Unauthorized Authentic
10.05.–26.08. 2018, 28th International Biennial of Graphic Design,  The Moravian Gallery in Brno, Brno, Czech Rep.

Project: Monika Čejková, Romana Drdová

Unauthorized Authentic as an art installation responded to fashion bootleging and fake replicas. With several examples in the form of photographs, pieces of clothing, fashion accessories or videos it made an introduction to the fantasy in the approach to the production of these items by Asian workers, proponents of so-called bootleg fashion or designers of large fashion houses.

Unauthorized Authentic took a place at the 28th International Biennial of Graphic Design in Brno, Czech Republic. The exhibition included for example a photography of Balenciaga’s Triple S shoes with added Off–White brand logo, when the manufacturers probably went ahead of time and suggested possible co-operation between the two brands although it had not happen in real; redesigns of iconic products created by the bootleggers Imran Moosvi and Ava Niri or a Guccy t-shirt from the official collection of the Gucci brand made between 2017 and 2018 inspired by fakes from street shops. Photographs of Vetements fake products which Vetements sold as its own in 2016 in an official “fake garage” in the suburbs of Seoul also took place.

To illustrate the whole scene the installation presented several examples of the opposite extreme, when the consumers are enthralled by the original and wearing a replica is not socially acceptable for them.

Full exhibition text