A Shanghai firm has been fined 600,000 yuan (nearly Rs. 72 lakh) after it was convicted of organising fake children’s fashion shows and cheating parents of some 367,000 yuan (nearly Rs. 44 lakh), according to the South China Morning Post.
The company, operating under the name ‘Paris Kids Fashion Week’ since 2020, touted its events as part of renowned Paris Fashion Week internationally. On its official site, the company featured photographs of famous French landmarks such as the Louvre to create the illusion of authenticity, according to Xinmin Evening News.
Fake Luxury Shows Across Cities
The company held fashion shows in big Chinese cities and even ventured into overseas markets such as Paris and Toronto. In one of these events held in Shanghai, four shows were held under the brand names of luxury brands such as Gucci, Dior, Burberry, and Fendi. Parents had to pay as much as 6,000 yuan (approximately Rs. 72,500) per child for their participation.
These events also included special parent-child runway walks, where guardians were invited to join their children on stage.
Gucci Flags the Scam
The operation came under legal scrutiny after Gucci’s Shanghai office lodged a formal complaint in 2023. Following this, the Shanghai Market Regulatory Bureau launched an investigation, uncovering extensive trademark violations.
Officials found that the company did not only utilize Gucci’s authentic logos but also produced deceptive knock-offs like ‘Gucc101’ and ‘Gucc100’. A employee admitted that families were being charged more than 10,000 yuan (around Rs. 1.20 lakh) for every costume utilized in the show.
Counterfeit Clothes Utilized in Shows
Even with the hefty price labels, the apparel was not always genuine. The businessman Huang confessed to buying counterfeit designer uniforms on the web. According to him, these clothes were strictly meant for photo shoots and were not sold on the market.
The authorities declared the registration fees that were gathered in the amount of 367,000 yuan as illegal revenues and fined the company heavily for trademark violations.
Repeat Offender Still Active Online
A procurator in Shanghai pointed out that the company had already been fined by other local market regulators in the past, but had continued with its fraudulent activities unchecked. In spite of the regulatory action, its social media sites, still under the title ‘Paris Fashion Week Kid’s Unit’, continue to be active.
