d00d! Fr00tz!

After the past few posts of mine being all super serious, I thought it would be a nice change of pace to post something fun and a bit frivolous. Anyone in the Lolita community who knows me IRL knows about my obsession with cherry and strawberry prints. If you look around a Boston or RI meetup, and you see a girl all decked out in a fruit print, it's probably me. I don't know why, but there's something about fruit motifs that really strikes my fancy. Ever since I was a kid, I really enjoyed cherry prints, and now that they've become a common and popular motif in Lolita fashion, my enjoyment has bloomed into a preoccupation of sorts. While I'm not going super out-of-my-way at the moment to collect fruit prints, they do  The past few summers' releases have done nothing to help this obsession, nor have a number of fabrics that are currently available for purchase at JoAnn Fabrics or Walmart. This Tumblr, called "F!Yeah Fruity Fashion," also doesn't help me, because it gives me new things to drool over on a regular basis.
That being said, I'm going to start doing a review of a fruity dress or accessory every Friday  whenever the mood strikes me. Fruit Friday will cover the good, the great, and the just plain "WTF Burando?" Yes, it's biased, and highly subjective, but I'm doing this for fun. :D While it's not possible for me to post all of the  cherry / strawberry releases that have come out over the years, I can post the popular ones, the absolutely awful ones, and some of my favorites, too.

In the meanwhile, can anyone tell me what this dress is? I've been searching all over Lolibrary, but my search-fu seems to be failing me. As far as I can tell, it's AP, and a slightly older release, maybe 2009ish.  Next Fruity Friday: AP Berry-Chan JSK!

Weighing in on the replica debate

Right now, replicas are a very hot topic in the world of Lolita, and an extremely divisive one at that. Recently, the moderators of the EGL online community enacted a full ban on the discussion and sale of replicas of "original prints, original screen prints, and brand logo- and character-shaped items," upon request from a representative of one of the major Brands (who wisely requested to remain anonymous to the public). This decision has caused considerable uproar within the community, and will likely have a major impact, both on the sales comm, and on the main EGL community. EGL has, of late, been fairly awash with reviews of replicas, requests for reviews of replicas, and discussion of where and who to buy them from. For some, this discussion is useful and interesting; for others, it has become an irritation and an embarrassment. EGL has become divided into two distinct camps, with little impartiality or tolerance from either side.

At the root of all of this is the discussion of the legality and morality of purchasing replicas. While some items (such as shoes and bags, and non-printed items with a distinctive cut or silhouette) fall into a legal grey area that allow them to be legally replicated even though they are direct copies, other items are patently illegal to replicate. Simply put, all replicas of prints, brand logos, and brand characters are illegal in any country party to the Berne Convention (establishes international copyright law). This includes China, where the vast majority of these prints and items are replicated, and Japan, where the original copyrighted items are produced. While China is party to the Berne Convention, lax enforcement of copyright laws make it easy for manufacturers such as OoJia (who operates on Facebook), and Dream Of Lolita (a TaoBao seller) to crank out inexpensive, custom-sized knock-offs of the latest and most popular brand print dresses, socks, head-bows, and bags.

These replicas, though technically illegal, appeal to a wide crowd of Lolitas, including Lolitas who are unable to afford or find the original item, and plus-sized Lolitas who are unable to fit into brand measurements. Many Lolitas who cannot afford Brand prices, or fit into their somewhat restrictive measurements, feel very alienated by the major Brands, and feel that replicas are the only option they have to wear the prints and dresses that they desire. Some feel that Brands should do more to accommodate their Western clientele, and others feel that they are in fact, entitled, as Lolitas to be able to wear the prints that brands produce, regardless of size or legality. This brings up the point of whether or not it is morally acceptable to purchase replicas, given their illegality, and whether or not the Lolita community as a whole should condone the practice. As expected in any debate, there is a strong voice opposing the sale of replicas. Those who are staunchly anti-replica feel that the purchase and commission of replicas is an immoral act, and that the girls who choose to purchase replicas are perpetuating a cycle of intellectual property theft that ultimately takes money away from the Brands, and hurts the artists whose prints appear on replicated clothing. 

Also as expected in any major internet debate, tempers flare, flame wars happen, feelings are hurt, and wank is created. Girls in the pro-replica camp are branded as being "fatty-chans," "thieves," "entitled," and "immoral." Girls in the anti-replica camp are branded as being "elitists," "brandwhores," "rich bitches," and "spoilsports." Every mean or negative stereotype in the EGL lexicon is being bandied about, and nothing good comes of it. I, personally think that none of these labels are necessarily true, and that they shouldn't be used to blanket a whole group (only individuals). Frankly, from my view of things, on both sides of the debate, a lot of girls are being rude, ill-tempered, and incredibly bitchy and butthurt.

Thus far, throughout this article, I've tried to stay as impartial as possible. This is how I tend to deal with any major debatable topic that I don't see as a major personal priority. For me, replicas are not a major personal priority. This isn't to say that I don't have an opinion on them, though. If you want my opinion, read on. If not, well, skip the whole next paragraph. :P

I have never purchased a print replica in the past, and I don't plan on doing so in the future. For me, if an item is too expensive or rare to own (read: grossly inflated price on the 2ndhand market, and super hard to find, too), then I really don't need it. Likewise, if I can't afford a print right when it comes out, even if I'm super in love with it (Cherish My Juicy Cherry anyone?), I'll wait a bit and stalk the sales comm or Y!J until it comes up and I can afford it. Because I can fit into most brand (most, not all), I'd rather purchase an original item, and have the satisfaction knowing that the artist who created my garment was compensated for their work, even if I wasn't the first buyer. In this way, I like to show my support and appreciation for the brands that have had a major impact shaping the hobby that I love so much. Being a RI Lolita with a fairly low tolerance for drama (my community has officially banned it), even though I ultimately disapprove of replicas, I'm not going to judge or condemn anyone who purchases them. Even if replicas are illegal, people have their own reasons for buying them, and they do so at their own risk. It poses no threat or risk to me, so I'd just as soon live and let live. While replicas can hurt the Brands, I feel that the real onus is on the people who manufacture them, because they are ones who directly profit from them. Yes, replica manufacturers make replicas them because people want them, but take away the source, and you take away the real problem. There are also many lovely alternatives to replicas, and many of the TaoBao and indie Lolita brands have been coming out with absolutely stellar original prints and designs that can be custom made, usually for 1/2 to 1/3 of the price of a similar Brand item. I'll probably be showcasing some of these in the next few weeks.  //My2Cents