As for why we’ve seen so many knockoffs recently, Lee thinks it has to do with an influx of smaller startup-scale fashion labels in the past couple of years, and how they've been able to succeed: “I think big brands are realizing more and more that they're not as in control of the market as they used to be,” she said. “There’s a lot of innovation and creativity coming from smaller brands,” pointing out that it’s easier than ever for indie names to reach customers — certainly by social media and celebrity sightings, if not via ad budgets. “Bigger brands are trying to figure out how to respond to this new challenge, and copying is unfortunately a result of that.”