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The Star
4 days ago
- Business
- The Star
China firm cons parents out of US$51,000 with fake elite brand kids fashion show
A Chinese company has been fined 600,000 yuan (US$83,000) by the government for faking children's fashion shows and conning 367,000 yuan (US$51,000) out of desperate parents. A Shanghai company had been promoting a series of fashion shows under the name Paris Kids Fashion Week since 2020, according to the mainland media outlet Xinmin Evening News. The company branded the shows part of the world-famous Paris Fashion Week, and used images of famous tourist spots in France, such as The Louvre, on its website. It also took the show to multiple first-tier cities in China, as well as Paris and Toronto. At one of its fashion weeks in Shanghai, the company promoted four shows using the names of luxury brands Dior, Gucci, Burberry and Fendi, and charged 6,000 yuan (US$830) each to appear in a single show. It also set up a parent-child event for parents to appear together with their kids. It was recently revealed by the Shanghai Market Regulatory Bureau that the Paris Kids Fashion Week is a scam. The bureau launched an investigation in 2023 after Gucci's Shanghai office reported the case. According to the report, the company also used Gucci's logos, and knock-off emblems with the words Gucc101 and Gucc100. During the investigation, a member of the company's staff said it charged parents more than 10,000 yuan (US$1,400) for each costumes their children wore in the show. However, not all the clothes were authentic. The company's owner, surnamed Huang, reportedly bought counterfeit clothes online. Huang argued that he only bought the fake clothes to take photos, and did not sell them. The authorities said the company's activities constituted trademark infringement. The firm made a total of 367,000 yuan (US$51,000) from registration fees, which the investigation identified as improper gains. The bureau fined the company 600,000 yuan (US$83,000). A procurator in Shanghai said the company previously received fines from market regulatory departments in other parts of China, but it did not correct its business. The company's social media accounts under the name Paris Fashion Week Kid's Unit can still be found online. 'The company was exploiting the desperate need of parents to make their kids successful and famous,' said one online observer. While another said: 'Such phenomena are quite common these days. Many art and sports training centres also charge parents a big sum of money to send their kids to unauthorised contests.' - SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST
Hindustan Times
5 days ago
- Business
- Hindustan Times
Gucci files complaint after Chinese company cons parents out of ₹44 lakh with fake kids' fashion shows
A Chinese company has been fined 600,000 yuan (approximately ₹72 lakh) for orchestrating fake children's fashion shows and defrauding parents of 367,000 yuan (around ₹44lakh), reported the South China Morning Post. According to Xinmin Evening News, the Shanghai-based firm had been promoting events under the name 'Paris Kids Fashion Week' since 2020, falsely branding them as part of the globally recognised Paris Fashion Week. Their website featured images of iconic French landmarks like The Louvre to lend credibility to the events. Also read: US visa officer in Hyderabad tests student with technical questions: 'I was surprised by the level' The company conducted shows in major cities across China, as well as in Paris and Toronto. During one of the Shanghai editions, it held four shows under the names of luxury brands like Dior, Gucci, Burberry and Fendi, charging parents 6,000 yuan (about ₹72,500) for a single appearance. It also hosted parent-child segments, allowing guardians to walk the runway with their children. The scam came to light after Gucci's Shanghai office filed a complaint, prompting an investigation by the Shanghai Market Regulatory Bureau in 2023. Investigators found that the firm used Gucci's logos and also created fake variations with names like 'Gucc101' and 'Gucc100'. One staff member admitted that the company charged over 10,000 yuan (roughly ₹1.20 lakh) for each costume worn by a child. However, not all the clothes were genuine. The owner, identified by his surname Huang, allegedly bought counterfeit outfits online. He claimed the clothes were only meant for photoshoots and were never sold. Authorities stated that these actions violated trademark laws. The registration fees collected, totalling 367,000 yuan, were classified as illegal earnings, and the company was fined accordingly. Also read: Jain temple to be built in Australia at a cost of $18 million with marble shipped from Rajasthan A procurator in Shanghai said the firm had been fined by other regional market regulators in the past but continued its deceptive practices. Despite the crackdown, its social media accounts under 'Paris Fashion Week Kid's Unit' remain active.
