Buyer Beware, Must Read before ordering Counterfeit Gown

The ABPIA, the US entity won in Fed Court today against the internet knock off pirates. There is a TRO which is a temp restraining order against 40 Chinese knock off sites that steal the photos from US wedding gown and prom gown sites and represent that they can make the same dress much cheaper.  "Nationwide we have seen literally thousands of very sad consumers thinking that they were getting a dress similar to what they tried on in the store only to receive a Halloween costume quality item sometimes only days before the wedding and sometimes not at all". said one retailer.

This is very illegal because the intellectual property, design, and investment by the original creator of the item is being used without permission.  If the owners of the websites were in the US the issue would have been addressed years ago but since they are out of the US their hands were tied until now.

In the recent past if there was a judgement against one site it would be removed but five would pop up in its place.  The judge opened the door so ABPIA can add sites at will which will greatly improve the process.  This isn't just about customers being prohibited from getting cheaper dresses.  However, it will discourage anyone from buying copies of dresses based on designers' photos and designs.

Doing business with the offending sites will be very risky because US Customs and Homeland Security will seize the sites and all contact with the counterfeiter will be lost as well as money paid.  The funds on deposit with Paypal and other payment methods will be seized and others in the supply chain will be affected. UPS, FEDEX, PAYPAL, VISA, MASTERCARD and others have been served notice of the court ruling

Any funds on deposit with Paypal will become property of ABPIA. 

Many retailers are unable to recover from the damage caused to their businesses.  "This is just like a thief coming in here and stealing our cash register." said one retailer.  "After we have invested in the dresses that cost us more than these counterfeiters are charging, employees, insurance and overhead the customer is lured away with empty promises and horrible dresses that often don't fit and bear little resemblance to the original dress.  So many girls come in for an emergency replacement dress.  We feel sorry for them."

There have also been reports of the dress counterfeitters actually cloning entire websites, stealing logos and more in order to make you think you are doing business with a legitimate retailer.  Don't be fooled.  Do your home work.  If you are asked to provide more than just bust, waist, hip, and length measurements or are told your dress will be made to your measurements you are most likely dealing with a counterfeitterl.  If you are asked to wire money, don't!  Your credit card companies will not usually protect you if you get duped by someone outside of the US and if you do get a dress that looks even a little bit like the picture you are sunk.  Also, don't be fooled by the money back guarantees.  They are sneaky, dishonest and half way around the world.  If you can afford to travel there to collect you can afford to buy from a legitimate retailer in the first place. 

This new ruling is serious and we are going to see some real changes in the near future.

Anti Pirating Group files charges against gown knock off websites

Maggie Sottero Monterrey available at

The Gallery by Lynette

According to the latest issue of Vows magazine ABPIA's July filing in a New York federal court against over 50 named online counterfeiters and piracy websites is having a near immediate impact, as several of these sites have contacted the association's legal team to discuss resolution.  Defendants named in the filing for trademark counterfeiting and infringement, cyber-squatting and unfair competition includes dhgate.com, milanoo.com, dreamprom.com, magiebridal.com, and moorepromdress.com. 
These are surely not the only sites that will be compromised in the near future because Chinese knock off owners have been known to have as many as 30 different sites all funneling back to one owner.

The complaint was filed on behalf of over 20 manufacturers including Maggie Sottero, La Femme, BariJay, Alyce Paris, Allure Bridals, Watters, Mon Cheri, Mori Lee, Emme Bridal, Essence of Australia, Edward Berger, Jovani, Precious Formals and Jordan Fashions. 


If you or a friend buys a dress online from other than the authorized retailer for that designer, you risk your money as well as your dreams because these knock off/pirate sites may very well be gone with your money and your dress and you may be shopping for an emergency replacement at the last minute
.  IS IT REALLY WORTH THE RISK?
We recommend that you shop in a real bridal shop where you can see and touch the gowns before you buy and where you can do business face to face with someone under US jurisdiction.  Once your money goes overseas there is very little recourse in the event you are unhappy.

Please visit our sponsors listed at the side.  Thank You.

Buyer Beware!

Photo of Adorae by Sottero and Midgley Designer Gown

Stolen Photo from Chinese Knock off Site.  Can you tell the difference?

For far too long the American public has been duped by unscrupulous wedding websites that rely on misleading advertising.  These sites offer bargain-basement prices for the season’s hottest designs and then fail to deliver the promised goods.  The average consumer is unable to reliably determine if the website is offering a legitimate product or a fake because the pirated images are the exact same photos.

The off shore pirates are not subject to US laws or responsibilities which costs are not being collected on the direct shipments to consumers.  What the consumer also does not know is that the designers and owners of the images and copyright products that are currently flooding the US have banded together to enforce the rights of protection that are already in our laws and legal system. 

Did you know that:

Your wedding dress could be intercepted by US Customs and if it is determined that your gown was made from a pirated image or contains trademarked lace or beadwork or design, officials would be forced to destroy your dress because it is illegal for the knock off companies to copy such merchandise.

Even if your gown was made legally Customs officials may inspect your gown and apply any value that they want and you would be required to pay 17% duty (just like the legitimate designer does) before you can receive your gown.

When a US company imports goods they must ensure that products are safe.  When you buy directly off shore you have absolutely no assurance.  We have seen reports of dresses and fabrics that are tainted with dangerous substances and/or pins, needles, etc. being left in gowns. 

Buyer Beware.  If it seems too good to be true it probably is. 

Cariad wrote: "thats because they are using designer images i tell anyone considering buying online to contact the company before purchase and ask to see an actual dress they have made and not the desinger image most wont even reply when asked to see their actual work"

Hey Rebecca! I did not order from Lily’s, but I did order from Dresstimes. IT IS A SCAM!!! Honestly, I would not buy a wedding dress from any website, AT ALL! I spent 450$ on a dress that could never be used! The workmanship, color, everything was terrible. Luckily, I had one on lay-a-way here in case it didn’t work out and it didn’t. I ended up spending 560$ on the one I wore (which ended up being perfect!). With that I could have bought the original Maggie Soretto I tried to go cheap on. Rebecca, I was married in May and my advice would be to NEVER buy a dress you can’t try on or even touch! I hope this helps

"Just appropriate to add here that today had a bride come in for a first fitting with her Lightinabox gown......she never took it out to look at because she literally got it last night and opened it in my store............lol. After her horror, dry heaving and tears she walked over to my rack pulled one gown out herself and bought it for $1200.00, she was so disgusted and kicking herself for spending the $200.00 on the piece of crap she bought and was beside herself. We had a little discussion about these knockoff sites and she herself stated she couldnt believe that these factories were allowed to do business and sell such a piece of *hit.". Boston retailer posted this today.

Rossen Reports: Are top websites in business with counterfeiters? Sellers of fake goods are paying big bucks for prime placement on Google

We have repeatedly reported that US Customs has been known to seize illegal copies of everything from DVDs to Clothing.  Here is a national report on it.  Also, stay tuned for the new law New York is working on which will give you a $1000 fine or a year in jail for purchasing illegal copies of items.


Sellers of fake goods are paying big bucks for prime placement on Google. The underground world of counterfeiting scams Americans out of billions of dollars. Now there’s a new twist deceiving consumers. TODAY National Investigative Correspondent Jeff Rossen reports.  Read More


Here's another link to a counterfeit wedding dress blog.  Click Here

Bridal Shops Can't Fix the Problem

Shop locally and save money, time and more.

Even bridal shop owners feel bad when a consumer gets cheated by China.  I have hundreds of friend nation wide who own bridal shops and have posted a few of their recent comments regarding Fake Chinese Dress Copies.

A website can never give you the security and ease of a brick and mortar shop

"Knockoffs seems to be a common occurence anymore.  Last year a girl came into the store and wanted to purchase a tony bowls dress that retailed for a little over $700.  Her mother had sticker shock, and did not purchase the dress from me.  A few months past and she came back, desperate for the dress she tried on, and unfortunately we had already sold the sample. Her mother then told me she ordered it directly from china, 'to cut out the middle man'. It was hard not to laugh at this statement, but I let her continue with her story. She said she was able to get the dress ordered for $150. She asked me if I could check the order for her, because it had not arrived and prom was in two weeks!  I told her I was unfortunately not able to do anything because it had no been placed under my account.  I told her the best I could do was check hanging stock, and see if there were any left in her size, so we could order her one from our store, but she would have to pay our price. Luckily there was one left in stock!  The dress arrived from Tony quickly and we did a few minor alterations.  The knock off arrived a month LATE, and was sewn with purple, red, green, and blue threads, made of organza instead of silk/taffetta, and to top it off the sequins were glued on! I don't understand what people think they are going to get for $150. Why does the red flag not go up in peoples' minds?"BR

"I had a girl come in a couple of weeks ago with a really bad knock off.  Dress was glued together and sequins were glued on.  It looked AWFUL!  Money was not the issue (her dad is a local plastic surgeon) she just had to have THIS dress and couldn't find it in any store.  She bought something from me to replace it but was still upset it wasn't "THAT" dress!" DS

"Had a pageant girl and her mom in on Wed. with two eBay specials that were supposed to be Tony Bowls knockoffs.  The mom had ordered the gowns, spent over $600 and had two pieces of trash.  Mom had the printout from the eBay site and both gowns plainly had the TB logo.  The dresses were hideous.  Nothing was salvageable and she ended up buying another pageant gown from me.  Ka-ching!  You just CANNOT educate people about these knock-off gowns!!!" Tricia

How to Spot Fake Reviews

 When you understand the nature of the Chinese knock off business it becomes easier to spot the fake review.  Look at the grammar.  The order of the words can be a tip off as well as using the wrong form of a word.  The review below is from a thread on this very subject.  There are girls who state that they got what they expected but I do wonder if they are just too embarrassed to say that they got cheated after so many warnings.

"Laura,
I went through DHGate and bought 2 dresses. I had found “MY” dress and they had the picture that was from the model that you would see in the magazines. DON”T DO IT! Both dresses were poor quality and not what is pictured. They use the pictures and send you cheap imitations.
Even with their no hassle money back claim – i was never able to get a refund. Even the veils I bought were horrible. I could’ve had a kindergartner make them look nicer. Save yourself the money and go find a dress you can try on and a bridal shop you can hold accountable in the USA! " Click here to go to the thread.   Click Here for another site with photos of fake wedding dresses.

Good Morning America Report

Here is Jenna by Maggie Sottero.  You might find Chinese websites with this same exact photo but you will only get this dress from an authorized retailer.  See knockoffs below.

It doesn't take a genius to figure out that the knock off people are not professional seamstresses.  They have never even seen the real Maggie Sottero Jenna or any of the real dresses of the stolen pictures.  Some of the comments (after the tears stop) have been, "Cheap looking, It wasn't finished, It smelled like fish, I had to pay $200 more in duty to get my dress from the Post Office." And more.

How to avoid wedding dress blues.  Still think you might be ordering a wedding dress, bridesmaid dress or other dress directly from China?  Click Here to see the video aired recently on Good Morning America investigational  report on some who actually ordered and what they got.

Buyer BeWare!

You've found your dream gown but the price is more than you want to pay.  Then you find a picture of the dress on the web saying that you can buy it direct from China for a fraction of the cost.  I have always heard "If it seems too good to be true, it probably is."  You might have even found glowing reviews about the source of the Chinese gowns.  Anyone who has done any research will tell you that you are playing wedding dress roulette.  If you actually do receive a gown, and that is a big "if", it will likely be very late, in a package the size of a shoe box and will bear little resemblance to the beautiful designer dress.  You would be better served to buy second hand or borrow if you really don't have sufficient funds for your own wedding gown.  There are also sale racks where you can actually buy a real wedding dress for about what you will pay online and you know what you are getting.  Once your money is sent overseas you might as well kiss it good bye because it is not coming back.  Buy your dress safely more.
At The Gallery by Lynette we carry real designer labels as well as gowns designed and created for our store.

No matter what, you will know exactly what you are getting from the very beginning.  Please visit us http://www.lynettes.com

Still Waiting for my Chinese Knock off Gown

My Chinese Knock off copy of Sottero and Midgley Adorae that was supposedly shipped the 4th of April has still not arrived. What a big surprise!!! They were happy to take my $117 for a $1200 gown but quit responding to my inquiries with I asked for a tracking number that actually works. I got paypal involved and hopefully I will get my money back but in the meanwhile who has months to wait to see if they will even get a dress let alone something you can wear.  

I found some rather interesting comments on a website that you can go to at the end of this post with some pretty interesting feedback. I have copied one below also "The problem isn't the chinese websites, it's the cheapskate customers who use their services. The chinese factories are only selling online because gullible Americans are waiting in line to buy their cheaply made products. Ladies, I know you want a "good deal", but get a conscience to go with it. If you are so immature that you believe wasting a salesperson's time is okay, you are not mature enough to be getting married. If your budget is so low that you have only $100 for a wedding dress, you are not financially stable enough to be getting married!

If you get ripped off by one of these websites, you only have yourself to blame. Same goes for the USA sites like best bridal prices. They have countless complaints for non delivery, late delivery, sending sample gowns as "new". Look it up! The "good" comments you see online are posted by their employees. (You can tell, usually. They tend to read like an ad, and they always mention the "Free veil and shoes" bit)."


Click Here to read more reviews. The site you are going to is not ours.

My Own Experience

I went online a few months ago with the eyes of a consumer and found the best option to order a dress from a Chinese knock off site.  I selected DHGate.com because they have been around for awhile and accept paypal.  I thought paypal would protect me in the event there is a problem.

I received an email that my dress was shipped on April 4 with an accompanying tracking number.  The tracking number didn't work but the note said to wait a few days for the tracking number to become active.  I tried it every day for a week.  It didn't work so I emailed the shipper.  A few days later came a response to be patient that I would receive my dress next week. 

That was two months ago.  I have sent numerous emails to the shipper and directly to DHGate and have had no response.  My money is gone.  I have no dress.

If you are on a tight budget take the money you can afford to spend and be up front with your local bridal shop.  Let them show you what you can get get for your money.  At least then you will know what you are getting.

Bride in Tears Today

The most troubling thing happened in my store today.  Two ladies came in looking for bridesmaids dresses.  They knew exactly which style they wanted and as we were talking the bride revealed to me that she had already ordered her wedding dress from the internet.  "The company is in California," she told me.  I asked her which site.  She hesitated.  I asked her how much she paid for her wedding gown.  She said it was $100.  A zillion red flags went up.  She then remembered that the website was www.dinodirect.com .  I pulled it up and explained to her why I know it is a Chinese knock off site.

Ladies, please, please, please do your homework!  Google "review" and the name of the website you are considering ordering from.  Keep in mind that many testimonials are fake so it is a good idea to take them with a grain of salt. 

Here is a review site on www.dhgate.com  It is quote enlightening.  Click Here for Reviews

The other thing you should know is as a designer doing business in China I know what it costs to make a wedding dress, any wedding dress and what shipping from half way around the world costs and you can't do both for $100.  My theory is that it is kind of like a wedding dress lottery.  Many girls tell me that they never did receive the merchandise they paid for and their money is gone too.  Some who actually did receive a dress got a really bad, unwearable, disappointing dress.  The company takes all the money and sends out a dress every once in a while.  Hence the "Wedding Dress Lottery".

You might think that in store wedding gowns are expensive but you wouldn't go to a restaurant and pay $1 for prime rib without some suspicion.  What if you paid for your dinner and never received it?  What if you paid and saw people at another table served prime rib while all the other people in the restaurant go away hungry.  If you get something for nothing, somebody else gave something and got nothing.   Be smart and keep your money in the U.S.

Sad Knockoff Story

No Amount of Money Saved Can Compensate for a Bad Dress



Knock Off Disaster

Yesterday afternoon, one of
my brides visited my store with her mom and asked if I could show her mom a
Maggie Sottero gown recently purchased by one of her friends.  No
problem.  As an authorized retailer,  I'm familiar with almost all of
the Maggie Sottero styles.  However,  the description of her friend's
gown was vague.  It didn't match any of the Maggie Sottero styles in my
store.   I was confused.



The bride then told me that her friend bought the gown online.  Her friend
ordered it from a website that guaranteed that the style was
"identical" to a Maggie Sottero gown pictured in an ad.  The web
site represents a Chinese manufacturer that sells $200 knock-offs of many
popular designer gowns.  According to her friend, the price was low
because there was no middle-man in the negotiation.  It was a
"factory direct" cost. 



$200 would be a great price for a good Maggie Sottero copy if all things were
equal.   However, "good" is a relative term when describing
a knock-off and all things definitely were not equal.  Based upon the
brides description, her friend's gown couldn't be categorized as a
"good" copy of anything.  



Everyone should be suspect of a deal that offers an "identical" copy
for 10% of the original cost.  Realistically, $200 couldn't even pay for
the fabric to make the dress.  If a deal sounds too good to be true, it
usually is. 



The bride went on to say that her friend was on a tight budget and felt that
buying a knock-off was her best option under the circumstances.  However,
she wasn't prepared for how different the original and the
"identical" copy would look.  She also wasn't prepared for how
differently the gowns would fit.



My heart goes out to anyone in a desperate situation.   Many people
take risks -- hoping that they can cut corners and still fulfill their
fantasies for a dream wedding.  Truthfully, sometimes it is possible to
cut corners -- but not always.  Sometimes the cards are stacked against
you.  In the end, the money is lost and the dream can  become a
nightmare.



It makes me sad when I encounter the disappointment and tears shed after
precious resources are wasted by gullible girls who want to believe that they
will get an unbelievable deal by buying "direct" from a factory in
China.   Several girls told me that they were assured that the gown that
they ordered would be "identical" to a popular designer style.
Not one gown has been identical so far.  Some factories take it a step
further and assure the bride that the gown will be custom made to her
measurements to avoid alteration costs. 



To the best of my knowledge, this never turns out to be true.  I lost
track of the number of calls that my seamstress receives from

girls who are desperate to obtain professional alterations on gowns

ordered from a factory in China.   I don't believe that my seamstress
has been able to help even one bride because the gowns they received were made
of such inferior quality fabrics and were sewn so poorly at the factory that
alterations couldn't be made.  



If the quality concerns aren't enough to discourage you from off- shore, online
buying, think about this:  all gowns shipped to the United States are
subject to Customs Inspections.  There are numerous laws that prohibit the
distribution of knock-offs in the United States.  Customs Inspectors can
enforce these laws and confiscate your knock-off gown.  The money you
spend on the gown and the shipping will not be refunded.



In some instances, Customs Inspectors make an arbitrary decision that the gown
may be worth more than the price specified.  In these instances, the
Customs Inspector is permitted to increase the import duty from 17% to 20% --
up to an additional $1,000 in duty charges.  Again, you are responsible
for these charges. 



Consumers who select to use their personal checking accounts or credit cards to
pay for their online purchases are faced with a legal battle.  While a
gown may be 100% refundable, shipping charges (ranging from $50 to $150) are
not refundable.  Therefore, some consumers are caught between a rock and a
hard place -- paying as much as $300 in shipping charges on a gown that they
will never receive.



Even if you receive the gown you ordered -- even if it looks vaguely similar to
the gown you wanted -- even if it's wearable -- you're still not out of the
woods.   The fabrics used to make knock-off gowns are so inexpensive
that pressing the gown becomes a major issue.  In most cases, you can't
use an iron.  Instead, the gown must be professionally steamed.  Many
professionals will refuse the job because the substandard fabric, lace, and
beading will make it impossible to achieve good results.  In fact,
steaming could damage the gown.  Similarly, many professional dry cleaners
may refuse to clean the gown after the wedding because it won't withstand the
cleaning solvents or the cleaning process. 



Problems with gowns order from factories in China are becoming common.  If
you've had a problem with a knock-off gown, we'd love to hear from you.
Your experiences may help to save someone from disaster. 

U.S. Feds more involved every day in the knock off trade.

You might think it doesn't affect you and there are enough positive comments online to justify ordering a gown from overseas but is it really the best idea? If the unscrupulous overseas pirates would say that they make your dream gown for the designer and if you order direct you can save $$$$,  if they would steal copyright images and post them as their own, take your precious money and sell you a very inferior gown don't you think that they would also flood the internet with positive reviews, positive feed back and articles about how safe it is?   Read the article below carefully and you will see that you could order your dress, pay your money and they could disappear.  You also might not be aware that you are not protected with you use your credit card for an outside of the U.S. purchase. Be sure to back click after you read the article because there is more below. (Read More click below)

Bridal Guide

I just got off the phone with the Editor of Bridal Guide Magazine.  He wants some input on the problems that brides are facing with the issue of buying wedding gowns off the internet.  It is a big problem because un suspecting individuals are being tricked into thinking that the picture online is a representation of what they will receive.  All I can say is the immortal words of Clint Eastwood  "Do you feel lucky?  Well, do you?"

I met a bride to be at a recent bridal fair who told me that she had ordered 4 wedding dresses online before she got the one she was happy with but she said it was OK because they were all really cheap.  Is that really what you would want?  She also was wondering if my seamstress could stand by to make her a jacket because she had two on order and wasn't sure either of them would be here in time for the wedding.

I can't imagine anything more stressful.

I have researched online at what is available.  Any time a bride to be comes into my store wanting a price match to a website offer I go to my computer and pull up the site.  Sometimes I find deep in the recesses of the website in teeny tiny print that these aren't pictures of the real dresses but a version or replica gown.  Often I have to go to a whois site to find out who owns the domain and most of them are hiding behind a registration service.

If  the place from which you are considering buying the most important dress you will ever wear is not in the U.S. and connected to a real brick and mortar store you might want to reconsider. 

Be sure to follow our blog so you won't miss out.  In upcoming posts we will visit ways that you can tell whether you are looking at a real designer gown or a copy and the dangers of sending your money out of the U.S.  The best ways to pay for a wedding gown, the most knocked off designers, etc.

Knockoff Formal and Bridal Gowns on Internet Shopping Sites

Knockoff Formal and Bridal Gowns on Internet Shopping Sites


Submitted by Fashion Belle on Sat, 12/11/2010 - 12:20

Brides shopping online in preparation for spring weddings may want to be cautious of websites that appear to sell name brand dresses at a fraction of retail prices. These sites, many in China, are creating knockoffs, a topic addressed by this article, Cyber Monday Crackdown: 82 Sites Shut Down in Anti-Piracy Bust. This Huffington Post article refers to November 29, 2010, the Monday after Thanksgiving in the United States, which has become one of the biggest online shopping days of the year as companies have started a tradition of offering online coupons and discounts to garner an extra share of holiday sales at the end of the busy Thanksgiving shopping weekend.



Products of all types are counterfeited, and in the apparel and accessories categories, luxury brand handbags are a common target as are designer formal and bridal gowns. Formal and bridal dress industry expert Lynette Robinson, whose Gallery by Lynette is featured in the Fashion Belle reviews, has created a special Buyer Beware of Replica Gowns blog to showcase photos of original dresses compared to cheap copies of the same styles from companies selling counterfeits. In a phone interview, Robinson shared with the Fashion Belle Editor that because of the lack of copyright protection in China, manufacturers in that country will often take photos directly from a competitor's website, post it on their own site, and offer to make the dress for far less than the original dress sells at retail. Robinson, who produces her own original designs in partnership with factories in China and elsewhere, said that often the counterfeiters have never seen the original dresses. They refer to photos of popular dresses and cut copies based on measurements submitted by their online customers. The fabric and construction quality of the counterfeit dresses is usually far inferior to that of the original gowns.



Bridal and formal gowns can easily run into the hundreds or thousands of dollars, which is why shoppers would understandably be drawn to websites that appear to offer deep discounts on styles, especially modest styles which must be ordered online if the shopper does not have access to local stores that specialize in modest styles. However, be aware that not only are counterfeit goods illegal, the quality may be far below what is expected.



For the Cyber Monday crackdown, agents from the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement Agency (ICE) had been making purchases from suspected sites, and if the products shipped were confirmed to be counterfeit, the domains were seized. The following notice was placed on the closed sites, "This domain name has been seized by ICE - Homeland Security Investigations pursuant to a seizure warrant issued by a United States District Court . . . . Intentionally and knowingly trafficking in counterfeit goods is a federal crime that carries pentalties for first time offenders of up to ten years in federal prison, a $2,000,000 fine, forfeiture and restitution . . . ."



Special agent John Chakwin is quoted on the ICE website regarding the importance of stopping illegal imports, "These counterfeits cause legitimate U.S. industries to lose billions in revenue annually which deny Americans good-paying jobs. Counterfeits may be funded by criminal organizations, and they deliver shoddy and sometimes dangerous goods into commerce." The ICE encourages the public to report information on counterfeiting and trademark violations at the Intellectual Property Rights toll-free hotline, (866) IPR-2060

Source

Reviews

It's hard to imagine how these websites offering replica designer gowns can possibly have so many wonderful reviews unless you realize that anybody who would steal copyrighted material and claim it as their own would not think twice about fabricating reviews.  Saving money on a dress is attractive but the disappointment of getting a dress that bears little resemblance to the original gown might not be so nice. 

Replica Gowns VS Original Designer Styles