all these different websites and apps, I feel like there is a lot of, sometimes subconscious, pressure, where people see everyone’s journey and then get overwhelmed. But, at a relatively young age, someone told me, ‘Don’t worry. Everything happens to different people at different times. Everyone has a different journey.’ I think that allows me to be more content and live life more peacefully. And have healthier relationships.
Worst advice you’ve ever been given?
Any advice that pushes you to be something that isn’t who you are. Some people give advice where they’re suggesting that you change the core of who you are — your values, what you stand for. I always think that never works.
Best book you’ve ever read?
I really enjoy Iraqi author Ali Al-Wardi. I find him quite insightful, especially his writings about social dynamics and society. He was such a visionary that even when you read his works today, you find parallels with our society. They tell you a lot about people and who we are as societies and communities.
Worst book you’ve ever read?
If I don’t like a book, or I’m not connecting with it, I’ll just put it down.
Best thing to do when you’re feeling low?
What I do if I am overwhelmed or feeling some kind of stress or anxiety take solo walks. I love just grabbing a cup of coffee then going on a walk by myself, and clearing my mind and allowing myself to settle. Even if you don’t resolve the things that are causing you anxiety, I think you'll return from the walk feeling a bit more settled and you can probably make better decisions and think more clearly.
But if you mean you’re sad or depressed, then I think there's nothing better than spending time with someone you really trust — a family member or a very good friend. There’s so much power and human communication, as long as it’s with the right people. It could also be a therapist. Just spending time with someone who can understand, knows how to listen, and could give you helpful advice based on them knowing you.
Worst thing to do when you’re feeling good?
I think our brains sabotage us. We don’t allow ourselves to fully immerse ourselves in whatever is making us feel good. So I think you just have to try to relish it, and not think about other things. Just allow yourself to celebrate whatever it is that is making you feel good. Don’t take away from that. And make sure you share whatever is making you feel good with the right people.
Best holiday destination?
My three favorite cities — which I will never, ever be bored of — are New York, Paris and Cairo. Those cities have personalities. If you walk on the street by yourself, you don’t feel alone. They have so much character.
Worst holiday destination?
You see some people that go to the same place every year and do the same thing, see the same people. They don’t explore or expand their horizon. I don’t think that’s ‘the worst’ — it’s just unwise.
Best subject at school?
It makes me sound like a nerd, but I really enjoyed math. I really enjoyed equations and breaking them down and finding solutions.
Worst subject at school?
Physics is something that I just studied to pass my exams and get the grades. A lot of things did not add up for me.
Best thing to do to ensure you have a productive day?
I feel like starting the day right — whatever that looks like for you … maybe working out, maybe meditation, maybe spending time with family — and starting relatively early, sets you up well.
Worst thing to do when you’re trying to have a productive day?
Have a lot of distractions around. I think we became so addicted to checking our emails or messages, that it really can kill productivity. But we can try to control it as much as we can by limiting the distractions.
Amina Muaddi promotes ‘fuzzy’ collection
DUBAI: Jordanian Romanian luxury shoe designer Amina Muaddi is busy promoting her winter drops, with K-Pop star Rose wearing her heels in a recent photo shoot.
Muaddi took to Instagram to reshare Rose’s posts, where the star is seen being photographed for her latest single, “Number One Girl,” wearing a Lupita crystal slipper in green.
The designer’s latest collection, titled Drop 24/25, launched in October. Over the weekend, she used Instagram to promote winter-friendly shoes including the Veneda stretch boot, the Anok bootie and the Lila slipper.
In September, Muaddi unveiled her latest heels on none other than Rihanna, as the singing star was spotted at Milan Fashion Week. Muaddi created a custom pair of Anok mules in a shade called butter satin and Rihanna attended shows by Ferragamo, The Attico and Gucci, wearing each of the brands as she sat in the front row. She also turned heads at the Dior show during Paris Fashion Week last month, while French Saudi model Amira Al-Zuhair graced the runway for Danish fashion label Ganni.
Muaddi, a regular at Dior fashion shows, opted for a classic white button-down shirt and a sleek black satin pencil skirt. She accessorized her look with a pair of dark round sunglasses and a small textured blue Dior handbag.
Since launching her eponymous footwear line in August 2018, Muaddi has attracted a loyal following of celebrities including Dua Lipa, Gigi Hadid, Kylie Jenner and Hailey Bieber. Her brand, known for its distinctive footwear, bags and jewelry, has quickly become a favorite among the fashion elite.
Since the launch, Muaddi has enjoyed a series of successful events, notably her collaboration with Rihanna’s Fenty collection. Their partnership earned the Collaborator of the Year award at the 34th FN Achievement Awards in 2020.
A year later, Muaddi’s influence and success were further recognized when she was named one of Women’s Wear Daily and Footwear News’ 50 Most Powerful Women.
