Now Trending: Dupes
There was a time when purchasing a “dupe” meant compromising– settling for a cheap imitation while the real product stayed on the shopping wishlist. Now, dupe culture is the wishlist. To Gen Z and millennial shoppers, ownership of a dupe is not a downgrade– it’s a flex.
From beauty and fashion to wellness, budget-friendly brands are no longer choosing to operate on the outside. Instead, they’re centering themselves in the market by embracing the very aspect luxury brands once mocked: Dupes. These affordable brands thrive as economic pressures and shifting social values shape spending habits. Dupe brands offer not just cheaper alternatives, but smarter ones, and in the process, rewrite the rules of status and style.
Media Credit: gorodenkoff / iStock
The Rise Of The Intentional Dupe
Today’s dupes aren’t trying to fool anyone. They’re not pretending to be designer bags or overly-priced serums– they’re proudly marketed as similar products for a fraction of the price. This transparency has made dupe culture appealing, especially to younger shoppers further concerned with aesthetics and practicality.
Brands like FeelinGirl and Iris & Rainbow have grown by leaning into their status as stylish alternatives. By creating shapewear and accessories that mirror luxury favorites (like SKIMS and Lululemon) in both design and quality, they have built customer loyalty not by hiding their influences, but by being honest about them.
FeelinGirl reviewer, Italia Jacqueline, said, “Even the inside is the same as the SKIMS ones,” comparing a FeelinGirl bodysuit to the SKIMS original.
At Iris & Rainbow, founder Iris Haxhialiu emphasizes that transparency and connection are central to the brand.
“We make sure our customers know they are getting value,” she said, “but also they know they are gonna get amazing flash deals on our live sales.”
That last part? The key to the success of dupes.
ChayTee / iStock
Content Is The Sales Strategy
To understand how dupe culture has evolved, look to TikTok.
Filled with short videos, hauls, and side-by-side comparisons, these formats are driving product discovery and brand loyalty. Unlike traditional advertising, these feel organic, fun, and community-driven. In these videos, a dupe is not just sold, it's vouched for, usually by someone who looks and sounds like the buyer.
Iris & Rainbow has taken that even further through live selling, a format that blends influencer energy with real-time interaction.
“You’re truly able to connect with your community and your customers,” explained Haxhialiu, “It’s something that you will never get through short videos.”
Brands could go deeper into content-driven marketing, like creating partnerships focusing on product styling rather than just selling. The future of dupe marketing will not rely on high-budget production; it will depend on trust, reliability, and real-world applications.
Shein.com
Shein Walked So Dupes Could Run
To understand the rise of dupe culture, it is worth looking back at fast fashion giants, especially Shein.
Shein– a 2008, China-based online retailer known for ultra-cheap, trend-driven clothing– mastered the art of low prices and trend-hopping through fast production and aggressive social media marketing. Its marketing strategy included constant new arrivals, frequent discounts, and influencer-heavy content, reshaping young consumers' shopping. But it also drew criticism for poor labor practices and overwhelming overproduction.
In some ways, dupe culture is fast fashion’s more refined descendant. The products are still affordable and trendy, but the messaging is different. While Shein throws hundreds of pieces out to see what sticks, dupe brands focus on public frustration, creating specific, desirable alternatives to high-end products and highlighting their value.
That’s the key distinction: dupe marketing centers value, not volume.
elfcosmetics.com
Beauty Brands That Are Doing It Right
Nowhere is this shift more obvious than in the beauty industry. e.l.f. Beauty, long considered a drugstore brand, has soared past its legacy image by embracing its status as a premium dupe brand. Viral hits like their Clinique Black Honey-inspired lip oil and make-up melting balm alternative have helped e.l.f reach a projected nearly $900 million in annual sales as of 2023. That’s about a 55% sales increase compared to its previous projection of 37%.
Consumers, especially younger ones, are willing to experiment across price points. According to a Morning Consult Survey, 49% of Gen Z and 44% of millennials have intentionally purchased a dupe. Why? Because it makes sense– financially, functionally, and socially, dupes allow people to get the look of the trend without overcommitting.
lvmh.com
The Luxury Crisis
While budget brands are thriving online, some luxury brands aren’t thrilled. LVMH CEO Bernard Arnault recently declared that his brands would not sell on Amazon, claiming the platform enables counterfeit sales and even hints at ties to organized crime.
But among Gen Z, that kind of gatekeeping can backfire. Many young shoppers simply don’t buy into the idea that luxury equals quality, or that spending more is always better.
DragonImages / iStock
Is 2025 the Year of the Dupe?
What was once considered “cheap” has been reimagined as “iconic”. Dupe brands are not trying to sneak into luxury brands’ lane– they have created a new one entirely.
In 2025, a “dupe” isn’t just an alternative… It's the main product.
- Related: VR and The New Era of Customer Engagement: 6 Brands Doing VR Right
- Related: Playing the Name Game: What Happens to A Company’s SEO After a Rebrand?
- Related: 13 Media and Commerce Mergers That Changed the Game
This article was produced and syndicated by MediaFeed.us.
.png)
