REAL MALLS, FAKE BRANDS - WHAT GIVES?

Sir,

I pen this letter with a furrowed brow and a slightly amused smirk, for I’ve stumbled upon a fashion faux pas that’s simply too garish to ignore. It seems our fair kingdom’s major towns and cities have become a runway for fake clothing brands, strutting their stuff not in the shadowy corners of informal stalls, but right there in the gleaming shop fronts of our most respectable shopping complexes.

One must ask: What’s the deal with all these knock-off Nikes and faux Guccis? Are we witnessing a sartorial scandal, or have we simply decided that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery—and profit?

Picture this: You stroll into a bustling shopping centre in Manzini or Mbabane, expecting to splash out on a pair of genuine Nike sneakers, only to find a shop next door peddling lookalikes at 10 per cent of the price.

Bargain

Ten per cent! I mean, I am all for a bargain, but this is less a steal and more a heist. How does one justify a shop hawking counterfeit kicks right beside a legitimate vendor sweating to shift the real deal? Surely, this isn’t just a friendly competition—it’s a full-on undermining of the honest trader’s business.

The genuine supplier must be wondering if they’ve accidentally wandered into a parallel universe where the rules of commerce have been tossed out with last season’s trends.

So, what does the law have to say about this brazen display of fakery? I confess, I am no legal eagle, but one would hope there’s something in our rulebook to address this. Elsewhere in the world, authorities don’t mess around when it comes to counterfeit couture.

Take the United States, for instance—news reports have detailed how US Customs and Border Protection seized counterfeit goods worth over US$2.7 billion in 2023 alone, with apparel and accessories making up a hefty chunk.
Destroy

They raid, confiscate and destroy these items faster than you can say ‘designer discount’, all because they know fakes do not just hurt brand egos—they chip away at the formal economy, funding shady dealings and costing jobs.
Or look at France, where they take their fashion so seriously they’ve made it a crime to even buy counterfeit goods. Ahead of the Paris Olympics in 2024, French police shut down 11 stores and nabbed 63 000 dodgy items—clothing, shoes, you name it.

Fake

Meanwhile, in South Africa, parliamentarians have been wringing their hands over how cheap imports and illicit fakes are strangling their textile industry, with calls for tariffs and crackdowns making headlines.

These countries treat counterfeit goods like the economic termites they are, gnawing at the foundations of legitimate trade. So why, oh why, are we letting them parade through our malls like they’ve got a VIP pass?

Here in Eswatini, it’s a different catwalk altogether. Here, the fake Versaces and Guccis aren’t relegated to flea markets or whispered about in hushed tones—they’re front and centre, rubbing shoulders with the real McCoy in our swankiest shopping complexes. What gives? Is this a bold new economic strategy - Eswatini as the counterfeit capital of southern Africa? Or have we simply missed the memo that says fakes belong in the informal sector, not in air-conditioned storefronts?

The impact on our formal economy must be profound. Every pair of knock-off Nikes sold is a sale snatched from a legitimate supplier, a tax dodged and a job potentially lost. It’s not just about the money—it’s about fairness.

Compete

How can a business investing in authenticity compete with a neighbour peddling deception at a fraction of the cost?

One wonders if our lawmakers have considered dusting off the statute books to see what can be done. Surely, there’s a law—or at least a strongly worded suggestion—about keeping counterfeit goods out of respectable retail spaces?

I implore you, dear Editor, to shine a light on this stylish scandal. Let’s ask the tough questions: What are our laws on fake clothing brands? Why are our malls a free-for-all for fraudsters? And can’t we at least pretend to care about the formal economy like other countries do?

Until then, I will be the one in the corner, eyeing every ‘bargain’ sneaker with suspicion—and maybe a little envy.

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