Imitation is flattering, says designer Giorgio Armani, who has a fake Armani watch to prove it. Armani said he bought the watch for $22 in Shanghai. ``It was an identical copy of an Emporio Armani watch,'' he said at a news conference Monday in Hong Kong. The real timepiece costs many times as much.

"It's flattering to be copied. If you are copied, you are doing the right thing,'' he said with a smile.

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Posted by Lawren at April 21, 2004 08:44 AM

You Said

Did anyone tell him that someone is making thousands of dollars at his expense? Is he not offended that there is someone taking advantage of his creativity? Did anyone bother to ask him why they should spend several hundred dollars for his watch when they can get a copy for $22? This guy sounds like a moron. I hope he has good lawyers.

Says: Grant at April 21, 2004 09:02 AM

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people know that they are buying a fake when they buy something off the street for $20 or so. And most of the time, I think the people who buy the fakes would not shell out for the real thing anyway, so I don't think he's losing money. It is important to some people to have real designer, expensive things, and those people will always pay for it because it is important to them. The fakes probably increase the popularity, and increase the desire to have an authentic. I don't think he's stupid at all.

Says: t at April 21, 2004 09:19 AM

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His trademark lawyers won't be getting rich with that kind of attitude toward his intellectual property. But seriously, by not enforcing his trademark rights against this imitator he is lessening the chance he will be able to recover from future, and perhaps bigger, infringers. His lawyers should advise him of this very real possibility. I don't believe he would have such a cavalier attitude about it if the Mens Wharehouse started selling knock off Armani suits.

Says: Lawrence at April 21, 2004 05:06 PM

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