What??? Yes, China it for me please. That is what will be the new synonym for COPY in the coming years. Actually it should have been already.In the months that I have lived here, all I have seen is that the beauty and grandeur of this country has been created using a copy machine. Movies, Video games, Cars, Iphone, IPad....you name it. In fact, Shanghai was developed as a replica of New York. I'm yet to find the Statue of Liberty here :).
Wanna have a hairstyle like Penelope Cruz or Aishwarya Rai Bachchan? Just take a picture of theirs to the barbers here and say 'Copy' and they'll do it for you...no kidding. If you wish to have a clothing made to resemble one that's worn by a celebrity, take a picture of the same and go to the Fabric Market here in Shanghai. You choose the fabric and show them what needs to be made out of it. You'll have the garment ready in a couple days. Isn't that cool?
Some duplicates here come with glamor as well such as Coach, Gucci, Louis Vuitton, Calvin Klein and many others. What adds more value to it, is that you can further negotiate the price of an already reduced 'branded' item. What's the catch? Well, when it comes to electronics there is a chance of a product failure. So buy at your own risk. Here's something funny displayed on a board at the fake market in Shanghai - "Best duplicate supplier of Gucci bags"....huh?. I keep wondering at times if my friends in the US will appreciate my choice of branded handbags and watches (even if they are original) when I return back home.
Success is tough to duplicate but it's amazing how it's been done here in China. Worth the knowledge and the experience.
