It’s not always fun and games, of course. In February, Gucci filed a lawsuit against discount designer e-comm site Beyond the Rack for allegedly selling counterfeit bags. (The brand was made aware of the site’s faux-logoed bags in June of last year, after receiving multiple complaints from shoppers stating that their new double-G-plastered purchases were "inferior quality," per The Fashion Law .) And how about the umpteen fake Primark stores that continue to crop up in the Middle East? There are so many of them now that it's impossible to monitor and subsequently shut them down.There’s such a thin line when it comes to copycat culture — and, if the copying isn’t done well, or in a way that’s either above board or massively ironic, it can get nasty. Last year, Chanel sued Erin Yogasundram of e-tailer Shop Jeen for a whopping $2 million after she sold knock-off iPhone covers for $35, The Fashion Law reported. The case was quietly settled , and the exact amount Yogasundram had to pay back wasn’t revealed — however it must have been hefty. Her response to the whole ordeal? "The fact that we were even on their radar, it was flattering," Yogasundram told The Cut . And this is exactly what this trend is about: being able to acquire a new audience that’s on the opposite end of the luxury spectrum, in a cheeky and tantalizingly clever way.When it comes to this "borrowing" theme, there’s now a sense of mutual acceptance from both sides. It’s been done so much that even designers of the highest caliber take the fact that someone is mirroring their work in stride. It’s all about recognition. Whether it’s a 17-year-old social media star or Karl Lagerfeld, taking the time and effort to "copy" can be a complimentary nod to the other brand’s wealth of influence, or — when it's low culture stealing from above — a subversive critique on the cult of luxury.The movement is bridging the gap between the catwalk and the street. And if this recent wave of copycat culture is anything to go by, the bootleg trend is here to stay — especially if creative directors continue to be flattered by the idea of younger, hipper brands echoing their identity , enabling them to be exposed to an otherwise difficult market to target. Looking to the future, expect this concept to reach even wider mainstream audiences. River Island x Dollar Store, anyone?