Podcast Summary: Style-ish – “How copycat culture took over fashion and beauty”

Date: November 27, 2025
Hosts: Madison Sullivan Thorpe & Rhiannon Joyce
Publisher: Shameless Media

Episode Overview

In this episode of Style-ish, Madison and Rhiannon dive deep into the phenomenon of "dupe culture"—the mainstreaming of imitation products in fashion and beauty, and the way brands are leveraging this trend as a marketing strategy. Anchored around the wild success and controversial tactics of MCO Beauty, the episode contrasts industry and consumer perspectives, explores the increasingly blurred lines between inspiration and imitation, and raises critical questions about the sustainability and ethics of copycat culture.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Setting the Scene: Black Friday & Brand Saturation

• Black Friday Sales Fatigue:
  • Rhiannon notes the relentless deluge of Black Friday promotions and the disappointing discounts masquerading as major deals (04:18–05:44).
    • “I do not want to see a discount that resembles a sign up discount. You can go and get fucked.” – Madison [04:41]
  • Strategic, thoughtful shopping and the value of curated shopping edits by creators like Bri Turton and Zara Wong are highlighted as antidotes to the overwhelm.
• Education Behind the Curtain:
  • Shoutouts to JWRIGHTofficial and others who break down the business side of these massive retail pushes, offering “snackable edutainment content” for consumers who want to be savvy (07:08–08:11).

2. Dupes as a Marketing Strategy: The MCO Beauty Case Study

• Defining Dupes vs. Counterfeits:
  • Dupes provide the look and function of luxury items without infringing on protected IP (e.g., not fake Chanel bags) (10:31).
  • MCO Beauty: half of its product range is self-identified as “dupes,” making copycatting a core part of its branding and meteoric rise—it's now the #1 beauty brand in major Australian supermarkets (14:40–15:02).
    • “MCO Beauty has made duping as part of their marketing strategy. I don’t think there is any other brand in the world...so much so that they’ve actually identified that 50% of their product range are considered dupes and 50% are considered original products.” – Rhiannon [12:39]
  • Their NYC pop-up directly emulated a Sephora experience, using slogans like “luxury for everyone.”
• Consumer Response & Industry Disruption:
  • While industry insiders may grieve the loss of creative labor, most consumers don't care, especially in a cost-of-living crisis.
    • “I don’t think they care, Mads, because the reality of it is they are getting a product that in some cases is like for like.” – Rhiannon [19:25]
  • The accessibility of dupes in supermarkets and drugstores (vs. exclusive luxury retailers) is a huge driver.

3. The Ethics and Impact of Dupe Culture

• From Industry Insiders:
  • Madison’s unique perspective as a former Mecca senior marketing manager centers empathy for brand founders and creators, lamenting that dupe culture “flattens industry” and stifles creativity (16:40–19:10).
    • “Where I worry about dupe culture is that it flattens industry. It takes away time, effort, energy, and most of all creativity...” – Madison [18:52]
• From the Average Consumer:
  • Price and accessibility trump concerns over imitation (20:07–20:53).
  • The normalization of dupes is “fueled” by social media’s viral culture, with #dupe hitting 6.3 billion views on TikTok (21:29).

4. Fashion vs. Beauty: Why Do We Judge Differently?

• Hypocrisy & Contradiction:
  • Both hosts openly grapple with their own shifting standards—comfortable with Zara making St Laurent knock-offs, but uncomfortable when local brands are copied (24:23–26:41).
    • “I’m guilty of this. I often joke that I’m a total walking contradiction.” – Madison [24:53]
• IP in Creative Direction & Campaigns:
  • Rhiannon argues that “creative direction is IP,” citing Australian brands who have had style guides, photo treatments, and campaigns copied (28:49–29:00).

5. Dupe Debate: Where Do We Draw the Line?

• Case Studies:
  • Ganni’s ballerina flats and Bottega’s Jodie clutch: The panel admits to owning dupes and feeling conflicted about it (29:15–30:53).
  • Emotional responses vary depending on whether the originator or the duper is local, international, small, or a conglomerate.
• Brand Innovation: Reverse Dupe Marketing:
  • Lululemon’s “dupe swap” pop-up encouraged consumers to exchange knockoffs for originals, showing how some brands are cleverly turning the trend to their advantage (31:56–33:29).
  • Charlotte Tilbury’s campaign labeling themselves “undupable” is discussed as a cheeky response, though execution is critiqued (33:07–34:30).

6. Is Dupe-Driven Marketing Sustainable?

• Short-Term Gains vs. Long-Term Risks:
  • Madison and Rhiannon agree: a business model based on copycatting has momentum now but is unlikely to have longevity. When outrage inevitably replaces excitement, the strategy may falter (34:36–35:22).

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

On Black Friday sales and brand fatigue:

“I do not want to see a discount that resembles a sign up discount. You can go and get fucked.”
– Madison (04:41)

On MCO’s unapologetic dupe positioning:

“They are really going hard at using this tactic of dupes as part of their strategy. And to your point, they’ve really brought it to life in an experiential space.”
– Rhiannon (10:22)

On the emotional impact for industry insiders:

“Where I worry about dupe culture is that it flattens industry. It takes away time, effort, energy, and most of all creativity that goes into…creating something.”
– Madison (18:52)

On consumer priorities:

“The reality of it is, dupe culture is rife on social media and social media has contributed—and I would almost say created dupe culture.”
– Rhiannon (21:29)

On personal contradictions:

“I’m guilty of this. Like, I often joke that I’m a total walking contradiction because… But I’m the first to go, oh, my God, how good is this Zara top? It’s a total rip off of the St. Laurent top.”
– Madison (24:53)

On creative IP and brand identity:

“That creative direction is ip…To me, that’s as much IP as the packaging you put your lip liner in.”
– Rhiannon (28:51)

On sustainability of dupe culture as a tactic:

“No, not in the current way it’s coming about…I don’t think there’s longevity in that because I think the pendulum will swing and where excitement comes, outrage will follow and vice versa.”
– Madison (34:39)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Black Friday sales fatigue: 04:18–06:09
• Defining dupes, counterfeits, and the MCO takeover: 08:11–12:39
• MCO’s dupe marketing and disruption: 12:39–16:28
• Emotional and industry impacts of dupes: 16:40–20:07
• Dupe culture’s normalization & social media impact: 21:29–22:13
• Changing creator/consumer sentiment: 23:12–24:23
• Fashion vs. beauty hypocrisy: 24:53–26:41
• Branding, creative IP & campaign copying: 28:49–29:15
• Dupe debate—where do you draw the line: 29:15–30:53
• Lululemon’s reverse-dupe campaign & trademarks: 31:56–33:29
• Sustainability of dupe-driven marketing: 34:36–35:22

Conclusion

The episode ultimately highlights that dupe culture is a multifaceted, emotionally charged phenomenon: beloved for accessibility and democratization, lamented for its toll on creativity and originality. While brands like MCO ride high on the trend today, both hosts and the data suggest that consumer sentiment, as well as legal and ethical considerations, will continue to evolve. The “copycat culture” conversation is far from over—but for now, it’s reshaping shelves, social feeds, and the strategies of entire industries.