I.AM.GIA is an Instagram-brand whose rise to notoriety has been nothing short of meteoric. The brand launched in mid-2017, its founder Alana Pallister is also responsible for Australian fast-fashion giant Tiger Mist. It has amassed a cult following amongst IG-baddies, influencers and celebrities alike. Their wares have been seen on stars like Dua Lipa, Demi Lovato, Emily Ratajowski and Bella Hadid.
You’d be hard-pressed to visit the inner west without being visually assaulted by one of their Pixi coats. But recently, the brand has been accused of a number of indiscretions, from stealing designs to unethical production.
Everyone’s favourite Instagram vigilante @diet_prada – an account dedicated to exposing copycat behaviour and the dubious side of the fashion industry has called out the brand on multiple occasions.
Earlier this year I.AM.GIA was called out for copying independent designer Daisy Daisy TV. A Sydney based husband and wife duo that designs and produces all their products locally.
But that’s not all, the brand has also been accused of sourcing its “original designs” from AliExpress.
Whilst the temptation to buy into cheaper knockoffs is ever-present, it is important to remind ourselves that doing so enables this gross, unethical, exploitative behaviour. Not only is fast fashion detrimental to independent designers, it is causing our environment exponential damage. The fashion industry is the second largest consumer of water in the world, producing twenty percent of wastewater. It is also responsible for creating 92 million tonnes of solid waste annually.
It is imperative that we reconsider our fast-fashion habit; we need to make an effort to consume consciously. If you’re looking for cheaper alternatives, instead of buying into garbage-trash, unethical goods that’ll leave you looking like a low budget Action Man, consider op-shopping, going to vintage markets and swapping clothes with your friends.
The reality is, the strappy, cargo pants that you so desperately yearn for now are probably going to end up in a landfill in a year’s time. These pieces are timely, not timeless and in six months time their appeal will fade into obscurity.
