Is this just a tribute?

If you follow me on Twitter (*cough* @frankiestyling *cough*), you may have seen that I treated myself to an early birthday present courtesy of the Browns sale...


Isn't she a beaut? I love how bold it is, and it also appeals to my inner-goth. Once I get used to the extra weight everything will be perfect!

This purchase inspired me to browse more McQueen jewellery online, and I stumbled across this seller on Ebay that specialises in Alexander McQueen "tribute" rings:


The seller does not try to disguise the fact that this ring isn't a real McQueen piece. In fact, he goes so far as to say, "Please note that this ring is NOT Alexander McQueen - it is a Tribute ring, but it is more or less identical to the £160 ring". This "tribute" can be purchased for the bargain price of £23.50.

I don't know what your feelings are on the subject, but personally I find this extremely insulting for a number of different reasons:

1. You can call it whatever you like - a tribute, a dedication, a homage - but at the end of the day, this is nothing but a cheap copy. A knock-off. A FAKE. And a bad one at that. To think that the genius and beauty of a McQueen piece can be recreated using cheap metal and subpar design skills is insane and, as this ring illustrates, impossible.
   
   
2. Do you really think that this monstrosity is a fitting "tribute" to Alexander McQueen's work? Really??!!? Poor Lee McQueen must be doing backflips in his grave.
   

At the end of the day, I'm all for a bargain and I know that designer jewellery can be pricey, but there is a reason for that. So much talent, skill and plain hard work goes into creating a ring as incredible as my new Alexander McQueen ring, and "tributes" such as this cheapen the whole process.

But what do you think? Is it ok to opt for the cheaper option every now and then? Are unaffordable designer pieces forcing people to go down the fake route? I'd love to hear what you think!